Eve (13 page)

“Why? Because you thought I’d resent your meeting Bonnie?” She frowned. “Look, Mr. Danner, I have no bad feelings toward you. John loved you and thought you were the kindest man alive. It wasn’t right for him to draw you into what was between the two of us, but it was only kindness that led you to do it.” She paused. “You haven’t heard anything about John yet? It’s been so long.”

“Longer for me than for you.” He looked down at Bonnie. “You’ve been very busy. And John must seem like a dream to you now.”

“Sometimes. You have to understand. We didn’t really know each other.”

“He thought he knew you. He talked a lot about you. He said he’d never met anyone before who moved him as you did.” His gaze shifted to Bonnie. “And he gave you this wonderful child.”

“I assure you that it wasn’t his intention. Neither of us wanted this to happen. It just did.” She paused. “I won’t try to convince you not to tell John about Bonnie. I’ll have to face it sometime.”

“No, you won’t.” His eyes were suddenly glittering with moisture. “You’re not going to have to worry about my John any longer. That’s why I had to gather my courage before I faced you. I got this notification last month.” He fumbled in his pocket and brought out a crumpled piece of paper. “He’s dead. He was lost off the coast of North Korea a few weeks after he arrived there. The remains were discovered in an inlet five weeks ago. They say the dental records are indisputable proof. The Army is very sorry about my loss. They’ll probably send me a damn medal.” His voice was suddenly bitter. “His loss. He was only nineteen years old. His life was hell from the minute he was born. They shouldn’t have let him die before he had a chance to live.”

“Dead?” she whispered. It came as a complete shock. She had rejected the possibility of John Gallo’s death, but it was there before her. “They’re sure?”

“Read the notification.”

She took the crumpled paper and scanned it. All very official. All very sad. But, as Ted Danner had said, it didn’t tell the real tragedy of the death of that strong, young man who had just started to live. Memories of John Gallo were suddenly bombarding her. John at the hospital, John carrying Sandra up the stairs, John moving over her in bed. Always strong, always dominant, always vibrant and complicated, with a presence that could be either restrained or explosive. He had been in her life for such a short time, and yet he’d had more impact than anyone she’d ever met. And John Gallo was no longer alive? She was suddenly feeling a terrible sense of loss. She handed the notification back to him. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Danner.”

“So am I.” He stuffed the paper back in his pocket. “I promised him I’d keep an eye on you. Would you mind if I still do it? It would make me feel I’m doing something for him. I won’t get in your way.”

“I don’t mind.” She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Maybe you could come to dinner some night. I’m a lousy cook, but my mother is pretty good.”

He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t impose. You have your life to lead.” He smiled with an effort and gently brushed his hand on Bonnie’s cheek. “She has the look of him, doesn’t she? She’s going to be pretty as a picture.”

“Yes, she is.” If he wanted to see John in Bonnie, she wouldn’t disillusion him. “And I’m grateful every day that I have her.”

He nodded. “I’ll leave you. I just wanted to let you know about John. You and I were the only ones who really cared about him. I guess I wanted to share.” He started down the street. “Good-bye, Eve. Take care of that little girl.”

“I will.” She stood and watched him slowly walk away. She could feel her throat tighten. He wasn’t an old man, but between his injuries and sorrow, he appeared that way.

Bonnie gave a cry, and Eve saw that she had dropped the pink rabbit toy that Sandra had given her. She automatically picked it up and handed it back to her. Bonnie was immediately happy. It didn’t take much to make a baby happy, particularly Bonnie. Her daughter had the sunniest disposition on the planet. “Come on, Bonnie, let’s go back. I don’t feel like walking anymore.”

But she stopped when she reached the green bench outside the front door that she always considered Rosa’s bench. “Maybe we’ll get a little more sun before we go back inside.” She sat down on the bench and turned Bonnie’s stroller to face her. “It’s not fair to cut your outdoor time short just because I’m upset.”

And she was upset. She had told herself a thousand times that her relationship with John had been based entirely on the physical, but that didn’t seem to matter anymore. A part of her life had vanished from the earth. She couldn’t ignore it. She didn’t want to ignore it. Not when she was gazing at her daughter’s smiling face.

No, Bonnie wasn’t smiling now. She was staring gravely at Eve as if sensing that her mother was troubled. Eve had noticed before that Bonnie appeared to be attuned to her every mood. Imagination? Maybe. But Eve knew she had that connection with Bonnie, so why shouldn’t her daughter have that same bond?

“He’s gone, Bonnie,” Eve said softly. “He was your father, and I don’t even know what to tell you about him. I didn’t know him that well myself. But everyone should know something about the people who brought them into the world. I don’t know anything about my father. Sandra didn’t want to talk about him. I think he hurt her. Your father didn’t hurt me.” No, he had disturbed her, aroused her, and taught her about some of the most beautiful, heady moments a woman could know. “I know he was hurt himself. Though he wouldn’t talk much about it. But what I do know is that he was strong, and beautiful like you, and he never lied to me. Those are all good things.”

Bonnie was clutching her rabbit, but her gaze was fixed on Eve’s face.

“You don’t understand any of this.” Eve could feel the tears rise to her eyes. “Sometimes, I don’t either, but we should try. If I tell you about our time together, maybe I’ll understand it, too.” She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. “Though most of it I’ll have to skip because it’s X-rated.” She laughed shakily. “And that’s a shame because that’s the part where you came on the scene, and that’s the best part of the story.” She leaned forward and kissed Bonnie’s cheek. “The very best part.”

Then she leaned back on the bench. “I guess I should start at the beginning. I met your father on a hot summer night right here, very close to where we’re sitting now. He came to my rescue like some hero out of the storybooks I’ll be reading you when you get a little older. His name was John Gallo…”

CHAPTER

8

Lake Cottage

Atlanta, Georgia

Present day

“EVE.” IT WAS CATHERINE KNOCKING
on the door. “Answer me. We have to talk. You’re making me feel guilty as hell. I did what I thought best. How the hell did I know you were going to go into a tailspin like this?”

Guilty? Catherine should not feel guilty because Eve had responded like an idiot. No, like that sixteen-year-old girl she had been when she’d given birth to Bonnie. She had run into her room and tried to hide in the darkness, in the only safe haven she’d ever known. For heaven’s sake, she was a mature woman who had gone through hell and returned. She could handle anything that came her way.

Except the accusation that Catherine had made. Because if Catherine was right, then her whole life and everything she believed was upside down.

But Catherine was wrong. She had to be wrong.

“Eve.”

“Coming.” Eve got heavily to her feet and moved toward the door. It was fully dark, and she flipped on the light as she unlocked the door. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was a little … surprised.” She grimaced. “Understatement.”

Catherine came into the room and closed the door. “Why do you think I hesitated to talk to you? I knew it wasn’t going to be a welcome development.” She went over to the kitchen. “Let me get you a cup of coffee. I could use one, too.”

“Stop coddling me, Catherine. As I said, I haven’t thought about John Gallo since Bonnie was born. It was just a shock having you bring up his name in connection with her death.” She paused. “Even though I knew it had to be a mistake.”

“It’s no mistake.”

“John Gallo was killed while he was in the Army.”

Catherine shook her head. “No, he was still alive at least six months ago.”

“Catherine, I saw the official death notification.”

“And since when does that guarantee anything? I’ve been in the CIA for years, and most of the time nothing ends up what I think it’s going to be. It’s a twisted world, Eve.”

“John Gallo was nineteen, and he wasn’t a CIA agent. He was just a kid right out of basic who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“A very lethal kid. A month after he was in basic training, they tapped him for Ranger training. That’s what he was doing in Asia. He was a natural. He’d not only been trained by his uncle, but he had an aptitude that was remarkable.” She paused. “That was why they sent him to North Korea on a special mission. A hush-hush assignment that was very politically incorrect. He and two other Rangers parachuted into the country to spy on a fledgling nuclear facility. Strictly against the diplomatic policy at the time. The government had promised North Korea that they would not violate their borders in any way. They had orders to bring back photos and any other information they could gather.”

“Where he died.”

“No, where he was betrayed and captured by the North Koreans. The other two Rangers were killed, and he was thrown into prison. He was there for six years before he managed to escape.”

“And the government covered it up?” Eve shook her head dazedly. “No, that didn’t happen. It’s too bizarre. That notification nearly broke his uncle.”

“It’s true nevertheless.”

“It has to be someone else. You’ve got the wrong information. How did you dig this up anyway?”

“I called in favors. I checked every agency and source I had available, then I made Venable check all of his. Someone did a massive cover-up of everything concerning John Gallo. Even though I was able to break through the curtain, I barely managed to skim the tip of the iceberg.” She paused. “But he was out of that North Korean prison before Bonnie was kidnapped. And he was seen in Atlanta about that time.”

“No.” Her voice was shaking. “He didn’t know anything about Bonnie. He would have no reason to hurt her.”

“But would he have had reason to hurt you? That’s what a lot of family killings are all about.”

“He would have had to hate me. He didn’t hate me.”

“How do you know how his mind was twisted in that prison? He was tortured, solitary confinement, starvation. Six years of that kind of treatment could unbalance anyone. He was in a mental hospital in Tokyo for months after he escaped.”

She closed her eyes. “Dear God, you’re scaring me, Catherine.”

“Why? I didn’t go to all this trouble just to hand you a name and go on my way. We can find him. I’ll find him for you, Eve.”

“I don’t want it to be him.” She opened her eyes. “I’ve always thought Bonnie’s killer was some faceless monster. That’s easier to accept than his being someone I know.” She made a helpless gesture. “Know? Someone I went to bed with. Someone who gave me my Bonnie.” She shook her head in wonder. “And then took her away? How can I believe that?”

“I didn’t say it was a sure bet,” Catherine said. “I said that it was a strong possibility.”

“It’s one I can’t cope with.” Her voice was shaking. “I swore I’d always protect Bonnie, and it was terrible when she was taken. It was my duty to make sure she was safe and I failed her. But if it was someone I knew, then it’s even worse. Maybe I could have sensed it, done something to—”

“You’re not thinking straight,” Catherine said. “You didn’t even know he was alive.”

“I still can’t accept that he is.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “You’re right. I’m not able to put anything in perspective right now. I have to think…”

“First, you have to believe me when I say that everything I’ve told you is true. I wouldn’t have brought all of this down on you if I hadn’t been certain.” Catherine handed her a cup of coffee. “Then you have to tell me what you want me to do about it.”

“I believe that you think it’s true.” Eve lifted the cup to her lips. “But the investigation surrounding Bonnie was extensive. I told them who Bonnie’s father was. Wouldn’t they have found out that John Gallo wasn’t dead?”

“I’m sure they checked. I told you, massive cover-up. The Army didn’t want anyone to know John Gallo was alive.”

“Why?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t found that out yet. It had to be something more than an illicit special ops mission if they were willing to protect him from a high-profile murder investigation.”

She shivered. “They suspected he might have killed Bonnie and they’d still protect him? A man who would kill a child? No one would do anything that horrible.”

“I’ve seen dirtier cover-ups.”

Anger was suddenly searing through Eve. “No you haven’t,” she said fiercely. “There’s nothing more horrible than Bonnie’s death or the man who caused it.”

“Sorry. You’re right.” She studied Eve’s face. “You’re ready to go out and kill someone yourself. That’s good. I’d rather have you on the warpath than in pain. Now drink your coffee, and let’s find a way to get to the bottom of this.”

She took a swallow of coffee. It was hot and strong and helped to relieve the chill. “You say John Gallo was seen here in Atlanta about the time Bonnie was kidnapped. How do you know?”

“There was a written notation in one of the Army Intelligence files on Gallo by an informant who mentioned that Gallo was here during that period.”

“And who was this witness?”

“Paul Black.”

Eve stiffened. “What?”

Catherine nodded. “The man your friend Montalvo told you was a prime suspect in your daughter’s murder. He gave you three names. Two didn’t pan out, and you were preparing to go after the third. Paul Black.”

Shock after shock. “And he was testifying against John Gallo? What was their connection?”

Catherine shrugged. “Another blank. But I’ll find out.”

“No, I’ll find out.” Eve took another drink of coffee and put the cup down with a click on the bar. “Because I’m going after Gallo and making him tell me everything that happened when he came to Atlanta that month.” Her eyes narrowed on Catherine’s face. “And you knew that would be my reaction. You wouldn’t leave me up in the air for long. You’ve got an idea where John Gallo is right now?”

Catherine nodded. “I should know very soon. I squeezed someone in Army Intelligence, and he’s going to see if he can give me a lead. It’s a Colonel Queen, and he didn’t like it one bit that I’d managed to unearth all of this.” She hesitated. “But are you sure that you want to do this yourself? Is it going to be difficult for you? I wasn’t sure how you felt about John Gallo.”

Neither was Eve. It had always been a complex relationship and, now that she knew there might be a possibility of his involvement in Bonnie’s death, that complexity had deadly overtones. “Do you mean am I going to be sentimental about dealing with him? It was sex all the way. He kept me dizzy the entire time we were together.” She smiled coldly. “No, I won’t hesitate just because I was a teenage kid who couldn’t control her hormones. And if I find out he killed my Bonnie, I’ll cut his heart out.”

Catherine blinked. “Well, that certainly defines the situation. It’s hard for me to picture you like that. I’ve never had that experience.”

Eve knew that to be true. Catherine was the widow of a May-December marriage. She had been seventeen when she married her sixty-two-year-old mentor. “I can’t picture myself like that any longer, either. That girl doesn’t exist anymore.”

“I just hope that Joe realizes that she doesn’t,” Catherine said.

Joe.

Eve had been so whiplashed by her feelings about Catherine’s news, which had blown her away, that she had not thought of how it would affect Joe. She could only hope it wouldn’t be a springboard to more tension between them. Catherine was right; she had never spoken to Joe about John Gallo because he was already far in her past when she and Joe had met. Their love affair had become a passionate relationship that had gone on for years, with no other interest for either of them.

Except for Bonnie. She had always been there between them.

And John Gallo was Bonnie’s father.

“You’re going to tell Joe about Gallo?” Catherine asked.

“Of course I am. How could I do anything else? Joe has been searching for Bonnie as long as I have.”

“Just inquiring.” Catherine paused. “Would you like me to tell Joe? After all, I’m the one who opened this can of worms.”

“I’ll do it.”

“But you don’t want to do it.” Catherine’s shrewd gaze was fixed on Eve’s expression. “I’m going to go and break the news to him. You’ll have enough aftershocks from that quarter to deal with once you pull yourself together.”

“I’m okay now.”

“You’re angry at the moment. That’s keeping all the other emotions at bay.” She headed for the door. “You can’t stay mad forever.”

“Yes, I can. If I find out that Gallo had anything to do with Bonnie’s death.”

She smiled. “I know how you feel. Hold on to it. You may need it.” She opened the door. “I’ll check with Venable and see if he’s heard anything, then go and talk to Joe.”

The door closed behind her.

Hold on to it. Hold on to the anger. She would have no problem doing that. She had thought she was done with John Gallo, but he had erupted back in her life in the most painful way possible.

All right, sit here and think back. Try to find any reason why John would commit such a terrible crime.

How could she do that when she didn’t really know him?

She had to know something that would make this madness clear. Catherine had said that there were precedents for a father killing his child. Eve knew that to be true from her own professional experiences.

Start at that point and analyze.

*   *   *

JOE WAS STANDING ON THE TOP
step of the porch, gazing out at the lake, when Catherine went in search of him.

“Hello, Catherine.” He turned to face her. “Venable wants you to call him. He couldn’t reach you.”

“I’ll call him back later.”

“Do that.” He met her eyes. “Now what’s the story with Eve?”

Catherine should have known that Joe would sense something. Joe Quinn had the sharpest instincts and the keenest intelligence of anyone she had ever met. She had worked with any number of CIA agents over the years, and she would have jettisoned them in a heartbeat for a partner like Joe.

And perhaps not only in the field.

She remembered the first time she had become aware that she was attracted to Joe. They had been down by the lake, and a storm had been coming up. The wind had been blowing his brown hair, and his tea-colored eyes were glittering recklessly. She had looked at him and thought he was like the storm, full of danger and power and yet with the maturity to be able to leash his lightning. She had not been conscious of being physically aware of a man since her husband had died, and it had come as a shock.

But she had rejected the thought immediately. Eve was her friend, and she wouldn’t violate that trust. Besides, she had known from the instant she had met him here at the cottage weeks ago that there was only one partner he would accept in his life.

Eve was his center. Catherine would be content to be his friend as well as Eve’s, and she had already started to lay the foundation.