Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,97
filled out the check and signed it.
Alex picked up the check and waved it slowly back and forth. "How much do you want to let me go?"
The kid's pale green eyes lit up with interest. And greed. "You've got more?"
Alex nodded.
Hamblin rubbed his jaw, his expression thoughtful. "How much are you offerin'?"
"Another hundred thousand."
Mitch whistled under his breath, his gaze fixed on the piece of paper waving before his eyes. Another hundred thousand dollars. He'd be a rich man, able to buy silk suits, go to Vegas, rub elbows with the high rollers . . .
"Hamblin?"
Mitch settled his back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "I've been drivin' your Porsche. Nice car."
"It's yours, too. If you'll let me go."
"It's mine now."
"Yeah, I guess it is. How much?" Alex asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. "How much to let me go?"
"I'll think about it," Mitch said. He plucked the check from Alex's hand and slipped it into his pocket. "First I wanna see if this one clears."
"How about bringing me a glass of water?"
"I'll ask the doc."
Alex stared at the door after Hamblin had left the room, sickened by the thought of Barrett getting rich off his blood, and yet he couldn't help feeling a sense of satisfaction that his blood was saving lives. He couldn't help wondering if the same link that existed between himself and Kara now existed between himself and the little girl. It seemed unlikely. He had given Kara a considerable amount of blood, far more than was contained in the vials Barrett was selling.
Rising, he stretched his back and legs, then tugged against the chain. Damn! He had to get out of here. The sun beat down on his head and shoulders, draining him of strength, of energy.
He licked his lips, wishing the kid would bring him something to drink.
With a sigh, he sank down on the cot and closed his eyes.
He woke with a start as the door burst open and Barrett entered the room, his face flushed with anger.
"Damn fools," Barrett muttered.
Alex lifted one brow. "Something wrong, doc?"
"The last batch of blood we took was contaminated. We'll have to draw more."
Alex swore under his breath. "So soon?" he sat up, his back to the wall.
"You know what they say, time is money."
Alex grunted,his stomach clenching as Barrett pulled a handful of vials from his coat pocket and spread them out on the table.
Muttering under his breath, Barrett pulled a tourniquet from his other pocket. "Make a fist."
"No."
"Do as I say, dammit, or I'll strap you to a table again."
Alex glanced past Barrett. A new man, Kent Jarvis, stood in the hallway, idly paring his fingernails with a knife.
Knowing it was useless to resist, Alex watched as Barrett tied the strip of rubber around his arm, then located a vein. He was about to draw blood when Hamblin entered the room.
"They need ya in the lab, Doc. One of the machines is malfunctioning."
Barrett swore under his breath. Turning on his heel, he left the room. Jarvis trailed after him. Hamblin followed. He paused in the doorway, gave Alex an enigmatic look, then closed and locked the door.
Too agitated to sit still, Alex stood up and paced back and forth beside the bed, though the chain prevented him from taking more than a few steps in any direction.
He tugged against the chain that shackled him to the bed; then, taking a deep, calming breath, he sat down and tried to focus his energy on the lock. But the sun was still his enemy, draining his strength, his power to concentrate. Sweat dripped down his back, beaded across his brow, as he tried to focus his thoughts on the lock. Come on,he thought desperately. Come on!
Kara checked the address her grandmother had given her, then pulled up to the curb and turned off the ignition. Stepping from the car, she hurried up the flower-lined path to the front door.
Minutes later, she was being hugged by Nana and Gail while Mrs. Zimmermann and her daughter stood by, smiling. Later, Mrs. Zimmermann introduced Kara to her daughter. Nancy Ralston was an attractive, middle-aged woman with curly brown hair and gray eyes. Kara learned that Nancy was married to an accountant and that she had three children, all of whom were away at summer camp.
Nancy produced a pot of coffee and some donuts, and Kara spent the next half hour answering what questions she could and avoiding the others.