It was a stupid scenario filled with holes, but that’s what Pike wanted. Vincent would see the holes as opportunities. Pike’s only concern was jamming Vincent into showing Dru Rayne. Vincent would not expose himself, but he would stay near the girl, watching from a hidden location with a clean escape route. Pike knew he would want this because this is what Pike would want. Vincent would watch from a hide and try to kill Pike. Pike could almost hear him thinking about it.

Vincent said, “Okay. We’re getting somewhere.”

“How about Rainey’s house, on the canal? It’s empty.”

“Too tight in there.”

Which is why Pike suggested it, pushing Vincent to think of escape routes and a wide field of view.

“Wherever you want, Vincent. You want to think about it, call me back?”

Vincent fell silent again, then mumbled something Pike couldn’t quite hear. Pike thought he was talking to Dru, then realized Vincent was talking to himself.

Two minutes later, they had a time, a place, and had worked out the details.

Pike rolled down the Jeep’s window and motioned to Cole.

“We’re on. Let’s roll.”

Chapter 45

45

Daniel

Daniel lowered the phone and stared at the waitress. They were back in the van’s bay, all four of them.

Daniel said, “You fuckin’ that boy?”

Tobey snorted, “Yeah, she’s fuckin’ him.”

Cleo giggled, “Fuckin’m real good.”

Her eyes were narrow and smart, like some tough-ass Bogotá hooker planning to grab a wallet. But she also looked scared. Damn well better.

“No, we’re not like that.”

“Why he wants you, he ain’t fuckin’ ya?”

She glanced away, then down and up.

“I don’t know. I haven’t known him very long.”

Tobey snickered, “Slut’s fuckin’ him.”

Cleo hissed, “Slut, slut.”

Daniel hoped they were right. The arrow dude might be some kinda bad-ass mercenary, but if he had a hard-on for the waitress, he was way past the money stage. Men stayed sharp when it came to money. Men got stupid when it came to women.

Daniel ripped off a fresh piece of silver tape, and pressed it over her mouth.

“You know what you are?”

Tobey said, “Tramp.”

Cleo said, “Cooze, cooze.”

She shook her head, talking now being beyond her.

“You’re a staked goat. These Swahilis in Africa, they stake a goat under a tree as bait for a lion. They cut it, make it bleed, then they wait up in the tree. That lion, all he can smell is the blood. That’s a pretty good way to hunt a zombie, too.”