Bonnie Read Online Free PDF Page B

him. Gallo had said this creep was good. She trusted Gallo’s judgment.
    When it didn’t concern his damned chauvinistic attitude toward her.
    She stopped. She’d been tempted to check out the license plate and the glove box of the truck. Not smart. Better to wait and do all that later. Now she should wait and watch and listen.
    Not much watching with this fog, but she could listen.
    No sound.
    The fog had come in again, and the truck was only a hazy outline before her. But she’d probably have company soon. Just wait and pounce when he came on the bank.
    She stiffened. Something was wrong. She felt it. The hair on the back of her neck was tingling.
    *   *   *
    “THERE’S SOMEONE OVER there in the trees.” Joe grabbed Eve’s arm and pulled her to a halt. His eyes narrowed. “I think it’s Catherine.” He froze. “Oh, shit.”
    She could see why he was cursing as she saw the tall man in the wet suit directly behind Catherine. Nothing could be clearer than that he was on the attack.
    “I can’t get a clear shot,” Joe said with frustration as he put his gun down. “He’s right behind her. I’ll shoot her, dammit.” He moved to the side. “I’ll see if I can get him from another angle. Don’t call out and startle him. I don’t want to have him move on her before I can get my shot.”
    If there was enough time.
    It was going to be Catherine, Eve realized in agony. Catherine was the one who was going to die. And Eve had to stand there and watch it happen. She couldn’t even cry out and warn her.
    But Catherine had been with Gallo in the bayou. Why wasn’t he there?
    Dammit, where was Gallo?
    *   *   *
    THROW THE KNIFE.
    Gallo’s hand was frozen on the hilt.
    He had to move, but he couldn’t do it. Not this time.
    It was as if everything were happening in slow motion.
    He could see Catherine stiffening and knew those wonderful instincts with which he’d become so familiar were in play.
    She knew.
    Even as he watched, he saw her whirl and start to drop to the ground as she saw her attacker.
    Too late.
    He was already on Catherine, his knife raised.
    It was coming down.
    She was going to die.
    “ No! ” The agonized cry tore from Gallo’s throat.
    He threw the knife.
    *   *   *
    DEAR GOD, HE’S FAST, Catherine thought as she reached for the knife in the holster on her thigh.
    Fall. Roll. Then stab the bastard in the gut.
    But he was over her, his dagger coming down and—
    He screamed as a bowie knife pierced the hand holding the knife and came out the other side!
    Gallo’s bowie knife. She recognized it. And Gallo standing in the water several yards from the bank.
    It gave her enough time to roll away and get her knife out of the holster.
    “Dammit, get out of the way, Catherine.”
    She glanced toward the trees. Joe. Trying to get his shot.
    She rolled to the side.
    The man in the wet suit was cursing as he turned and ran toward the bayou, bent low and zigzagging.
    A shot.
    Missed.
    Then he was in the water. He reached out and jerked out the dagger piercing his hand, and threw it aside as he dove beneath the surface.
    Catherine jumped to her feet and was at the bank of the bayou in seconds.
    “Gallo, get him!” she called as she jumped off the bank into the water.
    Gallo didn’t answer, and she couldn’t see him. The fog had come down again.
    “Catherine, no!” Joe was suddenly standing on the bank beside the cypress tree. “Come back. Don’t take a chance. Don’t trust him.”
    Of course, she wasn’t going to trust that murderer. He’d just tried to kill her. “He’s okay, Joe. Gallo’s somewhere out here, too. We’ll get the bastard. He’s wounded and losing blood.” She was starting to swim away from the bank. “Gallo!”
    “Catherine, listen to me.” Joe’s voice was harsh, his fists clenched at his sides. “It’s Gallo I’m talking about. I saw his face. He wasn’t going to throw that knife. He wasn’t going to save you. Gallo didn’t care if you