Eve (29 page)

“I’ve never seen any bait more eager to spring the teeth shut.” He smiled across at her from where he was lying on the bed. “You’ve not been here more than five or six hours. Are you always this impatient?”

“We’re close. I want it over.”

“It’s like the watched kettle that never boils. Come to bed, and that alarm in 1502 will probably go off in five minutes.”

She didn’t answer, her gaze fixed on the street.

“Come to bed, Eve,” he said quietly. “I’m not going to jump you. If you like, I’ll curl up on the floor. I’ve learned to sleep anywhere.”

“I’m not afraid of you.” She turned to look at him. “I can take care of myself. That’s one of the first things that Joe taught me.”

“Good for him. Though, as I remember, you were pretty effective when I knew you.”

She nodded. “But Joe says technique always carries the day. I learned that the night you saved little Manuel … and me.”

“How is Manuel?”

“Well, I hope. I lost track of Rosa and her son. She married and left for San Diego a year after I moved out of the housing development.” She shook her head. “It’s sad that it’s so easy to lose touch with people. They come in and out of your life, then they’re gone. A lot of it is my fault. I’m so busy most of the time that I don’t make the effort.”

“What about your mother?”

She shrugged. “We were fine while Bonnie was alive, but afterward we gradually drew apart. Bonnie was the magic that held us together. But even after Bonnie was taken some of the magic lingered. Sandra never went back on drugs. Just the fact that Bonnie came into our lives and stayed for a little while made an impression that never went away.” She gazed at him inquiringly. “Any more questions?”

“There will probably be a few as they occur to me. That curiosity…” He reached over and turned out the lamp on the nightstand. The room was plunged into darkness. “You’re tired. Come and lie down. I won’t touch you. You’ve convinced me I’d be putty in your hands.”

She hesitated, then left the window and moved toward the bed. “I have to admit I do know a lot about putty.” She lay down on the far side of the bed and tried to relax. It was difficult. Even though there were several inches between them, it felt strange to be in a bed with a man other than Joe. How many years had it been?

“I know you do. You told me about the forensic process at dinner. Your hands aren’t quite the same as they were when you were younger. They were always shaped well, but now they look stronger, knowing.” He was silent a few moments. “Are you going to tell Joe about this?”

“Yes. Why not? Nothing is going to happen.”

“I have a vivid imagination. I think I’d want you to lie to me.”

“Joe would not. Which shows how different you are from him. And how similar Joe and I are.”

“Two straight arrows. He doesn’t bore you?”

“Joe? Not likely. And he wouldn’t bore you either, John. There’s a razor-sharp edge to that straight arrow.”

“I gathered so from talking to Hanks after their encounter the other night. He told me that Quinn wanted me very badly and to be careful. Should I be careful, Eve?”

“Yes, Joe doesn’t trust anything you’ve told me. He might act before I could stop him.”

“Would you protect me from him? I’m touched.”

“I’d protect him from himself. He has a conscience, and guilt can be a terrible thing.”

He was silent. “I know.”

The only sound in the dark room was the resonance of their breathing against the backdrop of the traffic down in the street.

“What are we going to do, Eve?”

“We’re going to find Bonnie’s murderer.”

“No, what about us?”

“There is no us. We put a period to that a long time ago.”

“You can’t put a period to anything between us,” he said quietly. “It might have been possible if you hadn’t had Bonnie. But the moment she appeared in our lives, she changed the dynamics. You have to accept and admit that to yourself and to me. Otherwise, we’re not going to be able to fight our way through this.”

“She was
my
daughter, John.”

“That may have been the way you wanted it, but Bonnie evidently didn’t agree with you. She came looking for me, Eve. She came into that hot box of filth and pain, and she found me. And I thank God for it every day of my life.”

She could feel the tears rise to her eyes as she had when he had first told her that story.

She came looking for me.

That simple sentence was enough to break her heart. The miracle of Bonnie, who had come into both their lives and changed them beyond belief.

“Don’t fight me, Eve. I don’t want to cause you any trouble. I’m just saying that we have to come to terms with a way of handling it that will make both of us content. Not happy. I don’t know if we can get to that level. But content would be good.”

“I can’t … you’re out of my life. I have Joe now. He’s all I want.”

“And my first reaction is to try to change your mind. We were so damn good together that sex seems a natural part of any relationship that we could have.” He added before she could speak, “But that’s the kid, John Gallo, thinking. I know we can’t go back. We’ve both moved on. Well, you’ve moved on. I’m still struggling.”

She was struggling, too. It seemed so right to have him in the bed next to her. It wasn’t right. She loved Joe. But there was that strong bond that wouldn’t be banished.

“Okay,” he said. “So I can’t have sex with you. What’s left? We were never friends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work on it. I admire the person you’ve become. You can’t say the same about me, but I might provide amusement value. Friendships can be based on a lot of weird things.”

“There are things about you I admire,” she said jerkily. “You’re a survivor, and what you’ve endured would have broken almost anyone else. You thought you were being tortured to protect your country. I admire your patriotism. Most of the time, I think you’re honest with me. That’s important, too.”

He chuckled. “You had to really dig for that list.”

“What do you expect? I don’t know you.”

“I believe we’re going to have to rectify that.” He suddenly reached over and touched her cheek. “Don’t stiffen up on me. I’m not making a move on you. I just want to show you I can touch you with affection that has nothing to do with sex.” He stroked the line of her cheekbone. “Because the affection will always be there. Do you know why?”

“No.”

“Because you gave me Bonnie,” he said simply. “Because together we created something more wonderful than anything I could accomplish by myself if I live to be a hundred.” He felt the moisture of her tears on his fingers. “Hey, I don’t want this. I just want you to know that no matter what we have to overcome, it’s going to be worth it. I think we have to be together some way, somehow.” He added awkwardly, “I think maybe … she wants it.”

“Bonnie?” Eve whispered.

“I’ve thought a lot about why she came to me in that prison. She was a part of both of us, Eve. The three of us are bound together. I’ll never be able to look at you without feeling that closeness with her. Will you be able to look at me without feeling her love?”

She had been trying to shut out every facet of feeling toward him, but his words were tearing down the walls and revealing the truth. He was right. This wasn’t going to go away because it was all about Bonnie. For her, Bonnie had been the center of her being. She was beginning to think that Bonnie had been equally important to John. If that was true, then they had no option but to accept and try to find a way to live with it. She said unevenly, “No, I don’t think I will.”

“Good.” He bent down and kissed her forehead, then was gone again. “I just had to get that much established. I was feeling very much alone. I’ve always been the outsider.”

Alone. Outsider.

Yes, John had always been the outsider as far as Bonnie was concerned. Eve had seen to that. She had never told him, never wanted him to know he had a child. She had chosen to bear the responsibility, but she had also garnered the joy. John Gallo had not been permitted either.

“Go to sleep,” John said. “If we have an intruder in Room 1502, the alarm will wake us.”

Outsider.

“I’m not sleepy. I wonder if you…” She started again. “I wonder if you’d like me to tell you about Bonnie?”

She could feel his sudden stillness. “You don’t have to do that. I know it might be painful.”

“Some of it, but most of it is pure joy. I think … I want to share her with you, John. If that’s what you want, too.”

“Oh, my God.”

She didn’t speak for a moment, trying to put her thoughts, her memories together. He had missed so much. Where to start on the story of Bonnie?

The beginning.

“The first time the nurse brought me Bonnie, she said she was magic…”

CHAPTER

16

WEBSTER GROVES WAS A PLEASANT
suburb that consisted of a mixture of older homes built in the early nineteenth century and newer homes that appeared sleek but lacked character.

Catherine glanced at her GPS. She should be arriving at Judy Clark’s mother’s home in a few moments. It was close to eleven at night. She might have gone to bed. Should Catherine ring the bell or phone again? Maybe if she told Mrs. Kamski she was outside, she might agree to let her in and talk to her.

Or maybe she would tell Catherine to go take a flying leap.

She’d ring the bell.

The GPS instructed her to turn left at the next street.

She turned on San Cecilia.

Number 230 was halfway down the block, an older two-story clapboard house. Catherine might not have to worry about waking anyone. Lights were still streaming from one of the windows on the first floor.

She pulled into the driveway and got out of the car.

She stopped two feet before she reached the front door.

Oh, shit. She knew that sound.

Moaning. Muffled but still audible.

TV?

She rang the bell.

No answer but that muffled cry of pain.

That was no TV.

She tried the knob. The door swung open.

She froze, her gaze on the staircase facing the door.

A gray-haired woman in a pink, flowered robe was lying on her back, wrists and ankles spread wide and tied to the pickets on either side of that staircase. Her mouth was gagged, her eyes wide open.

Blood everywhere. Her throat had been cut. Dead.

Catherine dove to the side, reaching for her gun. She hit the wall switch and plunged the foyer into darkness before rolling to one side.

She listened.

Nothing.

No, the moaning again.

Coming from the dining room across the foyer.

She waited.

A trap?

But a trap for whom?

She waited a minute more.

No sound but the moaning.

She crawled across the foyer, past the obscenely spread body on the stairs.

A woman was lying on the cherry dining-room table.

Her gaze wandered quickly around the room. Two chairs turned over. Nowhere to hide.

She crawled to the right side of the door and took a chance.

She flipped on the dining-room light.

Judy Clark.

Blue robe she had worn when she had first met her. One fuzzy blue slipper still on her foot, the other lying on the floor beside the table.

She had probably lost it while struggling with the monster who had thrown her on the table and pinned her there with a huge butcher knife through her stomach.

Catherine drew a deep breath and slowly stood up.

“It’s okay, Judy,” she whispered. “I’ll get you help. Is whoever did this still in the house?”

Judy was also gagged, but she shook her head. Then the cords of her throat strained as she tried to talk.

“Wait.” Catherine quickly called 911 and gave them the address and the situation. She cut the questions short and hung up. “Judy, I can’t move you or take out the knife. We’ll have to wait for the EMTs.” She just hoped the ambulance came in time. The blood on the table wasn’t as much as on the stairs, but Catherine couldn’t judge the loss or the trauma of the wound. “They’ll be here soon.”

The woman was still trying desperately to speak.

“I’ll fix that.” Catherine undid the gag. “Now I’ll stay here with you and hold your hand until the ambulance gets here.”

“No.” Judy’s voice was rasping. “Help—find—her.” Her eyes were glittering wildly in her parchment-colored face. “Took— Don’t let him—”

“Shh.” Catherine squeezed her hand. “You said he was gone.”

“But—he—took—her.”

“Who?”

“Cara.”

Oh, dear God. Of course, the little girl. Judy’s little girl.

“I’ll be right back.” She released her hand. “I’ll go check.”

Judy was shaking her head as Catherine ran out of the room. She climbed over the banister and ran up the steps to the second floor. The doors were all open wide. The second room down the hall was a child’s room. Pink princess coverlet on the bed. A Disney clock on the wall.

No little girl.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She quickly checked the other bedrooms.

No little girl. No Cara.

She drew a deep breath.

Damn him.

Then she ran out of the room and a moment later was in the dining room.

“Gone.” The tears were running down Judy’s face. “Cara.”

Catherine took her hand again. “We’ll find her. Do you know who took her?”

She shook her head. “We went to bed—early. Then he was just—there. We didn’t even know him.” The tears were flowing harder. “Mama.”

“I’m sorry.” What else could she say? There weren’t words to express the horror Judy had gone through and was still experiencing. Catherine knew the panic of losing a child to a monster. “I’ll help you find your child.”

“I think … I’m dying. What if—I die? No one may ever find her.”

“I told you, I’ll find her.”

“Promise me.” Judy’s gaze was desperately holding Catherine’s. “Promise—”

“I promise.” She only hoped she could find the child alive. “But she’ll need you after she comes home. You’ve got to be quiet and do everything you can to get well.”

“Needs me…” Judy’s eyes closed. “I’ll … try…”

Catherine heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

Lord, let them get here in time.

*   *   *

CATHERINE CALLED JOE AND FILLED
him in from the waiting room at the hospital.

“Could you get a description?”

“I didn’t try yet. Neither did the police. She’s in surgery. She may not make it, Joe. Whoever did this wanted to leave her enough alive to send a message. But he didn’t give a damn what kind of damage he did with that butcher knife.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“That’s what I say. He took the kid, Joe. Anyone who would do what he did to those two women would think nothing of torturing and murdering a kid.”

“And you’re mad as hell.”

“I keep thinking of Luke and how I felt when my son was taken.”

“You have a copy of the photo of Paul Black that Eve gave us. Can you show it to her as soon as possible?”

“I’ll have to find a way to get in to see her. The only reason the police didn’t take me in for questioning was that I’m CIA. They may still do it if they get enough heat. The murder of Judy Clark’s mom was ugly and senseless, and that scares people.”

“Let me know.”

“Any leads on Eve?”

“Not yet.” He hung up.

Catherine sat back down and sipped her coffee.

Joe had been curt and on edge, and who could blame him?

The violence was escalating by the minute, and it all seemed to be heading toward Eve.

What if it wasn’t Paul Black who had committed these atrocities? It could be someone else that Queen had hired.

And what would she do if she found out from Judy that it was Black? The taking of Cara Clark opened a whole new avenue of threat. Why was the child taken and not murdered? Why had Judy been left alive to tell them? The kidnapping would be a weapon that might be impossible to overcome. She knew the helplessness and fear that could cripple you when you thought that your action could result in the killing of the helpless.

And that action had not been aimed at Judy Clark. She was almost certain that Eve was the target. Eve would do anything that she had to do to save a child.

And so would Catherine. Give her the chance, and she’d cut the bastard’s throat. She felt a surge of sheer savagery at the thought.

Keep cool. She would sit and drink her coffee and wait for news on Judy Clark. If she lived, then Catherine would show her Black’s photo and get an ID.

And plan what she would do to the son of a bitch who could perpetrate a hideous act like this.

*   *   *

“WAKE UP.”

Eve opened her eyes to see Gallo’s face above her. He smelled of soap, and his hair was wet as if he’d just stepped out of a shower.

He smiled. “I just called room service for breakfast. I thought you’d want to shower and brush your teeth before they get here.”

“I do.” She glanced at her watch. Seven thirty. She wasn’t surprised she’d slept so late. She had talked about Bonnie far into the night. And even after the words had ceased to flow, she hadn’t been able to sleep. She had lain beside Gallo in the darkness, answering an occasional question, suddenly remembering something she had forgotten to tell him. It had been a strange and supremely intimate night. By releasing all those memories of Bonnie, she had created a cocoon of togetherness for which she had not bargained. She had always clung to those memories, shutting everyone else out. Now they no longer belonged only to her.

She sat up and swung her feet to the floor. “Maybe I wasn’t followed. It could be your trap is a dud, John.”

“I admit that I expected the situation to move a little faster.” He met her gaze. “But I’m glad it didn’t. Thank you, Eve.”

She pulled her gaze away. That overpowering intimacy again, the feeling of being part of him. “It doesn’t mean anything more than that I felt you shouldn’t be cheated of something I treasure.” She moistened her lips. “I have a tendency to be selfish about Bonnie. While she was alive, she was everything to me. After she was gone, I still couldn’t let her go.”

“That’s pretty clear. You’ve been searching for her killer since the day she was taken.”

“No, I mean I couldn’t talk about her, not even about the good times. I held the memories close as if I was afraid of losing those, too.” She looked away from him. “I guess it was time I stopped being afraid and realized that sharing only makes them richer. So maybe I have something to thank you for, too, John.”

“You’ve not talked to Quinn about Bonnie?”

“Of course.” How could she explain? “But he didn’t know her, couldn’t love her. He only knew her as a cause of sorrow and danger to me. And I couldn’t tell him all the things that might have brought him closer to her.” She smiled as she got to her feet and headed for the bathroom. “But maybe I can now.”

He chuckled. “So a night in bed with me is going to bring you closer to Quinn?”

“Yes.”

His smile faded. “I hope it does if that’s what you want. I want you to have everything you want, Eve. But you have to know that there’s no going back after last night.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips. “Don’t say it. I’d like to think that I could replace Quinn, but I wouldn’t even try. You have someone who can give you stability, and that’s something I know nothing about. I’d never take that away from you.” He grimaced. “But he can’t take away the closeness we have together, either. And neither can we, Eve. We’re joined in a way that’s … remarkable. You know it, and so do I.” He turned away. “I don’t know what it means or how we’re going to resolve the situation. But it had to be said.”

And she would probably not have faced the finality of that realization at this time, she thought as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She was having enough difficulty sorting out her emotions where Gallo was concerned. Passion? No, both of them were keeping the passion that had been the core of their former relationship at bay. It was memory, and Bonnie that had formed the new bond.

And, great heavens, what a strong bond it was proving to be.

*   *   *

“YOUR PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING,”
John said, as she came out of the bathroom thirty minutes later. “Four times. Someone is very persistent.”

She moved over to the nightstand where she had left her phone on vibrate. She frowned as she looked at the ID.

“Quinn?”

“No.” Joe had called her only the one time yesterday, and when she hadn’t answered, had not called again. “It’s Catherine Ling.”

“I caught sight of her for a moment at the compound, and I’ve read her dossier. She’s … unusual.”

“Unique,” Eve said absently. She hadn’t intended to answer Catherine, either. It had been possible Catherine might feel obligated to act for Joe.

The cell began to ring again.

“She’s not taking no for an answer.”

And Catherine would not be so urgent unless there was good reason.

Eve answered. “Hello, Catherine.”

“It’s about time,” Catherine said. “I told you that I was on your side no matter if I thought you were being led down the garden path.”

“Why are you calling?”

“Because I thought you needed to be warned that some heavy stuff was coming your way.” She paused. “Are you with Gallo?”