Iris Johansen - Quinn

As Eve and Kim entered the convenience store, Joe turned toward the phone booth. Three techs were already brushing it down for prints. “I have a note that may have Zeus’s prints on it that you may be able to match. He left a calling card on my windshield at the cottage.” He reached into his car and retrieved the note from the glove box. “Or maybe not. He guessed we were tracing the call and setting him up. He may have worn gloves.”

Slindak carefully took the note and handed it to one of the forensic crew. “That close, huh? She must have really pissed him off.”

An understatement. He was trying not to remember the bastard’s words. He nodded curtly and started to cross the lot. “Let’s go down the block where he left his car and see if we have any witnesses.”

EVE WAS COMING OUT of the front entrance when Joe and Slindak came back to the convenience store over an hour later.

“Finished?”

She nodded as she came toward them. “I did the best I could. It was hard. The skill isn’t really in the sketching. It’s the questions that you have to ask the witness. Kim Chen is very good at what he does. And you have to be ready to change every feature as the witness changes their mind. That evidently happens a lot. It’s definitely a work in progress all the way through.”

“But she did very well for a beginner,” Kim Chen said as he came out of the store. He smiled at Eve. “But you should have changed the eyes.”

“Why? The manager said he didn’t see the eyes from the front, so it’s purely a matter of opinion what they looked like. I just went with instinct.”

“But I told you that you’re supposed to go with generic features in that case. You have a greater chance of coming close to a resemblance.”

She shook her head. “It just felt right.”

“‘Felt’?” Kim Chen frowned. “You don’t rely on feelings. You’re not creating, you’re duplicating.”

“You’re probably right. Detective Slindak is lucky he has your sketch to use.”

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Duncan.” Kim handed the pad to Slindak. “Here’s the best I could do. Not bad. The manager remembered more than he thought.”

“Thanks, Kim. Sorry I had to get you out here in the middle of the night.”

“So am I.” Chen grimaced. “But it’s better than trying to pry a description out of someone after they’ve had a day or two to let it blur.” He waved and strolled toward the patrol car.

Slindak glanced at the sketch. “He’s not a handsome specimen and looks pretty ordinary.” He handed the sketch to Joe. “What do you think? Those cheekbones a little Slavic?”

“Maybe.” Joe studied the sketch. High, broad cheekbones, a wide, full mouth. Dark curly hair, cut close to the head. Ordinary-shaped dark eyes and brows. “Let me see your sketch, Eve.”

“You heard Kim. I injected too much into the eyes in the sketch.” She handed him her pad. “I did okay with the rest, though. I came pretty close.”

Joe gave a low whistle. “I can see what Kim meant.”

The dark eyes looking up at him almost jumped off the sketch. They were large, close-set, and seemed to glitter with ferocity. The brows above them were straight slashes as dark as the eyes they framed.

Slindak was glancing over his shoulder. “Nothing ordinary about that face.”

“He’s not ordinary,” Eve said. “He’s a monster. I don’t care if you tell me monsters seldom look like what they are. I think the soul must reveal itself in some way. This felt right to me.” She turned to Joe. “Use it or not. I don’t care. But I think that I have an idea now what he looks like. I may need it.”

“We’ll use it,” Slindak said. “We’ll use both of them. It may be the only thing useful to come out of this. Joe and I found two witnesses who saw Zeus, but not close enough for a description other than he appeared big and muscular. Neither of them agreed with the other about the car. One said it was a brown Ford, the other a dark blue Honda.”

“Maybe you should get Kim back to draw the car for them,” Eve said dryly.

“Maybe I should. But I don’t think it would do much good.” He turned and walked over to the forensic crew, who had just finished with the phone booth.

“Are you ready to leave?” Joe asked Eve. “I don’t think there’s much more we can learn here.”

She nodded wearily and got into the car. “I guess you’re right. I just wanted to do something that would get us closer. Something concrete.”

“The sketch will help.”

“If that store manager gave us the right information.” Her lips firmed. “But I have to think positive, don’t I? I can’t think we’re just going down a blind alley, or I’ll go crazy.”

“I’m taking you back to my hotel, okay? No Rainbow Inn.”

“No Rainbow Inn.” She leaned her head back against the rest. “Take me home, Joe.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “No way.”

“Take me home.” She looked at him. “You heard him. He’s coming after me. He has to be able to find me.”

“So you’re making it easy for him.”

“No, I’m sure that you’ll make it a challenge,” she said. “You’re not going to let me be there alone.”

“And you’re not arguing with me about it?”

“I tried that, and it didn’t work.” She smiled with an effort. “You just keep on coming.”

“You’re damn right I do.” He paused. “That second newspaper article McVey wrote will be coming out in a few hours from now. It’s going to cause Zeus to blow sky-high again.”

“Then maybe he’ll make his move sooner. Or he’ll get so angry, he’ll make a mistake. Either way, it won’t be bad for us. Nothing will be bad as long as he doesn’t get discouraged and disappear. I figure we can hold him here if he knows I’m there in that house, and all he has to do is worry about how to get to me.”

“We probably can,” Joe said. “But I’m not going to be your only protection, Eve. That’s bullshit after we saw how close he came. I’d like to surround you with an army, but I’ll limit it to pulling in one of Slindak’s men to watch the house.” He held up his hand as she started to speak. “Don’t worry; Zeus will be expecting it. One man will be a challenge, not a deterrent. I just want the extra insurance.”

“You may be right.” She was silent, thinking about it. Then she slowly nodded. “If you promise he won’t interfere. I don’t want him in the way.”

“It would take a lot to discourage Zeus. Having you within his sights will be like putting a steak just outside the cage of a hungry wolf. It will only be a question of time before he finds a way to break out and get it.”

“You’re calling me a piece of meat? Not at all flattering, Joe.”

“I’m not in the mood to be flattering. The only thing I can see good about this is that I’ll be with you in that house.”

She was silent a moment. “That’s the only good thing I can see good about it, too, Joe. You help keep away the darkness.”

Forever. Let me hold the darkness at bay for you. Let me help you find the dawn.

Don’t say it. Keep it on an even keel.

“I’m glad we’re in agreement on something at last. It’s about time. But I’ve decided that it’s your house that’s dark. I think that we’ll paint a couple rooms while I’m staying there.”

She stared at him in bewilderment. “What?”

“It will make the time pass. I thought the living room could use brightening. What color do you think?”

She said blankly, “I have no idea.”

“Maybe a gold-beige?” he suggested. “Think about it while I stop at my hotel and pick up a bag. It shouldn’t take long…”