Whistleblower Page 6

  Together, Victor and Cathy weaved their way through the plants and crossed to the opposite edge of the roof, where the next building abutted theirs.

  “All the way?” said Cathy.

  “All the way.”

  They hopped onto the adjoining roof and ran across to the other side, where three feet of emptiness separated them from the next building. She didn’t pause to think of the perils of that leap, she simply flung herself across the gap and kept running, aware that every step took her farther and farther from danger.

  On the roof of the fourth building, Cathy finally halted and stared over the edge at the street below. End of the line. It suddenly occurred to her that it was a very long drop to the ground below. The fire escape looked as sturdy as a Tinkertoy.

  She swallowed. “This probably isn’t a good time to tell you this, but—”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I’m afraid of heights.”

  He clambered over the edge. “Then don’t look down.”

  Right, she thought, slithering onto the fire escape. Don’t look down. Her palms were so slick with sweat she could barely grip the rungs. Suddenly seized by an attack of vertigo, she froze there, clinging desperately to that flimsy steel skeleton.

  “Don’t stop now!” Victor whispered up to her. “Just keep moving!”

  Still she didn’t move. She pressed her face against the rung, so hard she felt the rough edge bite into her flesh.

  “You’re okay, Cathy!” he said. “Come on.”

  The pain became all-encompassing, blocking out the dizziness, even the fear. When she opened her eyes again, the world had steadied. On rubbery legs, she descended the ladder, pausing on the third floor landing to wipe her sweaty palms on her jeans. She continued downward, to the second-floor landing. It was still a good fifteen-foot drop to the ground. She unlatched the extension ladder and started to slide it down, but it let out such a screech that Victor immediately stopped her.

  “Too noisy. We have to jump!”

  “But—”

  To her astonishment, he scrambled over the railing and dropped to the ground. “Come on!” he hissed from below. “It’s not that far. I’ll catch you.”

  Murmuring a prayer, she lowered herself over the side and let go.

  To her surprise he did catch her—but held on only for a second. The bullet wound had left his injured shoulder too weak to hold on. They both tumbled to the ground. She landed smack on top of him, her legs astride his hips, their faces inches apart. They stared at each other, so stunned they could scarcely breathe.

  Upstairs, a window slid open and someone yelled, “Hey, you bums! If you don’t clear out this instant, I’m calling the cops!”

  Instantly Cathy rolled off Victor, only to stagger into a trash can. The lid fell off and slammed like a cymbal against the sidewalk.

  “That’s it for rest stops,” Victor grunted and scrambled to his feet. “Move it.”

  They took off at a wild dash down the street, turned up an alley, and kept running. It was a good five blocks before they finally stopped to catch their breath. They glanced back.

  The street was deserted.

  They were safe!

  NICHOLAS SAVITCH stood beside the neatly made bed and surveyed the room. It was every inch a woman’s room, from the closet hung with a half-dozen simple but elegant dresses, to the sweetly scented powders and lotions lined up on the vanity table. It took only a single circuit around the room to tell him about the woman whose bedroom this was. She was slim, a size seven dress, size six-and-a-half shoe. The hairs on the brush were brown and shoulder-length. She owned only a few pieces of jewelry, and she favored natural scents, rosewater and lavender. Her favorite color was green.

  Back in the living room, he continued to gather information. The woman subscribed to the Hollywood trade journals. Her taste in music, like her taste in books, was eclectic. He noticed a scrap of newspaper lying on the floor. He picked it up and glanced at the article. Now this was interesting. The death of Catherine Weaver I had not gone unnoticed by Catherine Weaver III.

  He pocketed the article. Then he saw the purse, lying on the floor near the shattered window.

  Bingo.

  He emptied the contents on the coffee table. Out tumbled a wallet, checkbook, pens, loose change, and…an address book. He opened it to the Bs. There he found the name he was looking for: Sarah Boylan.

  He now knew this was the Catherine Weaver he’d been seeking. What a shame he’d wasted his time hunting down the other two.

  He flipped through the address book and spotted a half dozen or so San Francisco listings. The woman may have been clever enough to slip away from him this time. But staying out of sight was a more difficult matter. And this little book, with its names of friends and relatives and colleagues, could lead him straight to her.

  Somewhere in the distance, a police siren was wailing.

  It was time to leave.

  Savitch took the address book and the woman’s wallet and headed out the door. Outside, his breath misted in the cold air as he walked at a leisurely pace down the street,

  He could afford to take his time.

  But for Catherine Weaver and Victor Holland, time was running out.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THERE WAS NO time to rest. They jogged for the next six blocks, miles and miles, it seemed to Cathy. Victor moved tirelessly, leading her down side streets, avoiding busy intersections. She let him do the thinking and navigating. Her terror slowly gave way to numbness and a disorienting sense of unreality. The city itself seemed little more than a dreamscape, asphalt and streetlights and endless twists and turns of concrete. The only reality was the man striding close beside her, his gaze alert, his movements swift and sure. She knew he too must be afraid, but she couldn’t see his fear.

  He took her hand; the warmth of that grasp, the strength of those fingers, seemed to flow into her cold, exhausted limbs.

  She quickened her pace. “I think there’s a police substation down that street,” she said. “If we go a block or two further—”

  “We’re not going to the police.”

  “What?” She stopped dead, staring at him.

  “Not yet. Not until I’ve had a chance to think this through.”

  “Victor,” she said slowly. “Someone is trying to kill us. Trying to kill me. What do you mean, you need time to think this through?”

  “Look, we can’t stand around talking about it. We have to get off the streets.” He grabbed her hand again. “Come on.”

  “Where?”

  “I have a room. It’s only a few blocks away.”

  She let him drag her only a few yards before she mustered the will to pull free. “Wait a minute. Just wait.”

  He turned, his face a mask of frustration, and confronted her. “Wait for what? For that maniac to catch up? For the bullets to start flying again?”

  “For an explanation!”

  “I’ll explain it all. When we’re safe.”

  She backed away. “Why are you afraid of the police?”

  “I can’t be sure of them.”

  “Do you have a reason to be afraid? What have you done?”

  With two steps he closed the gap between them and grabbed her hard by the shoulders. “I just pulled you out of a death trap, remember? The bullets were going through your window, not mine!”

  “Maybe they were aimed at you!”

  “Okay!” He let her go, let her back away from him. “You want to try it on your own? Do it. Maybe the police’ll be a help. Maybe not. But I can’t risk it. Not until I know all the players behind this.”

  “You—you’re letting me go?”

  “You were never my prisoner.”

  “No.” She took a breath—it misted in the cold air. She glanced down the street, toward the police substation. “It’s… the reasonable thing to do,” she muttered, almost to reassure herself. “That’s what they’re there for.”

  “Right.”

  She frowne
d, anticipating what lay ahead. “They’ll ask a lot of questions.”

  “What are you going to tell them?”

  She looked at him, her gaze unflinchingly meeting his. “The truth.”

  “Which’ll be at best, incomplete. And at worst, unbelievable.”

  “I have broken glass all over my apartment to prove it.”

  “A drive-by shooting. Purely random.”

  “It’s their job to protect me.”

  “What if they don’t think you need protection?”

  “I’ll tell them about you! About Sarah.”

  “They may or may not take you seriously.”

  “They have to take me seriously! Someone’s trying to kill me!” Her voice, shrill with desperation, seemed to echo endlessly through the maze of streets.

  Quietly he said, “I know.”

  She glanced back toward the substation. “I’m going.”

  He said nothing.

  “Where will you be?” she asked.

  “On my own. For now.”

  She took two steps away, then stopped. “Victor?”

  “I’m still here.”

  “You did save my life. Thank you.”

  He didn’t respond. She heard his footsteps slowly walk away. She stood there thinking, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Of course she was. A man afraid of the police—with a story as paranoid as his was—had to be dangerous.

  But he saved my life.

  And once, on a rainy night in Garberville, she had saved his.

  She replayed all the events of the last week. Sarah’s murder, never explained. The other Catherine Weaver, shot to death on her front doorstep. The film canister that Sarah had retrieved from the car, the one Cathy had slipped into her bathrobe pocket…

  Victor’s footsteps had faded.

  In that instant she realized she’d lost the only man who could help her find the answers to all those questions, the one man who’d stood by her in her darkest moment of terror. The one man she knew, by some strange intuition, she could trust. Facing that deserted street, she felt abandoned and utterly friendless. In sudden panic, she whirled around and called out: “Victor!”

  At the far end of the block, a silhouette stopped and turned. He seemed an island of refuge in that crazy, dangerous world. She started toward him, her legs moving her faster and faster, until she was running, yearning for the safety of his arms, the arms of a man she scarcely knew. Yet it didn’t feel like a stranger’s arms gathering her to his chest, welcoming her into his protective embrace. She felt the pounding of his heart, the grip of his fingers against her back, and something told her that this was a man she could depend upon, a man who wouldn’t fold when she needed him most.

  “I’m right here,” he murmured. “Right here.” He stroked through her windblown hair, his fingers burying deep in the tangled strands. She felt the heat of his breath against her face, felt her own quick and shuddering response. And then, all at once, his mouth hungrily sought hers and he was kissing her. She responded with a kiss just as desperate, just as needy. Stranger though he was, he had been there for her and he was still here, his arms sheltering her from the terrors of the night.

  She burrowed her face against his chest, longing to press ever deeper, ever closer. “I don’t know what to do! I’m so afraid, Victor, and I don’t know what to do….”

  “We’ll work this out together. Okay?” He cupped her face in his hands and tilted it up to his. “You and I, we’ll beat this thing.”

  She nodded. Searching his eyes, connecting with that rock-solid gaze, she found all the assurance she needed.

  A wind gusted down the street. She shivered in its wake. “What do we do first?” she whispered.

  “First,” he said, pulling off his windbreaker and draping it over her shoulders, “We get you warmed up. And inside.” He took her hand. “Come on. A hot bath, a good supper, and you’ll be operating on all cylinders again.”

  It was another five blocks to the Kon-Tiki Motel. Though not exactly a five-star establishment, the Kon-Tiki was comfortingly drab and anonymous, one of a dozen on motel row. They climbed the steps to Room 214, overlooking the half-empty parking lot. He unlocked the door and motioned her inside.

  The rush of warmth against her cheeks was delicious. She stood in the center of that utterly charmless space and marveled at how good it felt to be safely surrounded by four walls. The furnishings were spare: a double bed, a dresser, two nightstands with lamps, and a single chair. On the wall was a framed print of some nameless South Pacific island. The only luggage she saw was a cheap nylon bag on the floor. The bedcovers were rumpled, recently napped in, the pillows punched up against the headboard.

  “Not much,” he said. “But it’s warm. And it’s paid for.” He turned on the TV. “We’d better keep an eye on the news. Maybe they’ll have something on the Weaver woman.”

  The Weaver woman, she thought. It could have been me. She was shivering again, but now it wasn’t from the cold. Settling onto the bed she stared numbly at the TV, not really seeing what was on the screen. She was more aware of him. He was circling the room, checking the windows, fiddling with the lock on the door. He moved quietly, efficiently, his silence a testimony to the dangers of their situation. Most men she knew began to babble nonsense when they were scared; Victor Holland simply turned quiet. His mere presence was overwhelming. He seemed to fill the room.

  He moved to her side. She flinched as he took her hands and gently inspected them, palm side up. Looking down, she saw the bloodied scratches, the flakes of rust from the fire escape embedded in her skin.

  “I guess I’m a mess,” she murmured.

  He smiled and stroked her face. “You could use some washing up. Go ahead. I’ll get us something to eat.”

  She retreated into the bathroom. Through the door she could hear the drone of the TV, the sound of Victor’s voice ordering a pizza over the phone. She ran hot water over her cold, numb hands. In the mirror over the sink she caught an unflattering glimpse of herself, her hair a tangled mess, her chin smudged with dirt. She washed her face, rubbing new life, new circulation into those frigid cheeks. Glancing down, she noticed Victor’s razor on the counter. The sight of that blade cast her situation into a new focus—a frightening one. She picked up the razor, thinking how lethal that blade looked, how vulnerable she would be tonight. Victor was a large man, at least six foot two, with powerful arms. She was scarcely five foot five, a comparative weakling. There was only one bed in the next room. She had come here voluntarily. What would he assume about her? That she was a willing victim? She thought of all the ways a man could hurt her, kill her. It wouldn’t take a razor to finish the job. Victor could use his bare hands. What am I doing here? she wondered. Spending the night with a man I scarcely know?

  This was not the time to have doubts. She’d made the decision. She had to go by her instincts, and her instincts told her Victor Holland would never hurt her.

  Deliberately she set down the razor. She would have to trust him. She was afraid not to.

  In the other room, a door slammed shut. Had he left?

  Opening the door a crack, she peered out. The TV was still on. There was no sign of Victor. Slowly she emerged, to find she was alone. She began to circle the room, searching for clues, anything that would tell her more about the man. The bureau drawers were empty, and so was the closet. Obviously he had not moved into this room for a long stay. He’d planned only one night, maybe two. She went to the nylon bag and glanced inside. She saw a clean pair of socks, an unopened package of underwear, and a day-old edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. All it told her was that the man kept himself informed and he traveled light.

  Like a man on the run.

  She dug deeper and came up with a receipt from an automatic teller machine. Yesterday he’d tried to withdraw cash. The machine had printed out the message: Transaction cannot be completed. Please contact your bank. Why had it refused him the cash? she wondered. Was he overdrawn? Had the ma
chine been out of order?

  The sound of a key grating in the lock caught her by surprise. She glanced up as the door swung open.

  The look he gave her made her cheeks flush with guilt. Slowly she rose to her feet, unable to answer that look of accusation in his eyes.

  The door swung shut behind him.

  “I suppose it’s a reasonable thing for you to do,” he said. “Search my things.”

  “I’m sorry. I was just…” She swallowed. “I had to know more about you.”

  “And what terrible things have you dug up?”

  “Nothing!”

  “No deep dark secrets? Don’t be afraid. Tell me, Cathy.”

  “Only…only that you had trouble getting cash out of your account.”

  He nodded. “A frustrating state of affairs. Since by my estimate I have a balance of six thousand dollars. And now I can’t seem to touch it.” He sat down in the chair, his gaze still on her face. “What else did you learn?”

  “You—you read the newspaper.”

  “So do a lot of people. What else?”

  She shrugged. “You wear boxer shorts.”

  Amusement flickered in his eyes. “Now we’re getting personal.”

  “You…” She took a deep breath. “You’re on the run.”

  He looked at her a long time without saying a word.

  “That’s why you won’t go to the police,” she said. “Isn’t it?”

  He turned away, gazing not at her but at the far wall. “There are reasons.”

  “Give me one, Victor. One good reason is all I need and then I’ll shut up.”

  He sighed. “I doubt it.”

  “Try me. I have every reason to believe you.”

  “You have every reason to think I’m paranoid.” Leaning forward, he ran his hands over his face. “Lord, sometimes I think I must be.”

  Quietly she went to him and knelt down beside his chair. “Victor, these people who are trying to kill me—who are they?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You said it might involve people in high places.”