Iris Johansen - Blood Game

“When I called her, she said she’d look into it and get back to me.”

“Then she’d better get back to you quick. I have questions to ask.”

“You may have to find out the answers yourself. After all, you’re the one who can talk to them.”

“I’m not going to go along with that. Nancy Jo didn’t seem to know much more than I do.” He got into the driver’s seat and started the car. “And one of the questions is why you didn’t hear any echoes.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Megan said. “Echoes come from empty spaces. Maybe there would be no echoes if the spirit hadn’t passed on and left the place where the death had occurred. Nancy Jo is refusing to go anywhere, so she leaves no lingering echo.”

Joe was silent a moment. “What about Bonnie? You said that you heard no echoes from Bonnie on that island. Could she have been killed on that island, and you didn’t hear an echo because she refused to pass on?”

“It’s possible. I hope so. Then I wouldn’t feel guilty about not doing what Eve will probably ask me to do.” She looked at him. “You’re going to have to talk to Eve about seeing Bonnie.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “But not yet. Bonnie is the center of Eve’s world. Hell, every day revolves around her. I’ve got to get a handle on this mess before I bring her into the picture. That could open a whole new can of worms.”

Megan nodded. “I can understand how you’d hesitate. I’d be very careful the way I let Eve know I’d seen her daughter.” She glanced back out the window. “I’ll help you get all the information you need. I’ll come when you call me. But Eve’s my friend, and I won’t let you keep this from her for long. She’s worried, and it’s not fair.”

“I didn’t expect anything else.” His tone hardened. “But you owe me, Megan. You let me do it my way.”

“I’ll try. But you’d better start breaking it to her about Nancy Jo right away.”

“Then find me information so that I don’t sound like a complete idiot,” Joe said sarcastically. “I think you’ll agree that she’d be a little worried if she thought I was going around the bend.”

“I’ll call Renata again when I get home.”

“And I’ll tell you everything that Nancy Jo told me about her death. I’ll even sketch out a rough picture of the cup that her killer used in his ritual. You can fax it to your friend, Renata, in Munich.”

She nodded. “I don’t know if that will help, but it can’t hurt.” She paused, then repeated, “Tell Eve about Bonnie, Joe.”

“I’ll do what I think best. And since you seem to want your own way in this, you can make one more call while I’m driving back to the lake. You call Eve and prepare the way for me. Tell her that, thanks to you, I have a new soul mate in Nancy Jo Norris.”

FROM THE PORCH, EVE WATCHEDJoe park the car and walk up the driveway. Dawn was just beginning to pearl the skies, and she couldn’t see his expression, but he was moving quickly, his strides full of leashed emotion.

As she must leash her own emotions. She was confused and scared and feeling completely inadequate to handle this development. But she had to find a way to help him and not let her emotions get in the way.

He stopped on the top step and looked at her. “What a hell of a mess. Do you want to cut and run?”

“No.” She went into his arms and buried her face on his chest. “Did you cut and run anytime during all these years with me? We just have to find a way to get through this.”

“Preferably without putting me in the booby hatch. That must have occurred to you.”

“It did not.” Her arms tightened around him. “I didn’t really believe Megan’s facilitating stuff until she told me that it had happened to you. But you’re a rock. I’ve never known anyone as strong and steady as you are. If you tell me that you saw Nancy Jo Norris, then you did.”

“I saw her. I talked to her.” He pushed her away and gazed down at her. “Now look at me and let me see your face.”

She stared him in the eye. “You’re not going to see anything but love and trust. You’re a rock.”

He gazed at her for a long moment. “My God, you’re making me believe it.”

“Good. Because now I can tell you how pissed I am that you didn’t tell me what was bothering you before this.”

“I had reasons.”

“Not good enough. You wouldn’t have been in that swamp searching for Henry Kistle if it hadn’t been for me. Megan would never have touched you. Whatever happens to you, happens to me too. You should have let me share.”

“I don’t think sharing is going to be an option in this case. Megan couldn’t see or hear Nancy Jo.”

“Then I’ll find another way to help you.” She kissed him. “Just don’t close me out again. It scared me.”

“I hate to damage my reputation as a rock, but I’ve been a little upset myself.” He buried his face in her hair, and said hoarsely, “Lord, I’m lucky.”

“Yes, you are.” She hugged him again. “You have me and Jane…” She deliberately made her tone lighter. “And a brand-new soul mate.” She stepped back and drew him toward the door. “But I have to admit I hope you don’t widen those acquaintances to any great extent. It could be very confusing.” She glanced at him as they entered the house. “Now do you want to try to get some sleep, or are you too wired?”

“Sleep.” He slid his arm around her waist. “I want to hold you and tell you about Nancy Jo. I’ll share what I can.” He was walking with her toward their bedroom. “I know that Megan has convinced you that she has this gift, but this is different. I’m still amazed that you’d accept the idea so readily.”

Because she had lived with the spirit of her Bonnie for years, she thought. Dream or ghost, there had never been a doubt that spirit existed. Should she tell Joe that was her reason?

No, Joe had begun to feel resentment toward Bonnie during these last years and wanted Eve to give up the search. How could she bring up Bonnie now and tell him she hadn’t trusted him enough to share those visions with him? She had just told him he should have shared his problems with her. Later. After they had fought their way through Joe’s battle.

“Not exactly readily. But if you say it’s so, then I believe you.” She frowned, thinking about it. “But I’m wondering if the reason you saw Nancy Jo is that her killer has some connection with you… us. You said the goblets were similar. The one Jane found in the refrigerator had to be some kind of threat.”

“Or a calling card.”

“Pretty macabre calling card.”

“His whole modus operandi is macabre,” Joe said.

“So do you think that you’re only going to see victims of killers with whom you have contact?”

An undecipherable expression flitted across his face. “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

“Why not?”

“That pool is too narrow. I’m not that lucky.”

“How can you be-”

“Drop it,” he said curtly. “I can’t be sure of anything, so stop speculating. Maybe when Megan pulls one of her psychic buddies out of her hat, then I’ll know more.”

Eve shrugged. “I’m just trying to put the pieces together. It seemed reasonable.” She made a face. “As reasonable as anything else. It’s an entirely new ball game, isn’t it?”

“There may be new rules, but I’m going with standard operating procedure. I have a killer I have to catch, and I’m going to do what I always do. It’s the only way I can keep it together.” He glanced at her. “I’m trying to track down Jelak’s steps. It’s too close a coincidence that he shows up at the same time that we find this goblet in the refrigerator.”