The Search by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online Page A

if anything happens to Monty, I'll hunt you down and tear you limb from limb." She finished her coffee in one swallow. "I've been sitting here, doing some thinking myself. For some reason you want my willing cooperation to find this Bassett. I don't know why. Maybe you're smart enough to realize that working smoothly together as a team will increase the chances of getting him out."
    "Perish the thought that I might dislike using force."
    "That never occurred to me. You're a user, like Madden. If force was needed, you'd be there with your little hatchet." Her lips tightened. "Well, I'm tired of being used. It's not going to happen again. Not by you and not by Madden."
    "Really."
    "You want cooperation, I'll give you cooperation. I'll get your man out, but I want a payoff."
    "I told you I'd give you any amount you wanted."
    "I want Madden out of my life."
    He was silent a moment. "I've no doubt he's very unpleasant, but I hope you don't want me to take a contract out on him. That could be very awkward."
    "What if I said I did?" she asked, curious.
    "I'd have to think about it."
    Her eyes widened with shock as she realized he wasn't ruling out the possibility. "Don't be stupid. I just want him out of my life with no holds on me."
    "That's a great relief. You wouldn't care to confide what hold he has on you?"
    She didn't answer.
    "I didn't think so. You don't trust me. You're afraid I'll just take over the reins from Madden. Did it occur to you that you'll still run that risk?"
    "It occurred to me. That's part of the deal. I'm free of both of you."
    "Then it seems you trust me more than you do Madden."
    "Eve trusts you. You might keep your word. And once this job is over, you won't have any other use for me. You can afford to let me go."
    "True. But I can hardly help you if I go at it blind."
    "I'll tell you when you need to know."
    "And why do you think I can help you?"
    "I don't have the kind of clout I need to get away from him or I'd have done it years ago. Is it a deal?"
    Logan slowly nodded. "As long as you give me your best effort, Madden's out of your life whether we get my man out or not. You have my word on it."
    She felt a flicker of surprise.
    "I'm not quite the bastard you think me," Logan said roughly. "Ask Eve. As you said, she trusts me."
    "She's prejudiced. You were lovers. You probably behaved differently with her than you do with other people."
    "Yeah, I made a really big effort to treat her like a human being. It was a great strain on me." He stood up. "I need to go and make some telephone calls. Why don't you stretch out on the couch and try to sleep? We're going to hit the ground running when we reach Santo Camaro." He picked up the list on the table. "Is this all you need?"
    "That's it."
    "I'll see that you get it," he said, and strode down the aisle.
    She had made him angry and his response had been uncharacteristically vulnerable. Maybe he wasn't quite the steely man she had thought. But it didn't matter how hard or soft he was as long as he could get Madden out of her life.
    A life without the threat of Madden . . .
    The thought brought an unbelievable surge of relief. For years she had lived without hope, and suddenly the possibility was there before her. Win or lose, Madden would be out of her life if she just did her job. Logan had given his word.
    Monty whined softly and put his head on her knee, sensing her excitement.
    "We've got a chance, boy," she whispered. "If he's not lying, we may be able to come out of this with something pretty good."
    Nice.
    "He's not nice, but it doesn't matter if he keeps his word."
    Nice.
    Stubborn dog. She got up and moved over to the couch. "Come on, we have to get some sleep. We want to be in top form and get through this fast and get home."
    Monty settled on the floor in front of the couch, but his gaze went to the back of the cabin, where Logan had disappeared.
    Nice . . .
    "Then you've got her?" Margaret asked after Logan had rattled off Sarah's list to her. "I was