Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

He was silent a moment. “No.”

“And you had the U.S. courts backing you.”

“Sometimes.”

“Well, most of the time the CIA has backing when it’s a popular cause and none when it’s a less publicized mission to some Podunk country most citizens never knew existed. But we do our job anyway.”

“We? In spite of everything, you’re still aligning yourself with them.”

“They would have helped me if they could. Hell, Venable might not have freed Luke, but he might have saved his life.” Her lips twisted. “They are good guys. They just wear black hats.”

“Interesting reasoning,” Eve said as she looked at Joe. “Complicated enough, Joe?”

“Actually, I understand her viewpoint perfectly,” he murmured. “I’m sure the complications are all under the surface.”

“Any other questions?” Catherine asked.

“I’m thinking,” Joe said. “There may be something I’d like to-”

Catherine’s cell phone rang.

“Excuse me.” She pulled the phone out of her pocket. “It’s probably Venable wondering if I read-” She inhaled sharply as she gazed at the ID. “No, it’s not Venable.” She moistened her lips. “It’s Rakovac.”

“Are you sure?” Joe asked. “Criminals don’t usually broadcast their IDs on-”

“Oh, it’s him. He always wants me to know and dread what’s coming.”

Fear. Eve could see the tension and fear in every line of Catherine’s body. “Would you like us to leave?”

“No, I told you, no secrets. Rakovac couldn’t be more a part of my life. You might as well meet him.” She pressed the speaker amplifier. “Hello, Rakovac. I haven’t heard from you for a while.”

“Have you missed me? I’ve missed you.” Rakovac’s mocking voice was deep and only faintly accented. “Don’t think because I’ve not been in touch that you’ve been forgotten. These years have woven you into the fabric of my life.” He paused. “You and Luke.”

“Why are you calling?”

“Because I sense that you’re not being your usual meek self. I thought it was time you and I had a talk and reestablished my position in your life.”

“I know exactly what your position is. You’re the devil who needs to be sent straight back to hell.”

He laughed. “I don’t mind being compared to Satan. He has power, and he knows how to manipulate things to suit himself. I’m glad you’ve noticed how clever I am in that area. But you usually hold your tongue. Another sign that there may be a rebellion in the wings.”

“Why are you calling?” she repeated through set teeth.

“You know I always keep track of you. That was an amazing rescue of the Winters girl. I’ve been wondering if you managed to reap a reward from your friend Venable.”

“You know he won’t touch you.”

“I’ve made sure of any dire consequences. But you’re such a valuable tool for him. He might have given you a small gift in return.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Isn’t there a song about a rainy night in Georgia?”

She stiffened. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. You just had a cozy dinner with your newfound friends. Do you really think that Eve Duncan can help you, Catherine?”

Her gaze flew to the darkness beyond the porch. “You have someone here watching me?”

“Of course, I always keep my eye on you. And no, there’s no use trying to track him down. I pulled him out as soon as I had the information I wanted. Now tell me about Eve Duncan.”

She was silent a moment. “I hired her to do an age progression on Luke. I’m a mother. I want to know what my little boy looks like.”

“Touching. What a sentimental motive.”

“Every mother is sentimental about her child. You’ve played on that emotion for years. You shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Oh, I’m not surprised. I knew when I took your cub away from you that even a tigress loves her off spring. That’s why you’ve given me such joy. Strike at the child, and it makes you go through a living hell.”

“I wanted to see what he looks like,” she repeated.

“But perhaps not for sentimental reasons. Are you thinking of taking my toy away from me?”

“You’ve seen that I have no chance of doing that. After all this time, why would I even make the attempt?”

“Desperation?”

“I’d never risk Luke. You’ve told me enough times what you’d do to him if I tried anything.”

“Perhaps. Sometimes one can become calloused and numb to a constant threat.”

“I’m not numb.”

“No, I keep you raw and bleeding, don’t I? But I find it interesting you chose Duncan to do the age progression. Her fame lies in another direction.”

“She’s very good.”

“But she’s better with her skulls. I’ve decided that it must have been fate that led you to her.”

“Fate?”

He said softly, “You’ll have need of a reconstruction, not an age progression.”

Catherine inhaled sharply. “You’re lying.”

“No, I killed Luke when he was five years old. Venable was getting too persistent about releasing him, and I grew angry. No one can tell me what to do. I shot your son in the head and buried him in the woods. He was frightened and crying. He knew about guns and what they could do. I’d had him taught about them from the time I took him.”

Catherine closed her eyes. “I don’t believe you. You’ve told me you’ve killed him before, then said you were lying. You’re just trying to hurt me.”

“It’s a possibility.” He added maliciously, “But you can’t be sure. You haven’t talked to him. You have only me to rely on for any information about Luke. I control him. I control you.”

“He’s alive. I know it.”

“He’s buried in the woods. If it suits me, I may dig him up and send his skull to Eve Duncan. I’ll have to think about it.”

“You bastard,” Catherine whispered.

“Or send word to Venable where he can find him. Why shouldn’t he do the work? He and his cohorts in Washington have been irritating me lately.”

“You’re lying.”

“What if I’m not? I think you’ll have nightmares tonight envisioning Luke scared and crying right before I shot him.” He chuckled. “Go ahead. Work on that age progression. But don’t take it past five years. It would be totally futile.” He hung up.

Eve reached out. “Catherine, I know-”

“Don’t touch me. Not yet.” She huddled sidewise, leaning on the arm of the porch swing. “I’m…hurting.” Her voice was shaking. “I’m sorry. I don’t like you to-Give me time…”

Good Lord, she was hurting, Eve thought. Her back was arched, and Eve could almost feel the vibrations of the agony she was emitting.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No.”

“Screw it.” Joe was suddenly kneeling before Catherine, taking her in his arms. “I will touch you. Stop trying to handle it on your own. You need us.”

“I don’t-” She suddenly collapsed against him, her arms clinging desperately. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was muffled against him. “You’d think I’d be able to handle it by this time. But he knows just where and how to-I’ve got to stop this. It’s what he wants, what he expects.” Her voice was shaking. “He was lying, you know. Every now and then, he’ll tell me he’s killed Luke. I think he saves it for when he’s feeling in the mood for a particularly savage turn of the knife. But he has to be lying, doesn’t he? But I don’t know. I don’t know.”

“No, you don’t know,” Eve said quietly. “But you have a chance of its not being true. He’s such a bastard that I can’t imagine that he’d give up the value of a live hostage with whom he can taunt you for the momentary pleasure of a kill.”