“Why Copenhagen?”
“It was one of the cities where he started using the blood signature after he took the paintings. Caleb was just following up and seeing if there was anything else unusual about the thefts. When Caleb’s on the hunt, he makes sure he knows everything about the prey.” She shrugged. “I think Luca was just establishing a pattern. I couldn’t see anything different from his other thefts except that he cut the guard’s throat and used the blood.”
“No photograph?”
“No photograph.” She frowned. “Next time you decide to leave the tent early, wake me. You shouldn’t be down here without me knowing. It might not be safe.”
“There were other people down here digging. And the security guards are always milling around by daybreak. I had no intention of waking you to stand guard over me, Lisa. That was your idea, not mine.”
“It was a good idea. Besides, you made me look bad to Caleb. He saw you go down and was keeping an eye on you until I woke.”
“Ah, it’s all about Caleb again.”
“Only a little bit. The rest is you and Michael,” Lisa said soberly. “I want to do this right, Jane. Help me, okay? I can’t be caught off-guard as I was this morning. I think I’ll have to get my own sleeping bag and sleep in the tent so I’ll know what you’re doing.”
“Lisa.”
“You have to be safe. Not only for Caleb. I’m not going to let that creep get away with raping or killing you. Nasty son of a bitch. I promise I won’t get in your way.” She glanced at Michael. “And maybe I can help you take care of Michael. We get along great.”
“I’ve noticed.” She started to dig again. “But that might not be necessary. I called Joe last night and he’s on his way here now. He’ll take charge of Michael and will probably want to be with him most of the time.”
“So I’ve been officially discharged?” Caleb asked mockingly from behind her. “Shouldn’t I have been the first to know?”
She turned to look at him. “Not officially until Joe actually gets here. I decided it would be better to keep Michael away from me…and you as much as possible. I won’t have him be collateral damage if Luca tries to make good on his threats. He’ll be safe with Joe.”
“Yes, he will. And so will you. I’m not arguing,” he said curtly. “I would have kept my word, but I’m relieved that you chose Joe to step up to the plate. I’m just surprised that you called him and told him what was happening. It would be like you to try to protect him, too.”
She shook her head. “I told you from the beginning that I’d have to let Eve and Joe know if the police couldn’t identify and catch those people who were shooting at us. But things have gone from bad to worse. They’re Michael’s parents, they have a right. I should have told them before this, but I became…involved.”
“Understatement,” he said grimly. “You’re up to your neck.”
“Hardly my fault.”
“I didn’t say it was. What about Eve?”
She shook her head. “Joe talked her out of coming. No doubt I’ll be hearing from her.”
Caleb nodded. “And when is Joe going to be here?”
“Four A.M. flight out of Jokan, Maldara. Eight hours in the air plus transport here from Heathrow. Sometime this evening.”
“Good.”
“You’re very eager.” She forced herself to smile. “I thought you would be. It means you’re free to go on your hunt.”
“You’re damn right.” His gaze was searching her face. “Is that why you did it? You wanted to unleash me so that I could go kill the bastard?”
“I just wanted you to stay alive,” she said quietly. “And you’d more likely do that if you were free to strike first than if you had to wait for Luca to set a trap or go after you.”
“Quite true. And I will strike first, Jane.” He glanced at Lisa. “Keep an eye on them from now on, Lisa. I’ll be leaving as soon as Joe Quinn gets here, but I have to make a few arrangements before I take off.” He turned and headed toward the tent area.
Electricity was in his every step, Jane thought as she watched him move. She could almost feel the sparks flying. He hadn’t even left the property, but he was already on the hunt.
And he could die on that hunt. She had done this. She could have kept him here with her, but she had chosen to let him go. She had thought it was safer for him, but what did she know? It was all guesswork.
And the only thing certain was that she was terrified she might have guessed wrong.
She forced herself to look away from him and turn to Lisa. “I suppose that means that I’ll definitely be sharing my tent with you for the time being,” Jane said. “Just don’t think it’s a permanent arrangement.”
“I won’t.” Lisa was gazing wistfully after Caleb. “I’ve never wanted to go on a hunt, it’s not my thing. Family history says they started because it was supposed to help assuage bloodlust in the Ridondos who were born with the blood talent, but I never had a bloodlust. I don’t know why I’d want to go with Caleb now.”
“No,” Jane said firmly. “Forget it. Do as Caleb told you to do. Perhaps Michael and I need you after all.”
Lisa smiled. “Are you trying to save me from myself?”
“Maybe. I know I don’t want Luca to destroy or change anything about any of us. It would be a victory for him.” She wiped her hands on her towel. “And I’m spending entirely too much time dwelling on the bastard. I’ve got to get on with my life.” She started up the hill. “And playing in the dirt is losing its charm right now. I’m going to go get my sketchbook and finish the sketches of the dig I promised to give Lady Kendrick. I meant to do it on the day I went to MacDuff’s Run, when Luca erupted into my life. I have to get back on track.” She saw that Lisa was starting to follow her and waved her back. “For Pete’s sake, I’ll only be a few minutes. Stay with Michael.”
Lisa nodded. “Okay. Five minutes.” She grinned. “Then I’ll bring Michael up to look for you. I told you, I have to do this right.”
Jane sighed. She had an idea Lisa’s interpretation of “right” might be very wearing on the nerves. “Five minutes.”
* * *
“Hey, time to quit.” Lisa was squatting next to Jane. “The sun is going down and we have to get Michael his dinner.”
“What?” Jane looked absently up from her sketch. “It can’t be. I just started and—” She suddenly realized the sun was low on the horizon and the dig was almost deserted. The volunteers were still moving around the grounds, talking, laughing, but the workday had clearly come to an end. “I guess I wasn’t paying any attention. We usually quit at least an hour before this. Why didn’t you stop me?”
“Michael wouldn’t let me.” Lisa nodded at the boy sitting by himself a short distance away, staring at the setting sun. “He said it was important and to let you draw. He was very firm about it. I didn’t dare dispute him. Those sketches of the dig must have been important to more than Lady Kendrick. Michael came over and looked over your shoulder while you were sketching an hour ago and then told me I shouldn’t bother you.”
Jane made a face. “I didn’t notice him, either.”
“You weren’t noticing much of anything,” Lisa said dryly. “Are you always that absorbed?”
“Yes. No. It depends. Usually not while I’m doing casual sketches. I can usually break away.” She frowned as she looked down at the sketch she had been working on. “And I wasn’t drawing the dig an hour ago. I’d finished those sketches by the middle of the afternoon. I just started playing around after that.”
“It doesn’t look like playing around to me,” Lisa said as she gazed down at the pad. “The detail is incredible, but why a tower in the middle of a rainstorm?”
She shrugged. “How do I know?” She glanced at the towering round stone structure she’d drawn. The tower had a huge, tall, wooden door, and it was surrounded by elms that were being bombarded by ferocious winds, bending the trees almost to the ground. “I’ve never seen it before. Sometimes
it just comes to me. Maybe I was hot sitting here at the dig and I wanted to cool off.” She closed the sketchbook. “But it wasn’t worth keeping Michael from his dinner. You shouldn’t have paid any attention to him.” She got to her feet and called, “Michael! Come and help me persuade Lisa to go with us to the mess tent and throw something together for dinner.”
“You’re through?” Michael jumped to his feet and ran over to her. “That’s good, I’m hungry.”
“Your own fault. You shouldn’t have told Lisa not to stop me. It’s not as if I wasn’t finished with the drawings of the dig.” She put her hand affectionately on his shoulder and started to lead him toward the mess tent. “I was just amusing myself.”
“I didn’t think you were amused. You looked…” He stopped and shrugged. “I thought that you should finish it. Did it turn out okay?”
“Great,” Lisa said. “If you like rainstorms.”
“I do. They’re really cool. We get a lot of them in Georgia. But Mom won’t let me sit on the porch when we do. She’s always afraid about lightning striking me.” He smiled at Jane. “Lady Kendrick will be happy that you finished those sketches. Are you going to give them to her tonight?”
“After I clean them up a little.” She smiled back at him. “If it’s not too late. It depends what time it is when your dad gets here and we get him settled.”
“That won’t take long. Dad knows all about camping, and this isn’t even in the jungle. He learned lots when he was in the SEALs. Did you know the SEALs’ nickname is Snake Eaters? But Dad said they didn’t do that unless it was necessary.”
“I’m sure that makes the snakes ecstatically happy,” Jane remarked.
Michael nodded. “But I’m just saying that he’s very fast and efficient when he’s camping. If Mom was coming, he’d probably want her to be more comfortable and it might be different and take a little longer.”
It was the first time he’d mentioned Eve since Jane had told him that morning that Joe was coming. He’d asked no questions and just said a casual, “Awesome. That will be great.” And this mention of Eve was just as casual, but Jane felt she had to address it.
“It’s better if she doesn’t come this time, Michael. You know she wants to be here.”
He nodded. “But Dad has to take care of her. We always have to be sure Mom is happy and safe.” He shook his head soberly. “Sometimes that’s hard to do, Jane.”
“I can imagine. Well, he must have managed to pull it off this time.” Her hand tightened on his shoulder. “Want to call her tonight?”
“That would be great.” They had reached the common area, and he was staring inside the open doors of the mess tent. He glanced at Lisa. “I know you said we couldn’t invite everyone at camp to dinner, but it’s late and almost everyone has already eaten tonight. I only see about seven or eight people inside. Could we invite them?”
“I believe that would be entirely manageable,” Lisa murmured. “Eight new friends are better than the forty-nine that you wanted to invite before.” Her lips twitched as she glanced at Jane. “Maybe it was good that he insisted on letting you finish that sketch, Jane.”
* * *
Joe had already arrived by the time they’d finished dinner and walked back up the hill toward the tent. He was standing beside the fire talking to Caleb, a frown on his face.
“Dad!” Michael started running as soon as he saw him. “You should have come to dinner. I was telling everybody about the Snake Eaters, and they really wanted to meet you.” He flung himself into his arms. “Maybe tomorrow? I had Lisa invite them for breakfast, too.”
“Yeah, maybe tomorrow.” Joe hugged him and then held him close for a moment longer. “I’d rather have some time together now.” He let him go, then turned to Jane and took her in his arms. “You okay?”
She nodded. “It’s good to see you. I haven’t heard from Eve yet.”
“You will. She was a bit emotional and didn’t want to release the full force of it on you.” He gestured to Caleb. “He’s been filling me in on the new info from Scotland Yard, which was practically nil. I have friends at the Yard. I’ll see what I can scrounge up from them.”
“Any help is appreciated,” Caleb said.
Jane could sense the tension, the restlessness in Caleb, which was almost palpable. She looked away from him. “Do you need something to eat, Joe?”
He shook his head. “I had dinner on the plane.” He looked over her head at Lisa in the background. “Hi, Lisa, I’m sure that will be a relief to you. I hear my son has been taking advantage of your good nature and driving you like a tyrant. I’ll try to keep him under control.” He smiled down at Michael. “Caleb arranged with Lady Kendrick to send up a tent for the two of us. I thought I’d put it next to Jane’s. Would you like to help me set it up?”
“Sure.” Michael was immediately excited. “I was worried about Jane getting lonely when she told me that I was going to be with you. But this would be like we’re all in the same tent.”
“Not quite,” Lisa said. “I’m sure my presence won’t be as appreciated as yours, but Jane has decided she can tolerate me taking your place for the time being.” She looked hopefully at Caleb. “Unless…” He was shaking his head, and she shrugged. “I guess you’re stuck with me. Need any more help with that tent? I don’t eat snakes, but I spent a summer interning at Yellowstone with the National Park Service.”
“That should definitely qualify you.” Caleb was suddenly beside Lisa, his hands cupping her face. “You can do anything. I know, because I taught you.” His face was suddenly alight with affection as he brushed his lips across her forehead. “I’m trusting you to take care of everyone. And take care of yourself, do you hear me?”
She buried herself against him in a bear hug. “Then you’d better make sure I don’t have to go rescue you,” she said thickly. “It would get in my way.” She pulled away and turned to Michael. “You heard him, I can do anything.” She was already halfway up the hill. “Let’s go tackle that tent!”
Michael laughed and ran after her.
Caleb immediately whirled and turned toward Joe. All the gentleness had vanished from his expression. “I’m out of it?” His eyes were glittering with intensity as he stared directly at him. “The boy’s under your care now?”
“Of course he is,” Joe said. “Why else am I here?”
“I have to be sure. I can’t take anything for granted. I made her a promise. I have to keep it.” Caleb turned to Jane. “Have I kept it?”
She frowned in puzzlement. “You’ve kept it. You know this was all my choice.”
“Good. Then I’ll be in touch.” He turned and strode down the hill away from them.
What the hell? Jane stood there watching him go. Then she was running after him. “Caleb!” She caught up with him before he reached the path leading to the main gate. She grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. “What was that all about? You’re acting weird.”
“And that’s new for me?” he asked sarcastically. “I wanted to get away from here. I said what I had to say. I wasn’t in the mood to be polite.”
“And you weren’t. I wouldn’t want you to think that you’d failed. Are you angry? You said this was what you wanted.”
“Would it bother you if I was angry?” He was smiling recklessly. “You’re always saying I don’t talk to you, that I don’t tell you what I’m thinking, what’s important to me. Well, I told you tonight that it was important to me that I kept my word to you. I had to make certain that you knew you’d reached out to me and I hadn’t betrayed your trust as you always expect. After that, there wasn’t anything else to say.” He started to turn away. “I have to go.”
“Wait.” Her grasp tightened on his arm. “It’s always about you. Did it occur to you that I might have something to say? I hate you doing this, and I hate that I’m letting you do it. It makes me feel guilty as hell.” Her fingers dug into his arm as she said fiercely, “So you don’t get killed and you come back. Do you unde
rstand?”
“I understand.” His eyes were suddenly shimmering as he stared down at her. “What do I get if I do? I need an incentive.”
“You get to stay alive and torment me. That seems to be your favorite sport.” Her hand dropped away from him. “That should be enough.”
“Not nearly.” He took her hand, turned it palm up, and slowly lifted it to his lips. His tongue touched the veins at her wrist. He licked delicately and she inhaled sharply as heat shot through her. “But I’m encouraged by this touching display, and I believe I can get the rest of the way on my own.” His lips covered the pulse point and he suddenly sucked, his teeth pressing without piercing.
She smothered a cry. Her spine arched as she felt the heat sear through her breasts and lower body.
Then the incredible sexual pressure was gone and his tongue gave a final stroke on her wrist that was almost loving. “I couldn’t resist,” he murmured. “You couldn’t condemn me for committing a minor transgression when you were feeling so guilty?”
“Yes, I could.” She had to take a deep breath to recover sanity. Once she did, she felt an overpowering sadness. “Because you never really understood that sex wasn’t all I wanted from you. You were so good at it that you thought it would be enough.” She took a step closer to him. “But you would never have dreamed of treating me as you did Lisa tonight. That was genuine, that meant something, because she means something to you. For an instant I actually envied her.” She reached out and cupped his face as he had Lisa’s earlier that night. “Goodbye, Caleb.” She kissed him gently on the lips. “Take care. Good luck.”
She turned and walked away.
“Jane!” She was suddenly jerked into his arms and he was kissing her. When he lifted his head, she could see his eyes glittering fiercely in the moonlight. “You want genuine,” he asked roughly. “How is that for genuine? Open your damn eyes and see me.” He kissed her again. “You’re an idiot. I’d die for you. Is that genuine enough for you?”
The Persuasion Page 19