Taking Eve(44)
Blood on the grass.
Not Eve’s blood. He had to take comfort in that fact. It might not even be Ben’s blood.
There was no comfort in that stark scenario Venable had painted.
No Eve. No Ben.
Blood.
His palms were suddenly cold with sweat.
Stop thinking about it. Within a few hours, he’d be at the cottage and making his own assessment. Just sit here until Jane got out of ER, then he could start moving.
Blood on the grass.
* * *
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, they wheeled Jane out of ER and down the corridor.
Her gaze was searching desperately until it fell on Joe standing against the wall. “Venable?” she whispered. “Eve?”
He shook his head. “She wasn’t at the cottage. Neither was Ben.” Don’t tell her about the blood yet. “Venable and his agent are there.” He looked at the dark-skinned intern with S. PEREZ on his name tag who was walking beside the gurney. “Is she okay?”
“No, but she will be.” His white smile flashed. “A few stitches and another pint of blood, and she’s responding beautifully. Give her a few days or so, and she’ll be released.”
“No way,” Jane said flatly. “As soon as I can stand without falling, I’m out of here.”
“Right.” Dr. Perez continued, “As I said, a few days or so.” He turned to Joe. “Now if you’ll leave her for fifteen minutes, we’ll get her settled in her room. You can visit her there.”
“No, he can’t,” she said. “You heard him, I’m on the mend. Now get out of here, Joe.”
“I’m going.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Do what they tell you.”
“Go to hell. You wouldn’t.” She grabbed his arm and held him tight for an instant. “Take care of yourself. Take care of her.”
“I will. I’ll call you and let you know what’s happening.”
“You’d better.” She let him go. “Because you’re not telling me everything now. I can feel it.”
“I don’t know everything, Jane.”
Her eyes closed. “Call me.”
He watched them wheel her into a room at the end of the hall before he turned on his heel and headed for the front entrance.
“How is she?” Caleb entered through the glass doors before Joe reached them. “Pretty well, I take it. Or you wouldn’t be leaving her.”
“Another pint of blood. A few stitches. Okay in a few days,” Joe said briefly. “I thought you’d be here sooner.”
“I had a problem to take care of after I landed at the airport. Where’s Jane now?”
“She’s in the room at the end of the corridor.”
Caleb nodded. “I’ll let her rest a few minutes before I go in to see her. I have a habit of overstimulating her.”
“Is that what you call it?”
He smiled. “Stimulation isn’t bad. It makes you know you’re alive.”
“Or gives you a heart attack.”
“You keep remembering what I did to that murderer that first time I met you and Eve.” He smiled. “I just pumped a little extra blood into his heart. He did deserve it, you know.”
“I know. But I dislike the idea of your being able to do that and no one’s being able to prove that it was cold-blooded murder.”
“Never cold-blooded, Quinn.” He opened the glass door and held it open for Joe. “I don’t know the meaning of the term. It wouldn’t work for me. Be sure to let me know as soon as you can about that photo. You’ve contacted Venable about it?”
“Yes.” He went past Caleb. “We had a comprehensive discussion about using people.”
“It’s a common practice, isn’t it? Even Jane isn’t above doing it for the people or animal she loves. Any news about Eve?”
He shook his head. “And it’s going to be hard to stop Jane from following me.” His lips twisted. “You might try your hand at discouraging her if you want to keep her safe.”
“I’m not sure I do. It might be to my advantage to let her put herself in jeopardy. Danger can be a strong bond.”
“Bastard.”
“I didn’t say I’d let her harm herself. That would be stupid. Good-bye, Quinn. I truly hope you find Eve.” His tone was sincere. “Which makes me very torn about my feelings about how the rest of this is going to play out.” He shrugged. “As you know, I’m not very stable. We’ll have to see which way I jump.”
“And if it’s the wrong way, Jane will trip you and barbecue you over hot coals.” Joe’s tone was grim.
Caleb threw back his head and laughed. “And that would be very stimulating, too. I’m sure you’ll attend the festivities.”