Taking Eve(28)
“No, I don’t.”
“Then I’ll just gas up the plane and have it ready to go if you decide that’s your best option.”
“Thanks, Caleb,” she said absently. “Of course it all depends on Toby…”
“No, it depends on Jane MacGuire.” She heard him chuckle as he turned away. “You’ve made up your mind, and you’d find a way to save your Toby and fly to Eve’s rescue no matter what the obstacles.”
“Maybe.” She opened the door. “But Eve said she doesn’t need rescuing.”
“And you hope she’s telling the truth.”
“Eve never lies to me. I just don’t like the poison. I don’t like having to come here instead of going straight to the lake cottage. I don’t like the way she shunted me off that call.” She said over her shoulder, “So I’m going to go and ask her in person why she did it.”
* * *
“I’LL BE BACK SOON, BOY.” Jane’s hand gently stroked Toby’s head. He was still under sedation and didn’t move. But she hoped somehow he might be able to understand her. “We made it through, Toby. We’ve been together so long and it looks like God wants us to stick together for a while longer.” Her voice was unsteady. “Isn’t that great?” She put her cheek on his ruff. He was so soft and silky. “I love you,” she whispered. “I wouldn’t leave you if I didn’t have to do it. But Devon says you’re doing fine, and you’re out of danger. I’m not so sure about Eve. You’ll understand, you love Eve, too.”
“Devon says you’re leaving.”
Jane straightened and turned to see Margaret standing in the doorway. “Yes, I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to see you before I left. Devon says that it will take a day or two before Toby will be well enough to travel.” She gave Toby a final pat. “I’ll be back in a few days. Will you take care of him for me?”
Margaret nodded. “I told you that he belonged to me, too, now.” She looked down at Toby. “He’ll be well soon. He has a strong heart. I’ll put him with Monty and Maggie and that will help.” She smiled. “After all, they’re his parents. It’s right that they’re together now.” Her smile faded. “You wouldn’t leave Toby if it wasn’t important. Did you find out who tried to kill him?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Maybe. I just know I have to get to Eve. She adopted me when I was a kid, and I’m uneasy that this may have something to do with her.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m trying to put the pieces together. I was going to see Eve when all this began. She could be the key.”
“You’re worried about her.”
“I love her,” she said simply. “She’s the most important person in my life.”
“That’s … nice,” Margaret’s voice was wistful. “But it’s kind of dangerous, too.”
“What?”
“All your eggs in one basket…” Margaret said vaguely. “You have too much to lose. It’s safer not to narrow down the field.” She tilted her head. “I’d think that you’d be afraid of doing that. It doesn’t seem your style.”
Jane gazed at her in surprise. Margaret and she had spent less than a few hours together and exchanged little conversation. How had Margaret realized that Jane had problems with trust? It should have made her feel uneasy to be so easily read, but somehow it didn’t. “Sometimes you can’t help yourself. People come into your life, and you know that you can’t let them leave again even if there’s a chance that they’ll hurt you. Haven’t you found that, Margaret?”
“Yes, but I try to keep them at a distance … like you, Jane.”
Jane shook her head. “I’ve never seen anyone more open to people than you are.”
Margaret suddenly chuckled. “I said I try, I didn’t say I succeed. I know what’s good for me, I just dive in anyway.” She gave Toby a pat. “Like Toby here. He’d rather take a chance than close himself away from people who might show him affection. That’s why we have to protect him.”
“And who protects you, Margaret?”
“Oh, I have a whole army who take care of that.” She grinned. “And now Toby is enlisted into that army. We understand each other, we belong to the same club. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”
“If you have to rely on Toby, then you’re in bad shape,” Jane said dryly. “Being a guard dog isn’t his long suit, as you’ve already noted.”