Iris Johansen - Quinn

“Then tell me where you’re going.”

“Start where I did and work it out for yourself. Good-bye, Eve.” She hung up.

Gallo was gazing at her expression. “That was painful for you.”

“Of course, it was. She’s my friend.” Her throat was tight. “All I ever wanted to do was help her, and now she thinks I’ve betrayed her.”

“And that I lured you from the straight path.” They had reached the gate, and he turned to face her. “Eve should know better than to think I’d have that kind of power over you. She’s usually more clearheaded.”

But he did have an alluring charisma, and she had been struggling against it for weeks. She only hoped she’d been telling Eve the truth when she’d told her Gallo hadn’t unduly influenced her.

Hope? Dammit, of course she’d been honest with Eve. She had to trust in herself as she always had. Otherwise, she had nothing. “You’re Bonnie’s father. Evidently you were Eve’s Achilles’ heel when she was a kid of sixteen. It’s probably easy for her to imagine that you might be able to sway me to your way of thinking.”

“Achilles’ heel? That could have all kind of meanings.” He looked away from her, and said haltingly, “If it makes any difference to you, it means a good deal to me that you believe so deeply that you’re doing the right thing. In a way, that means you believe in me.”

“You act as if that’s completely unheard of for anyone to have any trust in you.”

“Not completely. But I can remember only a couple of people who trusted me to that extent. Maybe my commanding officer, Ron Capshaw, who was in charge of our mission to Korea. I was just a green kid fresh out of Ranger school but he took me under his wing and told everyone he knew I could do the job. I… liked him. He made me feel as if I could do anything if I tried hard enough.” His lips tightened. “But we had to split up, and he and Lieutenant Silak were killed, and I was taken prisoner.” He shrugged. “Other than Ron, I guess the only other person who trusted me to do the right thing was my uncle Ted when I was a kid. He was the only one who gave a damn about me when I was growing up.” He grimaced. “Not that I deserved it even then. I was a real hell-raiser. But sometimes you get more than you’re entitled to get.” He turned toward the gate agent, who was starting to call the flight. “Like now. Like Catherine Ling fighting the friend she loves to save my ass.” He took her elbow. “That’s our section being called. Come on, let’s get this show on the road.”

“Gallo, I’m not doing this for any-”

“I know. I’m not assuming anything that you wouldn’t want me to assume. Don’t worry, I’m not suffering a major character change.” The soberness was suddenly gone, and he was smiling recklessly. “You’ll still have to watch me and make sure I don’t try to manipulate you to get what I want. I’m still the same hell-raiser I was when I was a kid. I just raise it in different ways…”

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

JOE WAS WALKING DOWN THE hospital corridor when Eve got off the elevator at his floor the next morning.

She smiled with an effort. “Busy already? Have you had breakfast yet?”

He shook his head. “They’ll bring it soon. I thought I’d take a walk to help increase my stamina.”

She wasn’t sure how to take that. “I expected Jane to be here.”

“She was here when I woke. I sent her down to Administration to start the paperwork going to get me out of here.” He met her gaze. “When she said you wouldn’t be able to see me until later today. But here you are. What happened, Eve?”

“Nothing to make you leap out of that bed and start worrying.”

“I’m not leaping. I’m not that far along yet. But I’m getting there.” He steadily met her gaze. “And you’ve been beside me every waking moment since I’ve been in this place. I’ve told you to go back to the hotel any number of times, and you wouldn’t go. Now suddenly Jane tells me that you have something to do that will keep you away? It doesn’t compute, Eve.”

Eve made a face. “And I should have known that Jane’s too honest to make you believe that everything was just fine.”

“She tried, but she’s clear as glass around the people she loves.” He smiled. “Like you, Eve.”

“That’s not so bad.” She took his hand. “Except when I want to keep you safe, dammit. Did Jane tell you anything?”

“Only that you were going up to Gallo’s property. I figured I’d get everything else out of her on our way there. She said she wouldn’t let me go alone.”

She shook her head. “No, of course she wouldn’t. She didn’t like it that I made her stay here and try to stall you until I was sure what was happening up there.”

“And what is happening?” Joe’s hand tightened on hers. “I’m trying to hold on to my patience, but I’m having a tough time of it. Do you know how much I’ve hated being stuck in this damn hospital while Catherine was going after Gallo?”

Eve had realized that every day lately. She had been surprised that he had not been more impatient. It was not like Joe. “You’ve been very good about not complaining until it was time for your release.”

“What good would it do? I have to be as strong as possible before I go after Gallo. Has Catherine found him?”

“Yes.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“He’s convinced her that he didn’t kill Bonnie.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She shook her head. “Or maybe she’s convinced herself. I can’t put it all together. All she’d tell me was that she’d fought to believe what I’d told her was true, but that it didn’t work for her.”

“So why are you here instead of up there in the woods trying to shake some sense into her?”

“Because I called her when I was on the road, and she wasn’t at the property. It sounded like an airport. ”

“So you came back here.” He added, “To save Jane and face the music.”

She nodded. “I was expecting you to be angry.”

“Not angry. Impatient, frustrated, confused.” He shrugged. “It will take some time for me to muster any anger in connection with you. I came too close to losing you. Which puts everything else definitely in perspective.” He suddenly chuckled. “Though being human, I’m sure it will come back to me with full force.”

“I’m sure, too.” Her lips twisted. “And I come in here, and you’re walking the halls and building up stamina. Not very reassuring.”

“I can’t have you taking me for granted.” His tone was absent. “Which airport? Did you hear any flight being called?”

“No, just the Homeland Security bag announcement. And a flight arrival from Miami. ”

“What time was it?”

“Three forty in the morning. It had to be either Milwaukee or Chicago. They didn’t have time to get from Gallo’s property to any other airport. When Catherine called me previously, she told me she was still at the property.”

“Have you checked with both airports to see if there was a flight at that time?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d let you do it.” She smiled faintly. “It will keep you busy for a little while and give you a little more rest before you take the big plunge. I’m going to try to ration your energy.”

He tilted his head. “You’re not going to try to stop me?”

“I’ve bought more time than I thought I’d be able to manage-thanks to Catherine.” Her lips tightened. “I can’t understand how she could-”

“Yes, you can. Catherine and I were wondering the same thing about you a month ago. Gallo is very convincing.” He was frowning. “But Catherine didn’t have the same history with Gallo as you did, and she’s smart as hell. It’s a puzzle. What argument did she use?”