And Then You Die Read Online Free PDF

finger.
    But she wasn't ill. Esteban had lied. She had a sore jaw where Kaldak had hit her and a Band-Aid on her arm covering the needle punctures. She'd be as strong as ever if she could shake off the sedatives.
    Fight the sedatives.
    Think. Plan.
    There had to be a way out.
     
    It was nearly sunset when Esteban came back into her room. She quickly closed her eyes.
    “I'm afraid you'll have to wake up, Bess. You don't mind me calling you Bess, do you? I feel very close to you.”
    She kept her eyes shut.
    He shook her.
    She slowly opened her lids.
    He smiled. “That's better. Those drugs are so annoying, aren't they? I know you must feel dreadful. Do you remember who I am?”
    “Bastard,” she whispered.
    “I'll ignore that insult, since our time together is rapidly drawing to a close and I don't want to part on a sour note. I need some information. We've had to be extremely careful about tapping into our usual sources, and Kaldak has unearthed practically nothing of value about you. I tried to tell my associate, Habin, that such painstaking methods weren't necessary, but he believes it's unsafe to take any action blindly.” He gently touched her cheek. “I hate to make Habin unhappy.”
    She wanted to bite his hand. One twist of her head would put her within range. No, that would be futile. That wasn't what she had planned.
    “You won't mind me asking you a few questions, will you?” he asked. “Then I'll let you go back to sleep.”
    She didn't answer.
    He frowned. “Bess?”
    “When you let . . . me see my sister.”
    His frown cleared. “Oh, is that all? After you tell me what I need to know.”
    Bullshit. “You . . . promise?”
    “Of course,” he said. “Now, you came here to do a travel article.”
    She nodded.
    “Who hired you?”
    He was almost on top of her. That wouldn't give her a chance; he'd easily overpower her. Take a few steps back, she prayed. “John Pindry.”
    “You knew him before?”
    “I did an article about San Francisco for him a few years ago.” She kept her voice slurred. “Now may I see my––”
    “Not yet. Tell me about your family.”
    “Emily.”
    “Your parents?”
    “Dead.”
    “When?”
    “Years ago.” She faked a yawn. “Have to go to sleep . . .”
    “Soon. You're being very good.” He moved away from the bed and strolled toward the window.
    Yes.
    “No husband? No other close relatives?”
    He was trying to find out if her next of kin were going to be a problem for him. “No.”
    “Poor child, you must be very lonely. A roommate?”
    “No. I'm never in the U.S. long enough to share expenses.” She'd have to be careful. That sounded a little too coherent.
    “You travel extensively?”
    His back was still turned to her. The arrogant son of a bitch thought she was too weak to pose any threat to him.
    “It's my job.”
    “And what is the––”
    The metal bedpan hit the back of his head. He slumped to his knees.
    “Bastard.” She jumped on his back and hit him again. He fell to the floor and she straddled him. She hit him again. His head was bleeding. She hoped she'd cracked his skull open. “Who's your next of kin, you sleazy––”
    Arms encircled her rib cage from behind. She was jerked off Esteban's back.
    Kaldak.
    She struggled wildly.
    “Don't fight me.”
    The hell she wouldn't fight him. She kicked backward at his shin.
    “Stop it.”
    “Let me go.”
    Esteban was stirring. She hadn't killed him after all.
    Panicked, she fought frantically against Kaldak's grip. He muttered a curse and one hand moved from around her body to her neck, beneath her left ear.
    Darkness.
     
    She woke a few minutes later and discovered she was strapped to the bed.
    Her heart was beating so hard, she could scarcely breathe. She tugged upward. No use. She was pinned down.
    Kaldak was helping Esteban to his feet. Blood was running down Esteban's temple, and he swayed on his feet. He looked down incredulously at the bedpan on the floor.
    “Come on,”