“A dream? Eve?”
“It didn’t seem like a dream.” She buried her face in his chest. “So real. She was so tired. So cold. And then he was there, and she thought he’d fooled her into thinking that he’d gone back to the house. He took her down and she didn’t know if he was going to kill her and—”
“Shh.” His hand was rubbing her back. “Think. Did he kill her, Jane?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. She couldn’t stop shaking. “If he didn’t, then I think she was unconscious. It was all dark.”
“Then you have to think positive.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit.” She pushed him away. “I can’t think, I have to know. And I don’t know.” She sat up in bed. “All I know is that it was too real to be a dream, Trevor, not an ordinary dream. It was Eve.”
“Okay, it was Eve.” He sat down on the bed. “One like you had when you were dreaming about Cira?”
“No. Yes. It was that real, but it was worse. It was terrible because it was Eve.”
“And you think she might have died.”
“That’s what she thought might be happening.” She closed her eyes. “No, I think I would have known if she were dead. I would have felt the emptiness.” Her eyes opened. “And I’ve got to keep on thinking that. Because I’ve got to keep on trying to find her. Get me my sketchbook.”
“Good God, your hands are still shaking.” He handed her the sketchbook. “How do you think you’re going to hold a pencil?”
“It will stop. I’ll make it stop. I’ve got to get everything down while it’s still fresh.” She met his eyes. “Before I only half believed that I had reached out to Eve before. You know me. I can’t believe what I can’t touch. But this dream was the same, the same place, the same thoughts. She was even thinking about the path that led to the house.” She frowned. “No, she called it the factory this time.”
“A factory in the middle of the wilderness?”
“Yes, I know it’s crazy. But it was the same thing in her mind, that’s how she was thinking about it. In the first dream, everything was jumbled because I was a little in shock because I wasn’t expecting to—” She shook her head. “But I think that this dream was in sequence to the first one. Do you remember the Cira dreams were like that, unfolding like a story.” She rubbed her temple. “Only the Cira story took place two thousand years before I was born. This story may be happening now. Am I going crazy, Trevor? Do I just want it to happen so badly that I’m grabbing?”
“If you are, I’ll grab with you.” He smiled. “And I’ll hold on tight. I’d say you more than half believed in what you were doing. You were certain enough to get us all started on this wilderness-terrain hunt.”
“Which hasn’t yielded any results yet. I have to go farther than Eve’s surroundings. I was afraid to attach any significance to anything else connected to her, but I have to go all the way.” She drew a deep breath. “I think she definitely must have managed to escape from Doane. But he’s after her, and she can’t find anyone to help her. But the fact that she’s free has to be good.” She moistened her lips. “If he didn’t catch her or kill her tonight.”
“If he did catch her, it’s no worse than we’ve expected all along.” He took her hand. “And we’ve already ruled out the other. You said you would have known.”
Dear God, she hoped she would have known. “That’s right. I’ve ruled it out.” She started drawing. “Be quiet, Trevor. I’ve got to remember everything she was thinking. She didn’t even know who or what was after her. I’m trying to remember if she had any other impressions other than force and darkness when he took her down.”
“Force and darkness,” Trevor repeated speculatively as he got up from the bed. “It sounds like a demonic experience.”
“That describes Doane.” She steadied her hand as it flew over the pad. Don’t give in to weakness. Eve had not given in to the cold or terrible aloneness.
“That scream was piercing. There’s going to be a nurse in here any minute yelling at you for not trying to sleep.”
“Then you’ll take care of her. After all, you’re irresistible. Ask anyone.”
“Are you being sarcastic?”
“No, it’s one of the assets you use whenever necessary. It’s part of your character. When I first met you, I thought that was all there was to you, but you still made me dizzy.”
“You were only seventeen, and I was fighting like hell not to prey on a teenager. It was hard to walk away from you.”
“But you came back.”
“You were older and I—”
“Never mind. I don’t want to talk about our time together. It’s over.” She had found herself drawn toward those memories because they were also part of the search for Cira’s story. No, be honest. Trevor had only to be near her, in the same room, and memories flooded back to her. “Just keep the nurse away from me. I want to call Kendra Michaels.”
“Venable filled me in about her. She sounds intriguing.”
“She’s pretty sharp. Joe called me and told me she’s at Goldfork. I need to talk to—”
“What are you doing awake, Ms. MacGuire?” A nurse in a red plaid jacket that displayed a J. RUDIN badge was standing in the doorway, frowning. “Do you need a sedative? Are you in pain?”
“No, I’m not in pain. I feel—”
“But she does have a problem.” Trevor moved toward the nurse. “I’m glad you came by.” He smiled. “I need you to answer a few questions for me, Nurse Rudin. Jane doesn’t like drugs, but emotional and psychological problems can be hell, can’t they? Will you step into the hall so that we can discuss it?”
“Who are you? She shouldn’t—” Then she smiled back at him. They always smiled back at Trevor, Jane thought. “I’ll be glad to help,” the nurse said. “Let’s get to the bottom of this.”
“I knew I could count on you.” He swept her from the room.
Irresistible, Jane thought. Never patronizing, just making you believe you were the most important person in his world. It was hard to fight that kind of magnetic star power. She had never been able to do it.
Until she realized that she was coming too close to surrendering herself totally to him. It had frightened her and sent her running away from him. She had never admitted even to herself that fear existed. Until now. Until she had faced the fear of losing Eve. As long as she didn’t give herself, entrust herself, to anyone completely, she was safe.
But she’d had no choice with Eve. She’d made that commitment as a child, and the fear was growing with every passing minute. Her options were still open with Trevor, and she could send him away and save herself from that vulnerability.
Enough of soul-searching, the only searching she should be doing was for Eve.
Who was alive and well, she told herself fiercely. She would not believe anything else.
Kendra. She quickly dialed her cell number. She was half hoping it would go to voice mail. She didn’t want the awkwardness of explaining why she wanted to—
“Jane?” Kendra had picked up the phone in two rings. “Are you all right? Where are you?”
“Still in the hospital. I’m fine, better all the time. I can’t wait to get out of here. I’ve had enough of hospitals.”
“I suppose you want a report. Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have anything definite yet.” Her tone was suddenly urgent. “And, look, I’m involved in something right now. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“It does disappoint me. And I’ll only be a minute.” She stopped, then went for it. “I’m going to send a few sketches I’ve drawn to your phone. I’ve been trying to locate the exact location. It appears to be in the mountains, somewhere in the wilderness. That’s all I’m guessing.”
“What the hell?”
“Just study them and see if you can identify them from anything you’ve seen.”
“And why am I doing this?”
“Because I think that’s where Eve might be. I believe she may hav
e escaped Doane and she’s—” Jane stopped. She could almost feel Kendra’s skepticism, and who could blame her. “I don’t know why you’re doing this. Just do it, okay.”
“Jane, do you still have a fever?”
“No, dammit, listen. And there’s a house, only Eve thinks of it as a factory. I thought a factory in the middle of that wild country was peculiar enough to give you something to go on.”
“Is that all?”
“Except that I don’t think Eve has much time. Something happened to her.” End the call. She had said all she had to say.
And hope that Kendra didn’t think she’d completely lost her mind. “Don’t shrug off what I’ve said. Please. Just keep it in mind and let it percolate. I’m hanging up now. You said you were busy. Good-bye, Kendra.”
“Wait. I am busy, but you’re not going to leave me like this. How? Where did it come from?”
Jane had been afraid that Kendra wouldn’t let her escape without that question. She knew that in the same situation she would have jumped on her with both feet. “Nothing that you’ll accept. Hell, nothing that I really accept. I just have to cling to it because I don’t have anything else.” She paused and then forced herself to say the words. “A dream, Kendra. Just a dream.” She hung up.
She half expected a call back, but none came. Kendra probably was humoring her. Or calling Joe and telling him that Jane had lost it. Well, Joe knew the story, and she’d let him tell it. Maybe that would persuade Kendra to put aside logic and reason and at least accept tolerantly the information Jane had given her.
Yeah, sure. Not likely.
But she’d put a few seeds in Kendra’s fine mind that might bear fruit.
And she’d make sure she threw a few other items at her to stumble over.
She took her phone and took photos of the sketches in her pad. Then she sent them to Kendra’s phone.
She heard the familiar whistling sound. “Deal with it,” she murmured. “I wish I was out of here and doing it instead.”
“But you’re not,” Trevor said as he came back in the room. “And that kind nurse was tempted to come in here herself and stay with you until you went to sleep. After she gave you a shot.”
“But you took care of it.” She started to draw again. “She didn’t have a chance.”
“Sure she did. We all have a chance. We just make choices.” He sat down in the chair. “Did Kendra choose to believe you?”
“Probably not. But I hung up before she could argue with me. I can only hope that I’m right about her and that she finds it impossible to discount any information even if it doesn’t make sense to her. I believe she stores everything away and brings it out when she needs it.”
“Efficient. I approve. Most of us store away only what is most important to us.” He leaned back in the chair, watching her sketch. “You’ve stored away everything about Eve since the moment she came into your life when you were a kid. Have you stored away anything about me?”
Passion. Heat. Laughter. Golden hours with a golden man.
“Some things.”
“But not the things I wanted you to store away and save.” He smiled. “That’s still to come. Sex is all very well. Sex is fantastic. It’s also very powerful, and I’m having a few apprehensions about Seth Caleb. You’re feeling a little too erotic where he’s concerned. He taps that in you.”
She didn’t answer.
“But I’ll handle that, Jane. I’ve just got to show you how much more there is to what we have together.” He picked up his computer. “Now back to business. That library visit was no good at all yesterday. I’m going to send photos of your sketches to a few forestry friends I have in the park service and see if it will ring a bell.”
“Forestry friends? Is there anyone you don’t know, Trevor?”
“I’ve lived a full life. People are part of a full life. I like most of them. Those I don’t like I find a way to ignore or get rid of.” He looked up and smiled. “And then there are those I love and store away in a very special place.” He didn’t wait for her to answer but gazed down at his computer. “There’s a brilliant guy, Joseph Hansen, who spends more of his time in the forest than he does in bed with his wife. Not popular with her, but very popular with the university where he teaches. Let’s see if he’s seen anything like these areas you’ve drawn…”
Rio Grande Forest
Colorado
FIRE. BURNING ORANGE, blue.
The crackle of wood in the forest stillness.
Forest …
Eve stiffened, her gaze flying from the center of the burning campfire to encircle the small clearing.
Tackled.
Pain. No breath. Death.
No, not death, darkness. She’d been knocked unconscious.
By Doane. Where was Doane?
She struggled to a sitting position.
Difficult. Her hands were tied.
Doane, again, dammit.
Where was …
“Hello, Eve.”
He was behind her. No, she could see Doane coming toward the fire from the corner of her eye.
She went rigid and lost her breath.
Not Doane!
Powerful muscular frame and athletic stride. Dressed all in black, from jeans to wool jacket. White hair, closely barbered, dark eyes in a face that was lean and chiseled. Age … sixties? It was hard to determine. The way he moved spoke of a much younger man.
“You came around sooner than I expected.” He crossed to the other side of the fire and dropped down on the ground. “I only wanted you out long enough to tie your wrists and make a fire, but it appears I just made it.”
“Who are you?”
“Not whom you expected? But you knew I was there in the trees watching you, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“But I didn’t make any sound. I’ve been at this a long time, and I don’t make mistakes like that.”
“You didn’t make one this time either. I just knew you were there.”
“Instinct. It’s a wonderful thing. It’s probably what’s kept you alive and free with Doane after you. I saw by your tracks that you made some mistakes, but instinct can erase a lot of errors.”
“Who are you? And how do you know about Doane?”
He smiled. “Think. Who do you think I am?”
“I don’t like guessing games.” She stared at him. Cool. Confident. His expression indicated only mockery and curiosity. “And I don’t like to be tied like this.” She reached up and touched her neck. “Karate. You pressed on my carotid artery to make me black out. I don’t like that either.”
“I understood you could be a formidable opponent. I chose to put you out and avoid permanent damage.”
“Are you another of Doane’s accomplices?”
“Another Blick? How insulting.”
Her glance left his and went to the fire. “If you’re not one of Doane’s men, then you should put out the fire. The smoke could bring Doane running.”
He smiled. “But I don’t care, Eve.”
And then she knew who he was.
CHAPTER
8
EVE’S EYES WIDENED as she went rigid with shock.
“Ah, you’ve put it all together.” He picked up a stick and reached over and stirred the fire. “You should have done it sooner. After all, your situation doesn’t have that many possible options.”
“You weren’t one that I expected. But now I recognize the voice.” She moistened her lips, her gaze on his face. “You’re Lee Zander.”
“Yes.”
“You told Doane that you weren’t going to step into his trap.”
“And I’m not. I’m going to let him step into mine. I decided that it would be boring waiting for him to close in and make his play. Better to have it over quickly.”
“So you came after him.”
Zander smiled. “And found an intriguing situation in play. How did you get free of him?”
“You’re not really interested.” She l
ooked down at the ropes around her wrists. “And you weren’t worried about any harm I could do you. You just staked me out like a goat for a tiger.”
He chuckled. “You do yourself an injustice. You bear no resemblance to a goat, Eve. And Doane is no tiger. He’s more reptilian in nature.”
No, it was Zander who resembled the tiger, Eve thought, gazing at him. A rare white tiger, lean, powerful, and deadly. Though he appeared relaxed, almost indolent, she was acutely aware that laziness could change in a heartbeat. “Whatever. You’re using me to trap Doane.”
“He was using you to try to draw me into a trap. I thought that it was fitting that I steal the bait and set a trap of my own. It pleased my sense of whimsy.”
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t see any whimsy in the situation,” Eve said curtly. “I only see two vicious bastards fighting over a piece of meat. Why don’t you set me loose and just go after each other?” She nodded at the blaze. “You’ve built that fire, and that will bring Doane running. Do you really need me as bait?”
“I’m not sure.” He tilted his head. “It seemed a good idea at the time. I’ll have to consider the possibilities. As I’ve been sitting here looking at you, I’ve been wondering if I could have had other motivations.” He lifted his shoulder in a half shrug. “Though that’s a hard admission for me to make. I have a habit of making up my mind and going straight for the target. I never second-guess myself.”
“Well, good for you,” she said sarcastically. “It must be wonderful to think you’re always perfect.”
“Perfect? I don’t believe anyone could use that word referring to me.” He paused, thinking about it. “Except I come very close in executing my profession.”
“Murder,” she said harshly. “Like Doane.”
“We discussed this over the phone when Doane tried to dangle you as bait. I’m nothing like Doane or his son. I do not kill children, and both Doane and his Kevin were amateurs compared to me.”
“Murder,” she repeated.
He nodded. “But I’m more like the assassins of the Renaissance, and they’re like stockyard butchers.”
“It’s taking life. When you get down to the basics, that’s all that’s important.” She paused. “Are you going to kill me?”