Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum 8)

I got off the phone and made some coffee. I scrambled an egg and popped a piece of bread into the toaster. Stephanie Plum, domestic goddess. I sneaked out into the hall, swiped Mr. Wolesky's paper, and read it with my breakfast.

I was returning the paper when Ranger and Hector stepped out of the elevator.

“I know where she is,” Ranger said. “I just got a call. Let's roll.”

I cut my eyes to Hector.

“Don't worry about Hector,” Ranger said.

I grabbed my bag and a jacket and ran to keep up with Ranger. He was driving the bug-eyed truck again. I hauled myself up to seat level and buckled in.

“Where is she?”

“Newark Airport. Jeanne Ellen was returning with her FTA, and she saw Dotty and Evelyn and the kids in the waiting area one gate over. I had Tank check on their flight. It was scheduled to take off at ten but it's been delayed an hour. We should be able to get there in time.”

“Where were they going?”

“Miami.”

Traffic was heavy through Trenton. It eased up for a while and then got heavy again on the Turnpike. Fortunately, the flow on the Turnpike was steady. Good Jersey traffic. The kind that gets your adrenaline going. Bumper to bumper at eighty miles an hour.

I looked at my watch when we took the airport exit. It was almost 10:00. A few minutes later, Ranger swung into the Delta passenger drop-off and stopped at the curb. “It's getting tight,” he said. “You go ahead while I park. If you have a gun on you, you have to leave it in the truck.”

I gave him my gun and took off. I checked the departures monitor when I entered the terminal. The flight was now on time. Still leaving from the same gate. I cracked my knuckles while I stood in line at the security check. I was so close to Evelyn and Annie. It would be a killer headache if I missed them here.

I passed through security and followed the signs to the gate. I was moving down the corridor, and I was looking at everyone. I scanned ahead, and I saw Evelyn and Dotty and the kids, two gates away. They were sitting, waiting. Nothing unusual about them. A couple moms and their kids, going to Florida.

I quietly approached them and sat in the empty seat next to Evelyn. “We need

to talk,” I said.

They seemed only mildly surprised. As if nothing could surprise them much anymore. They both looked tired. Their clothes looked slept in. The kids were amusing each other, being loud and obnoxious. The sort of kids you see all the time in airports. Strung out.

“I meant to call you,” Evelyn said. “I would have called when we got to Miami. You should tell Grammy I'm okay.”

“I want to know why you're running. And if you don't tell me I'm going to make problems for you. I'm going to stop you from leaving.”

“No.” Evelyn said. “Please don't do that. It's important that we catch this plane.”

The first boarding announcement went out.

“The Trenton police are looking for you,” I said. “You're wanted for questioning for two murders. I can call security and have you brought back to Trenton.”

Evelyn's face went white. “He'll kill me.”

“Abruzzi?”

She nodded.

“Maybe you should tell her,” Dotty said. “We haven't got much time.”

“When Steven lost the bar to Abruzzi, Abruzzi came over to the house with his men and he did something to me.”

I felt myself instinctively suck in some air. “I'm sorry,” I said.

“It was his way of making us afraid. He's like a cat with a mouse. He likes to play before he kills. And he likes to dominate women.”

“You should have gone to the police.”