Taking Eve(31)

“Ben?”

“Ben Hudson. He showed up last night after I went to bed.”

“Why?”

“He said he’d had a dream, and he wanted to be with me.” She said unsteadily, “It’s almost funny, isn’t it? All those premonitions that were plaguing you. Everyone seemed to be so worried about me when it wasn’t about me at all. It was about Jane. We should have been worried about Jane.” She had to get off the phone before she broke down. “I’ll call you when I get to the airport.” She hung up.

She drew a deep breath and turned toward the bedroom.

Get a grip. Throw some clothes into an overnight bag and get out of here. She called Ben.

He answered on the second ring. “Do you need me?”

“No, but Jane needs me. I have to go to her. Where are you?”

“About a mile or so down the road, just inside the woods.”

“Come to the cottage. I have something I want you to do.”

“Right away, Eve.” He hung up.

At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Ben in those dark, wet woods any longer, she thought as she quickly packed her bag and set the FedEx box by the front door.

She checked her watch. Almost fifteen minutes had passed since her call to Ben. Shouldn’t he be here? He was young and strong and when he said right away, it meant full speed ahead.

Stop worrying. He’ll be here soon.

But she needed to get to the airport, and she couldn’t sit here twiddling her thumbs. She’d meet him on the road and tell him about the FedEx. In two minutes, she was in the car and driving down the driveway toward the road.

It was starting to rain again, dammit. She hit the windshield wipers and headlights, her eyes straining for a glimpse of Ben. He was wearing Joe’s yellow slicker. He should be easy to spot as he walked toward her.

But she almost missed him.

Because he was not walking toward her. He was crumpled on the ground at the side of the road.

“Ben!”

She stomped on the brakes and jumped out of the car.

Then she was kneeling beside him, her knees sinking into the rivulets of mud and water. The yellow slicker was also streaked with smears of mud.

Mud, not blood. But he was so damn still.

Eve pushed the hood of the slicker back away from his face.

And then she saw the blood. His face was white in the pale morning light, and there was a deep, long gash over his left eye.

“Ben,” she whispered.

“Don’t you worry. I don’t think he’s dead. I’ll take care of him.”

Her head jerked to the side, and she saw a gray-haired man in a green camouflage slicker just behind her. His old red pickup truck was parked at the curve of the road with headlights blazing. He was gazing at Ben with concern as he came toward them.

She tensed warily and her hand reached in her pocket and closed on her gun. He could just be one of the neighboring farmers who used the lake road to cut across to the highway. He didn’t seem to be a threat. As he drew closer, she relaxed a little more.

A seamed and weathered face, blue eyes that had creases at the corners.

And she had never seen a more kindly expression.

“Why, he’s just a kid. Who is he? Your brother?” He fell to his knees beside her. “That looks like a bad cut. Maybe we’d better get him to the hospital.” He took out his phone. “I’ll call 911.” He was dialing even as he reached out to grasp Eve’s shoulder in sympathy. “We’ll get him help right away.”

She instinctively flinched away from him. “Who are you?”

“Just someone who wants to help. My farm is down the road from your property. I believe in being a Good Samaritan. We all have to help each other.” His smile was as gentle as his expression. “My name is Doane.” He extended his hand. “What’s yours?”

“Eve Duncan.” She turned back to Ben. “Finish making that call. I don’t like the way he’s breathing.”

“Really?” He leaned forward over Ben and his hand fell on her shoulder as he tried to get closer. “I think he may be—”

She didn’t hear the end of the sentence.

She didn’t feel the pinprick on her upper back.

But she slumped forward over Ben’s body a second later.





CHAPTER

5



“RELAX.” REX NELKER, THE PILOT Joe had hired to take him to Summer Island, glanced at him as the Learjet lifted off the Miami runway. “We’re moving as fast as we can. We should have good weather all the way to the island. I’ll have you there in an hour or so.”

“I’ll relax when you tell me we’re landing.” But Joe knew that Nelker was right. Everything had gone as smoothly and quickly as possible for a last-minute departure. He had practically been able to step on the plane minutes after he arrived at Miami International. But that didn’t keep him from being on edge. He hadn’t heard back from Seth Caleb after that first phone call. For all he knew, Jane could be dead.