Read Judgment Day -03 for Free Online

didn’t think so. The man seemed incapable of telling a lie, let alone keeping a secret.
    “Okay, final question.”
    Van Gogh looked up, wondering what would happen after that.
    “Who hired Nakai?”
    “I don’t know.”
    The words came out too quickly to be a lie, but Mason thought he would push a little to see what else Van Gogh might know. He loosened his grip on Bowie, and once again, the dog began growling and inching forward.
    “I swear to God I don’t know!”
    “What do you know?”
    “Look, all I heard was that a general buddy of Nakai’s might be the one who called us in. That’s it, I swear. I don’t have a name or nothing.”
    Mason’s hand closed onto Bowie’s collar, and Van Gogh sighed with relief.
    “A general?”
    He shrugged. “It was just what I heard. Could be shit—I don’t know.”
    Mason stared at the man, trying to decide what to do with him. He had been as helpful as anyone could ask, but he was also involved in what had happened at Glynco. Mason thought about it long and hard, and in the end, mercy won out over revenge.
    “Pick up your knife.”
    Van Gogh’s worry quickly turned to panic.
    “Listen, man, I told you—”
    “Pick it up and start walking.” Mason pointed in the direction that the convoy had traveled.
    “Why? Even if I catch up to Nakai, he’ll kill me for sure when he finds out that I talked to you. And he’ll know, believe me.”
    “I don’t care where you go. Just get out of my sight before I let my dog use your gonads for jawbreakers.”
    Bowie stared at Van Gogh, licking his lips.
    “Fine, fine,” he muttered, getting to his feet. He walked over and carefully picked up his knife and slid it back into his boot. “No need to be like that. I’m gone already.” He turned and began hiking north along the interstate.
    When he was about thirty feet away, Mason called out to him.
    Van Gogh stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
    “You should consider a new profession.”
    The man looked confused.
    “Why’s that?”
    Mason slid his Supergrade back into its holster.
    “Because you scare too easy.”
     
     
    CHAPTER
    5
    “It’s too bad we couldn’t stop in Boone,” Samantha said, looking out her window at long rows of trees that were beginning to get their full spring foliage.
    “We have what we need. Best if we just roll on for now.”
    She nodded noncommittally.
    They drove past a pack of wild dogs standing on the side of the highway. The animals watched the Escalade pass, their heads tipped up and their eyes sharp with interest. Perhaps it had been quite some time since they had seen anything moving on the road. More likely, they were staring at its occupants, imagining the taste of fresh meat. They chased the car for a short time, running up alongside the SUV, barking and growling. They only stopped after Tanner swerved and ran over the lead animal, breaking its neck with the seven-thousand-pound vehicle.
    “Damn dogs,” he said.
    Samantha winced but didn’t say anything. They had seen countless packs of dogs, many of which had undoubtedly once been loving pets. The lack of human companionship, not to mention their eating of cadavers, had turned them from loyal companions into ruthless pack animals with a taste for human flesh. And while Samantha was the first to defend animals of nearly every size and shape, she held no love for the dogs. Since her very first encounter with them on a dark highway, she felt only fear and loathing for the beasts.
    “What do you think Isa will say to us?” she asked.
    “Who?”
    “The little girl we’re going to see.”
    He shrugged. “She looks pretty young in the photo. I doubt she’ll have much of anything to say.”
    Samantha imagined their meeting with dreamy eyes. Something suddenly occurred to her.
    “I was thinking—um, maybe you should let me do the talking.”
    He glanced over at her.
    “What are you saying? That I’m scary?”
    “You’re the scariest person I’ve ever