Silencing Eve (23 page)

“He was going to do it.”

“Maybe. If he thought you could help him.”

“I was closer to Kevin than you ever were. I’m still close to him.”

James was getting defiant, and she should not have been this argumentative. It wasn’t to her advantage to make him angry. She was just frustrated that Jane MacGuire had forced her to make a move so quickly. “I won’t argue with you about who Kevin loved more. That’s all in the past. What’s important is making sure that Kevin is properly revenged. I want Zander dead.”

“Zander’s death isn’t enough. I always told you that those cities should be Kevin’s funeral pyre.”

“Then give me what I want and need. And I’ll give you what you want. Have you forgotten that’s how your arrangements with me always have to go forward?”

“How can I be sure that you’ll do it? You can say that safe in your little cave in Muncie.”

“I’m not in Muncie any longer. I had to leave. I’m in Chicago. That’s why I have to make sure that you arranged for me to get out of the country the minute we’re finished with Zander.” She paused. “You didn’t tell me that Kevin had a journal. Why?”

Silence. “How did you find out about the journal?”

“I had a visit from Jane MacGuire. She was asking about it.”

“What? Did she mention me?”

“Don’t panic. She didn’t say anything to indicate that she thought you or Eve Duncan were still alive. She was very emotional about Duncan’s death, and I got the impression it was a personal mission to try to keep any more deaths from happening. She seemed focused on this journal and the damage it could do. At one point, I asked her if she worked for Venable. She said she didn’t, and I believed her. But she was damned determined.”

He muttered a curse. “Why would she come to you?”

“I have no idea. Obviously, Kevin didn’t go into deep detail about the location of the nukes in this journal since you still have no idea where they are.”

“No, but I know that he must have mentioned them somewhere in it. He told me that he had to make sure that his secrets were secure if the journal fell into the wrong hands. He gave me his journal before he went back to Pakistan because he knew I’d keep it safe. After he was killed, I read the journal cover to cover and couldn’t find a hint.” He said in frustration. “But they’ve got to be there.”

“Keep it safe? And instead you let those bastards who killed him take the journal away from you.” She barely managed to keep the contempt from her tone. “Perhaps you shouldn’t worry too much. There was probably nothing of importance in that journal. He might just have wanted to make you feel happier and part of the operation. He knew that you were jealous of how much he let me be involved in his affairs.” She added, “But perhaps you should let me read it to be sure. I assume you have a copy?”

“Of course.”

“But you’re not going to let me read it.”

“No, Kevin gave me the journal. I won’t share it with you.”

“I believe you’re lying to me. You don’t have another copy.” She suddenly laughed. “Or it could be that you won’t let me read it because he said nice things about me.”

“He barely mentioned you.”

“But when he did, it was complimentary.”

“He was always besotted with you.”

“So were you at one time.” Before Kevin had been born, and she had focused all her attention on her son. Why not? James had always been just someone to use. She had created this child, and he had seemed totally her own from the moment she had looked at him in the hospital. She had concentrated on charming and making him love her with his whole heart, closing out everyone else around her. And James had accepted the rejection because he, too, had fallen under Kevin’s spell. “But I won’t insist on seeing the journal if you assure me there’s nothing in it that would appear suspicious.”

“He talks a lot about the little girls.”

James had only said that because he’d known it would annoy her. “That’s nothing. It won’t affect the current operation.”

“Where are those nukes hidden, Harriet? I want the location and the code to set them off. Answer me, dammit.”

“You’ll not get an answer until I’m ready to give it. Tell Cartland I want him to fly here and meet me in front of the Lakeside Marriott at ten tomorrow morning. He’s to have my documents and the bank line of credit. The moment I have them in my hands, I’ll take him on a little trip downtown to show him why he should cooperate with me.”

“Cooperate with us.” He paused. “Is it the detonator? You’ve never told me if Kevin gave you the detonator.”

“You didn’t need to know. You still don’t need to know.”

“He should have given it to me. Do you have it, dammit?”

“I know where to get it.”

“Is that what you’re going to show Cartland tomorrow? Are you going to give him the detonator?”

“No, I’m going to offer him something he may find almost as persuasive. And when I do retrieve the detonator, I have no intention of turning it over to either you or Cartland. I won’t give up control. Besides, I may require an act of good faith from him. I haven’t decided yet.” She paused. “You should be happy that I want everything to move quickly. I want this over within the next two days. I don’t like the idea that Jane MacGuire had the nerve to confront me.” She added harshly, “I won’t let them destroy me as they did my Kevin. I’ve waited years for you to locate his killer and make all your fine plans. So far, I’ve seen nothing but failure. I’m not waiting any longer. Zander is going to die. And I’m going to be there to see it happen. The minute Zander is dead, I’ll give you the location and code to set off the bombs. Then I’m on the first plane out of the country, and you can set loose Cartland and all his al-Qaeda friends to claim responsibility. But first things first, James.”

“And then you’re taking the money and running. You’re not even going to stay around and make sure that Kevin’s work was completed.”

“I’ll be sure. I don’t have to see it happen to know that those cities will blow. Kevin and I set it up so that he could know and enjoy it when it happened.” She paused. “And I’m not entirely unsympathetic to what you’re feeling. A magnificent funeral pyre for Kevin is going to be something to remember always. But I intend to be alive to remember it. That’s what Kevin would have wanted.”

“Would he? I’d sacrifice my life to give him what he wanted. You’re thinking only of yourself.”

“And so did Kevin. We understood each other perfectly. Good-bye, James. When you’re ready to have me watch Zander’s execution, call me again but not until that time.” She hung up.

James was such a fool. He thought he was so clever, but Kevin had always been able to manipulate him with no effort. So had she when she had thought it was worth the effort.

She turned and went out on the balcony. It was the middle of the night, and she should go to bed and rest. She doubted if she could sleep. She was wired because her life was going to change again. In a few days, she’d be in a foreign country and would disappear until it was safe to emerge from hiding. No problem. She’d made her plans, and this new life would be much more to her liking than the one she’d led in Muncie.

“It’s all going to happen, Kevin,” she murmured. “Zander thought he could take my boy from me? All those Washington bastards thought you could be stopped from doing what we wanted to do? No way.”

The lights of the city were spread out before her. What would it feel like to press a button and see those lights go out and not come on again? Would she feel the same heady power that Kevin would have known?

Perhaps.

Soon she would know …

CHAPTER

11

JANE VAGUELY HEARD TREVOR
on the phone as she sluggishly opened her eyes.

He was sitting on the side of the bed, and the phone he was using was her own, she realized suddenly. She struggled to a sitting position. “What is—”

“It’s okay.” He held up his hand to silence her. “It’s Caleb. You were sleeping so hard, you didn’t hear the phone ring. I answered the call for you.” He pushed the speaker. “Caleb recorded an interesting call that Harriet received.” He handed her the phone. “From Doane.”

“What?” She was suddenly jarred wide-awake. “Caleb, did he say anything to her about Eve?”

“No, it was all about the location of the nukes and killing Zander.” He briefly sketched in the content of the phone call to her. “So it’s clear that Harriet is in control of the situation. She seems to have been in the background holding the reins since the moment Kevin was born.”

“But there was an obvious conflict between her and her husband.” Jane was trying to think clearly. “And Doane has Eve. As long as he has her, he’s in control as far as I’m concerned. He’s the one who can pull the trigger.”

“But he won’t do it until Harriet’s in a position to witness Zander’s execution and gives him the location and code for the nukes,” Trevor said. “He wants it all.”

“Then we have to keep him from getting it,” Jane said curtly. “And follow her when she goes to see him execute Zander. Because that’s the only way we’re going to find Eve.” Panic was beginning to rise within her. They were closer to Doane than they’d been since that debacle in the ghost town, but Harriet was another deadly element they had to battle. One false step, and Eve would die, and so might millions of other innocents. “Nothing is going to happen until Zander is dead. That will give us a little time. And we’re not really sure she has the detonator even if she said she did. She wasn’t going to give it to Cartland.”

“Then I’m wondering what bribe she’s going to offer Cartland when she’s sees him later this morning,” Trevor murmured.

“Who knows? We have to hope we’ll find out more after we see where she goes to get it.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to reconsider my offer to have a little discussion with Harriet?” Caleb asked.

“And risk her dying without telling us where we can find Doane?” Jane asked. “She’s given most of her life to doing what her son would want her to do. Right now, she’s full of venom.”

“But she also has a keen sense of self-preservation. It could balance out.”

“I won’t risk it. I won’t risk Eve.” She swung her feet to the floor. “We’ll stick close as glue to her until we—” She broke off as a wave of dizziness washed over her. She shook her head to clear it. “Trevor and I are coming over to your hotel. I don’t want to be a block away when all the action is probably going to be going on where Harriet is. It’s the middle of the night, and she’s not going to be strolling around the hotel and run into me. Once we’re in your room, I’ll stay out of sight when there’s any danger of being seen.”

“Whatever you want. I’ll be glad of the company. It’s boring sitting around monitoring this tech equipment. Particularly since Harriet is probably through communicating for the night.” He hung up.

“Let’s go.” She slipped her feet into her shoes. She didn’t remember taking her shoes off, she thought hazily. Trevor had probably done it after she had gone to sleep. She didn’t recall anything but being held by him, the sound of his heart beneath her ear, the sensation of being safe and treasured. “I’m feeling kind of logy. I think I’ll go wash my face.”

“Good idea.” Trevor got to his feet. “It might even keep you conscious until we get to out of this hotel and over to the Marriott.” His expression was grim. “Or maybe not. You look like hell, and you were sleeping like the dead when Caleb called. That ring should have jarred you awake. It didn’t.”

“I’m logy,” she repeated as she headed for the bathroom. “But I can function. I’m not going to argue that I’m in great shape. That would be stupid.”

“No, you’ve got a fever, and you should probably be back in the hospital. You’re damn right you’re not in great shape.” He paused. “Will you let me take you to the emergency room and have them check you?”

“No, we don’t have the time.” She reached the bathroom and held on to the jamb for a moment to steady herself. “Two days. Harriet wants it over in two days. That means Eve could be dead in two days. I can hold out until all this is over. Please don’t argue with me, Trevor.”

He muttered a curse and was across the room in seconds. “Argue with you?” He drew her into his arms, cradling her. “God, all I want to do is hold you, love you. Can’t you see that? If that’s what you want, then I’ll make it work for us.” He was rocking her gently. “There’s never going to be a time that anything I do will hurt you. I’ll never leave you or lie to you. The only person you trust is Eve, and I can understand that. But give me a chance, and you’ll find that I’m worth trusting, Jane.” He drew a shaky breath and pushed her away from him. “You don’t need this right now. Hell, I don’t know if you’re clearheaded enough to realize that I mean every single word.” He opened the bathroom door and gave her a little push. “Wash your face. I’ll do a video checkout and we’ll be out of here.”

She stood before the vanity for a moment, staring at her reflection before she turned on the water.

Trevor was wrong.

She was confused, and her emotions were in a tumult of panic and joy and fear. Yet it was as if she were seeing a brilliant sunrise breaking through darkness.

Because with all her heart, she did believe every word Trevor had said to her.

Woodstock, Illinois

“KENDRA?” MARGARET SAID
when the other woman answered. “Hey, I’m on a bus heading for Chicago, and I thought I’d catch up on what you’re doing. Talk to me.”

“You do pick the most convenient times for conversation,” Kendra said dryly. “It’s after midnight here, Margaret.”

“But you weren’t asleep. I gave you a puzzle to solve and a gigantic challenge.” Margaret chuckled. “I knew you’d be burning the midnight oil when I e-mailed you those letters. Have you found anything interesting?”

“Other than corruption, evil, sadism, and a hint of incest?”

“All of the above.”

“No, there are a few references that might have some meaning. I’m going back to the journal to see if I can connect the dots.”

“What references?”

“Harriet evidently installed a healthy respect in Kevin for both her and her profession as an expert on English Literature. There are a few mentions of places they’ve visited that seem innocent but may not be. I’m working on it.”