Taking Eve(104)

“Blind?”

“I know, I know. It’s all crazy. But I don’t care. I’ll take a chance on her.” She added desperately, “I’ll take a chance on anyone who’s willing to try to find Eve.” She moistened her lips. “Even you, Margaret. You have no business being here, but I’m going to let you take your risks. God, I’m sorry.”

“I’m not sorry. It’s what I want. But a moment ago you were hurling orders and marshaling us all to battle. What happened?”

“Why did I fall apart? I miss her,” she said unevenly. “I’m fine while I’m doing something that could get her back, but when I have moments of quiet, the panic and sadness hit home. I can’t tell you how many hours Eve and I have spent on this porch talking or just sitting and looking out at the lake. There’s a closeness I never knew before I came to her. She’d had her real daughter, Bonnie, and lost her. I hadn’t had anyone but a long line of foster parents who didn’t give a damn about me. She cared. I don’t know why because I wasn’t an easy kid. We just sort of completed each other.”

“That’s pretty wonderful.”

“Yeah. You bet it is.”

“I never had someone like that,” she said quietly. “Maybe someday.” She turned toward the door. “You don’t want anyone right now. I was going to talk to you about what I could do to help, but I’ll go make myself useful and brew us up some coffee instead.”

Margaret’s sensitivity extended to more than animals, Jane thought as she looked back at the lake. She suddenly tensed as she caught sight of trucks and divers pulling up on the far north bank. They were going to search for Doane’s car.

And the body inside it.

It was starting. The hunt, the deaths …

But not Eve’s death. They had made small steps, and they would make more now that they had names and an idea of Doane’s agenda.

Hold on, Eve. I’ll never give up. We’re coming for you.


Rio Grande Forest, Colorado

WE’RE COMING FOR YOU.

Pain. Sorrow. Panic.

Jane?

A dream …

Eve’s eyes opened, and she lay there a moment until the drowsiness left her. It had been strange to have that dream about Jane when Bonnie hadn’t been able to reach her until she was in a drugged sleep. Life and death. Perhaps it made a difference in the battle with that darkness.

Or perhaps it was just Eve’s own desire to reach out for the ones she loved in this place that was filled with ugliness and hate.

Forget dreams. Change the place. Escape the ugliness herself.

She got to her feet and moved toward the bathroom. The oak boards were cool on her bare feet. It was always cool, often freezing, at night in the mountains. She had to remember to dress as warmly as she could. There was no telling how long she’d have to be on the run until she could find anyone to help her. She didn’t even know how close she was to a main road. It had seemed at least fifteen minutes before they had reached smooth pavement instead of rock.

She listened a moment before she turned on the shower. Doane was breathing steadily, deeply. She had tucked the spatula into her pocket, and she could try to jimmy the lock now. Lord, she didn’t want to sit down in front of Kevin’s reconstruction again.

No, Doane’s breathing was changing. He was waking. Perhaps it was for the best. She wasn’t ready. Try later.

Plan. She had to have a plan that would take care of all aspects of her escape. And what about her course when she made it outside? Not easy. Doane had set a load of complications for her to overcome. She could do it. She just had to have a plan and not try to wing it.

Today, Doane. I promise you, it will be today, you bastard.





CHAPTER

16



“YOU’VE GOT THE NOSE.” DOANE’S eyes were glinting with excitement as he stared at the skull. “You said it would be so hard, but it came quickly, almost like magic.” He added softly, “Kevin’s magic. He’s telling you what to do, isn’t he?”

“No, I’m just damn good at my job.” She avoided looking at the nose that had emerged beneath her fingers in an incredibly short time. “Your son is dead, and he has no magic. All that’s left of him is this hideous skull.”

“It’s not hideous anymore. You’re making him the way he was before Zander killed him.” His gaze was visually caressing the skull. “But it will be better when you put in the eyes. Go ahead and do it.”

She stiffened. “It’s not time. There’s a lot of smoothing and fine-tuning to do. The eyes are the last thing to go in.”

“You could do all that stuff later. I want to see his eyes. They were blue like mine. But his were sharper, keener, almost mesmerizing.”