Iris Johansen - Eight Days To Live

“Shit.”

“It was my first thought when Jane told me what Roland was after. Strange coincidence.”

“Even stranger that Jane didn’t make the connection.”

“When the dreams stopped, she went into denial about those dreams of Cira. It’s more comfortable for her that way. She prefers to block them out.”

“The chest was never found?”

She shook her head. “Cira ran away from Herculaneum during the eruption of Vesuvius and traveled here to Scotland. She and her husband took on new identities and moved to the Highlands.”

“What new identities?”

She smiled. “MacDuff.”

He nodded. “Of course. It’s rather annoying that everyone here at the Run must know about it but me. Sometimes being the outsider is an uphill struggle. But it’s all coming together now. Except for that chest of coins. Are you sure that MacDuff hasn’t found it?”

“I’m sure. It’s driving him crazy that he can’t convince Jane to help him search for it.”

“Too bad.” He was frowning. “The Judas coins. If they’re in a chest somewhere in Scotland, then Hadar’s Tablet isn’t going to help us much.”

“Or maybe it will,” Eve said. “I told you, it’s only a rumor that the coins are in that chest.”

“Connections. Jane dreams about a chest that may contain the Judas coins. Years later she starts to dream about the face of a man who could be Judas. Then she’s hunted by members of a cult who worship Judas. It’s all bound together.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

“I choose to believe that there’s a connection.” He rose to his feet. “It pleases my analytical soul.”

“It won’t please Jane’s pragmatic approach on life.”

“Then one of us will have to bend.” He started for the door. “And I may have an advantage. Every time she closes her eyes, I may have an ally come out and whisper in her ear.”

“Judas?”

“I don’t know. Judas, the devil, an angel trying to set things right? It’s a mystery.” He glanced back at her as he opened the door. “Thank you for helping me. I know you have some serious doubts.”

She nodded. “And I don’t want you messing with Jane’s mind or will. I only trust you so far.”

“But I trust you to Hell and back. It’s nice being able to feel like that about someone. Good-night, Eve.”

She stood there as the door closed behind him. Those last words had been oddly touching and unexpected. Caleb was always surprising, but she was usually aware of mockery running beneath his words. There had been no mockery tonight.

Particularly when he spoke about Jane. He had been unsure, bewildered about his own emotions toward her, and that had made him seem more vulnerable. His willingness to admit that vulnerability to her had drawn her inexplicably closer to him.

Of course, that could have been pure sham.

But she didn’t believe that was the case. Which made her shifting relationship with Caleb all the more disturbing. She was aware of the ephemeral beginnings of a tentative alliance.

And who in hell wanted to have a vampire for an ally?

IT WAS CLOSE TO NINE that night when Jock knocked on Jane’s door. “Coffee.”

Jane pushed back away from the computer and rubbed her eyes before she got up and crossed the room to open the door.

Jock stood there with a tray. “Coffee and a sandwich. Mrs. Dalbrey said you didn’t eat much of her stew. She’s very disapproving. But even if you don’t want to eat, I figured you’d still need the coffee.”

“You didn’t have to do this.” She stood aside to let him into the room. “But coffee sounds good.”

“I thought it would.” He set the tray on the small table by the window. “You’re sure you won’t have the sandwich? I’m not going to let you get ill. That would cause me all kinds of trouble.”

“I wouldn’t want that.” She sat down in the chair. “I’ll have the coffee. I had enough of that stew to satisfy me. You eat the sandwich.”

He shook his head. “I had a fine meal at dinner. Mrs. Dalbrey’s stew was magnificent, wasn’t it? Though MacDuff would have preferred I eat crow. He’s still not pleased with me.”

“Did he give you a hard time?”

“Moderate. He felt better after I let him interrogate me for a while. He always feels more in control once he knows all there is to know about everything. To be out of control is MacDuff’s prime bugaboo.”

“You told him everything?”

He shrugged. “Why not? We may need him soon.” He paused. “You mean did I tell him what a strange bedfellow you have in Caleb?”

“Strange bedfellow.” The common slang phrase applied to Caleb caused a ripple of shock to go through her. “Yes.”

He nodded. “I decided it was time to break it to MacDuff gently before we ran into a situation where Caleb was slinging bodies down in front of him and making people scream with agony. It might come as a slight surprise.”

“I was a bit surprised,” she said dryly. “To put it mildly.”

“But you haven’t sent him on his way.”

“No.” She had tried, but somehow she hadn’t been able to get him to go. Maybe she hadn’t tried hard enough. Maybe she hadn’t really wanted him to go. “No, I haven’t done that yet. When MacDuff met him, he didn’t give any indication that he thought Caleb was… unusual.”

“I’m not sure if he really believed everything. He’s probably taking everything I said with a grain of salt and making his own judgment.”

“That sounds like him. He and Caleb were definitely searching for flaws and weaknesses.”

“Well, MacDuff won’t find that a lack of determination is one of Caleb’s weaknesses.” He looked at the pile of Bibles that were strewn on the bed. “I see you’re going through all your holy books. Do you have enough?”

“More than I need.” She took a sip of coffee. “You believe in overkill.”

“Have they helped?”

“I haven’t started to go through them yet. I’ve been too busy searching the Internet for information. It’s mostly repetitive, but some sites have more than others do.” She finished her sandwich. “But I’m almost ready to start on the Bibles.”

“Do you need any help?”

She shook her head. “Not unless you’re an expert and can fill in some of missing chinks in these passages.”

“No, my mother always saw that I went to church, but I don’t remember a lot of biblical details.”

“Neither do I.” She swallowed the last of her coffee. “Sorry to kick you out. But if you can’t help, then all you can do is leave me alone so that I can get back to work.”

“I was going anyway.” He turned to the door. “I have to get a tray and take it to Lina. It seems my present duty is just to be a waiter.”

“You do it very well. You’re taking care of everyone.”

He smiled as he opened the door. “Not Caleb. He can get his own tray. I have to draw the line somewhere.”

“I’m glad you didn’t draw it before you brought mine. That caffeine is making my brain start to function again.”

He studied her face. “I don’t think that your mind is too dull at the moment. You’re excited.”

She nodded. “I’m learning things. That’s always exciting.” She got to her feet and started toward the computer. “Thank you, Jock. I’m glad you’re checking on Lina. Though she may kick you out.”

“I’ll risk it. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, good-night.”

The door closed softly behind him, but she wouldn’t have heard it anyway. She was already absorbed in the theories surrounding the man whose face had haunted her until she’d been forced to put it on canvas.

Thirty shekels of silver .

Judas hanging from the willow tree .