Sirens, page 43
leaning slightly forward. ' don't like you professionally, and I like
you even less personally. I'm a woman and you'd better get it through
that dinosaur brain of yours that we're the only ones here.' Her violet
eyes bored into him. ''s just you and me and either we get this settled
right now or it's all over and you won't ever have to negotiate with me
again.) For an instant she thought he was going to blow up. Then he
seemed to get hold of himself. ',' he said. ''ve got the lighting and
the closed set.' He ran his fingers through his hair as he sat down with
an audible sigh. '!' he breathed. He seemed to think it was over. ','
Daina said sweetly.
"Now why don't you get on the phone with Reynolds and tell him you've
changed your min .' She went over to the bar and opened it. ' the Brando
project goes to Columbia.' She poured them both Scotches on the rocks,
turned to face him. He was staring at her with a kind of stony shock.
''m sure the chairman of the board would 0, be fascinated by how you let
it slip through your fingers.' She put his drink on to the desk. He was
watching her with a look of terrified rapture on his face. ' Christv He
swivelled away from her and, for a long time, his back was to her. When
at length he turned around, he was smiling. He reached for the wide,
sweating glass. Ice 374 ed as his shaking hand brought the Scotch up to
his course,' he said, in a totally relaxed tone of voice, olds has no
position.' He picked up the phone. ' ion at all.' He waved a forefinger.
' warned those guys licity it'd be risky hanging this project on
Altavos' name.' spoke into the receiver.
"Dottie, get me Dick Reynolds away. Try his house if he's not at the
office. No, no, I t want to talk to her now. And hold all my calls.' He
the receiver, staring at the clear buttons on the base of one. He took
another sip of his Scotch. One of them and, when it began to blink and
he heard the buzz of the om, he raised his head and looked Daina
straight in the ' then Reynolds knew that all the time, didn't he?" t.
All the lights in the villa had been extinguished at sunwhat
illumination there was came from the terrorists' ather was sleeping on
the bare floor. Rachel was beside curled up, her head in the crook of
Heather's arm. A ow detached itself from the far wall, came across the
room t sound, high-stepping over the supine forms. When it ed the spot
where Heather lay, it stood stiff-legged over one foot on each side of
her body. The form reached flashlight, bent, jerked Heather up into a
sitting position. e same time, the flashlight beam came on, shining ly
into her blinking eyes. ather cried out, squinted. She put her hand up
to shield s. It was slapped away. Her head lolled. it dawn already?' she
asked thickly. ' seems as if I've asleep for only a few minutes." irty.'
It was Rita's voice. at do you want?' Heather's head was turned away
from rsh illumination. will not be allowed to sleep for more than thirty
s at a time.' why? back to sleep,' Rita said. She switched off the
flashlight. ire wasting time.@ 375 Heather went back to sleep but as
the night wore on and Rita returned every half hour she gradually became
more and more agitated. She would be just drifting off to sleep when she
was jdrked up, the bright light splashing her face. And, finally, no
sleep at all would come. ' are they doing this?' Rachel whispered to her
during one of the dark intervals. ' don't know." "Every time I close my
eyes, I think of her coming back, jerking me awake.' Rachel moved closer
to Heather. ''s far worse than no sleep." "Yes.' Heather turned her
head, looking at Rachel. ', you're right.
The anticipation makes it impossible to go back to sleep.' '?" "I'm
frightened.' Heather put her arms around the girl. ' know you are,
Rachel. That's all right. It's healthy to have a little fear.' ' think I
have much more than a little.' ', listen to me. Before he died, James
told me I would have to fight these people. They have to control their
environment completely, he said. That's their real power. Once that
starts to break down, they become vulnerable.' ' don't understand.'Her
voice was small. ' means we can't allow them to get the better of us.
They're trying right now, you see. You helped me to understand this.
What they're doing: the lack of privacy, the short sleep cycles. It's
all part of a programme to break us. We can't allow that.' For a moment,
there was silence between them. Rachel lifted her head up. ' loved James
very much, didn't you?' Heather closed her eyes but the tears squeezed
through anyway. ', Rachel. I did." "Freddie Bock was like an uncle to
me. Better than an uncle. I've got one back in Tel Aviv I hate.' Her
eyes roved Heather's face. Her small hand took Heather's, guided it to
her own cheek. It was wet with tears.
"What should we do?' ' some sleep.' A fierce light in both their eyes.
376 as El-Kalaam's at are you two whispering about?' It w irl talk,'
Heather said. he was slapped across the face. ' bitch!' It was Fessi. He
had hit her. Heather could make him out beyond the brilliant ring of
light, standing ront of El-Kalaam. ' were you talking about?' El-Kalaam
said again. was comforting her. The girl was frightened.' he has every
reason to be frightened.' El-Kalaam said.
situation is dire. We have heard no word yet tonight. o'clock tomorrow
morning is the deadline.' M-Kalaam,' Heather said, ' cannot mean to harm
She's only a child. Surely even you ' is war. Don't ever forget that. In
war children are same as adults. There can be no distinction between the
.' His voice rose in fervour. ' war is holy; our cause t.
Allah tells us there are no innocents.' ah be damnedp Heather said
hotly. ' girl has done ing to you.' lasphemer!' Fessi cried. He raised
his hand again. But aam stayed him. care nothing for her or for you as
people,' EI-Kalaarn ' are infidels. But whatever you can get for me, I
willingly take. She is a symbol, as are you in your way. This is to be
your role here.' ,'ll never get what you want,' Rachel said.
Heather d see the girl's hand trembling against her own arm. our father
will not allow you to die. He will give us what ant, what is ours.' He
won't sell out his country,' Rachel cried. ' won'tp .-Kalaam thrust his
face close to hers. The beam of the light shone weirdly off his
features. The pockmarks at the e of his cheekbones were thrust into
dominant shadow and g light. Gold spangled his mouth every time he
spoke. ' better pray to your God he will. Otherwise - ..' The zzle of
his machine pistol shot out of the darkness into the e of light..He
shrugged as Rachel shrank back against Heather's side. 377 ,it makes no
difference to me. In the end it will be the same. if you die, the
worldwide outcry will bring your father's government down for
sacrificing a little girl.' He grinned wolfishly. ' only real difference
will be you, Rachel. Will you see tomorrow's afternoon or not?' Rachel
turned her head away. ' a brave soldier you are." Heather said
derisively. '. Terrorizing children.' ', I don't give a damn what you
think of me, d'you understand? You don't exist except to serve our ends
in any way we chose.' - Heather met his gaze. ''ll never get me to do
something for you.' ', yes, that's what your friend Bock said. You
remember that. You remember what we did to him.' ' remember.' ' what
happened to Susan.' ''m not afraid of that.' ' not.' He was studying her
closely. ' I know there is something you're afraid of.' '?' He smiled
benignly. ' found it in Bock and we found it in Susan.' He shook his
head. ', I will not allow Fessi near you. You are his weakness and I
believe you could defeat him in the end. Please be assured I will not
give you the means to escape." His hand whipped out. It took Rachel by
the throat. He jerked her away from Heather's grasp. Rachel tried to cry
out but only a weak gurgling sound emerged from her halfopen lips.
Heather lunged at him. Fessi held her back but still she fought. ',
indeed,' El-Kalaam said thoughtfully. He shook Rachel back and forth
with so much force her teeth chattered. ' believe we have found your
weak spot.' Bonesteel had, of course, begun calling her as soon as she
returned from San Francisco. Daina knew what he wanted, believed, too,
that she had a great deal to tell him. But he had so angered her that a
solid wall of spite had built inside her 378 she would not answer his
calls. She waited, she realized time later, to force him to come out to
the house.
is he did not do. But one morning on her way into the she was stopped on
Sunset. She pulled over, watching rearview mirror as the police car drew
up behind her. had not been speeding nor had she run a red light. There
been no reason to stop her. o one got out of the police car. All she
could see were pairs of sunglasses behind the sunlight-streaked wind- .
The car started up slowly and she watched it as it ed beside her. ss
Whitney?' one of the young uniforms said, though very well who she was.
? 2 wonder if you'd mind accompanying us down to the house.' m afraid
that would be impossible right now.' a'am,' the young uniform said
sadly, ''d take it as a al favour if you would. My boss will chew my
tail if I bring you along.' at's this all about?' fficial business! t,
precisely, does that mean?' afraid you'll have to ask Lieutenant
Bonesteel that, Whitney! He looked downcast. ''m real sorry about on't
be,' she said. ''re very polite. Was that the ant's idea?' Ma'am.' He
smiled a dazzling LA smile. ' was mine.' laughed. ' right! She put the
Merc in gear. ' a sergeant?' tr Iman, Ma'am.' waved. ' on, Patrolman! s
Whitney?' s! handed over his parking ticket book. ' wonder if I trouble
you for your autograph?' teel's precinct house was in the heart of
downtown LA. 379 It was an ugly blocklike affair in an ugly blocklike
part of town. It looked like a bunker waiting for a war to begin itself
around it. I Bonesteel's cubicle was on the sixth floor.
The oversize elevator was filled with the astringent odours of stale
sweat and fresh fear. The patrolman took her up himself, depositing her
on Bonesteel's frosted-glass doorstep. ' she is, Lieutenant." Bonesteel
looked up from his papers. He was sitting behind a desk littered with
folders and flimsy sheets. ', Andrews! ' - the patrolman hooked a thumb
-'she's a very nice lady.' ' the editorial comments, Andrews, and
split.' For a time after the patrolman left they regarded each other.
Harsh fluorescent light spilled down from the recessed panels in the
acoustically tiled ceiling. In one comer, where a metal vent was placed,
the tiles were blackened as if by fire.
There was one grey metal and green vinyl chair in front of the desk and
Bonesteel waved her to that now. ' a coffeep ' want to get out of here,'
Daina said tightly. ' soon as we have a little talk. We have a bargain,
remember?' ' bargain did not include you acting like a bastard! He
seemed to think about that for a minute. He got up, came around his desk
and closed the door behind her. He did not go back to his chair but
hoisted himself on to one littered comer of his desk. He stretched out
one hand. ' see all this? It's my monthly reports. I hate doing monthly
reports. I'm already two months behind, heading for three, and the
captain is riding my ass.' He put his hands together, interlacing the
fingers. ''ve all got problems! ' that's a joke," Daina said coldly, ''s
not funny.' ' don't make jokes.' ' wonder," she said, coming towards
him. ' you really have a heart underneath your Calvin Klein suits?' His
slate-grey eyes flickered for just an instant. ' like to dress.' sht'll
happen when you divorce your wife?" she snapped. e give you a setlement
large enough to keep up your be?" stood up and his jaw clenched. ' not
funny.' wasn't joking.' She confronted him defiantly, willing him her.
That was just what she needed. Then she could out of here and never see
him again. Then she thought ggie. Could she trust Meyer to help her? I
don't care more, she screamed to herself. But she knew it for a lie.
esteel smiled. ', I know how I made you feel over the I'm sorry about
that! you?' y I am. It was business. I had to see if you really ou mean
you couldn't tell from beforep're an actress, remember? You and Chris
Kerr are like s In a pod. What if you were covering up about the gle
because you were into it yourself P held out her arms. ' want to check
me for tracks?' watched her silently for a moment, not making a move.
where you've been.' He said it so quietly she had to to hear. do?' I had
to dig real deep for it! don't know the whole story! shrugged. ''t make
any difference.
They can do things to you in places like that. Some people come out a
craving, know what I mean?' morphine or horse! e that, yeah.' clean,
Copper! e laughed. ', I'm sorry I gave you such a rough time." went
around behind his desk, closed all the folders. rews is right about
you,' he said without looking up. nks.' ou know, this is a lousy place
for an interrogation. You mg today?' ust in the afternoon. They're doing
some stunt footage morning! 380 381 'Hell, I knew that, too.' He went
to the door, took her arm. ' on, let's go home for a while."
"Pathological?' '.' ' you quite certain that's what he said?' ' course
I'm certain.' ' would a dumb bodyguard know about pathological?' But
Bonesteel was, essentially, talking to himself now and when Daina said,
' don't think he's dumb at all,' she was not at all sure he had heard
her. He got out of the low-slung chair, went across the living room to
the piano. He sat down, stared straight ahead at the Vivaldi concerto
transcription open on the stand. He began to play. He did not nearly
have the technique of his ug ter or the talent. But he got through it
without hesitations or false notes. Daina had told him about the party,
about Nile's death - he had wondered if there could have been any
connection to Maggie's murder - police questioning, her statement, the
coroner's inquest the next day. He listened to it all with an odd acute
intensity, his eyes burning bright as if he were feasting off her words.
She had repeated Tie's words at the party: "'She was an outsider just as
you're an outsider. She broke the laws and was destroyed," ' but he had
seemed to gloss over whatever import they might have to ask her to
repeat what Silka. had said about Nigel. ' was very wild in those days,'
Daina said. ' then they all were: Chris and Nigel and especially Jon! ',
yes, he had said. But what if one of them were pathological. We already
know how drugs turned Jon psychotic, magnifying his neuroses all out of
proportion! Now Bonesteel was through playing. He sat with his
fingertips still on the keys he had depressed to sound the final chord
of the concerto. He was staring at the photo of his daughter. ' that her
favourite piece?" Daina asked. '? Oh, no.' He smiled vaguely. ''s mine.
Mozart is Sarah's God! ',' she said, leaning her elbows on the edge of
the 382 , ' you tell me why you so discount what Tie had to @about
Maggie's death?' on mean I should believe Tie put a spell on her?' He
ed. hat's not what I meant.' II don't believe in magic. I leave that to
Stephen King fans.' at if Tie killed Maggie?' e looked at her. ''s not
capable of it.' er mind's evil enough.' was speaking,' he said, 'about
her body. Physically, she's strong enough to accomplish what was done to
Maggie. t takes a man's bulk.' He ran his hands along the keys as
-brushing imaginary dust from the surface. ', I dis- t almost anything
she tells you.' ' would you do that?' ',' he said slowly, ''s in love
with you.' Daina laughed. ', come on. She hates my guts.' But there a
quick contraction in her stomach. "Think about it,' Bonesteel said,
watching her face. ' you imagine would terrify a woman like that most of
all?' But Daina already knew. ' have her emotions running of control.'
''ve seen it in her eyes Daina,' he said.
"When I mention name something inside her freezes.' ecause of her
hatred. She's jealous of my relationship Chris.' onesteel shook his
head. ' makes women like that t. It's what they live on. D'you think
she's ever loved anyone her life? I don't. Not a man, anyway. Her men
have all weak - powerful, moneyed, but weak. She's provided the gth.
