Page 95 of Reckoning (FBI Thriller 26)

“Not even for a minute.”

Molly said to Doulos, “Do you know Eve was married to my father for a while? She was my stepmama and I’m older than she is.” She giggled. “Then she tried to kill him. I’m glad she failed. Maybe you should be careful of her, not make her angry at you. I know, I love Adele. Can I sing Adele?”

“Shut up, you idiot!” He turned to Domino. “No way will she make a sensible recording. How long before the drug’s out of her system?”

“It was a hefty dose. Maybe a couple of hours.”

His hands clenched, primed for violence, but when Rich spoke to Domino again, his voice was calm. “It’s a pity you had to dope up the bitch.” Molly started singing Adele’s “Remedy,” slurring the words, her voice soft and dreamy. “‘When the pain cuts you deep, when the night keeps you from sleeping, just look and you will see that I will be your remedy.’”

“I told you to shut up.”

Molly’s face crumpled, like a child being scolded. “Ramsey says I have a nice voice. You don’t like that song?”

He slipped the knife back into his sheath. “We’ll be back.” He motioned for Domino to go ahead of him, gave them one more look, and stalked out. Sherlock heard the lock snick, heard Doulos speaking to someone. A man answered, “Blick is outside the window, Mr. Doulos, and I’ll be staying inside and keeping a watch on them. We’ll trade off in an hour or so.”

Doulos said, “Sounds good, Billy. We’ll be back in a couple of hours. But pay attention. Domino, let’s have some coffee and talk. I can’t believe it’s damned near the middle of the night.”

Their footsteps faded down the hall.

Sherlock leaned close, whispered against Molly’s cheek, “Well done.”

Molly gave her a lopsided grin. Her eyes were still vague, but she was mostly there. She ran her tongue over her lips. “I didn’t know what else to do. It just came to me. Emma loves Adele, that’s her favorite song, she’s always singing it around the house.”

“You bought us time, Molly. When he comes back, I’ve got to try to take him, so you’ll have to distract him, all right?”

Molly nodded. “I’ll try.”

“Let me check out your side.” Sherlock pulled down the bedcovers, checked the bandage she’d placed over Molly’s wound. It was dry, no blood. She said, “Looks as good as I hoped, Molly.”

Molly pressed her palm against her head, whispered, “I wish I could think clearly. I know he’s planning to kill us, Sherlock. If he’d come in wearing a mask there was a chance, but not now.” She closed her eyes. A tear slipped down her cheek.

Sherlock’s voice was a promise. “We’re not going to die, Molly, don’t even consider it. The more I think about it, the more I doubt Rule Shaker or Eve are involved in this. Did you notice how he spoke to Domino, how she looked at him? I think they’re lovers.”