Iris Johansen - Blood Game

Very close to breaking free.

“What are you thinking?” Joe’s gaze was studying her expression.

“You’re changing.” She tried to smile. “I have a tendency to cling to you as I first knew you. But you’re not that man, any more than I’m that poor broken woman.”

“Some things never change.”

“But people do. Lately I told someone that everyone changes, and you just have to adjust.” She held up her hand. “Oh, it’s not because of this weird business of Megan’s. Well, maybe a little of it because it’s an experience, and experiences cause after-effects. You’ve probably been changing all along, and I didn’t want to see it. All I let myself see was that you were tired of the search for Bonnie.”

He met her gaze and repeated, “Some things never change.”

“But we have to explore what those things are.” She drew a deep breath. “But not now. That’s putting a little too much pressure on you for it to be fair.” She lifted her spoon to her mouth. “So did you find out anything more about Nancy Jo’s murder?”

“The Perimeter Mall security camera on the level where Nancy Jo left her car was smashed. We managed to find a picture of a light gray Lincoln Town Car that exited about that time.”

“License plate?”

“Conveniently covered with mud.” Joe finished eating and leaned back in his chair. “She seems to have been a random victim. Poor kid.”

“Why?” Eve shook her head. “For her blood? The whole thing is sick.”

“Gift to Gift.” Joe said. “And why was Jelak trailing behind Henry Kistle? I wouldn’t be surprised if the paper trail we’re doing on him leads us back to Kistle’s stomping grounds.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Have you traced his early years here in Atlanta?”

He nodded. “It’s pretty skimpy. He grew up in College Park in a foster home. His mother was a whore on crack and left him to fend for himself for most of his early years before DEFACS took him away from her. He was in trouble with the law from the time he was eight or ten. When he was seventeen, he beat up one of his teachers and was thrown into jail. The man almost died. After that, Jelak was in and out of prison for the next eight years.” He paused. “We went back into some of the trial-court records and found something interesting. At one point during a routine search of his apartment, the police found a sizable collection of vials containing blood.”

Eve’s eyes widened. “And?”

“Nothing. A few were animal and the rest human. Jelak claimed that it was only a hobby, and he’d stolen the human blood from a blood bank downtown.”

“And the police didn’t pursue it?”

“It dropped between the cracks. No proof. And he was going to jail for another robbery within a few weeks anyway. They probably thought they’d have time to investigate the vials later.” He added, “During the last time he was serving time, he told his cellmate that he was the one who had killed Bonnie Duncan.”

“Yet according to his records he wasn’t a serial killer during those years. Why Bonnie?”

“He could have been lying. Bonnie’s death caused a media storm. A man who was as much in love with power as Jelak might have wanted the cachet of a kill that important. Anyway, two months after he got out of prison, he left the city.”

“No connection with Henry Kistle at that time?”

“Maybe. Criminals network and every scumbag in Atlanta probably either knows or knows of most of the others. They left the city at approximately the same time. He could have known where Kistle had gone.” He shook his head. “I don’t know.” He glanced at the clock. “Isn’t it time Jane got home?”

“She said ten. It’s not nine yet.” But talking about Jelak had prompted in her the same anxiety that Joe was feeling. Keep busy.

She got to her feet. “I’ll wash up these dishes. Then I thought I’d start the measuring on Matt.”

He nodded, his gaze on the rain pounding on the windows. “I’ll give her a little while longer. Then I’ll go after her.”

“She has that squad car following her.”

“Which is the only reason I’m not going after her right now.” He stood up. “I’m going out on the porch to call the precinct and check and see if anything new has come in on Jelak.”

“The porch? It’s still pouring outside.”

“It’s not blowing.” He headed for the door. “And the rain doesn’t bother me.”

DAMMIT, IT WASN’T WORKIN GOUT, Jelak thought in frustration.

That bastard in the cop car was trailing Jane MacGuire too close for him to get near her.

Son of a bitch. He had thought that luck was going to be on his side. He had made his plans to edge her off the road on her way home.

But then that cop car had shown up at the restaurant.

Rage was tearing through him. It was Eve Duncan who had done it. He knew it. She had wanted to protect her young charge and called on Quinn’s cop friends to do it. Damn her.

He had wanted the gift to be clean and powerful, and she was keeping him from doing it.

He tried to control himself. It could still be clean and powerful, but he had to make a few adjustments to his plan. He would take MacGuire later rather than immediately. But he could not bear to remain in the background too long. He knew himself and he must have satisfaction and a certain amount of triumph.

Otherwise the burning would be too strong and would lead him to make mistakes.

So plan. Turn this small defeat into a glorious victory.

The haze of anger was gradually ebbing away as he pulled away from the curb.

He could barely see the cop’s taillights through the rain as he slowly drove after him. The bastard was still sticking to her as close as glue.

Guard her. It won’t do you any good. I’ll get her and make everyone who gets in my way pay.

Do you hear me, Eve?

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE,Joe?” Jane ran up the steps, shaking the dampness from her hair. She reached down to pat Toby, who had rolled over on his back in silent invitation. “As if I didn’t know.”

“Any trouble?”

“Not a bit.” She turned and waved at the police officer in the squad car who had just pulled into the driveway and was turning around. “Bye, Charlie.” She watched him drive away. “Except that I got wet running out to Charlie Brand’s patrol car at the restaurant and convincing him to come in and eat dinner while he was waiting for me. He’s a nice guy. We had coffee with him after Patty and I finished dinner.”

“Very cozy.”

“And he’s not married. I think he liked Patty. She doesn’t get out much to meet people these days. I thought this was a golden opportunity to have her get to know someone besides nurses and therapists. Those are the only people her grandfather will let in the house.” She grinned at Joe. “Besides, I like cops.”

“Good. Because you’re going to have one with you or behind you for the foreseeable future.”

Her smile faded. “The goblet of blood. Is it Jelak?”

“More than likely.”

“He’s after Eve?” She nodded slowly. “And you think he may use me to get to her.”

“There’s a slight possibility that I might want to make sure you’re safe as well.”

“That goes without saying. But it’s Eve that we have to worry about.” Jane frowned. “You know I’ll be careful. I’d never risk Eve. She may be your center, but she means more to me than anyone in the world.”

He was silent a moment. “What about Mark Trevor? I haven’t heard you mention him lately.”

She said warily, “What about him? I haven’t seen him recently. He’s busy. He globe-trots all over the world. I’m busy. I have a career. We agreed that it might be best not to incur any additional obligations.”