The First Rule - Robert Crais Page 0,67

but he should not have involved himself in our affairs. Neither should you. We are terrible enemies.”

Pike studied him for a moment, then glanced at Cole, whose eyes were wide, the eyes saying, What in hell just happened here?

Pike said, “We’re done. I’ll be right behind you.”

Cole headed for the front door, and Pike turned back to Grebner. When Cole was gone, Pike drew the.357 and thumbed back the hammer. The locking steel spring was a breaking bone in the quiet house. Grebner, eyebrows lurching, wet his lips and breathed faster.

Pike touched the muzzle to Grebner’s head. Grebner clenched his eyes, then opened them, wide and glistening, dancing like moths trying to escape a glass.

Pike said, “Where did Jakovich get the guns?”

“I got no idea. I don’t know.”

“Was Frank involved?”

“What? Who?”

Grebner was so scared he had already lost the name.

“The man who owned the house. Frank Meyer. Was he involved in the deal for the guns?”

“I don’t know. How could I know?”

“What did Darko tell you?”

“He said nothing about this Frank Meyer. He told me he knew where the old man had his son. That’s all he said.”

Pike pressed the muzzle into Grebner’s head. It would leave a perfect, circular mark.

“Did he tell you why the child was with the Meyers?”

“No, just he was going to get the old man’s boy. That is what he say.”

“Darko went with the crew to the Westwood house?”

“That’s what he say. To make sure they not fuck it up. Please-” Pike looked out over the white terrazzo floor and the fine white furniture and beyond the two trussed men with their frightened, watching eyes, to the infinite, hazy sky. Knowing was good.

“Deliver a message.”

Grebner opened his eyes. He had expected Pike to kill him.

“Tell Michael nothing he does or can do will stop me.”

Grebner slowly nodded, staring into Pike’s invisible eyes.

“I think maybe you are a terrible enemy, too.”

Pike holstered his gun and left.

31

PIKE FLAGGED JON TO pick them up, Cole tugging his arm as soon as they were out of the house.

“Refresh my memory. Whose kid is this we’ve been trying to find?”

“Your memory’s fine. She said Darko is the father.”

“Only Darko tells this guy that Jakovich is the father.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t get it. Everything she told us checked out when I spoke with Ana’s friend.”

In the car, Pike explained about Grebner as they drove down the hill, and asked Jon to stay at the scene to follow Grebner in case he left for a face-to-face with Darko. Stone told him it would be no problem, then had a few questions.

Stone said, “This guy Grebner, was he in on killing Frank?”

“No. Says he knew about it, but it was Darko’s play.”

“So he didn’t know if Frank was involved?”

Pike realized Stone was staring at him, and realized why.

“He doesn’t know if Frank had anything to do with the guns or not. He doesn’t think so, but he doesn’t know.”

Cole said, “The guns are in Los Angeles, and Jakovich has them. Way these people keep secrets, Darko may not even know how he got them. He just wants them.”

Stone didn’t say any more. They drove the rest of the way down in silence, but Stone was likely thinking much the same things as Pike. The field of fire was growing confused. Rina hid her baby with her sister to keep him from Michael, or Jakovich hid his child with Ana or Frank for the same reason, which meant Jakovich had a relationship with Rina’s sister or with Frank. Frank and his family were either innocent collateral damage, or Frank was somehow involved with Jakovich in the acquisition of three thousand automatic weapons. Pike thought about these things, but didn’t try to get his head around everything at once. Pike knew how to remain calm during the chaos of combat. He had been trained for it, and had survived withering fire in overwhelming combat situations dozens of times. He had learned to keep his head by thinking about one thing at a time. Access the situation, plan a single action, then commit yourself to that action. A war is won one maneuver at a time.

Pike said, “Let’s talk to Rina again.”

They took their own vehicles to the guesthouse while Jon Stone returned to Grebner’s. The drive to the guesthouse at the far end of the Sunset Strip took only minutes, and then they cruised along the narrow, sun-dappled street to the rental property. Yanni’s truck was gone, and Pike immediately sensed they would find the house empty.

Pike