Blood Game

by Iris Johansen

  “Then why would you think I’d believe you’d let her live no matter what I did?”

  Jelak smiled. “I’m sure you’ll think of a way to make sure I do.”

  Joe shook his head.

  Jelak’s smile faded. “You’re beginning to annoy me again. But really, actions are better than words. I believe I’ll let you get to know our Mary Lou. I’ll bring her in, and you can see what you’re destroying. She’ll probably be unconscious for another fifteen minutes or so. Sedatives have a stronger effect on those closer to childhood. But you can look at her and think about what’s going to happen.” He headed for the door. “I’ll be right back.”

  He was true to his word. In two minutes he returned carrying a thin, gangly girl in blue plaid pajamas. He dumped her against the wall and pushed the red-brown hair away from her face. “Vulnerable, innocent, more child than woman. But the hair color reminded me a little of Eve Duncan’s hair.” He turned toward the door. “I’ll let you be alone with her. There’s something about a sleeping child that’s very appealing.”

  Diabolical, Joe thought, as he stared at the young girl. She was as vulnerable as Jelak had said. Just a kid. Her skin still had the glow of childhood. The son of a bitch had hit him hard and blown his defenses. What the hell could he do?

  There had to be something, and he’d better think of it quick.

  “WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE, Eve?” Jane asked. “I know you’re not going to sleep, so you might as well have the caffeine.”

  “Why not?” Eve went to the window and gazed out into the darkness. “Jelak’s not in any hurry to call, is he?”

  “He said he wasn’t going to hurt Joe,” Jane said as she scooped coffee into the coffeemaker.

  “But we don’t know how much he’s hurt him already. Where’s Caleb?”

  “He decided to drive around and see if he could sense anything. He said it was a needle in a haystack, but he couldn’t stand not doing something.”

  “I know how he feels.”

  “You did what you could.”

  “No, there’s something else I can do. If Jelak would just call.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that.” Jane looked up after she turned on the coffeemaker. “Don’t even think that I’d let you make a trade.”

  “You’d have nothing to do with it.” She smiled wearily. “This is between me and Joe.”

  “And Jelak.”

  “Maybe Jelak is right. I’m not afraid, Jane. Not for myself.”

  “Well, I’m scared enough for both of us.”

  “Joe has been by my side all these years. He’s given me everything. I won’t let him die.”

  “No, we won’t. We’ll find a way. Not Jelak’s way, Eve.”

  “I think I’ll go out on the porch and get some air.”

  “Eve, I won’t let you do it.”

  “There’s no use discussing it yet. Stop worrying, Jane.” She went out on the porch and sat down on the swing. She’d stay here for a while and give Jane time to calm down. She should have kept her thoughts to herself, but she was dead tired and too accustomed to sharing with Jane.

  “So you told her the truth. You scared her, Mama.”

  Bonnie.

  She was sitting on the floor by the door, with her legs crossed and her head leaning back against the wall. “You scared me too.”

  Eve shook her head. “You’re never frightened.”

  “Sometimes I am. I just never let you see.”

  “What are you frightened about, baby?” She moistened her lips. “About . . . where you are?”

  “No, I’m fine here. I keep telling you that. You scare me. I want to be with you, too, but it can’t happen.”

  “I was almost on my way to you that first night that you came to me.”

  “That’s why I came. I could see that you were letting go. But look what you’ve done in all these years. All the parents you’ve helped, all the children you’ve brought home. All the love Jane gives you. All the love you and Joe have had together. Now Jelak comes, and you think you have a reason to stop. I’m not going to let you, Mama.”

  “I won’t let Joe die, baby.”

  “Of course not. I know you wouldn’t. Joe has to live. He’s the one who keeps you here. We’ll have to work it out.”

  “How?”

  Bonnie shook her head. “I don’t know yet, Mama.”

  Eve was silent. “All these years I wouldn’t admit you were anything but a dream. Did I hurt you?”

  “How could you hurt me?” Bonnie’s luminous smile lit her small face. “It didn’t matter how I was with you as long as I was with you. If you needed me to be a dream, then that was fine with me.”

  “But it shouldn’t only be what I need. How can I help you? Is there something I can do for you?”

  Bonnie chuckled. “Oh, Mama, that’s just like you. You decide I’m definitely a ghost and set out to change my living conditions. I don’t need anything. If I said that I wanted you to stop looking for me, would you do it?”

  “I have to bring you home.”

  “Then do it. But know that I can’t feel any more at home than I am with you now. That’s only a shell you’re going to bring home, Mama.”

  “I can’t be that impersonal about it. I loved that shell. I want it back.”

  Bonnie sighed. “We’ll talk about it later. You’re too emotional about Joe right now. It’s throwing everything out of kilter. Perhaps when Joe is safe, you’ll be more reasonable.”

  When Joe is safe.

  The words jarred Eve back into the fear and panic. Was there a chance that Joe would be safe?

  “Go in and talk to Jane and make her feel better,” Bonnie said. “She’s scared about Joe, and now she’s scared about you too.”

  She didn’t want to go. Her times with Bonnie were rare and special, and she didn’t want to leave her.

  “But you want to be with Jane too. I’ll always be here for you, Mama.”

  “I know. Sometimes it’s hard to remember.” She got up from the swing and moved toward the door. It was time to go back to the world. Jane needed her. Joe needed her.

  And, as Bonnie had made clear, she needed them too.

  ZILCH, CALEB THOUGHT, AS he turned on Northside Drive.

  He’d been cruising the city for hours, and he’d not come up with anything. Not a hint of Jelak’s presence.

  Why the hell was he bothering? The chances of his being able to sense Jelak in a city of this size were astronomical. Too many people to interfere with his focus. Even if he caught the trail, it would be blurred.

  Did he have any choice? He had to go on unless Jane called him with another lead. Jelak had hit a bull’s-eye with Joe Quinn. Eve would not be held back for long from going to Jelak if she could see no other way of freeing Quinn.

  The Jelak he had studied for years would not have realized Quinn’s value. He’d been riveted in one direction, seeing only the blood and not the other pieces of the game. Jelak would claim that he was so close to his resurrection that his mind was open and a thousand times sharper. Caleb wished to hell that he could—

  Jelak.

  His hands clenched the steering wheel.

  It was only a tendril of sensation, gossamer thin. He concentrated. Come on, Jelak, give me something.

  A blurred wisp of recognition.

  Where?

  South.

  He turned down the next street.

  Stronger. Still blurred but a tiny bit more defined. Then it was gone.

  Dammit.

  No, it was there again.

  Hold on to it . . .

  THE YOUNG GIRL, MARY LOU, hadn’t stirred in the last ten minutes. Joe only hoped that Jelak hadn’t given her an overdose. He doubted it. Jelak was an expert, and there was no telling how many victims he’d overcome with that same sedative. He’d be very careful. What was the use of having a weapon if you destroyed it by carelessness? Joe should be hoping the kid stayed unconscious for a little longer. The only thing waiting for
her when she opened her eyes was stark terror.

  And the only thing waiting for him was a choice he didn’t want to make.

  “You’re bleeding. All those cuts . . . He hurt you.”

  His gaze flew to the corner of the room. Nancy Jo was huddled against the wall, her arms folded tightly across her chest as if to keep from shaking. “Yes, he hurt me. What are you doing here?”

  “She . . . came. Eve. She said I had to help you.”

  “Eve?”

  She nodded jerkily. “I didn’t want to do it. It was worse than last time. It wasn’t only seeing him. I knew I had to come. He’s here, isn’t he?”

  “Probably in the next room.”

  She closed her eyes. “I feel him. My blood is pounding so hard that I feel dizzy. I want to be brave, but all I can think about is his knife cutting across my throat.”

  “You are brave. You came anyway, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.” She opened her eyes. “I had to do it. Daddy told everyone you saved his life. I couldn’t let you die.”

  “Your father is okay? I wasn’t sure.”

  “He’s in the hospital. He’s worried about you. He’s worried about everything. But I think I made him feel better. Bonnie helped me.”

  “Bonnie helped you do what?”

  “She taught me how to make him dream. She said that’s the first step. He can’t see me or hear me yet, but gradually it could happen. Then he won’t be so lonely,” she added unevenly. “And I won’t be so lonely. But Bonnie says it can’t be because of me. It doesn’t work that way.”

  Mary Lou stirred and muttered something.

  Nancy Jo looked down at her. “He’s going to kill her, isn’t he?”

  “Unless I can stop him. Unless you can stop him.”

  “That’s why I’m here. But I don’t know what to do.”

  “Find out where we are. Try to let someone know.”

  “But you’re the only one I can talk to.”

  Dammit, he knew that and it was frustrating the hell out of him. “Okay, then just tell me. I don’t see any way out from talking to Eve. I can’t have that girl butchered. But I might be able to slip in a reference she’d understand.”

  “I’ll try.” She looked around her at the leather chairs and fine oak end tables. “But do you have any idea what this place is?”

  “It looks like it might be the anteroom of a church.” His gaze went to the arched windows and the crucifix on the wall. “So much for vampires being afraid of religious relics. He seems to be adapting just fine.”

  “You had me look for names on doors and phone books before at that motel.”

  “I’ve already looked around. I don’t see anything.”

  She got to her feet, bracing herself. “Maybe I could go out there where he is. There could be something there that would tell us.”

  He could tell she was scared to death. “He can’t hurt you, Nancy Jo. Not now.”

  “I know that with my mind. But I can feel the blood in him, my blood, and I forget.” She moistened her lips. “But I’ve got to remember. He almost killed Daddy. He wants to kill you and Eve and that girl. I can’t let him do that. It’s got to stop.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. Now see what you can do about it.”

  Her gaze flew to the door. “He’s coming.” Panic tensed her body. “I can’t—”

  She was gone.

  ________

  “I’M HEADING BACK TO THE cottage,” Caleb said when Jane picked up. “I should be there within fifteen minutes.”

  “I take it you didn’t find any trace of him?”

  “I found a trace. It was in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. I thought I might have him, but I kept losing the track. I drove around there for over an hour. There was just too much interference.”

  “Can’t you try again?”

  “Yes, I thought I’d get on the Internet and try to map out the area where Jelak seemed strongest and see if I could see any pattern.”

  “I’ll help you.”

  “I’ll take all the help I can get.” He paused. “How is Eve?”

  “Holding up. She always does. She’s not going to like this news you have to give her. We need something positive.”

  “Then we’ll hit the Internet and see if we can find anything that’s even remotely in that category.”

  “I don’t like that word ‘remote.’”

  “Neither do I, Jane. Neither do I.”

  “WHAT? SHE’S NOT AWAKE yet?” Jelak looked down at Mary Lou. “I suppose I’ll have to do something about that. Did you know that a knife prick acts like a shot of adrenaline?”

  “I didn’t find that when you were slicing at me.”

  “But you have a different mentality than this child.” He took out his knife. “Maybe the wrist. What do you think, Quinn?”

  “I think that you’ve won, Jelak.”

  He shook his head as he lowered the knife. “So easily. You’re disappointing me. I was hoping that you’d hold out for a while.”

  “That would give you too much pleasure, and in the end it would be the same. I couldn’t let you kill her.”

  He smiled. “Then I suppose I should call Eve and let you talk to her.”

  Joe shook his head. “Not until I’m sure this kid is safe. Give her another whiff of that ether and take her out of here. Just a tiny whiff. I want to see her awake once you release her. I want to see her moving away from you.”

  “You’re being very demanding.”

  “I’m not giving you something for nothing. Take her back to that area where you picked her up. Let her loose and get back in your car.”

  “And is that all?”

  “No, I want you to video pictures back to my phone. You don’t have to untie me. You can set it up on the table over there. I want to see Mary Lou walking, no, running, away from you. And I want you to keep that camera on as you drive away so that I know you’re not following her.”

  “And then when I come back, you’ll do as I say?”

  He nodded. “I’ll talk to Eve. I’ll mention something we did together that only we know about. She’ll know that you didn’t kill me. Wasn’t that your complete list?”

  “That covers it. Yet how do I know you’ll keep your word after I let Mary Lou go?”

  “There would always be another Mary Lou, wouldn’t there? I’m not stupid enough to think that you’ll not keep on playing now that you have a winning hand.”

  “Yes, you’re not stupid at all, Quinn. Just exceptionally stubborn.” He stood looking down at the girl. “It’s a pity. I’ve never failed to complete a kill when I was this close.”

  “But you said she wouldn’t do you any good.”

  “No, but it’s the principle.” Then he shrugged and reached in his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. He knelt. “Just a tiny whiff, you said?”

  The deal was struck, and Mary Lou would live. Now Joe had to make sure Eve would have ammunition to fight back.

  And pray that Nancy Jo would help them after her panic subsided.

  Neither one of those priorities was looking promising at the moment.

  EVE’S CELL PHONE RANG TWO hours later.

  “I’ve solved my problem,” Jelak said. “I know you were biting your nails worrying if Quinn was alive. Yet I must say you deserved a little anxiety since you wouldn’t believe me.”

  “I would have been mad to believe you.”

  “Yes, but you’ve wasted a good deal of my time. After all the years I’ve been waiting, I resent even a little delay. That’s over now. I’m going to hand the phone to Quinn now, then we’ll negotiate.”

  Her hand was shaking on the phone.

  “Eve?” Joe said. “God, I’m sorry.”

  It was Joe. Relief surged through her. She hadn’t been absolutely sure until this minute that he was alive. “Don’t be crazy. You have nothing to be sorry about. Are you okay?”

  “A little sore in places but otherwise fine. I wasn’t given a choice that either one of us
could accept. He decided that grabbing a twelve-year-old kid would force my hand. He was right.” He paused. “He wants you to be absolutely certain that he has me before he starts his damn negotiations. He said to mention something in our past that wasn’t known to anyone else.” He paused. “Several years ago you went to Louisiana and you worked on a reconstruction at that big mansion that looked like Tara. I followed you down there, and we had a fight. Do you remember?”

  She hesitated. “Yes, I remember,” she said slowly.

  “Okay, then I’ve complied with Jelak’s damn bargain. He wants the phone back. Don’t deal with him. Tell him to go to hell.”

  Jelak’s voice came on the line. “Very noble. But you will deal, won’t you? I didn’t think there would be any question about that once you were sure I had him.”

  “I’ll deal.” She made a motion as Jane opened her lips. “But I’m not the suicide junkie you seem to think. I don’t want to die. I’m not going to come to you and meekly present my neck for the sword like Anne Boleyn. I want a chance. Tell me how I can get it and still free Joe.”

  He chuckled. “If I hadn’t known you were the perfect finale for me before, I would now. Let me think . . .” He was silent a moment. “Allatoona. No one would repeat a crime in the same place only days after the first one was committed. Go into the woods and wait for me. I’ll bring Quinn, but I’ll keep him bound. If I see that you have a weapon, and you try to ambush me, then I’ll kill him. If you escape me and can get back to him, then you can release him. If you don’t escape me, then I’ll go back and cut his throat. Will that give you enough incentive? And, of course, if I see police or media, he’s dead.”

  “When?”

  “It’s almost midnight now. Three in the morning? That’s truly the dead of night.”

  “Yes.”

  “I can hardly wait. It’s been too long.” He paused. “And I wasn’t wrong about you, Eve. You may be trying to hide it from the people who love you, but you do want this.” Jelak hung up.

  “Did you hear?” Eve hung up the phone. “Three o’clock. That doesn’t give us much time.”