This man was a pro. He would kill on the slightest excuse. “Everything understood? Nobody moves, nobody talks.” He cleared his throat “All right, lady. Start the car and pull onto the highway.” Claire moved in slow motion. She turned on the switch, pulled the car into gear. As she let out the clutch the car jumped. “No more of that,” said the voice. “I’ve got my finger on this trigger. If you jerk, it goes off and you get it in the back. Understand?” When Claire said nothing, he said: “Answer me.” “Yes,” she said. Her voice creaked like a rusty hinge. “Then get moving.” She drove with her hands tight on the wheel. At the intersection she slowed and ran her tongue over her lips. “Which way?” “South. Push it to forty and hold it there. I’ll tell you where to turn off.” Claire got up to forty and held it there. The man laughed. Barney thought: If his trigger pull is as light as the hood says, any sudden movement might kill Claire and wreck them all, including himself.
