Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

“You can’t be sure that he won’t make a move. He’s not predictable.”

Eve shrugged. “Then we’d better move fast.” She started for the door. “I’ll pack a bag for both Joe and myself. What arrangements have you made for Kelly?”

“Nothing yet. I haven’t had time,” Catherine said. “Whatever I decide, it’s not going to be easy convincing her to go.”

“Then you’d better start.” She held out her hand. “Give me your phone. I want to print off a copy of that picture Rakovac claims is Luke’s skeleton.”

She gave her the phone. “Why?”

“I want to send it to an institute in St. Louis that may be able to give me a definitive analysis on the skeleton and location.”

“You mean if it’s a fake or not?”

“Yes, and if they can zero in on the skull and determine if it was a bullet that shattered it.”

“Could you compare the photo of the skull to any of the transitions and see if there is a match?”

“Possibly. But it would take time. According to Rakovac, we have no time. We’ll take what we can get. I’m more interested in that twisted pine in the background. And the moss on the leg of the skeleton. They might lead us somewhere.” She entered the house to see Kelly bent over Cindy’s skull. “How is it going?”

“Well.” Kelly didn’t look up. “I’ll be finished soon.”

“Good.” She hesitated. “You didn’t have to do this. I appreciate it.”

“But not enough to let me really help you.”

“Kelly…”

“It’s okay, I understand. I told you I’d finish Cindy, and I’m doing it.” She finally lifted her gaze to look at Eve. “I heard you talking to Catherine about wondering where you’re going to send me. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve already taken care of it.”

Eve’s brows rose. “Indeed?”

“I called Venable and told him that he had to send someone to pick me up. He said he’d do it right away.” She looked back down at the bone shards. “I think it will be Agent Dufour. He sent me with him before.”

“You’re suddenly being very cooperative.”

“And you’re suspicious.” Her smile was a little sad. “I’m not stupid, Eve. I know I’m not going to be able to convince you and Catherine that I should go with you. I have to move on. Agent Venable told me that if my being with you didn’t work out, he’d see that I was settled somewhere I’d be comfortable for a little while.”

“That’s better than we could offer,” Eve said.

“Yes.” She looked back down. “When you finish the reconstruction of Cindy, will you send me a photo? I kind of feel like I know her.”

“You do. You’ve been a big part in helping me to bring her home.”

“I hope so. Home is important.” She grimaced. “Not that I know that from experience. Daddy was always planning on buying a house and settling down in Boulder, Colorado, with me, but his company kept sending him out of the country. And I was always away at the college. They always arranged for me to stay with really nice families near the campus, but that was their home, not mine.” She changed the subject. “You know that Rakovac sent you that photo to make you angry, don’t you? He wanted to hurt Catherine, but he wanted to make you come with her.”

“And why would he want me to come? I’m not really important to him.”

“Catherine is alone. She has no family. She’s the only one he can hurt. He wants more than that. What good is a Fourth of July explosion if you don’t have someone to see it?”

“Then I’m supposed to be the witness?” She shook her head. “No, I believe he’d rather tie me to one of the rockets.”

“It could be both or either.”

“That’s what this so-called pattern is telling you?”

She shook her head. “You haven’t let me study him enough to see a pattern. I can only guess from what I’ve been told.”

And it was a pretty good guess, Eve thought. Venable was right; Kelly was incredibly intelligent, and her instincts were unsettling. Kelly looked to be such a delicate child in appearance that it was disturbing to hear her speak as if she were a woman in her thirties. Perhaps her training with her patterns had caused her to leave that childhood behind. Then the nightmare that had happened to her in Munoz’s camp had been the final blow.

“You’re pitying me,” Kelly said. “Don’t do it. I don’t need it.” She placed another shard carefully on Cindy’s temple. “How are we going to glue these pieces together?”

“I’ll do it before I leave tonight. I use a special epoxy.”

“After you go over her with a fine-tooth comb and make sure I didn’t make any mistakes.”

Eve nodded. “That’s my job. But I don’t think you did. I believe both you and Catherine did a remarkable job.”

Kelly nodded. “It’s all you allowed me to do.” She added soberly, “Take care of Catherine. Someone has to do it. I should be the one, but she won’t let me.”

“I know you feel that you owe her, but Catherine’s capable of taking care of herself.”

Kelly looked away. She repeated, “Take care of her.”

“I’ll do my best.” She turned and moved toward the bedroom. No matter what Eve promised, it would not be enough for Kelly. The girl and Catherine had forged a strange and powerful bond, and Kelly had the added urgency of proving to herself that her abilities could make a difference. Eve couldn’t blame her for her persistence. She was even surprised she had finally given up. “Good luck, Kelly.”

“Good luck to you. You’ll need it more than I do.” She gave her a ghost of a smile. “Since you don’t have my valuable assistance.”

“We’ll survive,” Eve said over her shoulder. “And so will you. The only one who’s not going to come out on top will be Rakovac.”

Agent dufour arrived at the cottage at four thirty that afternoon.

Kelly watched the dark blue sedan drive up the driveway and turned to Catherine. “You won’t change your mind?”

Catherine shook her head. “I’ll be in touch when we get back. Let Venable help you. Don’t do anything on your own. Okay?”

Kelly didn’t answer. “Good-bye.” She gave Catherine a hug. “Be careful.” She turned and ran down the steps and jumped into the sedan. She didn’t look back as Dufour pulled out of the driveway.

“Venable had better take good care of her,” Catherine said. “She’s so damn vulnerable, and she’s just a kid.”

“I was just thinking this afternoon how grown-up she seemed,” Eve said. “And she trusted Venable enough to call him when she knew she wasn’t going to be able to go with us. Should she trust him, Catherine?”

“In most cases.”

“Not in the case of your son.”

“Luke was standing in the way of Venable’s saving the world for democracy,” she said sarcastically. “Kelly isn’t in that position. He tried to use her as a roadblock, and it didn’t work. Now he’ll do what he can to keep her happy. He knows he’ll answer to me if he doesn’t.” She watched for another moment until Kelly disappeared from view. Then she turned to go back into the cottage. “While you finish using that epoxy on Cindy’s face, I have to make a couple more calls before we leave for the airport. Is Joe coming back here?”

“No, he’s meeting us at the airport. He said he had a few things to do himself.”

“With your daughter, Jane?”

“No, he said that’s all taken care of. He’s satisfied that she’s safe.” Eve opened the door. “And Joe doesn’t make mistakes about the people he cares about.”

“I noticed that he’s very…protective and comforting.”

Eve remembered how Joe had taken Catherine into his arms to comfort her after that phone call from Rakovac. “Yes, he can be pretty wonderful.”