the smart one, but I made you like everything I did to you.” She got to her feet. “I wonder if you’ll like what I did to you tonight.”
“Shut up and come back here.” His voice was hoarse and his throat was tight. He tried to clear it, but it just became tighter. “Stop teasing me.”
“Actually, I’m tempted to see if I could keep you this hot until the very end. Kind of an experiment. But I’ll get more pleasure out of just watching you.” She stood before him. “Like you like to watch me all by myself sometimes.”
He was beginning to feel … panic. Stupid. “I’m tired of games.” He started to get out of the chair.
He couldn’t move.
He tried again.
He was paralyzed!
His heart was suddenly exploding in his chest. Fear. Rage. Terror. “What did you—”
“A dose of medicine for what ails you.” She smiled. “You taught me all about drugs, didn’t you? Everything from Spanish fly to those sedatives you had me giving Beth Avery. You’d have been proud of my choice in this one, Harry. Even though it wasn’t one that was on your recommended list. It’s a little too exotic for your taste. You have no sense of adventure. In about three minutes, you’ll have a massive heart attack, and no one will be able to trace the drug that caused it.”
“No!” The terror was growing. “Antidote…”
She shook her head. “Too late. Relax. Just enjoy looking at me and remembering all the pleasure I gave you.” She reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “And think about all the pleasure this money is going to bring me. I need it if I’m going to rock the world.”
“Please … stop it.”
“Stop the drug? Stop your world from ending? But why should I do that? I have no need for you any longer.” She saw a flickering image on the TV screen from the corner of her eye. “Oh, look, there’s your friend, Gelber. Dead, poor man. He doesn’t appear to need my services any longer, so it’s a good thing I’m here to take this money off your hands.”
“You … knew.”
“About Gelber?” She smiled. “It took a little doing to keep you in the dark about him until I could get you here. But you always underestimated me, and that helped.” She turned his wrist and glanced at his watch. “One minute, Harry. It’s almost over.”
“Fool. You were always a fool. I—won’t die. You probably got hold of the wrong … drug.”
“You’re underestimating me again. If I don’t know, I get a man to serve me who does.” Her smile became mocking. “Guess who taught me that?” She slipped the gold robe from her shoulders and dropped it to the floor. “I want to be the last thing you see when your heart explodes. I want you to take the vision of me to hell to burn you.”
“You’ll … join me.”
“Not for a long time, and when I do, I’ll figure a way to rule in hell, too. Your face is flushing. Ah, it’s coming, isn’t it?”
Pain!
“No…”
“You’re lying. I can always tell.” Her gaze was on his face, greedily absorbing every hint of pain. “Yes, here we go…”
His heartbeat was a painful drumming …
Agony.
He screamed!
His heart exploded!
* * *
IT HADN’T LASTED LONG ENOUGH.
Stella gazed at the slumped body of Pierce in profound disappointment. If she’d known that there would be no lingering pain or humiliating distress, she might have chosen a different drug. Oh well, it was supposed to be safe and foolproof as far as the actual death factor was concerned.
She turned away and picked up the gold robe and slipped it on again before she went toward the bed. She picked up her cell and dialed the number she’d programmed into the phone. “It’s done. I’m ready for you.” She hung up the phone.
She dropped down on the bed and settled back against the headboard. She might as well be comfortable though she doubted she’d have long to wait. She turned up the volume to watch the commentary from the TV hosts on the news story about Hans Gelber while she listened for the knock on the door.
* * *
HER CELL PHONE WAS RINGING, Eve realized drowsily. She’d better get it before it woke Joe.
But Joe was no longer beside her in bed. She sat up straight as the knowledge came home to her. Stop panicking. It was after eight in the morning. He’d probably just gone to the bathroom or downstairs to