Iris Johansen - Blood Game

Jane was gazing at Eve, reading her expression. “We don’t have to trust him. He can help Patty. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

Eve nodded. “That’s all that matters.”

“I DIDN’T EXPECT YOU, EVE. It’s bad enough that I bothered Jane with it.” Patty made a face as she opened the door. “Sorry about this.”

“So am I,” Eve said. “And there’s nothing to be sorry for. We may have brought this down on you.” She turned to Caleb, who was coming up the steps. “This is Seth Caleb. He’s something of an expert on Jelak, and we thought you wouldn’t mind if we let him come.”

Patty frowned. “You mean he’s a sort of profiler?”

“Sort of.” Caleb smiled. “I won’t be long. Joe Quinn will be arriving shortly with his tech crews, and he won’t want me bothering him.”

“Great,” Patty said dryly. “Techs running all over the house. Granddad will have a cow.”

“It’s best,” Jane said. “You know that, Patty.”

“I was hoping just to fill out a report on that power line.”

Patty looked at Caleb. “But that goblet screwed me up, didn’t it? It’s the same man who killed those women?”

“It’s a very good possibility. Could I see the goblet?”

She jerked her head in the direction of the kitchen. “It’s on the counter next to the refrigerator.” She moistened her lips. “How did he get into the house? I locked the door last night.”

“Jelak was trained to get past locks.” He moved toward the kitchen. “I’m just wondering why all he did was leave the goblet.”

“You mean you’re wondering why he didn’t slit my throat?” Patty shivered. “I’ve been wondering that too.”

“Was there anything different about your routine last night?”

“I talked on the phone for quite a while before the power went off. That was a little different. Granddad didn’t like it. Then he was nervous because of the power outage and wanted me to stay with him.”

“How long?”

“All night. I slept in the chair by his bed.”

“You didn’t leave the room to get him anything?”

“No, he’d already had his medicine.” She gazed at him. “You think that murderer Jelak was in the house waiting for his chance, don’t you?”

Caleb nodded. “I think if you’d left your grandfather’s room anytime during those first few hours, you’d have been the victim and not Heather Carmello.”

“Why didn’t he come into Granddad’s bedroom and try to kill us both?”

“That’s not according to ritual. He would have considered it crude. It has to be one-on-one. He probably stayed until he thought you were in there for the night, then went after someone else.”

“What about the goblet? There was blood…”

“He came back, didn’t he?” Eve asked. “He took the chance of coming twice. After the kill, he wanted to show how easily it could have been Patty.”

“Dear God,” Jane murmured.

Caleb nodded. “It was a gesture of bravado. He had to make a statement this time.” He paused at the kitchen door. “And he probably wanted to check to make sure Patty was still with her grandfather. Usually, he’d limit the kill to one a night. The ingestion isn’t pure otherwise. But in this case, he wouldn’t have minded another ritual. He didn’t take Heather Carmello’s blood for himself.”

“You’re so damn casual,” Patty said. “It’s my blood you’re talking about.”

“I’m not casual,” Caleb said. “I hate the idea of what Jelak is doing. I’m just trying to answer your questions. You can’t fight him if you’re ignorant of what he is.”

“You certainly know what he is. You must have studied him for a long time,” Patty said.

“Long enough. The kitchen is that way?”

They followed him as he went into the kitchen and squatted to look at the goblet on the counter. He stared at it for a long time. “It’s Jelak. And it’s the same.”

“But you knew it probably was him,” Jane said. “And what do you mean the same? Were you expecting something different?”

“You’re very observant.” Caleb rose to his feet. “There’s a possibility that the goblet could have been different. Though I wouldn’t expect it, considering Jelak’s actions.”

“What kind of difference?”

“The number of the men at the table. The ones that represent the twelve stages that Jelak has to pass through before he reaches his final goal. That could change.”

“Patty!”

“Granddad,” Patty said wearily. “I have to go to him and explain before Joe and the forensic techs get here. Lord, I don’t want to deal with this right now.”

“Would you like me to take care of it?” Caleb asked. “I’ve had training in this kind of thing.”

“I thought you were a profiler?”

He shrugged. “It all has to do with psychology.”

“No one’s trained to deal with Granddad,” Patty said. “He’s going to raise hell. I wouldn’t put anyone through it.”

“Let me try.” He headed for the door. “Sometimes a stranger has better luck than a family member. I wouldn’t want Quinn to have a bad time when he gets here. Which room?”

Patty hesitated. “Second bedroom off the hall.”

“And what’s his first name?”

“Marcus.”

He nodded and disappeared down the hall.

“I shouldn’t have let him do it,” Patty said. “It’s my job.”

“Then he should know that within a few minutes,” Jane said. “I’m glad that he’s going to try. You look beat.”

“It scared me,” Patty said. “The idea of anyone being in the house and me not knowing it. It’s like a horror movie I saw once.” She paused. “And this guy belongs in a horror movie, doesn’t he?”

“Yes,” Eve said. “Jelak qualifies.”

Patty shuddered. “Do you think he’s right about Jelak killing me if I’d left Granddad’s room that night?”

“I wish I could say he was wrong,” Jane said. “But he seems to know Jelak.”

Patty nodded. “Those details were pretty-” She stopped. “I think I hear cars outside. Joe must be here.” She grimaced. “And that means your Seth Caleb didn’t have enough time to explain much of anything to Granddad. I’m surprised I haven’t heard him screaming for me yet. I’ll go and let Joe in and try to run interference when he goes in to talk to Granddad.”

“Joe can take care of himself,” Eve said, as she and Jane followed her toward the front door. “Stop trying to shoulder everything yourself, Patty.”

“It goes with the territory,” Patty said. “Just because I called you for help tonight doesn’t mean I have to saddle anyone else with-”

“Be quiet,” Jane said. “We’re friends. We’ll do what friends do. Support. Now, do you have a couch where I can sleep? I’m going to move in with you for a few days. Your grandfather can just get used to me.”

“No way,” Patty said flatly. “No one is going to hover over me and hold my hand.”

“Look, this may be my fault. I need to-”

“She’s right, Jane,” Caleb said from the doorway of her grandfather’s room. “You shouldn’t come here. It’s what Jelak wants to happen. You’ll be more vulnerable than you would be with Eve and Quinn.” The doorbell rang, and he smiled. “And, even as we speak, there’s Quinn. I’d better prepare to make my departure. I tend to annoy him.” He moved toward the door. “I think Marcus will be okay for a while. I didn’t have much time, but he seemed willing to cooperate.”

“Cooperate?” Patty repeated. “Granddad?”

“No guarantees,” Caleb said. “But since he really cares about you, there’s a chance.” He stepped forward and opened the door. “Hello, Quinn. I was just leaving. You’ll be glad to know I didn’t disturb a thing. Ask Eve.”