Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

“I’ll be glad for her,” Eve said quietly. “That’s all, Joe. I’m helping her all I can with the age progression. The rest is up to her.” She smiled. “You don’t look relieved.”

“I am…for now.” He picked up his fork. “But I also know how events can change intentions. I wanted to hear you say it. I’ve been watching you weave back and forth like a cobra with a snake charmer.”

She chuckled. “You’re calling me a snake? Not complimentary. And Catherine is making no attempt to charm me.”

“I wasn’t referring to Catherine as the charmer with the power,” Joe said quietly. “It’s the boy. He’s holding you captive with a fascination far stronger than anyone else could ever have.”

She couldn’t argue. Every moment she spent working on Luke’s age progressions was drawing her close to him. She was always involved with her reconstructions, but this was different. This was like living with a child, watching him grow beneath her fingers. It was almost as if Luke were becoming her child. “I can’t help it. I don’t want to help it. I have the feeling the more I become involved with Luke, the closer I can make these progressions. There’s nothing more important right now.”

“Look, I understand.” Joe leaned toward her across the table. “I even understand Catherine Ling. But I’m damn well going to stand between you and any involvement with Luke and Catherine. I won’t have Rakovac bring you down, too.” He leaned back. “That’s all I have to say.”

“And it’s nothing that I didn’t expect to hear.” She tilted her head, studying him. “I think you’re beginning to like Catherine.”

He sighed. “Is that all you got out of my little speech? I don’t know Catherine well enough to like her. I prefer not to get to know her that well. I admire her endurance and strength and cleverness. I’m wary of her desperation and total ruthlessness where her son is concerned. That’s a mixed bag of emotions if I ever heard of one. Now may we talk about something else?”

She nodded. “By all means.” She gazed out the window as rolling thunder came from the east. “The forecast is for rain all night. Catherine would be more comfortable in here.”

“I’m sure she’s accustomed to that tent. She’s one tough cookie.”

Eve didn’t answer.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Joe pushed back his chair. “Okay, I’ll go get her out of her tent and bring her into the house.” He headed for the door. “Heat up the casserole. She might as well have dinner with us.”

Catherine looked up warily from the Rakovac surveillance file as she heard the crunch of Joe’s footsteps on the stony bank. She studied him, trying to decipher his mood as he came toward her.

No anger.

Impatience?

Maybe.

But not as obvious as she’d encountered in him before.

“It’s starting to rain,” he said curtly. “Eve is worried about you melting. You’d better come up to the cottage.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“That’s what I told her. She knows how tough you are, but she’s instinctively protective. You probably counted on that when you came to ask her for help.”

“Yes, I did. But not for me, for Luke.”

“Whatever. Grab some clothes and come along.” He glanced at her computer. “Eve said you were reading that Rakovac e-mail. Bring it with you. You can read it after dinner.”

“I’m mostly scanning, hoping something will jump out at me.”

“Good luck. From what I’ve found out about Rakovac, he’s pretty clever.”

“It’s been a long time since he took Luke. He must have made blunders somewhere along the way.”

“Then you can find them after we put Eve’s mind at rest and we feed you and tuck you in. I figure we have less than five minutes before the rain starts. I’ve no desire to get soaking wet and have to change before dinner.”

But he didn’t really mind the weather, she could tell. The wind was blowing his hair back from his face and his tea-colored eyes were glittering in his tan face. He looked a little wild and stormy himself. “Then go back before you get caught.”

He shook his head. “She wants you.”

“And you always give her what she wants?”

“When I can. She doesn’t ask much. I wish I could give her more.”

“I think you probably give her a good deal. Does she do the same?”

“We have a relationship we both have to work at. That’s natural.” He frowned. “Stop asking questions and let’s get out of here.”

She shook her head. “You don’t want me. I won’t put you in a position in which you’re forced to accept me. That will just make you resent me more. I can’t afford to have that happen.”

“I’m not forced. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be. Spending a few hours with you isn’t going to affect me one way or another.” He paused. “And it will keep Eve from going right back to work and give her a little rest. That’s always a plus.”

She smiled. “It could be an uneasy evening.”

He shook his head. “Not for me. And I think you probably got over being uneasy about anything when you left the cradle.”

“Not very much later.”

A lightning bolt streaked out of the sky, and a crash of thunder echoed across the lake.

Joe held out his hand. “Come, dammit.”

She hesitated, then jumped to her feet. She disappeared into her tent and grabbed her duffel. A moment later, she was outside, and Joe was grabbing her elbow and running toward the cottage. The heavens had opened, and the rain was pelting them as they dashed for the porch. It felt strange having a man’s hand helping her, supporting her, even in such a small thing. She had been on her own for such a long time, asking nothing, depending on her own strength.

She didn’t pull away. It felt…nice.

“Okay?” Joe asked her, as they reached the front door. He wasn’t even a little breathless, she noticed. He looked strong and reckless and was as charged as the lightning flashes across the lake.

“Of course.” She pulled her arm away. “It’s only a storm.” She ran her hand through her damp hair. “I like it.”

He nodded. “I thought you would.” He opened the front door. “I would have been disappointed in you if you hadn’t. Or rather in my own judgment. Eve sees you as a mother and victim. I see you as a warrior and a mover and shaker. I’d say we’re both right. At any rate, we’re already learning about each other.”

“Yes.” She couldn’t deny that she had seen a new side of Joe Quinn in these last minutes. He was right, the learning process had begun.

And one of the things she had learned was that for the first time, she could see the magnetism that had drawn Eve to Joe and held them together these many years. She had experienced it herself as he had stood before her outside her tent. It had shocked and piqued her curiosity. It was the first stirring of physical interest she had experienced since Terry had died. It was odd that it had happened at this weird time and circumstance. Perhaps it was because her entire life was in a state of upheaval and change.

Yes, it was odd and completely unacceptable. Dismiss it. Whatever future relationship she was going to have with Joe Quinn, it would not be anything that would interfere with the bond she and Eve were forming. That tentative friendship was too precious and rare to risk being destroyed.

Joe gestured for her to precede him. “Go in. I’ll find a towel so that you can dry your hair.”

“You need one yourself.” She walked past him into the cottage.

Eve looked at her with a smile. “You took long enough. I knew you’d give Joe an argument. But he always perseveres.”

Catherine watched Joe disappear into the bathroom in search of that towel. “I can see that.” She turned back to Eve and asked brusquely, “There are wonderful smells drifting from the kitchen. What can I do to help?”