Page 92 of Betrayal from Beyond
Preston struggled to keep the man away. “It’s what you promised, Petra! It’s what you owe me!”
“What I owe you is a bullet between the eyes.” From a pocket, she pulled out a pistol.
Preston froze. The henchman pushed him aside and took the box of caps to the back of the carriage, where a crate was strapped.
“Not there, you fool!” Petra told him. “One slip and you’ll blow the carriage sky high!”
Shoulders hunched, the man moved the box and the crate to the farthest corner of the stone entry. Now he was closer to Niall’s position. Niall could just make out the back of him as he bent to begin to assemble the devices.
“I should shoot you,” Petra said to Preston. “It is no less than you deserve for betraying me. Worse, for constantly, continuously underestimating me.” She raised her voice. “Bring him out!”
Niall cast his worried gaze all around. Then he heard it. Footsteps. The sound of a short-lived struggle. From somewhere beyond the front of the carriage came a big man. He dragged a cursing, resisting Tom Hawkins with him.
“What are you doing?” Preston raged. “Let him go!”
Tom’s hands were tied, but he yanked free of the other man’s grip and stepped away from him.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know you snatched him from Bluefield?” Petra demanded. “That I wouldn’t notice Levett’s stray pup spying on you? That I wouldn’t notice all of you colluding against me? Come out, Your Graces!” Her mocking tone echoed into the high, arched ceiling. “I know you are here.”
Niall didn’t move.
Petra laughed. “I admit, you made me work a little harder at this one. I still haven’t managed to break through Stayme’s defenses. I had to get a bit creative. Still, I think I managed well enough.” She threw her head back and shouted, “Bring the other one!”
Niall ducked as someone moved in the dark on his side of the entrance. Another henchman emerged from the shadows andmoved to stand near the back of the carriage. He also prodded a captive along, bound like Hawkins.
Niall clenched his jaw as he saw who it was.
Wooten. The idiot woman had kidnapped Wooton.
“Come out right now,” Petra called. “Do not force me to put a bullet in the head of your pet inspector from Scotland Yard.”
*
Kara clenched herfists, along with her jaw.Damn the woman!
“Come now,” Petra called. “I must assume you have caught on to my game by now. If you know I mean to annihilate the home secretary—and as Stayme is babysitting him so thoroughly tonight, I assume you do—then you cannot think I will hesitate to destroy a lackey like Wooten. A lackey who once had the temerity to put me in a government cage.”
Kara knew she spoke the truth. Petra wouldn’t hesitate atanything.They had underestimated her. It was a lesson well learned. It was time to confront her.
Face to face.
She crawled out from beneath the wagon and walked calmly around to the edge of the entrance.
“There you are.” Petra sounded gleeful. “But where is your dear husband? Surely he will not allow you—”
She stopped as Niall stepped out into the flickering light. He sent Kara an encouraging glance, and they both turned to face their enemy, from either side of the entrance. And they both took care to keep well back from her.
Petra looked around with obvious satisfaction. Preston and Hawkins huddled together on her right, with the henchman covering them and Kara standing off to the side beyond them. To her left lay the other henchman and Wooten, with Niall behindand to the side of them. “So much revenge to be had at once,” she said happily.
Kara held her silence, but much as Petra might know, it wasn’t everything.
“You first,” Petra said, beckoning Kara nearer. “Interfering bitch. How did you get to Gibson’s farm? How did you know?”
Kara held her silence.
“So smug,” Petra said with a sigh. “I know you were not in that tavern when Dalton was crying to your husband.” Her eyes widened. “Oh, yes. Dalton. I suppose I should mention Dalton—and the fact that we found him lurking outside. He’s currently trussed up near the gate, so if you thought to rely upon him, you’ll have to think again.”
The horrid woman watched Kara avidly for a reaction. She refused to give it to her. She was very careful not to look up, where their last hope of support waited.
