Page 108 of Tightrope

“Amalie?” Matthias’s voice was rough with concern. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she said. “Everything is fine. Look, I’ve got to run. I need to go back to the grocery store. I forgot a few things. I’ll see you later.”

“Sure,” he said. “Later.”

She hung up the phone. Eugene jerked the necklace.

“Now we’re going to take a drive,” he said.

She walked outside, hoping that she would get a chance to run when Eugene was negotiating the business of getting both of them into the Hudson. She had put the top down that morning. With luck she would have some room to maneuver.

But Eugene had evidently planned that aspect of the situation in advance.

“Get in on the passenger side,” he said.

She opened the door, scrambled over the gearshift, and got behind the wheel. All the while the long black necklace dug into her throat. Eugene settled into the passenger seat and closed the door, never once losing his grip on the beaded garrote.

“Drive,” he said.

She turned the key in the ignition and put the Hudson in gear.

“Where?” she asked.

“Go down to that road that runs along the top of the cliffs and turn right,” Eugene said, snickering. “I saw a nice cove not far from here. We’ll find out if you really can fly.”

Amalie drove sedately out of the driveway and turned right on Cliff Road. She knew this road, she thought. She had driven it frequently since arriving in Burning Cove. She changed gears and drove faster.

“Slow down, you stupid woman,” Eugene said.

Amalie obligingly braked as she went into a turn but when she drove out she put more weight on the accelerator. Eugene yanked hard on the black necklace.

“Stop that,” he ordered.

“Why should I?” she asked. “I’m going to die anyway. Might as well take you with me.”

She drove faster.

“Slow down,” Eugene shouted.

He tightened the necklace and leaned toward her so that he could press the point of the knife into her side. There was a sharp, lancing pain. She caught her breath and kept her foot on the accelerator.

“Do that again and I’ll probably lose control of the car,” she shouted, raising her voice above the wind.

“Slow down or I’ll kill you,” Eugene screamed.

There was panic in his voice.

“Let go of the necklace and throw the knife out of the car and maybe I’ll stop,” she said.

The Hudson’s wheels shrieked as she drove out of the next turn.

Eugene sat back quickly, pulling the knife away from her side. “You’re crazy. Fucking insane.”

“I used to work without a net, remember? Of course I’m crazy. There’s a steep cliff up ahead right around the next curve. We’re going over the edge together. We’ll find out which one of us can really fly.”

“Stop.”

“Let go of the necklace. Get rid of the knife.”