Hard News (Rune 3)

He cleared his throat and looked at her for a long moment, then away.

Something was on his mind and she wondered if this was the moment when he was going to bring up sleeping arrangements again or even make a move.

As in, a man and a woman alone together.

As in, a man who's been behind bars for three years suddenly alone with a woman.

But no propositions were forthcoming. Boggs got another beer and kept up a nervous chatter. They talked about life in the city for a few minutes, about Atlanta, about politics and Washington (he seemed to know a surprising number of facts for someone who appeared so redneck). Rune, expecting the line at any minute: You know, I was thinking I might have me some trouble getting a room.... But just as that was going through her head Boggs yawned and looked at his watch. He said, "I ought to be finding a room for the night."

And she surprised herself by saying, "You want, you can sleep in the living room. Courtney's got the futon but we could fix up something."

But he was shaking his head. "No, it's funny, I can't explain it but I'd really be inclined to spend the night by myself, you know?"

"Sure." Not understanding at all, but feeling relieved that he wanted to do this. "Let me pack up the rest of the beers. And I'll give you some pizza for breakfast."

"Uh, no thanks. I'm pretty partial to oatmeal."

"I got some packets of instant," she said. "You want a couple?"

Which was a question that never got answered.

With a huge crack, the front door burst open, hitting a table and knocking over a pile of Rune's books.

She looked at the fat man rushing into the houseboat, saw the big gun in his hand and instinctively leapt in front of the storeroom where Courtney was asleep. Rune pulled the door shut, standing defiantly in front of it. Staring back at the man she knew without a bit of doubt had killed Lance Hopper and Bennett Frost.

This was Jimmy.

Boggs stood up fast, knocking over the beer, which chugged onto the floor.

The big man stopped then closed the front door slowly, calmly, as if he'd been invited in.

He stood with his arms hanging awkwardly at his side. Cautious, but confident, squinting, checking out the room and its inhabitants. Nothing he saw scared him.

Randy Boggs, his eyes wide with shock, faced the man. The way Boggs stood made him look like a soldier. No, more like a boxer--one foot forward, turned side-ways. Which was crazy because even without the gun, no way could he have taken this fat guy, who outweighed him by a hundred pounds and looked like a ball-kicker and ey

e-gouger. A dirty fighter.

"What do you want?" Rune whispered.

He ignored her and stepped right up to Boggs. Five seconds of complete silence passed as the men seemed locked in a staring contest.

No one moved.

It was Randy Boggs who grinned first, then said, "Jack Nestor, you son of a bitch! Wasn't expecting you for a couple of days or so."

The fat man laughed and let out a whoop. He slipped the gun into his belt and the two men embraced like long-lost cossack brothers suddenly reunited.

chapter 25

THE ONE QUESTION ON HER MIND: COULD COURTNEY swim?

Rune could--about as well as any Midwest girl who never saw a body of water with waves until she was ten.

Hell, she could just hold on to Courtney--picturing her now, screaming and waving her arms in panic--and kick to the far pier. How many yards was that? Maybe thirty or forty?

And, God, the Hudson was gross and yucky ...

But that didn't matter. If they didn't get out now they'd be dead in three minutes.