Taking Eve(52)

“Okay. Okay. No one is going to give the kid a hard time.”

“I’ll keep the local police off him, but I don’t want your agents harassing him either.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

“No, make it happen.” He strode ahead of Venable into Ben’s room.

The boy looked as pasty pale as the white bandage that encircled his head. He shook his head when he saw Joe. “You’re going to be mad at me. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do,” he whispered. “She’s gone, isn’t she? I’m sorry, Joe.”

“I know you did what you could.”

“But she’s gone. He took her.”

“You say Eve’s gone. She’s still alive?”

Ben nodded. “I think so. The little girl says she is.”

“Bonnie?”

“This morning, when I was crawling through the grass trying to get to the clinic, I kept falling asleep, and Bonnie was there. I told her I tried to do what she wanted. She said there was still time.”

Joe hoped to hell he was right. Trust him. Trust Ben’s connection with Bonnie. It was all he had right now. “Listen, Ben. How do you know Eve’s gone? Did you see who took her? Can you tell me what happened?”

“Eve called me and told me to come back to the house. I started back right away.” He reached up and rubbed his temple. “A man jumped out of the bushes and hit me with something. I think it was a wrench. I fell down, and he hit me again. And then again, I think.”

“Did you know him? Could you recognize him again?”

Ben nodded. “I never saw him before. But I’d recognize him if I saw him again.” He frowned, puzzled. “He had grayish black hair and his face … He looked like…” He stopped. “He looked like Mr. Drury, one of the volunteers who helps out at the camp where I work. Well, not really. His nose was different, and so was his hair. But the way he … smiled. Mr. Drury smiled like him. Nice man, always smiling.” His frown deepened. “The man who hit me looked like that, a nice old man.”

“He was smiling?”

“No, he wasn’t smiling. He looked … sad.”

“But he hit you at least a couple times, then dumped you near that urgent-care facility but not near enough to be sure they’d find you. I don’t think those were the actions of a ‘nice old man,’” Joe said. “I think whoever hit you meant to stop you or use you as a decoy to trap Eve.”

“Then I helped him.” His eyes glistened with moisture. “I meant to help Eve, but I didn’t do it.”

“You tried, Ben.” He gave his shoulder a brief squeeze and stepped away from the bed. “And you may still be able to do it. Suppose I get a police artist out here and have him help you remember what the man who hit you looked like?”

“I saw something like that on a TV show.” He shook his head, troubled. “I don’t know if I’m smart enough to do that.”

“Sure you are. The artist just has to ask the right questions. Is there anything else you can tell me about the man who took Eve? Did you see his truck, maybe a license plate?”

He frowned. “Sort of. For just a second. It was an old red truck. No license plate. But I’ve been thinking. He didn’t seem bad. If he’s like Mr. Drury, maybe it’s all a mistake. Maybe Eve won’t be in trouble.”

“I hope you’re right. But sometimes people aren’t what they seem,” Joe said gently. “You have to not take people at face value and pay attention to their actions. He hit you and gave you a nasty concussion, Ben.”

“And Bonnie was worried.” His teeth sank into his lower lip. “So maybe he could hurt Eve. I have to make sure that doesn’t happen, Joe.”

“We will. But right now, you have to rest so that you can concentrate and remember what we need to know for the police artist.”

Ben nodded. “But then I have to go with you to find her. You’ll take me, won’t you, Joe?”

“If it’s best for Eve. I’m not going to make promises I can’t keep.”

“Bonnie wanted me to take care of Eve.”

“You’ll help. Just think about the man who attacked you. Remember everything you can.” He turned toward the door. “You’ve already helped, Ben.”

“No, I lost her,” he said desperately. “I shouldn’t have done that. I have to find her.”

There wasn’t anything else Joe could say to comfort him. He was as desperate as Ben and was feeling the same panic. He had hoped for more information from him than he had gotten. A model of the truck, a license number, a clue, dammit.