Perfect killer

CHAPTER 98

"Okaaay, there went the security cam," Tyrone said as he and Jasmine raced to launch a second radio-controlled airplane.

"We'll put this and the other two in about the same area," she said. "If Brad's still alive, he'll be heading away from there. Maybe we can pull security to where he isn't anymore."

She paused.

"Then we get the hell out of here."

The cellar noise receded quickly as we stumbled down the dark stairwell. "What took you so long, kemo sabe?"

Rex appeared out of the darkness with a small, bright LED light. "Lead the way, Tonto," Kilgore replied.

"Right this way asshole."

At the bottom, we found no guard in the barrel cave and none in the tunnels or on the loading docks. We did hear another explosion faintly as we made our way to the wine delivery truck, gridlocked in a panicked tangle of traffic.

"You gentlemen up for a jog?" Gabriel said. "I know a nice trail to the road."

"I'm allergic to running," Rex said. "But not as allergic as I am to lead."

Outside the service area and beyond the beautiful green curtain that kept it from blighting the visions of important people, we found chaos like the last helicopter out of Saigon. Guests in evening dress came off the aerial gondola and were hustled by their own security people to waiting limousines, all of which jammed the driveway out.

We followed Gabriel in the shadows of the trees. At first, we walked to avoid attracting attention, then ran swiftly through the trees toward Silverado Trail.

We had walked through a shallow stream and were crawling up the bank when Rex asked us to stop for a moment.

"You finally going to quit smoking now?" I asked him.

"You can be a true asshole," he said only half-joking. "I have half a mind to tell your lady here"-he tapped at the walkie-talkie-"tell her you didn't make it… and see to it myself that I ain't lying."

He pulled the earbud and lavalier from his ear. "But I promised y'mama, you know."

He handed me the earbud and the walkie-talkie.

It was Jasmine.