Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

“You’re shutting me out,” Kelly said. “Don’t do that. Let me help.”

“Kelly, I don’t even know what I’m going to do yet,” Catherine said.

“She knows.” Kelly nodded at Eve. “Don’t you, Eve?”

Eve nodded. “I know I’m going to talk to Joe. That comes first. I know we’re going to examine this photo that Rakovac says contains the first clue in his damn game. We’re going to find it and try to figure a way to push him to the next step without getting killed.” She met Catherine’s eyes. “And then you’re going to find a way for us to get into Russia without Rakovac’s being aware that we’re there.”

Catherine went still. “You’re actually going with me?”

“Hell, yes. I’m going to find out if that child is Luke. If he’s not, I’m going to find out who he is and who killed him.” She tapped the photo. “This wasn’t only a gauntlet tossed down for you, Catherine. Rakovac has obviously studied me, too. He knew seeing that skeleton would hurt me and make me think of Bonnie. He says he wants me to do a reconstruction and find out if that poor kid is Luke?” Her jaw set. “Well, I’m going to do it and find a way to make it boomerang and send him straight to hell.”

Catherine stared at her in surprise. Then she started to laugh. “I didn’t think that you’d react like this. Where’s all your cool, professional reasoning?”

“He shouldn’t have sent that photo. I’m going to call Joe. You start thinking of contacts in Russia that can help us.” She turned to Kelly, and ordered, “You finish Cindy.”

“I want to-”

“I don’t care what you want,” Eve said. “We have enough to worry about, saving one child. You’re not much more than a child yourself. We’re not going to have you put in danger or getting in our way while we’re doing it.”

Kelly gazed at her for a moment, then turned and sat down at the worktable. “You’re wrong. But I’ll do what you wish. I’ll finish Cindy.”

“Thank you.” Eve whirled and went out on the porch again to make her call to Joe.

“Am I going to be able to talk you out of it?” Joe asked tersely.

Eve braced herself. “No. It has to be done.”

“And, of course, you have to be the one to do it.”

“I have to help. He can’t be allowed to go on. If you could have seen that photo-”

“I don’t doubt that it was enough to send you into a tailspin.” Joe was silent a moment and gave a low curse. “I knew it. I could see it coming.”

“I need you to protect Jane. You don’t have to be involved.”

“Of course I’ll see that she’s protected. And you know damn well that I’m going to be involved,” he added. “And I’m curious to know why Rakovac has suddenly decided that his persecution of Catherine has to come to an end. He’s obviously enjoying it. After all these years, it would have to take something monumental to cause him to stop. What does Venable say about it?”

“Catherine hasn’t told him about Rakovac’s latest call, but Venable’s attitude has been…vaguely noncommittal regarding what’s been going on between Rakovac and the CIA.”

“Other than that they might have to take Rakovac out. That’s a pretty radical action. I believe we’ll have to probe a little into Venable’s reasons. The situation may be even more volatile than he’s telling you.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me. He appears to be alternating between trying to keep Catherine from interfering and a genuine concern about the boy.”

“He probably is concerned. As much as he permits himself to be. I’ve worked with him before, and he’s not a bad guy. Just all CIA.”

“He’d have to be to let Luke be held by that bastard all these years just to keep international relations on an even keel. I can’t understand him.”

“No, you wouldn’t be able to fathom that kind of thinking,” Joe said. “But evidently Catherine understands, even if she doesn’t condone.” He added, “I’m going to call Jane and tell her what’s happening. The last we heard from her, she was in London. Right?”

“Yes. But warning isn’t enough, Joe.”

“No, I’ll also call on Venable and get him to assign her protection. And, remember, Jane has friends in Scotland who will look out for her if they’re put on the alert.”

Yes, she did, Eve thought. And some of those friends were more lethal than Rakovac could ever hope to be. John MacDuff, Jock Gavin, and Caleb were formidable. “Then by all means give them a call. I want her surrounded.” She paused. “And she’s so damn stubborn.”

“Just like the company she keeps,” he said dryly. “You’re sure that I can’t talk you out of this? If you want the kid out, I’ll go in and get him by myself.”

“And run the risk of getting him killed. Rakovac wants Catherine, and if we can tease him with an occasional glimpse, we might be able to strike a balance that will let us grab Luke without sacrificing Catherine.”

“And is she agreeing to stake herself out?”

“We haven’t discussed it. It’s my take on the best way of handling him. But Catherine wouldn’t blink about doing anything that had a chance of working. She’s desperate. I’m hanging up now. I’ve got to go back in and see what we can do about finding a place for Kelly to go.”

“At least you’re not planning on taking her with you,” Joe said. “That would not be smart.”

“Actually, it might be very smart, but not in the least humane. She’s fourteen. Call me after you’ve talked to Jane.” She hung up.

She felt immensely relieved. Joe would make sure that Jane was safe, and that was the most important thing. He’d be on Venable, probing, demanding and digging until everything was out in the open.

“Eve?”

She turned to see Catherine standing in the doorway. “Joe is taking care of making sure that my adopted daughter, Jane, is safe.”

“Good.” She came out on the porch. “Is he angry?”

“No, he said he knew it was coming.” She shrugged. “Joe knows me very well.”

“That must be nice. Comfortable.”

“And sometimes not so comfortable.” She smiled. “But, yes, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve gone through far too much together to have to do it all again. What a headache that would be.” She changed the subject. “So when do we leave?”

“Tonight. Just after midnight. There’s a private airport outside Gainesville, and we’ll take a private jet to Rome, then change planes and go on to Moscow.”

“Private enough to keep Rakovac from knowing that we’re invading his turf? He seems to keep an eagle eye on you.”

She nodded. “I can do it. I only tried to keep him in the dark when I went in to make an attempt to locate Luke. Otherwise, I let him track me. I figured it made him feel powerful, and it didn’t hurt to feed his ego. My aim was always to keep his volatility in check.”

“And when we reach Russia?”

“I know a man who may hate Rakovac more than I do. Alex Kelsov fought with Rakovac before he went to Moscow and became big in the mafia. Rakovac betrayed Kelsov to the Russian secret police, and he spent three years in a prison in Siberia. He was lucky not to have been executed. But Kelsov was always a major deal maker and slippery as an eel.” She made a face. “He still is. He may want to bring Rakovac down, but it’s still going to cost me.”

“What?”

“It depends on what Kelsov wants at the time. Whatever it is, I’ll give it to him.” She paused before saying soberly, “Rakovac meant what he said, you know. He’ll try to kill you.”

“But not for a while. He impressed me as a man with a plan. This has been going on too long for him to let his revenge just dribble away into nothingness. He wanted to punish you so badly that he was willing to risk his Washington connection.”