96
AFTER DOUBLING BACK and keeping to the far fringes of the route they had taken, Shaw and the others had managed to reach the house, which was now dark. They had first heard the baying of the hounds nearly an hour ago, but then the sounds had receded. Reggie had fallen into a large rut cut by some ancient glacier’s retreat, but they had managed to pull her out. Rice was exhausted and Shaw had had to help him the last mile or so.
The four stared at the darkened space. There were no trucks parked in front.
Reggie whispered, “Do you think they’re all out helping Kuchin look for us?”
“The guy was in the KGB. It would be crazy not to leave a rear guard,” replied Shaw.
“So how do we do this?”
“Element of surprise. All we have. We have to get some weapons.”
“Is that all?” asked Reggie. “What about your friend?”
“If she’s here we’re taking her.” He turned to Whit. “You take the rear. I’ll work my way towards the front. See anyone, just give a low whistle.”
“That’ll give us away,” said Reggie.
“Well, what’s the option?” snapped Shaw. “I left my walkie-talkie with my machine gun.”
“A whistle will have to do,” agreed Whit.
“What about us?” Reggie said, indicating her and Rice.
“If things go to hell, get away from here. Go in the direction of the water and try to signal a ship from the coastline.”
Reggie did not look pleased by this, but kept silent. It was clear she did not enjoy letting Shaw run the show, but he obviously had more experience in this than she did. And Whit was deferring to him too.
A few minutes later Shaw reached the back door and peered through the glass. He stiffened when he saw her. Katie James was sitting in a chair bound tightly. She appeared to be dozing. He tried the knob on the door. It was locked. No surprise there. What did surprise him was seeing Whit crawling on his belly into the room. He saw Shaw at the window, rose, crab-walked across the room, and opened the door.
“Got in through a window,” he said. “The place looks empty.”
They quickly woke and then untied Katie.
“Where the hell is everybody?” Shaw asked as they exchanged a brief but fierce hug.
“All out looking for you, I guess. They had dogs too.”
“We heard.”
Whit glanced around, his face creased with emotion. “Where’s Dominic’s body?”
“They took it away. I don’t know where. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah,” Whit said.
“I don’t think he anticipated you doubling back and getting past them,” she said.
“Apparently not.”
“What now?” asked Whit.
“Gun safe.”
They found it and spent twenty precious minutes trying to break into it with no luck. Shaw finally threw down the crowbar he’d found in the garage. On the other side of that three-inch door was probably enough firepower to get them out of this safely, and he couldn’t get to any of it.
“Well, it looks like they did anticipate we might come back this way,” he said.