Shadow Play (32 page)

Cara's book bag? It was empty except for a few pens and Post-it notes, and she could only guess. Perhaps Cara had been in a hurry and hadn't wanted the weight of the bag.

Perhaps.

Eve looked down. Whatever footprints there had been were gone, erased by the rising tide.

But she was on the right track, she knew it.

She started running again.

“Cara!”

*   *   *

“Thanks for the lift, guys. I appreciate it.”

Joe settled back in the rear jump seat of a San Francisco PD Bell 429 helicopter. Two police aviation officers were seated in front of him as they soared over the Bay and headed south down the coast.

The unit's mechanic turned around to look at him. “The local police evidently wanted you pretty bad down there. But I gotta tell you, the way you climbed in here, I'm not sure you should be going anywhere.”

Joe grimaced. The mechanic was right. His wound hurt like hell. He glanced around. “Where's your tool kit?”

“That bronze handle next to you. What do you need?”

“I can get it.” Joe pulled up on the handle and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for: a roll of silver duct tape. He slid out of his jacket and pulled the tape taut over his T-shirt. He wrapped it tight around his torso, pulling the roll around and around, creating a makeshift cast.

He turned in his seat, first to the right, then to the left. Better. Still not great, but definitely better.

He looked ahead. “How much farther?”

The pilot answered, “Just a few minutes, Detective Quinn. You should probably buckle up. It looks like we have some rough weather ahead.”

*   *   *

Margaret ran along the Scenic Drive, her gaze searching the beach fifty feet below her.

She shook her head. She'd always been known as being optimistic. But not right now. Now she was afraid there was little hope for that little girl.

She looked out at the rolling ocean. The animals' desertion had unsettled her; it was almost as if someone had taken away her senses. Birds were especially sensitive to changing atmospheric conditions. She had long ago learned to follow their lead where the weather was concerned.

The sky had been growing darker by the minute, but the clouds above her parted momentarily, revealing a patch of blue sky and brilliant sunlight. Margaret turned toward the beach.

The sunlight speared past over half a dozen rock formations and cast long shadows on the shoreline below.

She gasped. She halted, transfixed.

The spider's nest.

The formations' shadowy tentacles did indeed look like the legs of a spider, extending over the tall rock features on the beach.

The spider's nest.

That's where she was.

Margaret pulled her phone from her pocket and punched Eve's number.

“I know where it is!” Margaret said when Eve immediately answered. “I'm looking at it. The spider's nest is right in front of me.”

“Margaret, slow down. What are you saying?”

“The spider's nest. The shadow of those rock formations is the spider. Wait, I see you on the beach. It's just in front of you, Eve. Look at the shadows. They're the spider. And those rocks are the nest.”

Even from over two hundred yards away, Margaret could see that she had stopped Eve in her tracks.

“Oh, my God,” Eve said. “You
found
it.”

Margaret's gaze was searching desperately as the sun once again disappeared behind the dark clouds. “There's no way for me to get down there from here.”

“It's okay. Margaret, run back to Nalchek. Tell him exactly where to send the police when they get here. I'm going to go over there.”

“Eve, no. You have to wait until—”

Eve cut the connection.

*   *   *

Eve ran faster as the giant shadow faded into the gloom.

The spider's nest. Right in front of her eyes.

Only now could she see that the rocks surrounded a large cave that faced the open sea. Cara had to be in there.

She wanted to shout the girl's name as she drew closer, but she stopped herself. There was every possibility that he was in there, too.

Walsh.

Thunder boomed, and lightning lit up the dark sky. Rain suddenly poured from the heavens, as if turned on by a giant spigot.

Eve stopped outside the cave opening. She knew what Joe would say right now.

Eve, dammit. Wait. Wait for the cavalry you know is on the way.

Bullshit.

That's what he would say, but she knew damned well Joe himself wouldn't wait. Not when the life of that little girl was at stake.

The thunder boomed again. Louder this time.

Eve's clothes were drenched. Her hair was soaked and matted against the nape of her neck. She took one last look around before she slowly ventured into the cave.

*   *   *

Walsh pulled himself onto the dark ledge. It was quiet now, and he was beginning to think he was wrong about Cara's being up here.

Then he heard rustling and the sound of feet moving across the rock floor.

Then he saw her. Cara had a red coat pulled tight around her, and she was now huddled against the far wall.

“Why, hello, Cara.”

She didn't answer. She was frantically looking around, trying to find an escape route. There was none.

He stepped toward her. “Do you know who I am?”

She finally spoke. “Yes, Elena told me. El Diablo.”

He laughed. “Is that what she said? El Diablo? The devil?”

She nodded.

“Perhaps she was right. But the devil is nothing less than an angel. A fallen angel, perhaps, but an angel nonetheless. And I'm your angel, little girl. You'll see. I'm here to end your suffering, all your pain, all your fear. You'll never know what it is to be hungry or afraid ever again. Your angel will do that for you.”

“Do you think I'm stupid? You're not an angel. You're a horrible, horrible man.” Her voice was suddenly defiant. “I was afraid of you, but I'm not any longer. She won't let you hurt me.”

He stiffened. “She?”

“All the nightmares, all the running. And you call yourself an angel? I know what you are. You're a coward and a—”

He lunged for her and snapped his arm around her neck. “Don't fight. I've waited too long. One minute, and it will be over.”

She was struggling fiercely but couldn't even summon the breath to scream.

He squeezed tighter. She was making him angry. He'd thought she'd be easier. “I said stop fighting me. Or I'll hurt you, just like I hurt your sister. Do you hear me?”

He froze. He was hearing that sound again.

Laughter.

What in the hell…?

At first he thought it was behind him, but the sound traveled around to the space in front of him.

It was a child's laughter.

It was coming from the little girl he was holding.

No! How could Cara—?

He looked down.

It wasn't Cara anymore.

It was Jenny.

Blood ran from her green eyes and nose, just as it had all those years ago after he'd struck that final blow.

But she was looking up at him and laughing.

His hands fell away from her, and he took a hurried step back.

What was happening? This couldn't be real.

He continued to back away, squinting at her in the cave's dim light.

Then, she was suddenly Cara again. She was clutching her throat, coughing and gagging.

“No,” he said harshly. “You're trying to play your tricks, but you can't stop me. Nobody can.”

Cara looked at him, puzzled, as she scrambled back to get away from him. But even she seemed to realize he wasn't talking to
her
. “Horrible and crazy. Just like Elena said.”

He moved back toward Cara. “You can't stop me. I'm finishing this, and there's nothing you can do to keep me from sending her straight to—”

“Stay away from her!”

Walsh spun around. Eve Duncan was now climbing on the ledge with them, holding a gun.

He grabbed Cara and lifted her in front of him as a shield. “After I've gone to all this trouble? Put that gun down, or I'll break her neck.” He smiled. “I'm actually glad to see you. It's going to save me a good deal of time and trouble.”

Eve took aim with her gun. “Let her go. Right now.”

He shifted in place, moving Cara back and forth in front of him. “Go ahead. Maybe you'll kill us both.”

“And maybe I won't have to do it,” Eve tilted her head. “Listen.”

Walsh was listening. It was raining harder outside the cave, but there were new sounds accompanying the thunder and crashing waves. Son of a bitch. There was a powerboat in the distance. And a helicopter.

Fury tore through him. “What have you done, you bitch?”

Eve kept the gun leveled at him. “You're not getting out of here. Where's that knife you used before, Walsh? Throw it out.”

“I got bored using that knife today.” He smiled savagely. “I wanted my hands on this one.”

“If you even look like you're going to hurt her, I will shoot you.”

Laughter, again.

He went still. “No.”

Eve turned around.

“You hear it, too!” he shouted. “You can hear it?”

“Of course I can hear it. She has a lovely laugh, doesn't she? I haven't heard her laugh very much.”

Jenny stepped from the shadows behind Eve. Still laughing, still bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth. Her clothes were dirty and rotting, as if buried for years.

Still holding Cara, Walsh hurriedly stepped back. “You can see that … creature?”

Eve turned back. “I see a beautiful young girl. Hello, Jenny.”

“She's hideous. Rotting … Bleeding from her eyes.”

“I don't see any of that. Jenny?”

Jenny moved past Eve and continued her slow walk toward Walsh.
“He sees what he made me. Or what he thinks he made me. We know better, don't we, Eve?”

“Yes, Jenny,” Eve said gently. “We do.”

His grip tightened on Cara as he backed toward the edge of the ledge. “Stay away from me. Whatever you are.”

“Why? Are you going to hurt me?”
Jenny asked.
“You fool, you can't hurt me now.”

“No, but I can hurt her.”

“No.”
Jenny's face suddenly twisted in anger, her green eyes blazing.
“Never again.”

Jenny sprang forward and flew toward his face with teeth bared!

 

CHAPTER

15

“No!” Eve lowered her gun and leaped toward the edge, where Walsh had stumbled back away from Jenny, with Cara still in his arms.

She was too late. She barely stopped herself from going over, sliding on the damp ledge. She struck her head on the rock wall.

Stars. And blood.

Stay awake. Don't pass out.

Eve finally crawled to the edge, afraid of what she would see below on the cave floor. She froze.

Walsh was splayed on the rocks below, impaled by two of the stalagmites. He was looking up at her, struggling to free himself. Blood was bubbling from his wounds. “You.” Rage and anger and terrible pain were all reflected in his face. “You did this to me.”

“I wish it had been me.” She shook her head. “But I only helped. It was Jenny.”

“No!” He writhed in pain for a long moment. Then he fell back, dead. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.

But Cara, where was Cara …

Eve was praying that the child hadn't taken that same terrible fall as Walsh.

“Help … me.”

She looked down, and her heart plunged. Cara was seven or eight feet below her, holding on for dear life. She had one foot wedged in the rock wall, but Eve could see that it was slipping even as she watched.

And Cara was dangling over the same sharp rocks that had impaled Walsh.

“Cara, hang on!”

“I'm trying,” Cara yelled. “But I'm slipping. I'm going to fall!”

“No you're not.” Eve threw her legs over the ledge, still trying to fight that dizziness. “I'm coming down to you. Hang on just another few seconds.”

“No!” It was Joe's voice.

Eve looked at the cave's opening. Joe waded quickly through the water, which was now thigh deep.

Joe. What was he doing here? She was torn between joy and sheer terror.

Joe ran underneath Cara and called up to her. “I'm going to catch you.”

“I'm afraid.”

“It'll be okay. I need you to let go.”

Okay? Eve's hands dug into the rocks of the ledge. If Joe caught Cara from that height, he could tear those stitches and bleed to death. If he didn't, Cara might fall on those rocks and die. Either way, there was a terrible risk.

Cara was looking down at the dead man just feet from Joe.

“Don't look at him,” Joe said. “Just look at me. I'm going to catch you. Okay? You can trust me.”

She nodded, gazing into Joe's eyes as he smiled up at her. “Okay.”

Who wouldn't trust Joe, Eve thought painfully. Who wouldn't trust a man who might be giving his life for you? But Cara didn't know that, she only saw the strength and the warmth and the safety.

“I won't let anything bad happen to you, Cara. That's all over. I'm going to count to three, then I'll need you to let go. Understand?”

Again she nodded.

“Ready? One … two … three!”

She let go, and Joe leaped to meet her. He twisted his body, cradling her in his arms as they both plummeted into the water. Seconds later, they broke the surface.

Joe whispered something to Cara, and the little girl nodded. Joe looked up at Eve with a weary smile.

“Are you both all right?” Eve shouted. “Joe, tell me!”

He gave her a thumbs-up.