The woman was still trying desperately to speak.
“I’ll fix that.” Catherine undid the gag. “Now I’ll stay here with you and hold your hand until the ambulance gets here.”
“No.” Judy’s voice was rasping. “Help—find—her.” Her eyes were glittering wildly in her parchment-colored face. “Took— Don’t let him—”
“Shh.” Catherine squeezed her hand. “You said he was gone.”
“But—he—took—her.”
“Who?”
“Cara.”
Oh, dear God. Of course, the little girl. Judy’s little girl.
“I’ll be right back.” She released her hand. “I’ll go check.”
Judy was shaking her head as Catherine ran out of the room. She climbed over the banister and ran up the steps to the second floor. The doors were all open wide. The second room down the hall was a child’s room. Pink princess coverlet on the bed. A Disney clock on the wall.
No little girl.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
She quickly checked the other bedrooms.
No little girl. No Cara.
She drew a deep breath.
Damn him.
Then she ran out of the room and a moment later was in the dining room.
“Gone.” The tears were running down Judy’s face. “Cara.”
Catherine took her hand again. “We’ll find her. Do you know who took her?”
She shook her head. “We went to bed—early. Then he was just—there. We didn’t even know him.” The tears were flowing harder. “Mama.”
“I’m sorry.” What else could she say? There weren’t words to express the horror Judy had gone through and was still experiencing. Catherine knew the panic of losing a child to a monster. “I’ll help you find your child.”
“I think … I’m dying. What if—I die? No one may ever find her.”
“I told you, I’ll find her.”
“Promise me.” Judy’s gaze was desperately holding Catherine’s. “Promise—”
“I promise.” She only hoped she could find the child alive. “But she’ll need you after she comes home. You’ve got to be quiet and do everything you can to get well.”
“Needs me…” Judy’s eyes closed. “I’ll … try…”
Catherine heard the sound of sirens in the distance.
Lord, let them get here in time.
* * *
CATHERINE CALLED JOE AND FILLED him in from the waiting room at the hospital.
“Could you get a description?”
“I didn’t try yet. Neither did the police. She’s in surgery. She may not make it, Joe. Whoever did this wanted to leave her enough alive to send a message. But he didn’t give a damn what kind of damage he did with that butcher knife.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“That’s what I say. He took the kid, Joe. Anyone who would do what he did to those two women would think nothing of torturing and murdering a kid.”
“And you’re mad as hell.”
“I keep thinking of Luke and how I felt when my son was taken.”
“You have a copy of the photo of Paul Black that Eve gave us. Can you show it to her as soon as possible?”
“I’ll have to find a way to get in to see her. The only reason the police didn’t take me in for questioning was that I’m CIA. They may still do it if they get enough heat. The murder of Judy Clark’s mom was ugly and senseless, and that scares people.”
“Let me know.”
“Any leads on Eve?”
“Not yet.” He hung up.
Catherine sat back down and sipped her coffee.
Joe had been curt and on edge, and who could blame him?
The violence was escalating by the minute, and it all seemed to be heading toward Eve.
What if it wasn’t Paul Black who had committed these atrocities? It could be someone else that Queen had hired.
And what would she do if she found out from Judy that it was Black? The taking of Cara Clark opened a whole new avenue of threat. Why was the child taken and not murdered? Why had Judy been left alive to tell them? The kidnapping would be a weapon that might be impossible to overcome. She knew the helplessness and fear that could cripple you when you thought that your action could result in the killing of the helpless.
And that action had not been aimed at Judy Clark. She was almost certain that Eve was the target. Eve would do anything that she had to do to save a child.
And so would Catherine. Give her the chance, and she’d cut the bastard’s throat. She felt a surge of sheer savagery at the thought.
Keep cool. She would sit and drink her coffee and wait for news on Judy Clark. If she lived, then Catherine would show her Black’s photo and get an ID.
And plan what she would do to the son of a bitch who could perpetrate a hideous act like this.
* * *
“WAKE UP.”
Eve opened her eyes to see Gallo’s face above her. He smelled of soap, and his hair was wet as if he’d just stepped out of a shower.
He smiled. “I just called room service for breakfast. I thought you’d want to shower and brush your teeth before they get here.”
“I do.” She glanced at her watch. Seven thirty. She wasn’t surprised she’d slept so late. She had talked about Bonnie far into the night. And even after the words had ceased to flow, she hadn’t been able to sleep. She had lain beside Gallo in the darkness, answering an occasional question, suddenly remembering something she had forgotten to tell him. It had been a strange and supremely intimate night. By releasing all those memories of Bonnie, she had created a cocoon of togetherness for which she had not bargained. She had always clung to those memories, shutting everyone else out. Now they no longer belonged only to her.
She sat up and swung her feet to the floor. “Maybe I wasn’t followed. It could be your trap is a dud, John.”
“I admit that I expected the situation to move a little faster.” He met her gaze. “But I’m glad it didn’t. Thank you, Eve.”
She pulled her gaze away. That overpowering intimacy again, the feeling of being part of him. “It doesn’t mean anything more than that I felt you shouldn’t be cheated of something I treasure.” She moistened her lips. “I have a tendency to be selfish about Bonnie. While she was alive, she was everything to me. After she was gone, I still couldn’t let her go.”
“That’s pretty clear. You’ve been searching for her killer since the day she was taken.”
“No, I mean I couldn’t talk about her, not even about the good times. I held the memories close as if I was afraid of losing those, too.” She looked away from him. “I guess it was time I stopped being afraid and realized that sharing only makes them richer. So maybe I have something to thank you for, too, John.”
“You’ve not talked to Quinn about Bonnie?”
“Of course.” How could she explain? “But he didn’t know her, couldn’t love her. He only knew her as a cause of sorrow and danger to me. And I couldn’t tell him all the things that might have brought him closer to her.” She smiled as she got to her feet and headed for the bathroom. “But maybe I can now.”
He chuckled. “So a night in bed with me is going to bring you closer to Quinn?”
“Yes.”
His smile faded. “I hope it does if that’s what you want. I want you to have everything you want, Eve. But you have to know that there’s no going back after last night.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips. “Don’t say it. I’d like to think that I could replace Quinn, but I wouldn’t even try. You have someone who can give you stability, and that’s something I know nothing about. I’d never take that away from you.” He grimaced. “But he can’t take away the closeness we have together, either. And neither can we, Eve. We’re joined in a way that’s … remarkable. You know it, and so do I.” He turned away. “I don’t know what it means or how we’re going to resolve the situation. But it had to be said.”
And she would probably not have faced the finality of that
realization at this time, she thought as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She was having enough difficulty sorting out her emotions where Gallo was concerned. Passion? No, both of them were keeping the passion that had been the core of their former relationship at bay. It was memory, and Bonnie that had formed the new bond.
And, great heavens, what a strong bond it was proving to be.
* * *
“YOUR PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING,” John said, as she came out of the bathroom thirty minutes later. “Four times. Someone is very persistent.”
She moved over to the nightstand where she had left her phone on vibrate. She frowned as she looked at the ID.
“Quinn?”
“No.” Joe had called her only the one time yesterday, and when she hadn’t answered, had not called again. “It’s Catherine Ling.”
“I caught sight of her for a moment at the compound, and I’ve read her dossier. She’s … unusual.”
“Unique,” Eve said absently. She hadn’t intended to answer Catherine, either. It had been possible Catherine might feel obligated to act for Joe.
The cell began to ring again.
“She’s not taking no for an answer.”
And Catherine would not be so urgent unless there was good reason.
Eve answered. “Hello, Catherine.”
“It’s about time,” Catherine said. “I told you that I was on your side no matter if I thought you were being led down the garden path.”
“Why are you calling?”
“Because I thought you needed to be warned that some heavy stuff was coming your way.” She paused. “Are you with Gallo?”
“Yes.”
“Has he been with you since before nine last evening?”
“Yes.”
“Then it couldn’t have been him. Put your phone on speaker. He should probably hear this.”
Eve flipped the SPEAKER button. “Go ahead.”
“I’m at St. Louis County Hospital. Judy Clark just came out of surgery.”
Gallo stiffened. “What the hell?”
“Stab wound to the abdomen. She’s in ICU now. She may make it, but they’re still not sure, and I couldn’t wait to try to get an ID from her. Black isn’t going to wait for long to get in touch with you.”
“My God,” Eve whispered. “Black?”
“That’s my guess. I can’t confirm.” She added bluntly, “I thought there was a possibility it might be you, Gallo.”
“She’s my friend,” he said through his teeth.
“Is she? I don’t know if you’re capable of having friends. You haven’t shown any sign of thinking about anyone but yourself. At any rate, your friends seem to end up—” She stopped. “That’s not important right now. I’m just pissed because I’m feeling helpless.”
“Catherine, how did you find out about Judy?” Eve asked.
“I found them when I was tracking you down and went to her mother’s house in St. Louis.” Catherine’s words were now coming tersely. “Her mother’s throat was cut. Judy Clark was pinned to the table with a butcher knife. I think he left her alive on purpose. He wanted her to send a message. He took her little girl.”
“Cara?” John said.
“Cara Clark, six years old. I told the police, and they searched the neighborhood. They always search the neighborhoods first. As if they’re going to find the kid wandering around when I told them that he— They did the same thing when my Luke disappeared.”
“No sign of her?” John asked.
“I told you. Judy said he took her. Or maybe I didn’t.” She added wearily, “She was still conscious, and she made me promise … I’m not behaving very professionally, am I? When I was checking her bedroom, it brought back too many memories. Those bastards always target the kids.” She drew a deep breath. “And this time he’s doing something else. This son of a bitch is targeting you, Eve. He wants to have a weapon, and he can’t be sure that Gallo would respond to a threat, but anyone who has researched you would know that you would be vulnerable. He may be trying to get at Gallo through you.”
“You’re wrong,” John said. “If it’s Black, he’d know that he could strike at me that way.”
“I don’t know what’s between the two of you, and I don’t care. All I care about is that little girl and Eve. You’ve got something he wants. Give it to him. But we have to get that little girl away from him first. Eve, tell me where you are. I’m coming to join you.”
“No, Catherine.”
“Don’t tell me no,” she said fiercely. “And don’t try to close me out. I have a hunch that everything that happened here is going to play out with you and Gallo. Judy Clark made me promise to find her little girl, and I’m going to do it. I just hope I find her alive. You’re so busy trying to protect Joe and me and the whole damn world that you’re forgetting we have a stake in this. I’ll let you deal with Joe on your own, but you’re not going to stand in my way. Tell me where you are. Joe said you flew to Milwaukee. Are you still there?”
She should hang up and try to keep Catherine out of it, Eve thought. But Catherine was already deeply involved because Eve had made that attempt. Now that a child was at risk, there would be no way to keep her on the sidelines.
And Eve wasn’t sure she had the right to do it. Everyone should do everything they could to bring that child home. “I’m in Milwaukee. Marriott. Room 1505.”
“But we may not stay here,” John said.
“Then let me know as soon as you leave.” Catherine hung up.
“She’s a tiger,” John said.
“More than you know.” Eve shoved her phone in her pocket. “And there wasn’t a chance in hell of keeping her out of it now.” She was stunned, the full impact of Catherine’s words hitting home. “It takes a lot to shock her or blow her cool. The attack on Judy and her mother must have been hideous.”
John didn’t answer.
Eve glanced at him and stiffened with shock. His expression had changed, hardened. His eyes were glittering and wild in his taut face. But it wasn’t only his expression, but the aura of sheer rage that surrounded him. She had never seen anything like it in her life. She took an involuntary step back. “John?”
He whirled away from her. “Don’t talk to me.” His voice was hoarse, almost guttural. “Give me a minute.”
She watched him walk to the window and stand with his back to her. The line of his spine was almost painfully stiff, as if he was striving not to let loose that rage.
Berserk.
She remembered Hanks’s words describing John Gallo when he lost control. This had to be what he had meant. The rage was being contained, but just the intensity of the emotion and the violence hovering on the brink were frightening. She could imagine how terrifying he would be if he did lose control.
He didn’t speak for a few minutes. “I’m sorry.” His back was still turned to her, and his words were halting. “I didn’t want you to see me like this. I told you that I wasn’t always stable. I get … angry.”
An understatement. “I can see that you do.”
“Judy has been with me for three years. I like her. I didn’t think that she’d be hurt if I gave her a job. I should have been more careful.”
“How could you know that Black would target her? You said that you had been chasing Black for years. There was no way you could know that he would appear in your life with no warning. Queen had to have been the one who triggered all of this. Stop kicking yourself and put the blame where it belongs.”
“Oh, I’m willing to share the blame.” He turned around to face her. His face was still pale; but the wildness was only a shadow, not a living presence. “It’s time I put an end to Queen. He’s not going to be of use to me any longer. He’s brought me Paul Black and all the ugliness that means. He had to have given the info about Judy’s mother to Black. I’m going to have to pull Queen into the circle.”
Total ruthlessness and ferocity.
“Ugly.” He was reading her expression. “Yes, I am. I
tried to tell you. I’ve worked through some of it, but I’ll never get rid of all the hate. I’m twisted, Eve.”
She smiled sadly. “So am I.” She added, “And I’ll have no problem with your hating Black or anyone protecting him. Not if Paul Black killed Bonnie. Now stop all these melodramatics and tell me why we’re moving.”
A slight smile touched his lips, and suddenly the last trace of menace vanished. “Trust you to deflate me.”
“I told you that I wasn’t afraid of you, John. Though I can see why you might intimidate. It’s a civilized world, and you apparently forget that occasionally.”
“I’ll try to remember around you.” His smile disappeared. “It’s no use our staying here and trying to trap Black. He’s not going to spring it. He’s going to set a trap of his own.”
“With Judy’s daughter, Cara.” Eve nodded. “And that bloody carnage in St. Louis was to prove he was serious.” She felt sick as she thought of the monstrous brutality that Black had committed just to prove there were no limits to what he would do. That little girl … “He’ll contact you.”
“Without the shadow of a doubt.” He turned and picked up his duffel and put it on the bed. “Get your things together. We’re not going to wait around for Black to move on us. We’re out of here. Then we’ll work on turning the situation around.”
“Right.” Eve had already unzipped her carryall. “Can we get out of here without being seen? You said I was followed.”
He nodded curtly. “Service elevator. End of the hall. It leads to the kitchen, and we can go out the employees’ entrance.”
He had thought of every contingency, Eve thought. But he hadn’t thought of Black ignoring the obvious trap and going his own way. The realization sent a chill through her.
“We’ll get him, Eve.” John was reading her expression. “He’s smart, but he’s not invulnerable.”
Yet he had killed her little girl years ago and had since killed and killed again and no one had been able to stop him. “He seems to be—” She broke off and picked up her case. “Of course he’s not invulnerable.”
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