Jane found herself staring in fascination at the two men with hands clasped in traditional greeting. There was nothing traditional in what was going on beneath that gesture. They were like two sleek, powerful cats, backs arched, ready for the fray. No, much more dangerous than cats, and the only thing similar about them was that air of lethal purpose.
Lightness. Darkness.
Trevor was radiating those brilliant movie-star good looks and charm that had first drawn Jane to him so long ago.
Caleb was all darkness and power and magnetism that held you even while you struggled to get free.
She tore her gaze from them and grabbed the arm of the chair to lever herself to her feet. “I’ve had enough. Stop talking about me as if I weren’t here. Both of you get out of here and let me get dressed.” She looked at Caleb. “You’ll still take me to Atlanta?”
“Of course, nothing has changed.” He glanced at Trevor. “Has it?”
“Everything has changed.” Trevor smiled. “You’re going to the lake cottage?”
“I don’t know. I have to do a sketch rendering of the suspect at Rome hospital.”
“Then I’ll be in touch. Would you like me to smooth the way to get you sprung from this place? You don’t look like you’re a candidate for the discharge list.”
“I could arrange—” Why fight him over such a small thing? She needed her strength for the trip. “If you like, it would be a help.”
“I like.” He didn’t move. “And would you let me help you dress? It would be quicker.”
“I can manage.”
“Sure?” he said softly. “It’s not as if I haven’t done it before. Though I’m better at taking them off.”
She could have slapped him.
She was sure that he had a double purpose in that remark. He wanted to stir intimate memories, which he’d done, and he wanted to score off Caleb.
Which he’d also done. She wasn’t looking at Caleb, but she could sense the stiffening, the animal tension.
She turned her back on both of them and took a step closer to the bed and reached for her bra. “Really? I always thought you were a little clumsy. I guess I forgot to tell you.”
She heard Caleb chuckle as he left the room.
But Trevor was laughing, too. “Oh, Jane, how I’ve missed you, my love.”
She kept her eyes on the bra. “I’m not your love.”
“Yes, you are. I’ve dodged the word, and so have you, but it’s time to come to terms with it.” She heard him move toward the door. “Don’t sleep with Caleb. I thought I could be civilized about it if you decided to do it, but that was before I met him. He’s different, he wouldn’t let go. I’d end up by having to kill him.”
“For heaven’s sake, I’m only interested in finding Eve. I’ve no desire to sleep with either of you. But if I were, it would be my choice.”
“Theoretically. But I’m not good at theory. See you in Atlanta…”
* * *
“JUST BE PATIENT, EVE. I’ll have that blindfold off you in just a minute. I know it’s uncomfortable.”
Eve heard Doane close and lock the front door behind them.
“It’s like coming home, isn’t it?” He unlocked her handcuffs and took them off. “Just the three of us.”
“You’re crazy, you know,” she said, as he took the blindfold off her. “You can’t get away with this. Joe will find us.”
He chuckled. “For a moment I thought you meant I was crazy because I think Kevin is part of our little family. But then you wouldn’t find that unusual. You think of all your reconstructions as having a certain life of their own.” He added softly, “A life you give them. I regard that as a wonderful gift.”
“I don’t give them life. I’d have to be God to be able to do that. I give them a chance to bring solace to the people they’ve left behind and perhaps to get vengeance for what’s been done to them.”
“Vengeance. Yes, that’s an important part of what you’re able to do.” His expression was suddenly shadowed. “It’s sad that those victims all cry out for vengeance. It causes me pain.”
She stared at him skeptically. “And you’re saying you don’t want some form of vengeance for the death of your Kevin? I find that hard to believe.”
“And rightly so. But I prefer to call it justice.” He turned away. “Let me make you a cup of coffee while you examine the lab I created for you. You take it black, don’t you?”
“Yes.” She again felt that chill at the evidence of the extent of his knowledge about her. “How did you find out so much about me?”