Iris Johansen 1998 - The Face of Deception



Eve Duncan circle - book 1



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS



My deepest and warmest thanks to N. Eileen Bar-row, Research Associate and Forensic Sculptor with the FACES Laboratory at Louisiana State University. Her generosity with her time, help, and guidance was invaluable in writing this book. Also a very sincere thank-you to Mark Sto-lorow, Director of Operations of Cellmark Diag-nostics Inc., for his patience and kindness in helping me with the technical aspects of DNA profiling and the intricacies of chemiluminescence.



Prologue



DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION FACILITY



JACKSON, GEORGIA



JANUARY 27



11:55 p.m.



It was going to happen.



Oh, God, don't let it happen.



Lost. She'll be lost.



They'll all be lost.



Come away, Eve. You don't want to be here. It was Joe Quinn standing beside her. His square, boyish face was pale and drawn beneath the shadow of the black umbrella he was holding. There's nothing you can do. He's had two stays of execution already. The governor's not going to do it again. There was too much public outcry the last time.



He's got to do it. Her heart was pounding so hard, it hurt her. But then, at that moment every-thing in the world was hurting her. I want to talk to the warden.



Quinn shook his head. He won't see you.



He saw me before. He called the governor. Ive got to see him. He understood about



Let me take you to your car. Its freezing out here and youre getting soaked.



She shook her head, her gaze fixed desperately on the prison gate. You talk to him. Youre with the FBI. Maybe hell listen to you.



Its too late, Eve. He tried to draw her under his umbrella but she stepped away from him. Jesus, you shouldnt have come.



You came. She gestured to the horde of news-paper and media people gathered at the gate. They came. Who has a better right to be here than me? Sobs were choking her. I have to stop it. I have to make them see that they cant



You crazy bitch.



She was jerked around and found herself facing a man in his early forties. His features were twisted with pain, and tears were running down his cheeks. It took a minute for her to recognize him. Bill Verner. His son was one of the lost ones.



Stay out of it. Verners hands dug into her shoulders. He shook her. Let them kill him. Youve already caused us too much grief and now youre trying to get him off again. Damn you, let them burn the son of a bitch.



I cant do Cant you see? Theyre lost. I have to



You stay out of it, or so help me God Ill make you sorry that you



Leave her alone. Quinn stepped forward and knocked Verners hands away from Eve. Dont you see shes hurting more than you are?



The hell she is. He killed my boy. I wont let her try to get him off again.



Do you think I dont want him to die? she said fiercely. Hes a monster. I want to kill him myself, but I cant let him There was no time for this argument, she thought frantically. There was no time for anything. It must be almost midnight.



They were going to kill him.



And Bonnie would be lost forever.



She whirled away from Verner and ran toward the gate.



Eve!



She pounded on the gate with clenched fists. Let me in! Youve got to let me in. Please dont do this.



Flashbulbs.



The prison guards were coming toward her.



Quinn was trying to pull her away from the gate.



The gate was opening.



Maybe there was a chance.



God, please let there be a chance.



The warden was coming out.



Stop it, she screamed. Youve got to stop



Go home, Ms. Duncan. Its over. He walked past her toward the TV cameras.



Over. It couldnt be over.



The warden was looking soberly into the cameras and his words were brief and to the point. There was no stay of execution. Ralph Andrew Fraser was executed four minutes ago and pronounced dead at 12: A.M.



No.



The scream was full of agony and desolation, as broken and forsaken as the wail of a lost child.



Eve didnt realize the scream came from her.



Quinn caught her as her knees buckled and she slumped forward in a dead faint.



ONE



ATLANTA, GEORGIA



JUNE



EIGHT YEARS LATER



"You look like hell. Its nearly midnight. Dont you ever sleep?



Eve glanced up from the computer to see Joe Quinn leaning against the doorjamb across the room. Sure I do. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. One late night does not a workaholic make. Or something like that. I just had to check those mea-surements before



I know. I know. Joe came into the studio lab and dropped down in the chair beside the desk. Diane said you blew her off for lunch today.



She nodded guiltily. It was the third time that month she had canceled out on Joes wife. I explained that the Chicago P.D. needed the result. Bobby Starness parents were waiting.



Was it a match?



Close enough. I knew it was almost a certainty before I started the superimposition. There were a few teeth missing from the skull, but the dental check was very close.



Then why were you brought in?



His parents didnt want to believe it. I was their last hope.



Bummer.



Yes, but I know about hope. And when they see the way Bobbys features fit the skull, theyll know its over. Theyll accept the fact that their child is dead and it may bring closure. She glanced at the image on her computer screen. Chicago P.D. had given her a skull and a picture of seven-year-old Bobby. Working with visual equipment and her computer, she had su-perimposed Bobbys face on the skull. As she had said, the match was very close. Bobby had looked so alive and sweet in the picture it was enough to break your heart.



They were all heartbreakers, she thought wearily. Are you on your way home?



Yep.



And just dropped by to yell at me?



I feel its one of my primary duties in life.



Liar. Her gaze was on the black leather case in his hands. Is that for me?



We found a skeleton in the woods in North Gwinnett. The rain unearthed it. The animals got at it, so theres not much left, but the skull is intact. He snapped open the case. Its a little girl, Eve.



He always told her right away if it was a girl. She supposed he thought he was shielding her.



She carefully took the skull and studied it. Its not a little girl. Shes a preteen, maybe eleven or twelve. She indicated a lacy crack on the upper jaw. Shes been exposed to the cold of at least one winter. She gently touched the broad nasal cavity. And she was probably black.



That will help. He grimaced. But not much. Youll have to sculpt her. We dont have any idea who she is. No pictures for superimposition. Do you know how many girls run away from home in this town? If she was a slum kid, she might not have even been re-ported missing. The parents are usually more con-cerned with getting their crack than keeping track of their He shook his head. Sorry. I forgot. Open mouth, insert foot.



A habit with you, Joe.



Only around you. I tend to lower my guard.



Should I be honored? Her brow knit with con-centration as she studied the skull. You know Mom hasnt been on crack for years. And there are a lot of things Im ashamed of in my life, but growing up in the slums isnt one of them. I might not have sur-vived if I hadnt had it tough.



Youd have survived.



She wasnt so sure. She had been too close to going under to take either sanity or survival for granted. Want a cup of coffee? We slum kids make great java.



He flinched. Ouch. I said I was sorry.



She smiled. Just thought Id take a jab or two. You deserve it for generalizing. Coffee?



No, I have to get home to Diane. He stood up. Theres no hurry with this one if shes been buried that long. Like I said, we dont even know who were looking for.



I wont hurry. Ill work on her at night.



Yeah, you have so much time. He looked at the pile of textbooks on the table. Your mom said you were studying physical anthropology now.



Only by correspondence. I dont have time to go to classes yet.



For Gods sake, why anthropology? Dont you have enough on your plate?



I thought it might help. Ive tried to find out all I can from the anthropologists Ive worked with, but theres still too much I dont know.



Youre working too hard as it is. Your schedule is booked up for months.



Thats not my fault. She made a face. It was that damn mention your commissioner gave me on 60 Minutes. Why couldnt he keep his mouth shut? I was busy enough without getting all this out-of-town stuff.



Well, just remember who your friends are. Joe headed for the door. Dont go moving away to some highfalutin college.



Dont talk to me about highfalutin, when you went to Harvard.



That was a lifetime ago. Now Im a good ol southern boy. Follow my example and stay where you belong.



Im not going anywhere. She got up and set the skull on the shelf above her workbench. Except to lunch with Diane next Tuesday. If shell have me. Will you ask her?



You ask her. Im not running interference again. I have my own problems. Its not easy for her being a cops wife. He paused at the door. Go to bed, Eve. Theyre dead. Theyre all dead. Its not going to hurt them if you get a little sleep.



Dont be stupid. I know that. You act like Im neurotic or something. Its just not professional to ig-nore a job.



Yeah, sure. He hesitated. You ever been con-tacted by John Logan?



Who?



Logan. Logan Computers. Hes a billionaire racing on the heels of Bill Gates. Hes been all over the news lately because of the Republican fund-raisers hes been throwing out in Hollywood.



She shrugged. You know I barely keep up with the news. But she did recall seeing a picture of Logan, perhaps in the Sunday paper the previous week. He was in his late thirties or early forties with a California tan and close-cut dark hair with a dusting of gray at the temples. He had been smiling down at some blond movie star. Sharon Stone? She couldnt remember. Well, he hasnt been soliciting me for money. I wouldnt give it to him if he did. I vote Inde-pendent. She glanced at her computer. Thats a Logan. He makes a good computer, but thats the closest Ive ever come in contact with the great man. Why?



Hes been making inquiries about you.



What?



Not personally. Hes going through a high-powered West Coast lawyer, Ken Novak. When they told me down at the precinct, I did some checking and Im almost sure Logans behind it.



I dont think so. She smiled slyly as she punned, It doesnt compute.



Youve handled private inquiries before. He grinned. A man in his position has to have left a trail of bodies on his way to the top. Maybe he forgot where he buried one of them.



Very funny. She wearily rubbed the back of her neck. Did his lawyer get his report?



What the hell do you think? We know how to protect our own. Tell me if he gets hold of your pri-vate number and bothers you. See you. The door shut behind him.



Yes, Joe would protect her just as hed always done, and no one could do it better. He was different from when they had first met years before. Time had hammered every trace of boyishness out of him. Shortly after Frasers execution, he had resigned from his job as an agent in the FBI and joined the At-lanta ED. He was now a lieutenant detective. Hed never really told her why he had made the move. She had asked, but his answerthat hed wanted to jet-tison the pressure of the bureauhad never satisfied her. Joe could be a very private person, and she hadnt probed. All she knew was that he had always been there for her.



Even that night at the prison when she had felt more alone than ever.



She didnt want to think about that night. The despair and pain were still as raw as



So think about it anyway. She had learned the only way to survive the pain was to meet it head-on.



Fraser was dead.



Bonnie was lost.



She closed her eyes and let the agony wash over her. When it eased, she opened her eyes and moved toward the computer. Work always helped. Bonnie might be lost and never be found, but there were others



Youve got another one? Sandra Duncan stood in the doorway, dressed in pajamas and her favorite pink chenille robe. Her gaze was focused on the skull across the room. I thought I heard someone in the driveway. Youd think Joe would leave you alone.



I dont want to be left alone. Eve sat down at the desk. No problem. Its not a rush job. Go back to bed, Mom.



You go to bed. Sandra Duncan walked over to the skull. Is it a little girl?



Preadolescent.



She was silent a moment. Youre never going to find her, you know. Bonnies gone. Let it go, Eve.



I have let it go. I just do my job.



Bullshit.



Eve smiled. Go to bed.



Can I help? Make you a snack?



I have more respect for my digestive system than to let you sabotage it.



I do try. Sandra made a face. Some people werent meant to cook.



You have other talents.



Her mother nodded. Im a good court reporter and I nag damn well. Will you go to bed, or do I have to demonstrate?



Fifteen minutes more.



I guess Ill allow you that much slack. She moved toward the door. But Ill be listening to hear your bedroom door close. She paused and then said awkwardly, Im not coming home right away after work tomorrow night. Im going out to dinner.



Eve looked up in surprise. With whom?



Ron Fitzgerald. I told you about him. Hes a lawyer in the district attorneys office. I like him. Her tone was almost defiant. He makes me laugh.



Good. Id like to meet him.



Im not like you. Its been a long time since Ive been out with a man, and I need people. Im not a nun. For Gods sake, Im not even fifty. My life cant stop just because



Why are you acting so guilty? Have I ever said I wanted you to stay home? You have a right to do whatever you want to do.



Im acting guilty because I feel guilty. Sandra scowled. You could make it easier for me if you werent so hard on yourself. Youre the one whos a nun.



God, she wished her mother hadnt decided to go into this tonight. She was too tired to cope. Ive had a few relationships.



Until they got in the way of your work. Two weeks tops.



Mom.



Okay, okay. I just think its time for you to live a normal life again.



Whats normal for one person isnt always normal for another. She looked down at her com-puter screen. Now, scat. I want to finish this before I go to bed. Be sure you drop in tomorrow night and tell me all about your dinner.



So you can live vicariously? Sandra asked tartly. I may or may not.



You will.



Yeah, I will. Her mother sighed. Good night, Eve.



Good night, Mom.



Eve leaned back in her chair. She should have no-ticed her mother was becoming restless and unhappy. Emotional instability was always dangerous for a re-covering addict. But, dammit, Mom had been clean since Bonnies second birthday. Another gift that Bonnie had brought when she came into their lives.



She was probably exaggerating the problem. Growing up with an addict had made her deeply suspicious. Surely her mothers restlessness was both typical and healthy. The best thing that could happen to her was a solid, loving relationship.



So let Sandra run with it, but watch the situation closely.



She was staring blindly at the screen. She had done enough tonight. There could be little doubt the skull belonged to little Bobby Starnes.



She noticed the Logan insignia as she logged out and turned off the computer. Funny how you never paid any attention to things like that. Why the hell would Logan be asking questions about her? He probably wasnt. More than likely it was a mistake. Her life and Logans were at opposite ends of the spectrum.



She stood up and moved her shoulders to rid them of stiffness. Shed pack up Bobbys skull, take it and the report to the house, then ship them out the following morning. She never liked to have more than one skull in the lab at the same time. Joe laughed at her, but she felt she couldnt give her full attention to the job she was working on if she could see another skull silently waiting. So shed overnight Bobby Starnes and the re-port to Chicago and the day after tomorrow Bobbys parents would know that their son had come home, that he was no longer one of the lost ones.



Let it go, Eve.



Her mother didnt understand that the search for Bonnie had become woven into the fabric of her life and she could no longer tell which thread was Bonnie and which were the other lost ones. That probably made her a hell of a lot more unstable than her mother, she thought ruefully.



She walked across the room and stood before the shelf bearing the new skull.



What happened to you? she murmured as she removed the skulls ID tag and tossed it on the work-bench. An accident? Murder? She hoped it wasnt murder, but it usually was in these cases. It hurt her to think of the terror the child had suffered before death.



The death of a child.



Someone had held this girl as a baby, had watched her take her first steps. Eve prayed that someone had loved her and given her joy before she had ended up lost in that hole in the forest.



She gently touched the girls cheekbone. I dont know who you are. Do you mind if I call you Mandy? Ive always liked that name. Jesus, she talked to skeletons and she was worried about her mother going off the deep end? It might be weird, but shed always felt it was disrespectful to treat the skulls as if they had no identity. This girl had lived, laughed, and loved. She deserved more than to be treated impersonally.



Eve whispered, Just be patient, Mandy. To-morrow Ill measure and soon Ill start sculpting. Ill find you. Ill bring you home.



MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA



Youre sure shes the best choice? John Logans gaze was fastened on the television screen, where a video of the scene outside the prison facility was playing. She doesnt appear all that stable. Ive got enough problems without having to deal with a woman who doesnt have all her marbles.



My God, what a kind, caring human being you are, Ken Novak murmured. I think the woman might have cause to appear a little distracted. That was the night the murderer of her little girl was executed.



Then she should have been dancing with joy and offering to pull the switch. I would have been. In-stead, she pleaded with the governor for a stay.



Fraser was convicted for the killing of Teddy Simes. He was almost caught in the act and wasnt able to dispose of the boys body. But he confessed to murdering eleven other children including Bonnie Duncan. He gave details that left no doubt he was guilty, but he wouldnt tell where hed disposed of the bodies.



Why not?



I dont know. He was a crazy son of a bitch. A last act of malice? The bastard even refused to appeal the death sentence. It drove Eve Duncan frantic. She didnt want him executed until he told them where her daughter was. She was afraid shed never find her.



And has she?



No. Novak picked up the remote and froze a frame. Thats Joe Quinn. Rich parents, attended Har-vard. Everyone expected him to go into law, but he joined the FBI instead. He worked the Bonnie Duncan case with the Atlanta P.D., but hes now a de-tective with them. He and Eve Duncan have become friends.



Quinn appeared to be about twenty-six at the time. Square face, broad mouth, and intelligent, wide-set brown eyes. Only friends?



He nodded. If shes gone to bed with him, we havent found out about it. She was a witness at his wedding three years ago. Shes had one or two rela-tionships in the past eight years, but nothing serious. Shes a workaholic and that doesnt lend itself to en-riching personal relationships. He looked pointedly at Logan. Now, does it?



Ignoring the comment, Logan glanced down at the report on the desk. The mothers an addict?



Not any longer. She got off the stuff years ago.



What about Eve Duncan?



She was never on dope. Which was a wonder. Practically everyone else in her neighborhood was sniffing or shooting, including Mama. Her mother was illegitimate and had Eve when she was fifteen. They lived on welfare in one of the worst areas of the city. Eve had Bonnie when she was sixteen.



Who was the father?



She didnt list him on the birth certificate. Evi-dently he didnt claim the child. He pressed the button to start the tape again. Theres a picture coming up on the screen of the kid. CNN really wrung the story for all it was worth.



Bonnie Duncan. The little girl was dressed in a Bugs Bunny T-shirt, blue jeans, and tennis shoes. Her red hair was wildly curly and there was a smattering of freckles on her nose. She was smiling at the camera and her face was alight with joy and mischief.



Logan felt sick. What kind of world was this in which a monster could kill a kid like that?



Novaks gaze was fixed on his face. Cute, huh?



Fast-forward.



Novak pressed the button and the scene was back outside the prison.



How old was Duncan when the kid was killed?



Twenty-three. The little girl was seven. Fraser was executed two years later.



And the woman went bonkers and became ob-sessed with bones.



Hell no, Novak said curtly. Why are you being so rough on her?



Logan turned to look at him. Why are you being so defensive?



Because shes not Shes got guts, dammit.



You admire her?



From her head right down to her toes, Novak said. She could have given up the kid for adoption or gotten an abortion. She kept her instead. She could have gone on welfare like her mother and repeated the pattern. She kept the baby in a United Fund nursery during the day while she worked and did cor-respondence courses at night. She was almost fin-ished with college when Bonnie disappeared. He looked at Eve Duncan on the screen. That should have killed her or sent her spiraling back where she came from, but it didnt. She returned to school and made something of her life. She has a degree in fine arts from Georgia State and is certified as a computer age progression specialist at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Arlington, Vir-ginia. She also received advanced certification for clay facial reconstruction after training with two of the nations foremost reconstruction artists.



Tough lady, Logan murmured.



And smart. She does forensic sculpting and age progression as well as computer and video super-imposition. Not many people in her profession are experts in all those areas. You saw the clip from 60 Minutes on how she rebuilt the face of that kid who was found in the Florida swamps.



He nodded. It was incredible. His gaze re-turned to the video. Eve Duncans tall, thin body was clothed in jeans and a raincoat and appeared terribly fragile. Her shoulder-length red-brown hair was soaking wet and framed a pale, oval face that held agony and desperation. The brown eyes behind her wire-rimmed glasses reflected the same desolation and pain. He looked away from the screen. Can we find anyone else as good?



Novak shook his head. You asked for the best. Shes the best. But you may have trouble getting her. Shes pretty busy and she prefers to work on lost-children cases. I dont suppose this has anything to do with a child?



Logan didnt answer. Money is usually pretty persuasive.



But it may not mean that much to her. She could be making a lot more money if she took a university appointment instead of working freelance. She lives in a rented house in Morningside, an area close to downtown Atlanta, and she has a lab in a renovated garage in the back.



Maybe a university hasnt made her an offer she couldnt refuse.



Maybe. Theyre not in your league. He raised his brows. I dont suppose youd like to tell me what you need her to do?



No. Novak had a reputation for integrity and was probably trustworthy, but there was no way Logan could risk confiding in him. Youre sure shes the only one?



Shes the best. I told you that she Whats bothering you?



Nothing. It wasnt the truth. The whole damn prospect of having to choose Eve Duncan bothered him. She was a victim already. She didnt need to be put at risk again.



Why was he hesitating? No matter who got hurt, he had to go through with it. The decision was al-ready made. Hell, the woman herself had made it for him when shed become tops in her field. He had to have the best.



Even if it killed her.



Ken Novak tossed his briefcase on the passenger seat of his convertible and started the car. He waited until he was past the long driveway and out the front gates before he picked up the car phone and placed the call to the private number at the Treasury Department.



While he waited to be put through to Timwick, his gaze wandered to the Pacific. Someday he was going to have a house like Logans out on the Seven-teen Mile Drive. His house in Carmel was sleek and modern but nothing like the mansions here. The people who owned them were the elite, the kings of business and finance, the movers and shakers. That fu-ture wasnt out of Novaks grasp. Logan had started out with a tiny company and built it into a giant. All it had taken was hard work and the ruthlessness to forge ahead no matter what the odds. Now he had it all. Novak had worked for Logan for the past three years, and he admired him tremendously. Sometimes he even liked him. Logan could turn on the charm when he



Novak? Timwick was on the line.



Ive just come from Logans house. I think hes settled on Eve Duncan.



Think? Dont you know?



I asked if he wanted me to contact her. He said hed do it himself. Unless he changes his mind, shes a lock-in.



But he wont tell you why he needs her?



No way.



Not even if its a personal matter?



Novaks interest was piqued. It has to be per-sonal, doesnt it?



We dont know. According to your reports, the things he wanted investigated are a mixed bag. Some of them may have been red herrings to throw you off.



Possibly. But you thought enough of them to pay me a princely sum to find out more.



And youll be paid even more generously if you give us something we can use against him. Hes raised too much money for the Republican Party in the last six months and the election is only five months away.



At least you have a Democratic president. Ben Chadbournes popularity numbers are up again this month. You think Logan wants to make sure the Republicans take Congress again? They may do it anyway.



And they may not. We could take it all next time. We need Logan stopped in his tracks.



Sic the IRS on him. Thats always a good way to discredit.



Hes clean.



Novak had suspected he would be. Logan was too smart to fall in that trap. Then I guess you have to rely on me, dont you?



Not necessarily. We do have other sources.



But none as close to him as I am.



I said youd be well paid.



Ive been thinking about the money. I think Id rather trade in favors. Ive been considering running for lieutenant governor.



You know were backing Danford.



But hes not being as helpful to you as I am.



There was a silence. Bring me the information I need and Ill consider it.



Ill work on it. Novak hung up the phone. Nudging Timwick had been easier than hed thought. He must really be worried about the upcoming presi-dential election. Democrat or Republican, all those political insiders were the same. Once they got a taste of power, they became addicted, and the smart man used that addiction to move himself up the ladder to a place on the Seventeen Mile Drive.



He followed a curve in the road, and Logans Spanish palace on the hill was once again in view. Logan wasnt an insider; he was that rare commodity, a true patriot. He was a Republican, but Novak had even heard him praise the Democratic president on that negotiation with Jordan three years earlier.



But patriots were often unpredictable and could be dangerous.



Timwick wanted him brought down and, if he worked it right, Novak could parlay that need to the governors mansion. He had little doubt that what-ever task Logan wanted Eve Duncan to do, it was personal. He had been too secretive and on edge. Se-crets regarding skeletal remains were usually a pretty fair sign of guilt. Murder? Maybe. He had led a pretty rough life during the early days when he was trying to build his empire. It appeared that some-time in Logans checkered past, he had stubbed his toe big-time. He hadnt lied about his admiration for Eve Duncan. Hed always liked tough, take-charge women.



He hoped he wouldnt have to bring her down with Logan. Hell, maybe by bringing Logan down, he might be doing the woman a favor. Logan was plan-ning on aiming that characteristic ruthless intensity on her, and she could be trampled.



He chuckled as he realized how hed rationalized betrayal into gallantry. Damn, he was a good lawyer.



But lawyers served the royalty that lived along this drive, they werent royalty themselves. He had to move up from the station of adviser to the throne.



It would be nice to be king.



TWO



"You look beautiful, Eve said. Where are you going tonight?



Im meeting Ron at Anthonys. He likes the food there. Sandra leaned forward and checked her mas-cara in the hall mirror, then straightened the shoul-ders of her dress. Damn these shoulder pads. They keep shifting around.



Take them out.



We all dont have broad shoulders like you. I need them.



Do you like the food there?



No, its a little too fancy for me. Id rather go to the Cheesecake Factory.



Then tell him.



Next time. Maybe I should like it. Maybe its a learning type thing. She grinned at Eve in the mirror. Youre big on learning new things.



I like Anthonys, but I still like to pig out at Mc-Donalds when Im in the mood. She handed Sandra her jacket. And Id fight anyone who tried to tell me I shouldnt do it.



Ron doesnt tell me She shrugged. I like him. He comes from a nice family in Charlotte. I dont know if hed understand about the way we lived before I just dont know.



I want to meet him.



Next time. Youd give him that cool once-over and Id feel like a high school kid bringing home my first date.



Eve chuckled and gave her a hug. Youre crazy. I just want to make sure hes good enough for you.



See? Sandra headed for the door. Definitely first-date syndrome. Im late. Ill see you later.



Eve went to the window and watched her mother back out of the driveway. She hadnt seen her mother this excited and happy in years.



Not since Bonnie was alive.



Well, there was no use staring wistfully out the window. She was glad her mother had a new ro-mance, but she wouldnt trade places with her. She wouldnt know what to do with a man in her life. She wasnt good at one-night stands, and anything else re-quired a commitment she couldnt afford.



She went out the back door and down the kitchen steps. The honeysuckle was in bloom and the heady scent surrounded her as she walked down the path to the lab. The aroma always seemed stronger at twilight and early morning. Bonnie used to love the honeysuckle and was always picking it off the fence, where the bees constantly buzzed. Eve had been at her wits end trying to stop her before she got stung.



She smiled at the recollection. It had taken her a long time to be able to separate the good memories from the bad. At first she had tried to save herself from pain by closing out all thoughts of Bonnie. Then she had come to understand that that would be forgetting Bonnie and all the joy she had brought into her and Sandras lives. Bonnie deserved more than



Ms. Duncan.



She stiffened, then whirled around.



Im sorry, I didnt mean to frighten you. Im John Logan. I wonder if I could speak to you?



John Logan. If he hadnt introduced himself she would have recognized him from the photo. How could she miss that California tan? she thought sar-donically. And in that gray Armani suit and Gucci loafers, he looked as out of place in her small back-yard as a peacock. You didnt frighten me. You star-tled me.



I rang the doorbell. He smiled as he walked toward her. There was not an ounce of fat on his body, and he exuded confidence and charm. She had never liked charming men; charm could hide too much. I guess you didnt hear me.



No. She had the sudden desire to shake his con-fidence. Do you always trespass, Mr. Logan?



The sarcasm didnt faze him. Only when I really want to see someone. Could we go somewhere and talk? His gaze went to the door of her lab. Thats where you work, isnt it? Id like to see it.



How did you know its where I work?



Not from your friends at the Atlanta P.D. I understand they were very protective of your pri-vacy. He strolled forward and stood beside the door. He smiled. Please?



He was obviously accustomed to instant acquies-cence, and annoyance surged through her again. No.



His smile faded a little. I may have a proposition for you.



I know. Why else would you be here? But Im too busy to take on any more work. You should have phoned first.



I wanted to see you in person. He glanced at the lab. We should go in there and talk.



Why?



It will tell me a few things about you that I need to know.



She stared at him in disbelief. Im not applying for a position with one of your companies, Mr. Logan. I dont have to go through a personnel check. I think its time you left.



Give me ten minutes.



No, I have work to do. Good-bye, Mr. Logan.



John.



Good-bye, Mr. Logan.



He shook his head. Im staying.



She stiffened. The hell you are.



He leaned against the wall. Go on, get to work. Ill stay out here until youre ready to see me.



Dont be ridiculous. Ill probably be working until after midnight.



Then Ill see you after midnight. His manner no longer held even a hint of his previous charm. He was icy cool, tough, and totally determined.



She opened the door. Go away.



After you talk to me. It would be much easier for you to just let me have my way.



I dont like things easy. She closed the door and flicked on the light. She didnt like things easy and she didnt like being coerced by men who thought they owned the world. Okay, she was overreacting. She didnt usually let anyone disturb her composure, and he hadnt done anything but invade her space.



What the hell, her space was very important to her. Let the bastard stay out there all night.



She threw open the door at eleven thirty-five.



Come in, she said curtly. I dont want you out there when my mother comes home. You might scare her. Ten minutes.



Thank you, he said quietly. I appreciate your consideration.



No sarcasm or irony in his tone, but that didnt mean it wasnt there. Its necessity. I was hoping youd give up before this.



I dont give up if I need something. But Im surprised you didnt call your friends at the police department and have them throw me out.



Youre a powerful man. You probably have con-tacts. I didnt want to put them on the spot.



I never blame the messenger. His gaze traveled around the lab. You have a lot of room here. It looks smaller from outside.



It used to be a carriage house before it was a garage. This part of town is pretty old.



Its not what I expected. He took in the rust and beige striped couch, the green plants on the windowsill, and then the framed photos of her mother and Bonnie on the bookshelf across the room. It lookshellip; warm.



I hate cold, sterile labs. Theres no reason why I cant have comfort as well as efficiency. She sat down at her desk. Talk.



Whats that? He moved toward the corner. Two video cameras?



Its necessary for superimposition.



What is Interesting. His attention had been drawn to Mandys skull. This looks like something from a voodoo movie with all those little spears stuck in it.



Im charting it to indicate the different thick-nesses of skin.



Do you have to do that before you



Talk.



He came back and sat down beside the desk. Id like to hire you to identify a skull for me.



She shook her head. Im good, but the only sure ways of identification are dental records and DNA.



Both of those require subjects to match. I cant go that route until Im almost certain.



Why not?



It would cause difficulties.



Is this a child?



Its a man.



And you have no idea who he is?



I have an idea.



But youre not going to tell me?



He shook his head.



Are there any photos of him?



Yes, but I wont show them to you. I want you to start fresh and not construct the face you think is there.



Where were the bones found?



Marylandhellip; I think.



You dont know?



Not yet. He smiled. They havent actually been located yet.



Her eyes widened in surprise. Then what are you doing here?



I need you on the spot. I want you with me. Ill have to move fast when the skeleton is located.



And Im supposed to disrupt my work and go to Maryland on the chance that youll locate this skeleton?



Yes, he said calmly.



Bull.



Five hundred thousand dollars for two weeks work.



What?



As youve pointed out, your time is valuable. I understand you rent this house. You could buy it and still have a lot left over. All you have to do is give me two weeks.



How do you know I rent this house?



There are other people who arent as loyal as your friends at the police department. He studied her face. You dont like having dossiers gathered on you.



Youre damn right I dont.



I dont blame you. I wouldnt either.



But you still did it.



He repeated the word she had used with him. Necessity. I had to know who I was dealing with.



Then youve wasted your efforts. Because youre not dealing with me.



The money doesnt appeal to you?



Do you think Im nuts? Of course it appeals to me. I grew up poor as dirt. But my life doesnt revolve around money. I pick and choose my jobs these days, and I dont want yours.



Why not?



It doesnt interest me.



Because it doesnt concern a child?



Partly.



There are other victims besides children.



But none as helpless. She paused. Is your man a victim?



Possibly.



Murder?



He was silent a moment. Probably.



And youre sitting there asking me to go with you to a murder site? Whats to stop me from calling the police and telling them that John Logan is in-volved in a murder?



He smiled faintly. Because Id deny it. Id tell them I was thinking of having you examine the bones of that Nazi war criminal who was found buried in Bolivia. He let a couple of moments pass. And then Id pull every string I have to make your friends at the Atlanta P.D. look foolish or even criminal.



You said you wouldnt blame the messenger.



But that was before I realized how much it would bother you. Evidently the loyalty goes two ways. One uses whatever weapon ones given.



Yes, he would do that, she realized. Even while theyd been talking hed been watching her, weighing her every question and answer.



But Ive no desire to do that, he said. Im trying to be as honest as I can with you. I could have lied.



Omission can also be a lie, and youre telling me practically nothing. She stared directly into his eyes. I dont trust you, Mr. Logan. Do you think this is the first time someone like you has come and asked me to verify a skeleton? Last year a Mr. Damaro paid me a call. He offered me a lot of money to come to Florida and sculpt a face on a skull he just happened to have in his possession. He said a friend had sent it to him from New Guinea. It was supposed to be an anthropo-logical find. I called the Atlanta P.D. and it turned out that Mr. Damaro was really Juan Camez, a drug runner from Miami. His brother had disappeared two years ago and it was suspected hed been killed by a rival organization. The skull was sent to Camez as a warning.



Touching. I suppose drug runners have family feelings too.



I dont think thats funny. Tell that to the kids they hook on heroin.



Im not arguing. But I assure you that Ive no connection with organized crime. He grimaced. Well, Ive used a bookie now and then.



Is that supposed to disarm me?



Disarming you would obviously take a total global agreement. He stood up. My ten minutes are up and I wouldnt want to impose. Ill let you think about the offer and call you later.



Ive already thought about it. The answer is no.



Weve only just opened negotiations. If you wont think about it, I will. There has to be something I can offer you that will make the job worth your while. He stood looking at her with narrowed eyes. Something about me is rubbing you the wrong way. What is it?



Nothing. Other than the fact that you have a dead body you dont want anyone to know about.



Anyone but you. I very much want you to know about it. He shook his head. No, theres something else. Tell me what it is so I can clear it up.



Good night, Mr. Logan.



Well, if you cant call me John, at least drop the Mr. You dont want anyone to think youre properly respectful.



Good night, Logan.



Good night, Eve. He stopped at the pedestal and looked at the skull. You know, hes beginning to grow on me.



Shes a girl.



His smile faded. Sorry. It wasnt funny. I guess we all have our own way of dealing with what we be-come after death.



Yes, we do. But sometimes we have to face it be-fore we should. Mandy wasnt over twelve years old.



Mandy? You know who she was?



She hadnt meant to let that slip. What the hell, it didnt matter. No, but I usually give them names. Arent you glad now that I turned you down? You wouldnt want an eccentric like me working on your skull.



Oh, yes, I appreciate eccentrics. Half the men in my think tanks in San Jose are a little off center. He moved toward the door. By the way, that computer youre using is three years old. We have a newer ver-sion thats twice as fast. Ill send you one.



No, thank you. This one works fine.



Never refuse a bribe if you dont have to sign on the dotted line for return favors. He opened the door. And never leave your doors unlocked, as you did tonight. Theres no telling who could have been waiting in here for you.



I lock the lab up at night, but it would be incon-venient to keep it locked all the time. Everything in here has been insured, and I know how to protect my-self.



He smiled. I bet you do. Ill call you.



I told you that Im



She was talking to air; hed already closed the door behind him.



She breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she had the slightest doubt she would hear from him again. She had never met a man more determined to get his own way. Even when his approach had been velvet soft, the steel had shown through. Well, she had dealt with powerhouse types before. All she had to do was stick to her guns and John Logan would eventually get discouraged and leave her alone.



She stood up and went over to the pedestal. He cant be so smart, Mandy. He didnt even know you were a girl. Not that many people would have.



The desk phone rang.



Mom? She had been having trouble with the ig-nition on her car lately.



Not her mother.



I remembered something just as I reached the car, Logan said. I thought Id throw it into the pot for you to consider with the original deal.



Im not considering the original deal.



Five hundred thousand for you. Five hundred thousand to go to the Adam Fund for Missing and Runaway Children. I understand you contribute a portion of your fees to that fund. His voice lowered persuasively. Do you realize how many children could be brought home to their parents with that amount of money?



She knew better than he did. He couldnt have offered a more tempting lure. My God, Machiavelli could have taken lessons from him.



All those children. Arent they worth two weeks of your time?



They were worth a decade of her time. Not if it means doing something criminal.



Criminal acts are often in the eyes of the beholder.



Bullshit.



Suppose I promise you that I had nothing to do with any foul play connected with the skull.



Why should I believe any promise you make?



Check me out. I dont have a reputation for lying.



Reputation doesnt mean anything. People lie when it means enough to them. Ive worked hard to establish my career. I wont see it go down the drain.



There was silence. I cant promise you that you wont come out of this without a few scars, but Ill try to protect you as much as I can.



I can protect myself. All I have to do is tell you no.



But youre tempted, arent you?



Christ, she was tempted.



Seven hundred thousand to the fund.



No.



Ill call you tomorrow. He hung up the phone.



Damn him.



She replaced the receiver. The bastard knew how to push the right buttons. All that money channeled to find the other lost ones, the ones who might still be alivehellip;



Wouldnt it be worth a risk to see even some of them brought home? Her gaze went to the pedestal. Mandy might have been a runaway. Maybe if shed had a chance to come home she wouldnthellip;



I shouldnt do it, Mandy, she whispered. It could be pretty bad. People dont fork out over a mil-lion dollars for something like this if theyre even slightly on the up-and-up. I have to tell him no.



But Mandy couldnt answer. None of the dead could answer.



But the living could, and Logan had counted on her listening to the call.



Damn him.



Logan leaned back in the drivers seat, his gaze on Eve Duncans small clapboard house.



Was it enough?



Possibly. She had definitely been tempted. She had a passionate commitment to finding lost children and he had played on it as skillfully as he could.



What kind of man did that make him? he thought wearily.



A man who needed to get the job done. If she didnt succumb to his offer, hed go higher tomorrow.



She was tougher than hed thought shed be. Tough and smart and perceptive. But she had an Achilles heel.



And there was no doubt on earth that he would exploit it.



He just drove off, Fiske said into his digital phone. Should I follow him?



No, we know where hes staying. He saw Eve Duncan?



She was home all evening and he stayed over four hours.



Timwick cursed. Shes going to go for it.



I could stop her, Fiske said.



Not yet. She has friends in the police depart-ment. We dont want to make waves.



The mother?



Maybe. It would certainly cause a delay at least. Let me think about it. Stay there. Ill call you back.



Scared rabbit, Fiske thought contemptuously. He could hear the nervousness in Timwicks voice. Timwick was always thinking, hesitating instead of taking the clean, simple way. You had to decide what result you needed and then just take the step that would bring that result. If he had Timwicks power and resources, there would be no limit to what he could do. Not that he wanted Timwicks job. He liked what he did. Not many people found their niche in life as he had.



He rested his head on the back of the seat, staring at the house.



It was after midnight. The mother should be re-turning soon. Hed already unscrewed the porch light. If Timwick called him right away, he might not have to go into the house.



If the prick could make up his mind to do the smart, simple thing and let Fiske kill her.



THREE



"You know youre going to do it, Mama, Bonnie said. I dont understand why youre worrying so much.



Eve sat up in bed and looked at the window seat. When she came, Bonnie was always in the window seat with her jean-clad legs crossed I dont know any such thing.



You wont be able to help yourself. Trust me.



Since youre only my dream, you cant know more than what I know.



Bonnie sighed. Im not your dream. Im a ghost, Mama. What do I have to do to convince you? Being a ghost shouldnt be this hard



You can tell me where you are.



I dont know where he buried me. I wasnt there anymore.



Convenient.



Mandy doesnt know either. But she likes you.



If shes there with you, then whats her real name.



Names dont matter anymore to us, Mama.



They matter to me.



Bonnie smiled. Because you probably need to put a name to love. Its really not necessary.



Very profound for a seven-year-old



Well, for goodness sake, its been ten years. Stop trying to trap me. Who says a ghost doesnt grow up? I couldnt stay seven forever.



You look the same.



Because Im what you want to see. She leaned back against the alcove wall. Youre working too hard, Mama. Ive been worrying about you. Maybe this job with Logan will be good for you.



Im not taking the job.



Bonnie smiled



Im not, Eve repeated.



Whatever. Bonnie was staring out the window. You were thinking about me and the honeysuckle tonight I like it when you feel good about me.



Youve told me that before.



So Im repeating it You were hurting too much in the beginning. I couldnt get near you.hellip;



Youre not near me now. Youre only a dream.



Am I? Bonnie looked back at her, and a loving smile lit her face. Then you wont mind if your dream stays around a little longer? Sometimes I get so lone-some for you, Mama.



Bonnie. Love. Here.



Oh, God, here.



It didnt matter that it was a dream.



Yes, stay, she whispered huskily. Please stay, baby.



The sun was streaming through the window when Eve opened her eyes the next morning. She glanced at the clock and immediately sat up in bed. It was al-most eight-thirty and she always got up at seven. She was surprised her mother hadnt come in to check on her.



She swung her feet to the floor and headed down the hall to the shower, rested and optimistic as she usually was after dreaming of Bonnie. A psychiatrist would have a field day with those dreams, but she didnt give a damn. She had started dreaming of Bonnie three years after her death. The dreams came frequently, but there was no telling when shed have them or what triggered them. Maybe when she had a problem and needed to work through it? At any rate, the effect was always positive. When she awoke she felt composed and capable, as she did today, confident that she could take on the world.



And John Logan.



She dressed quickly in jeans and a loose white shirt, her uniform when she was working, and ran down the stairs to the kitchen.



Mom, I overslept. Why didnt you



No one was in the kitchen. No smell of bacon, no frying pans on the stovehellip; The room appeared the same as it had been at midnight when shed come in.



And Sandra hadnt been home when shed gone to bed. She glanced out the window, and relief rushed through her. Her mothers car was parked in its usual spot in the driveway.



Shed probably gotten in late and had overslept too. It was Saturday and she didnt have to work.



Eve would have to be careful not to mention shed been worried, she thought ruefully. Sandra had no-ticed Eves tendency toward overprotection and had a perfect right to resent it.



She poured a glass of orange juice from the re-frigerator, reached for the portable phone on the wall, and dialed Joe at the precinct.



Diane says you havent called her, he said. You should be phoning her, not me.



This afternoon, I promise. She sat down at the kitchen table. Tell me about John Logan.



There was silence at the other end of the line. Hes contacted you?



Last night.



A job?



Yes.



What kind of job?



I dont know. Hes not telling me much.



You must be thinking about it if youre calling me. What did he use as bait?



The Adam Fund.



Christ, has he got your number.



Hes smart. I want to know how smart. She took a sip of orange juice. And how honest.



Well, hes not in the same category as your Miami drug runner.



Thats not very comforting. Has he ever done anything criminal?



Not as far as I know. Not in this country.



Isnt he a U.S. citizen?



Yes, but when he was first establishing his com-pany he spent a number of years in Singapore and Tokyo trying to improve his products and studying marketing strategies.



It seems to have worked. Were you joking when you said he probably left a few bodies by the wayside?



Yes. We dont know much about those years he spent abroad. The people who came in contact with him are tough as hell and they respect him. Does that tell you anything?



That I should be careful.



Right. He has the reputation of being a straight shooter and he inspires loyalty in his employees. But you have to consider that all of that is on the surface.



Can you find out anything more for me?



Like what?



Anything. Whats he been doing lately thats un-usual? Will you dig a little deeper for me?



Youve got it. Ill start right away. He paused. But its not going to come cheap. You call Diane this afternoon and you come down to the lake house with us next weekend.



I dont have time to She sighed. Ill be there.



And without any bones rattling around in your suitcase.



Okay.



And you have to have a good time.



I always have a good time with you and Diane. But I dont know why you put up with me.



Its called friendship. Sound familiar?



Yeah, thanks, Joe.



For digging out the dirt on Logan?



No. For having been the only one holding back the madness that had clawed at her during all those nights of horror, and for all the years of work and companionship that had followed. She cleared her throat. Thanks for being my friend.



Well, as your friend, Id advise you to go very carefully with Mr. Logan.



Its a lot of money for the kids, Joe.



And he knew how to manipulate you.



He didnt manipulate me. I havent made any decision yet. She finished her orange juice. Ive got to get to work. Youll let me know?



That I will.



She hung up the phone and rinsed out her glass.



Coffee?



No, shed make a pot at the lab. On weekends Mom usually came down in the middle of the morning and had coffee with her. It was a nice break for both of them.



She took the lab key from the blue bowl on the counter, ran down the porch steps, and started for the lab.



Stop thinking about Logan. She had work to do. She had Mandys head to finish and she had to go over that packet the LAPD had sent her last week.



Logan would call her today or come to the house. She hadnt the slightest doubt. Well, he could talk all he pleased. He wouldnt get an answer from her. She had to find out more about



The lab door was ajar.



She froze on the path.



She knew she had locked it the previous night as she always did. The key had been in the blue bowl, where she always threw it.



Mom?



No, the door jamb was splintered as if the lock had been jimmied. It had to have been a thief.



She slowly pushed open the door.



Blood.



Sweet Jesus, blood everywherehellip;



Blood on the walls.



On the shelves.



On the desk.



Bookcases had been hurled to the floor and ap-peared to have been chopped to pieces. The couch was overturned, the glass on all the picture frames had been shattered.



And the bloodhellip;



Her heart leapt to her throat.



Mom? Had she come to the lab and surprised the thief?



She strode forward, panic making her heart race.



My God, its Tom-Tom.



Eve whirled to see her mother standing in the doorway. Relief turned her knees weak.



Her mother was staring at a corner of the room. Who would do that to a poor little cat?



Eves gaze followed hers and her stomach lurched. The Persian was covered with blood and barely recog-nizable. Tom-Tom belonged to their neighbor but spent a lot of time in their yard chasing the birds at-tracted by the honeysuckle.



Mrs. Dobbins is going to be heartbroken. Her mother stepped into the room. That old cat was the only thing she was close to in the world. Why would Her gaze had moved to the floor by the side of the desk. Oh, Eve, Im sorry. All your workhellip;



Her computer had been smashed, and beside it lay Mandys skull, shattered and destroyed with the same cruelty and efficiency that had been used on everything else in the room.



She fell to her knees beside the pieces of the skull. It would take a miracle to put it together again.



Mandyhellip; lost. Maybe forever.



Was anything taken? Sandra asked.



Not that I can tell. She closed her eyes. Mandyhellip; They just destroyed everything.



Vandals? But weve got such nice kids in the neighborhood. They wouldnt



No. She opened her eyes. Will you go call Joe, Mom? Ask him to come right away. She looked at the cat, and tears rose to her eyes. He was almost nineteen and deserved to have a kinder death. And get a little box and a sheet. While were waiting, well take Tom-Tom to Mrs. Dobbins and help her bury him. Well tell her he was run over by a car. Its kinder than telling her that some mindless savage did this.



Right. Sandra hurried outside.



Mindless savage.



The destruction was savage, but it was neither mindless nor random. Instead, it was thorough and systematic. Whoever had done this had wanted to shock and hurt her.



She gently stroked a piece of Mandys skull. Vio-lence had touched the girl even in death. It shouldnt have happened to her any more than brutality should have ended the life of that poor little cat. Both were wrong. So wrong.



She carefully gathered up the skull pieces, but there was no place to put them. The pedestal across the room was smashed like everything else. She laid the pieces on the blood-smeared desk.



But why was the skull on this side of the room? she wondered suddenly. The vandal had deliberately carried it over before smashing it. Why?



Then the thought flew out of her mind as she saw the blood dripping from the top drawer of the desk.



Oh, God, more?



She didnt want to open the drawer. She wouldnt open it.



She did.



She screamed and jumped back.



A river of blood inside and, in the middle of the sticky pool, a dead rat.



She slammed the drawer shut.



Ive got the box and sheet. Her mother had reappeared. Do you want me to do it?



Eve shook her head. Sandra looked as squeamish as Eve felt. Ill do it. Is Joe coming?



Right away.



Eve took the sheet, braced herself, and then moved toward the cat.



Its all right, Tom-Tom. Were taking you home.



Joe met her on the doorstep of the lab two hours later. He took one look and handed her his handkerchief. Theres a smudge on your cheek.



We just buried Tom-Tom. She wiped her tear-stained cheeks. Moms still with Mrs. Dobbins. She loved that cat. It was her child.



Id want to kill someone if they did anything to my retriever. He shook his head. We dusted but didnt come up with any prints. He probably wore gloves. We did find partial footprints in the blood. Big, probably belongs to a man, and only one set, so Id bet it was a single perpetrator. Is there anything missing?



Not that I can tell. Justhellip; destroyed.



I dont like it. Joe glanced back over his shoulder at the wreckage. Someone took a long time to do that thorough a job. It was pretty vicious and it doesnt look random to me.



I didnt think so either. Someone wanted to hurt me.



Any kids in the neighborhood?



None Id suspect. This was too cold.



Have you called the insurance company?



Not yet.



Better do it.



She nodded. Only the day before shed told Logan she wasnt worried about leaving the lab unlocked. She hadnt imagined anything like this could happen. I feel sick, Joe.



I know. He took her hand and squeezed it com-fortingly. Ill have a black and white keep an eye on the house. Or how about you and your mom coming to my place for a few days?



She shook her head.



Okay. He hesitated. I should get back to the precinct. I want to check records, see if theres been any similar crimes in the area lately. You going to be all right?



Ill be fine. Thanks for coming, Joe.



I wish I could do more. Well question your neighbors and see if we come up with anything.



She nodded. Except for Mrs. Dobbins. Dont send anyone to her house.



Right. If you need me, just call.



She watched him walk away and then turned back to the lab. She didnt want to go inside. She didnt want to see that violence and ugliness again.



She had to do it. She had to make sure nothing was missing and then call the insurance company. She braced herself and then walked in. Again, the blood struck her like a blow. God, she had been so frightened when she had thought that blood might be her mothers.



Dead cats and butchered rats and blood. So much blood.



No.



She ran out the door and sank down on the doorstep. Cold. She was so cold. She clasped her arms around her body in a futile attempt to banish the chill.



Theres a police car parked outside. Are you all right?



She looked up to see Logan standing a few feet away. She couldnt deal with him now. Go away.



Whats wrong?



Go away.



He looked behind her at the doorway. Some-thing happened?



Yes.



Ill be right back. He went past her into the lab. He was back beside her in a few minutes. Very nasty.



They killed my neighbors cat. They smashed Mandy.



I saw the shattered bones on the desk. He paused. Was that where you found them?



She shook her head. On the floor beside it.



But you and your mother werent hurt?



Lord, she wished she could stop shivering. Go away, I dont want to talk to you.



Wheres your mother?



At Mrs. Dobbinss. Her cat Go away.



Not until someones here to take care of you. He pulled her to her feet. Come on, were going to the house.



I dont need anyone to take care He was half tugging her down the path. Let me go. Dont touch me.



As soon as I get you to the house and get some-thing hot inside you.



She pulled her arm away from him. I dont have time to sit around having coffee. I have to call the in-surance company.



Ill do it. He nudged her gently up the steps and into the kitchen. Ill handle everything.



I dont want you to handle everything. I want you to go away.



Then be quiet and let me get you something to drink. He pushed her down into a chair at the table. Its the quickest way to get rid of me.



I dont want to sit She gave up. She was in no shape to do battle just then. Hurry up.



Yes, maam. He turned toward the cabinet. Wheres the coffee?



In the blue canister on the counter.



He ran water into the carafe. When did it happen?



Last night. Sometime after midnight.



You locked the lab?



Of course I did.



Easy. He measured coffee into the coffeemaker. You didnt hear anything?



No.



Im surprised, with all that damage.



Joe said he knew exactly what he was doing.



He turned on the coffeepot. Any idea who did it?



She shook her head. No fingerprints. Gloves maybe.



He took a cardigan from a hook on the laundry room door. Gloves. Then it wasnt done by amateurs.



I told you that.



He draped the sweater over her shoulders. So you did.



And this is my mothers sweater.



You need it. I dont think shed mind.



She did need it. She couldnt stop shivering.



He picked up the phone.



What are you doing?



Im calling my personal assistant, Margaret Wilson. Whats the name of your insurance company?



Security America, but you dont



Hello, Margaret. John, he said into the phone. I need you to Yes, I know its a Saturday. He listened patiently. Yes, Margaret. Its a terrible imposi-tion. Im duly grateful for your forbearance. Now, will you shut up and let me tell you what I need?



Eve stared at him in surprise. Whatever she had expected, it was not Logan browbeaten by one of his employees.



He grimaced at Eve, still listening. Now? he repeated into the phone.



Evidently this time the answer was an affirma-tive, because he said, Make a report to Security America for Eve Duncan. He spelled the last name. Break-in, vandalism, and possible theft. If you need details or verification, call Joe Quinn, Atlanta P.D. I want a claims investigator out here right away, and arrange for a cleaning crew. I want that lab spick-and-span by midnight. He sighed. No, I dont want you to fly out here and do it yourself, Margaret. Sarcasm isnt necessary. Just take care of it. I dont want Eve Duncan bothered with anything more than signing her name to a claim report. I also want a security force out here protecting the property and Eve and Sandra Duncan. Call me if you run into any trouble. No, Im not doubting your efficiency, I just He lis-tened a moment more and then said gently but firmly, Good-bye, Margaret. He hung up, then reached into the cabinet for a cup. Margaret will take care of it.



She doesnt want to.



She just wants to make sure I never take her for granted. If Id done it myself, she would have accused me of not trusting her to take care of it. He poured hot coffee into the cup. Cream or sugar?



Black. Has she been with you a long time?



Nine years. He set the coffee down in front of her. We need to go back out there and collect any-thing that you dont want the insurance investigator going through.



I dont think I need to hurry. She took a sip of coffee. Ive never seen an insurance company work that fast.



Trust Margaret. Someone will be here soon. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down op-posite her. Shell regard it as a challenge.



I dont know Margaret, so I cant trust her. Just as I cant trust you. She met his gaze. And I dont need any private security force out here. Joes going to have a police car keep an eye on us.



Good. But a few extra precautions never hurt anybody. They wont get in your way. He studied her as he took a swallow of his coffee. Your color is better. I thought you were going to flip out.



She did feel better. The shaking had eased a little. Dont be stupid. I wasnt going to faint. I deal with horror stories every day. I was just upset.



You had a right to be, and this particular horror story hit very close to home. That makes a difference.



Yes, her private life had been serene and free from violence since that night at the prison. She hadnt been ready to have this ugliness erupt. Its more than that. It makes me feel like a victim. I swore Id never beI hate it.



I can see that you do.



She finished her coffee and stood up. If you really think someone from the insurance company will be coming out right away, Id better go back and finish checking out the lab.



Take a little more time. Like you said, theres no hurry.



I want to get it over with. She moved toward the door. My mother will be coming home soon and I dont want her to feel that she has to do it with me.



Youre very protective of your mother. He fol-lowed her down the steps. Youre close?



Yes. We didnt used to be, but now were good friends.



Friends?



Well, shes only sixteen years older than I am. We sort of grew up together. She glanced over her shoulder. You dont have to go with me, you know.



I know. He opened the lab door for her. But Margaret would be very upset with me if I made her work and didnt do a thing myself.



FOUR



"Lots of blood, Logan said matter-of-factly. But the cleaning crew will take care of it. He nodded at the pile of articles on the floor by the smashed bookcase. Why dont you check for anything there that can be salvaged? I see a couple of photographs.



She nodded and knelt by the bookcase. Being here was easier with Logan, she realized in surprise. His matter-of-factness lightened the darkness. There was blood; it must be cleaned. There was destruction; probe to see what could be saved.



And the pictures of Bonnie and her mother could be saved, she saw with relief. Only one corner was ripped on each. Its okay.



Good. Then whoever did this isnt as clever as I thought. He didnt realize how tearing up the picture might hurt you. He was at the desk. Ill check the drawers and see if theres



Wait! Theres a It was too late. Logan had already opened the drawer containing the dead rat.



The rat was gone. The police must have taken it, but the drawer was still brimming with blood.



He grimaced. Im glad I opened this before the cleaning crew did. We might have had some trouble keeping them here. He pulled out the drawer and carried it over to the door. Ill get rid of it for you.



He hadnt even displayed a flicker of surprise. You seem to be taking all this in stride.



Remind me to tell you what happened to my of-fice after my first major takeover. At least no one defecated in here. Keep on looking. Ill be right back.



There wasnt much else to look through. The books were ripped, the hourglass her mother had bought for her at Six Flags was broken, the base of the pedestal was chopped into two pieces and



The pedestal. Mandy.



Why had Mandy been carried to the other side of the room before being shattered? The strangeness of it had occurred to her before, but she had been too dazed to have it sink home. Everything else about the destruction seemed coldly calculated. What had been the purpose of the skullhellip;



She got to her feet and moved quickly to the other side of the desk. The only object that had been smashed in that particular spot was the computer. And the skull had been brought from the pedestal to be destroyed with it.



She stared down at the computer and suddenly made the connection. My God.



I thought youd get the message once you thought about it. Logan was standing in the doorway, watching her.



You knew it.



He nodded. Once you told me where the skull had been found. He tried to make it clear, didnt he? The Logan computer. The skull. A warning.



Who?



I dont know. Evidently someone doesnt want me to use your services.



Her gaze traveled around the room. And thats what this is all about?



Yes.



She looked back at him. And you werent going to tell me?



Not if you didnt figure it out yourself, he said bluntly. I was afraid it would tip the scales against me. This was meant to frighten you, and it did.



Yes, she had been frightened. She had been scared and sick and saddened. Besides the destruction of property, Tom-Toms life had been taken and Mandys identity had been forever stolen.



And all of it had been done to manipulate her away from a certain path. Fury burned through her as she remembered Mrs. Dobbinss face that morning.



Damn him. Her voice was shaking with anger. Damn him to hell.



Ill vote for that. Logans gaze was narrowed on her face. I hope theres some significance to the fact that youre damning him and not me.



Vicious bastard. She strode out of the lab. She couldnt ever remember being so enraged except the day Fraser had been caught. She wanted to kill someone. He didnt care. People should care. How could he She knew how he could do it. He was probably a crazy freak like Fraser. Cruel and cold and without mercy. I want him to pay for it.



Then Ill find out who it is for you, Logan said.



She whirled on him. How can you do that? Did you lie when you said you didnt know who he is?



I dont know him but I know who probably hired him.



Who?



He shook his head. I cant tell you, but Ill find out who did this. He paused. If youll come with me.



Tell me who hired him.



Youll find out yourself if you come and do the job. Why not? It will take time to set up a new lab. Youll just be spinning your wheels now. Ill up the money for the Adam Fund another two hundred thousand and throw in the son of a bitch who did this to you.



A sudden thought occurred to her. Maybe you had this done to push me into going with you.



It would have been too chancy. You could just as well have jumped the other way. Besides, I dont kill helpless animals.



But youre willing to take advantage of whats happened.



You bet I am. Is it a deal?



She looked around the bloodstained room, and once again rage rushed through her. Ill think about it.



What if I raise the



Stop pushing me. I said Id think about it. She picked up a box from the floor that had once con-tained printer paper and began to put Mandys skull fragments inside. Her hands were still shaking with anger, she noticed. She had to be calm. Go away. Ill call you when Ive made up my mind.



I need to move fast on



Ill call you.



She could feel his gaze on her and expected him to continue to try to persuade her.



Im at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead. He paused. I shouldnt tell you this. It compromises my bar-gaining position. But Im a desperate man, Eve. I have to have your help. There isnt anything I wouldnt do to get it. Call me and give me your price. Ill pay it.



When she looked up, he was gone.



What would make a man like Logan that des-perate? If there was any desperation in him before, hed kept it well hidden. Maybe the confession of vulnerability had been a ploy.



Well, she would consider that later. She needed to get back to the house so her mother wouldnt come looking for her here. She picked up the pictures and Mandys box and started for the door. She could try to put the skull back together. Even if she couldnt get a completely accurate structure, it might be enough for computer imaging



Another wave of helpless fury washed over her as she realized that couldnt happen. Joe had told her they had no idea who Mandy could be, so how would they find a photograph? Her only hope had been of building the face and using that face to lead to someone, anyone, who could identify her. That hope had been crushed by the bastard who had deliber-ately smashed the skull to warn her off.



Eve? It was her mother walking toward her down the path. That was the insurance company on the phone. Theyre sending a claims adjuster out right away.



Are they? Evidently Logans Margaret had pre-vailed. Hows Mrs. Dobbins?



Better. Do you think we should get her a little kitten?



Not for a few months. Let her get over the first hurt.



Sandras gaze went to the lab. Im sorry, Eve. All your files and equipment.



Theyll be replaced.



This is such a nice, quiet neighborhood. Things like this never happen here. It kind of makes you scared. She frowned. Do you suppose we should get some kind of security system?



Well talk about it. She opened the kitchen door. Theres coffee, would you like some?



No, I had a cup with Mrs. Dobbins. She paused. I called Ron. He suggested we go out for lunch to get my mind off it. I told him no, of course.



But it was obvious she wanted to go, Eve thought. Why shouldnt she? Shed had a hell of a morning and she wanted comfort. Theres no reason for you not to go. You cant do anything here.



Youre sure?



Im sure. Go call him back.



She still hesitated. He asked you to go along too. You said you wanted to meet him.



Not now. You said the insurance people were coming.



Ill come right back.



Eve set Mandys box down on the kitchen counter. Stay out as long as you like.



Sandra shook her head and said firmly, Two hours. No longer.



She waited until the door shut behind her mother before letting her fixed smile fade. It was stupid and selfish to feel this abandoned. Sandra had done every-thing she could to help. She just didnt realize how alone Eve was feeling.



Stop whining. You are alone. Youve learned to deal with it. Even Sandra was sometimes more of a responsibility than a companion, but that was okay. She wasnt going to start feeling sorry for herself just because some slimeball had tried to scare her.



Fraser.



Why did he keep invading her mind?



Because she felt as helpless and terrified as in those days after he had invaded her life. He had killed her daughter and she had been forced to plead with the authorities not to execute him. She had even gone to see him at the prison and begged him to tell her about Bonnie.



He had smiled that charming smile that had lured twelve children to their death, shook his head, and told her no. The bastard had even refused appeal so the books would be closed and the children would never be found. She had wanted to tear him apart, but she had been trapped, caught by the words he wouldnt say.



But she wasnt helpless now, or powerless. She didnt have to be a victim. She could take action. The knowledge sent a rush of fierce satisfaction through her. Logan could find who destroyed the lab for her.



If she paid his price.



Was she willing to pay it? She hadnt been sure before. She had been going to think rationally and unemotionally about the proposition before she gave him her answer.



Logan was probably banking on the fact that she didnt feel rational or unemotional now. He would take advantage of every weakness she showed him.



Then dont show him weakness. Take what you need and avoid the traps. She could do it. She was as smart as Logan and, as she had told him, she knew how to protect herself.



She was not a victim.



Ill do it, Eve said when Logan picked up the re-ceiver. But on my terms. Half my fee up front and the entire amount going to the Adam Fund deposited in their account before I leave this house.



Done. Ill do it by electronic transfer today.



I want proof that its been done. Ill call the fund headquarters in four hours and make sure theyve re-ceived it.



Fair enough.



And I want my mother and my home protected while Im gone.



Ive told you that youd have security.



You also promised me youd find out who de-stroyed my lab.



Ive already got someone on it.



And if I find out that what Im doing will make me an accomplice to any crime, Im bailing out.



Okay.



Youre being very agreeable.



I told you to name your price. She was going to do it. Hell, he would have promised her the world. Pack a suitcase. Ill be around to pick you up later this evening.



If I receive the confirmation from the Adam Fund.



Exception noted.



And I have to tell my mother where were going.



Tell her youll be moving around and youll call her every other evening.



Will I be moving around?



Probably. I should be there by ten tonight.



He hung up the phone. Yes. He had her. After hed met Eve and gauged her toughness, hed been afraid it would take much longer. He might still be arguing with her if the break-in hadnt made her so angry. Maybe he should thank that bastard Timwick. Authorizing that stupidity had been exactly the wrong thing for him to do. There had been enough violence to anger Eve, but not enough to completely scare her off.



And the incident had warned Logan that Timwick was suspicious and possibly had inside knowledge of his actions. Interesting.



Timwick was smart and didnt often make mis-takes. When he learned that Eve had not been scared off, he would correct the error and up the ante.



And next time he would make sure it wasnt a cat that died.



A block from Eves house Fiske smiled as he pulled the electronic listening piece out of his ear and laid it on the seat beside him. Hed always loved gadgets, and particularly admired this powerful X436 ampli-fier. The concept of hearing through walls was so in-triguing. Actually, in this case, it was through panes of glass, but the feeling of power and control was the same.



That Eve Duncan wanted his head as part of her price for going with Logan was flattering. It showed how well hed done his job. The dead cat had been a masterstroke. Death of pets always hit the nerve. Hed learned that when hed killed the dog that had belonged to his fifth-grade teacher. The bitch had come to school with swollen eyes for a week.



Hed done his job; it wasnt his fault that Timwicks orders had backfired. Fiske had told him he needed a deeper strike, but Timwick had said it was premature, that it might not be needed.



Chicken bastard.



Your front porch light is out, Logan said when Eve opened the door. Do you have a bulb? Ill change it.



I think theres one in the kitchen cabinet. She turned and started down the hall. Funny, I changed it just last week.



The porch light was on when she returned a few minutes later with the new bulb. You got it on.



It was just a little loose. Is your mother here?



Shes in the kitchen. She wrinkled her nose. She took my going away very well. Shes already planning on repainting the lab.



Could I meet her?



Of course. Ill go get



Mr. Logan? Sandra was coming toward them. Im Sandra Duncan. Im so glad youre taking Eve away during this stressful period. She needs a little vacation.



Im afraid it wont be a vacation, but it will defi-nitely be a change. Ill try not to work her too hard. Logan smiled. Shes lucky to have someone like you taking care of her.



Logan had turned on the charm and her mother was melting, Eve noticed.



We take care of each other, Sandra said.



Eve tells me youre going to paint her lab. That break-in was a terrible thing.



Sandra nodded. But the cleaning crew has scrubbed it almost spotless. When she gets back, shell never know anything bad happened there.



Well, I feel guilty taking her away before theyve caught whoever did it. Eve told you that Id arranged for security?



Yes, but Joe will take



Ill feel better adding my bit. If you dont mind, Ill have someone call and check in every night.



I dont mind, but its not necessary. She gave Eve a hug. Dont work too hard. Get some rest.



Youll be okay?



Ill be fine. Im glad to get rid of you. Now maybe Ill be able to invite Ron here for dinner without worrying about you giving him the third degree.



I wouldnt have She grinned. Well, maybe I would have asked him a few questions.



See?



Eve picked up her briefcase. Take care of your-self. Ill call as often as I can.



A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Duncan. Logan shook her hand, then picked up Eves suitcase. Ill take good care of her and bring her back as soon as I can.



That charisma again, flowing out and enveloping Sandra.



Im sure you will. Good-bye, Mr. Logan.



He smiled. John.



She smiled back. John.



She stood at the front door, watching them as they went down the stairs and the front walk. She gave a final wave and closed the door.



What was the purpose of that display? Eve asked.



He opened the car door for her. Display?



You sent so much honey flowing toward Mom that she couldnt move.



I was merely being polite.



You were being charming.



Ive found it greases a few wheels. You object?



Its all lies. I hate it.



Why do He paused. Fraser. I was told he was a Ted Bundy type. Dammit, Im no Fraser, Eve.



She knew he wasnt. No one was like Fraser ex-cept Lucifer himself. I cant help It just reminds me of It annoys me.



Since well be working together, thats the last thing we need. I promise Ill be as blunt and rude as I know how.



Good.



Not so good. Ive been known to be pretty ugly on occasion. He started the car. Ask Margaret.



From the way you describe her, I doubt if shed put up with it.



True. She can be much nastier than me. But I do try.



Where are we going?



Where did you tell your mother we were going?



I didnt tell her. I said youre based on the West Coast and she assumed thats where were headed. She and Joe Quinn have my digital number in case of an emergency. She repeated, Where are we going?



Now? The airport. Were taking my plane to my place in Virginia.



Ill need equipment. Most of my stuff was de-stroyed. He missed only a few instruments.



No problem. Ive already equipped a lab for you.



What?



I knew youd need a place to work.



What if Id turned you down?



I would have looked for second best. He smiled and added in a melodramatic growl, Or kidnapped you and locked you up in the lab until you did my bidding.



He was joking. Or was he? she wondered suddenly.



Im sorry. Too light? Just testing your sense of humor. By the way, you failed miserably. Is that rude enough for you?



Yes, I have a sense of humor.



I havent seen it. He drove down the exit ramp onto the freeway. But dont worry, its not required for the job.



I wasnt worried. I dont care what you think of me. I just want to get this job done. And Im tired of going at this blind. When are we



Well talk about it when we get to Virginia.



I want to talk about it now.



Later. He glanced at the rearview mirror. This is a rental car and not secured.



At first she didnt realize what he meant. You mean its bugged?



I dont know. I just dont want to take a chance.



She was silent a moment. Are your cars usuallyhellip; secured?



Yes, since I sometimes do business as I move from place to place. Leaks can be costly.



I imagine they can be. Particularly when you play around with something like a buried skeleton.



Im not playing. He glanced at the rearview mirror again. Believe me, Eve.



It was the second time in seconds he had checked the mirror, and the traffic wasnt that heavy. She glanced over her shoulder. Are we being followed?



Maybe. Not as far as I can tell.



Would you tell me if we were?



It depends on if I thought it would scare you off. He glanced at her. Would it?



No. I gave you my terms and Im committed. The only thing that would make me back away now would be if I thought you were lying to me. I wont stand for that, Logan.



Point taken.



I mean what I say. You hobnob with all those politicians who talk out of both sides of their mouths. Im not like that.



My, how sanctimonious you sound.



Think what you like. Im being up-front with you. I just dont want you to make any mistakes about me.



Point taken. I assure you, no one could mistake you for either a politician or a diplomat, he said dryly



I take that as a compliment.



And I take it you dont like politicians.



Does anyone? These days we all seem to have to choose the lesser evil.



There are some people out there who want to do a good job.



Are you trying to convert me? Forget it. I dont like Republicans any more than I do Democrats.



Who did you vote for in the last election?



Chadbourne. But not because he was a Demo-crat. He convinced me hed be a decent president.



And you think he has?



She shrugged. He got the aid to dependent children bill passed even though Congress had him gridlocked.



A gridlocks like a logjam. Sometimes you have to toss in something explosive to break it up.



Those fund-raisers youve been giving arent ex-actly explosive.



It depends on your viewpoint. I do what I can. Ive always believed a person has to take a stand. If you want to change things, you have to work with the system.



I dont have to work with it. I dont have to have anything to do with it except on election day.



No, you bury yourself in your lab with your bones.



Why not? She gave him a sly glance. Theyre better company than most politicians.



To her surprise, he didnt take the bait. My God, maybe you do have a sense of humor. He chuckled. Suppose we agree to disagree. My dad always told me never to argue religion or politics with a woman.



How sexist of him.



He was a great guy, but he lived in a different world. He wouldnt have known how to deal with women like you or Margaret.



Is he still alive?



No, he died when I was in college.



Am I going to meet Margaret?



He nodded. I called her this afternoon and told her to be at the house.



Wasnt that a little inconsiderate? She had to fly in from California, didnt she?



I needed her.



The bald statement said it all, she thought. He might pretend to be browbeaten by this Margaret, but he expected her to jump when he called.



I asked her nicely. Nary a whip in sight.



Sometimes they dont have to be in view to get the effect.



Well, I promise I wont use coercion on you, visible or otherwise.



She met his gaze with a cool one of her own. No, you wont. Dont even try, Logan.



Theyre boarding now, Fiske said. What do you want me to do? Find out his flight plan and follow him?



No, his secretary told her father she was going to the Virginia house. Hes got that place loaded with more security than Fort Knox. Weve got a surveil-lance team outside the gates, but we wont be able to touch him once hes inside.



Then I should move before he gets there.



I told you, hes too visible. We dont want to do anything to him unless its absolutely necessary.



Then Ill go back to the house. The mother is still



No, shes not going anywhere. You can pick up that string later if we decide we need a distraction. We have something more urgent for you to do. Come back here.



FIVE



The jet landed at a small private field near Arlington, Virginia. Their luggage was immediately transferred into a stretch limousine parked by the hangar.



All the ease that money could buy, Eve thought wryly. No doubt the chauffeur would display the ob-sequious formality of a Wodehouse character.



The red-haired driver got out. Hi, John. Good trip? He was freckled, good-looking, not over thirty, and dressed in jeans and a checked shirt that reflected the blue of his eyes.



Good enough. Gil Price, Eve Duncan.



Gil shook her hand. The bone lady. I saw your picture on 60 Minutes. Youre prettier in person. They should have concentrated on you instead of on that skull.



Thank you, but I had no desire to appear on national television. Ive had enough of cameras in my life.



John doesnt like cameras either. I had to break one last year in Paris. He grimaced. And then John had to settle out of court with the bastard who claimed Id broken his head instead of his camera. I hate paparazzi.



Well, the paparazzi dont usually trail me around, so you wont have that problem.



I will if you hang around with John. He opened the back door. Hop in and Ill get you to Bar-rett House PDQ.



Barrett House? It sounds very Dickens.



Nope, it used to be an inn during the Civil War. John bought it last year and had it completely remodeled.



Has Margaret arrived? Logan asked as he fol-lowed Eve into the car.



Two hours ago and crabby as hell. Im charging you hazard pay for that pickup. Gil jumped into the drivers seat. I cant understand it. How can she not love me? Everyone loves me.



It must be a flaw in her character, Logan said. It certainly couldnt be because theres anything wrong with you.



My thought exactly. Gil started the car and flicked on the CD player. The limo was immediately filled with the doleful strains of Feed Jake.



The window, Gil, Logan said.



Oh, right. He grinned over his shoulder at Eve. John used to have a Jeep, but he cant stand country music so he got this hearse so he could have a privacy window.



I like country, Logan said. I just cant stand those songs of woe you hug to your bosom. Blood-stained wedding gowns, dogs at grave siteshellip;



Thats because youre full of mush and you dont like to show it. Do you think I havent seen your eyes water? Now, take Feed Jake. Its a



You take it. The window.



Okay. The window glided up soundlessly and the music faded out.



I hope you dont mind, Logan said.



No, I have trouble with sad songs. But I cant imagine you crying in your beer over one.



He shrugged. Im human. Those country-song writers know exactly how to hit you.



Her gaze shifted to the back of Gils head. Hes nice. Not exactly what I expected in one of your employees.



Gils not what anyone expects, but hes a good driver.



And bodyguard?



That too. He used to be in the Air Force Military Police, but he doesnt respond well to discipline.



Do you?



No, but I usually try to work my way around it instead of punching people out. He gestured out the side window. Well be on my land in a few minutes. Its pretty country with lots of woods and meadows.



I suppose so. It was too dark to see more than shadowy trees. She was still absorbed with the com-parison Logan had made between himself and Price. And what do you do when you cant work around anyone who tries to discipline you?



Why, punch them out. He smiled. Thats why Gil and I get along. Were soul mates. They turned a curve in the road, and a twelve-foot-tall elaborate wrought iron fence loomed before them.



She watched Gil press a control on the dashboard, and the gates swung slowly open.



Is the fence electrified too? she asked.



He nodded. And I have a security man moni-toring the grounds by video camera from the carriage house.



She felt a sudden chill. Very high-tech. I want my own remote to open those gates.



He looked at her.



Gates that keep people out can also keep them in. I dont like the idea of being in a cage.



Im not trying to keep you prisoner, Eve.



No, not if you can get what you want any other way. But what if you cant?



I cant force you to work.



Couldnt you? Youre a very clever man, Logan. I want my own remote to open those gates.



Tomorrow. It will have to be programmed. He smiled sardonically. I think its safe to assume I wont try to bulldoze you in the next twenty-four hours.



Tomorrow. She leaned forward as the house came into view. The moon had come out from behind the clouds and lit the place. Barrett House was a sprawling two-story stone building that looked like the nineteenth-century inn Gil had said it had once been. There was nothing pretentious about it, and the ivy covering the walls softened the stone. As Gil stopped the car in front of the front door, she asked, Why buy an inn that you had to restore? Why not just build a new house?



Logan climbed out of the car and held out his hand to help her. It had a few unique features that appealed to me.



Dont tell me. It had its own graveyard.



He grinned. The Barrett family cemetery is just over the hill. But that wasnt why I bought the inn. He opened the tall mahogany front door. There arent any live-in servants. I have cleaning people come in from town twice a week. Well have to fend for ourselves in the kitchen.



It doesnt matter. Im not accustomed to ser-vants, and food isnt a high priority for me.



His gaze ran over her. I can tell. Youre lean as a greyhound.



I like greyhounds, Gil said as he carried the luggage into the hall. Graceful and those great, big wistful eyes. I had one once. Nearly killed me when he died. Where do you want her bags?



The first door at the head of the stairs, Logan said.



Right. Gil started up the steps. Pretty boring. My quarters are in the old carriage house, Eve. You should ask him to put you out there. More privacy.



This will be more convenient to the lab, Logan said.



And more convenient for Logan to keep tabs on me, Eve thought.



Margaret must have gone to bed. Youll meet her in the morning. I think youll find everything you need in your room.



I want to see my lab.



Now?



Yes. You may not have equipped it properly. I may have to supplement it.



Then by all means come with me. Its one of the added rooms in the back. I havent seen it myself. I had Margaret get you everything she thought youd need.



The efficient Margaret again.



Not only efficient. Exceptional.



She followed Logan across a huge living room with a fireplace large enough to walk into, plank floors covered by woven hemp carpets, and oversized leather furniture. It looked like a lodge, she decided.



He led her down a short hall and then opened a door. Here you are.



Coldness. Sterility. Gleaming stainless steel and glass.



Oops. Logan grimaced. This must be Mar-garets idea of scientific heaven. Ill try to warm it up for you.



It doesnt matter. I wont be here that long. She strode over to the pedestal. It was sturdy and ad-justable. The three video cameras on tripods next to it were top-notch, as were the computer, mixer, and VCR. She moved over to the workbench. The mea-suring instruments were high-grade, but she pre-ferred the ones she had brought with her. She took the wooden box from the shelf above the bench, and sixteen sets of eyes stared up at her. All variations of hazel, gray, green, blue, brown. Blue and brown would have been sufficient, she said. Brown is the most prevalent eye color.



I told her to get you everything you could pos-sibly need.



Well, she did that. She turned to look at him. When can I start to work?



In a day or two. Im waiting for word.



And Im supposed to sit here and twiddle my thumbs?



Would you like me to dig you up one of the Bar-retts to practice on?



No, I want to finish the job and go home.



You gave me two weeks. He turned away. Come on, youre tired. Ill show you to your room.



She was tired. She felt as if a thousand years had passed since she had walked to her lab that morning. She had a sudden pang of homesickness. What was she doing here? She didnt belong in this strange house with a man she didnt trust.



The Adam Fund. It didnt matter whether she be-longed here or not. She had a job and a purpose. She came toward him. I meant what I said. I wont do anything criminal.



I know you meant it.



Which didnt mean he accepted it. She flicked off the overhead light and moved past him into the hall. Are you going to tell me why you brought me here and why I should do what you want me to do?



He smiled. Why, its your patriotic duty.



Bull. Her gaze narrowed on his face. Politics?



Why do you assume that?



Youre known for your activities in public view and behind the scenes.



I suppose I should be relieved that you no longer think Im a mass murderer.



I didnt say that. Im exploring all options. Politics?



Possibly.



A sudden thought occurred to her. My God, are you trying to smear someone?



I dont believe in smear campaigns. Lets say things arent always what they seem, and I believe in bringing the truth to light.



If its to your advantage.



He nodded mockingly. Of course.



I dont want to be part of it.



Youre not part of ithellip; unless Im right. If Im wrong, you go home and we forget you were ever here. He was preceding her up the stairs. What could be more fair?



Maybe his reason didnt involve politics. Maybe it was entirely personal. Well see.



Yes, we will. He opened her door and stood aside. Goodnight,Eve.



Good night. She went inside and closed the door. The room was country comfortable with a canopy bed with a rust and cream quilt, simple pine furniture. The only thing in it that interested her was the telephone on the end table. She sat down on the bed and dialed Joe Quinns number.



Hello, he answered sleepily.



Joe, Eve.



His voice lost all trace of drowsiness. Is every-thing okay?



Fine. Im sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to tell you where I am and give you my phone number here. She rattled off the number printed on the ex-tension. Got it?



Got it. Where the hell are you?



Barrett House. Logans place in Virginia.



And this couldnt wait until morning?



Probably. But I wanted you to know. I feelhellip; disconnected.



You sound uneasy as the devil. You took the job?



Why else would I be here?



And whats scaring you?



Im not scared.



The hell youre not. You havent called me in the middle of the night since Bonnie



Im not afraid. I just wanted you to know. She had a thought. Logan has a driver, Gil Price. He used to be in the Air Force Military Police.



You want me to check him out?



Ihellip; think so.



No problem.



And youll watch out for my mother while Im gone?



Sure, you know I will. Ill ask Diane to go over and have coffee with her tomorrow afternoon.



Thanks, Joe. Go back to sleep.



Yeah, sure. He paused. I dont like this. Be careful, Eve.



Theres nothing to be careful about. Bye.



She hung up the phone and stood. Shed take a shower, wash her hair, and then get to bed. She really shouldnt have woken up Joe, but hearing a familiar voice made her feel better. Everything about this place was low-key and unthreatening, including lik-able Gil Price, but she was still on edge. She couldnt tell how much was authentic and how much had been layered on to disarm her, and she didnt like being so isolated.



But now she had a link to the outside world.



Joe would be her safety net while she was walking this tightrope.



Eve? Diane Quinn rolled over in bed and propped her head on her hand. Is everything all right?



Joe nodded. I think so. I dont know. She took a job that may not be Forget it. Probably nothing to worry about.



But Joe would worry, Diane thought. He always worried about Eve.



He lay back down and pulled up the covers. Go by and visit her mother tomorrow, will you?



Sure. She turned out the light and cuddled closer. Whatever you say. Now go back to sleep.



I will.



He wouldnt go back to sleep. Hed lie there in the darkness thinking and worrying about Eve. Smother the resentment. She had a good marriage. Joe had in-herited enough money from his parents to give them a comfortable lifestyle even without his salary. He was thoughtful, generous, and great in bed. Shed known when she married him that he and Eve were a package deal. It hadnt taken her long to realize the bond between Joe and Eve was too strong to break. They were so close, sometimes they finished each others sentences.



But that bond wasnt sexual. Not yet. Maybe never. That part of him was still hers.



So smother the envy and resentment. Be Eves friend, be Joes wife.



Because she was bitterly aware she couldnt be one without being the other.



She called Joe Quinn thirty minutes ago. Gil set a sheet of paper on the desk in front of Logan. Heres a transcript Mark made of the conversation.



Logan smiled faintly as he glanced through the text. I dont believe she trusts us, Gil.



Smart lady. Gil threw himself into the easy chair across the room and draped a leg over the arm. Now, Im not surprised she doesnt trust you. Youre pretty transparent, but it takes someone ultrapercep-tive to suspect me.



Its not your acting ability, its those damn freckles. He frowned. Ive been trying to contact Scott Maren in Jordan. Any calls?



No calls. Then he snapped his fingers. Except from your lawyer, Novak.



He can wait.



Do you want Mark to foul up the connection if she tries to call again?



He shook his head. Shed only use her digital. She still might if she knows the phone in her room is bugged.



Whatever you say. He paused. When do we go for it?



Soon.



He lifted a brow. You wouldnt be holding out on me, would you?



I have to make sure everythings right. Timwicks been too close on my tail.



You can trust me, John.



I said Im waiting.



All right, you closemouthed bastard. Gil stood up and strolled toward the door. But I dont like going in blind.



You wont.



Ill take that as a promise. Get some sleep.



I will.



When the door closed behind Gil, Logan glanced down at the transcript again and then tossed it to one side. Joe Quinn. He couldnt afford to underestimate the detective. Eve had inspired intense loyalty in Quinn. Loyalty and friendship and what else? he wondered. Quinn was married, but that didnt matter.



Hell, it wasnt any of his business if it didnt in-terfere with what he needed Eve to do. Besides, he had enough to worry about.



Scott Maren was wandering around Jordan and might be taken down at any minute.



Timwick might have seen through Logan and drawn conclusions. Those conclusions would frighten him enough to give the order to secure his position.



Logan couldnt wait to get hold of Maren.



He pulled out his personal phone book and flipped it open to the back page. There were only three names and telephone numbers on the page.



Dora Bentz.



James Cadro.



Scott Maren.



Bentzs and Cadros telephones might be bugged, but he should still call and verify they were all right. Then hed send someone to pick them up.



He reached for the telephone and dialed the first phone number.



Dora Bentz.



The phone was ringing.



Fiske finished tying the womans legs to the bedposts and pushed her nightgown up above her waist.



She was in her fifties, but she had damn nice legs. Too bad about that pouchy belly. She should have worked out, he thought. Situps would have taken care of that pouch. He did two hundred situps a day and his own belly was iron hard.



He got a broom out of the kitchen closet and came back to the bed.



The phone was still ringing. Persistent.



He shoved the broom up the woman. The killing had to look like a sex crime, but he wouldnt risk ejacu-lating inside her. Semen was evidence. Many serial killers had trouble ejaculating anyway, and the broom was a nice touch. It spelled out woman hatred and home desecration.



Anything else?



Six deep, savage wounds on her breasts, duct tape over her mouth, the open windowhellip;



No, it was a clean job.



Hed have liked to stay awhile and admire his handiwork, but the phone hadnt stopped ringing.



Whoever was on the other end might get worried and call the police.



One more check. He walked to the head of the bed and gazed down at her.



She stared back at him, her eyes as wide open, her expression as terrified as when hed plunged the knife into her heart.



He took out the envelope with the photographs and the typewritten list Timwick had given him at the airport. He liked lists; they kept the world in order.



Three photographs. Three names. Three addresses.



He crossed Dora Bentzs name off the list.



The phone was still ringing as he left her apart-ment.



No answer.



It was three-thirty in the morning. There should have been an answer.



Logan slowly replaced the receiver.



It didnt have to mean anything. Dora Bentz had married children who lived in Buffalo, New York. She could be visiting them. She could be on vacation anywhere.



Or she could be dead.



Timwick could be moving quickly to tie up all the loose ends.



Shit, Logan had thought he had time.



Maybe he was jumping to conclusions.



Hell, so what? Hed always trusted his instincts, and they were shouting at him now.



But sending Gil to check on Dora Bentz would be a tip-off. Timwick would know what he only sus-pected now. Logan could try to save Dora Bentz or he could remain safe for a few more days.



Shit



He picked up the phone and dialed Gils number in the carriage house.



Lights. Moving lights.



Eve stopped drying her hair, slowly got up, and went to the window.



The black limousine that had picked them up at the airport was gliding down the driveway toward the gates.



Logan?



Gil Price?



It was almost four oclock in the morning. Where would anyone be going at this hour?



She doubted if shed be told if she asked to-morrow morning.



But shed damn well do it anyway.



SIX



Eve didnt fall asleep until five, and then her slumber was restless. She woke at nine but forced herself to stay in bed until almost ten, when a thun-derous knock sounded on the door.



The door opened before she could answer, and a small, plump woman strode into the room. Hi, Im Margaret Wilson. Heres the gate control you wanted. She set the remote on the nightstand. Sorry if I woke you, but John says I screwed up on the lab. How the hell was I to know you wanted pretty? What do I need to get? Pillows? Rugs?



Nothing. Eve sat up in bed and gazed curiously at Margaret Wilson. The woman was probably in her early forties. The gray gabardine pantsuit she wore slimmed her plump figure and complemented her dark, sleek hair and hazel eyes. I told him that I wasnt going to be here long enough for it to matter.



It matters. John likes things right. So do I. Whats your favorite color?



Green, I guess.



I should have known. Redheads are pretty predictable.



Im not a redhead.



Well, almost. She looked around the room. This kind of thing okay?



Eve nodded as she threw back the covers and got out of bed.



Good, then Ill get on the phone and order some stuff. It should be Oh, my God, youre a giant.



What?



Margaret was glowering at her. How the hell tall are you?



Five nine.



A giant. Youll make me feel like a midget. I hate tall, skinny women. They do something to my psyche and I become over aggressive.



Youre not that small.



Youre patronizing me. She grimaced. And Im being defensive. Oh, well, Ill have to fight it. Ill just keep telling myself that Im much smarter than you. Get dressed and come on down to the kitchen. Well grab some cereal and then Ill take you for a walk around the grounds.



Thats not necessary.



Sure it is. John wants you kept happy and he says you dont have anything to do right away. If youre anything like me, youll go crazy. She headed for the door. But well take care of it. Fifteen minutes?



Fine. She wondered what the response would have been if she had said otherwise. Margarets tac-tics made a steamroller look subtle.



But it was hard not to like her. She hadnt smiled once, but she exuded a vibrant energy and cheerful-ness. She was blunt, bold, and like no one Eve had ever met. She was a breath of fresh air after the dark tension she sensed in Logan.



The Barrett family graveyard. Margaret waved a hand at the small iron-fenced cemetery. Theres no grave later than 1922. Do you want to go in?



Eve shook her head.



Thank God. Cemeteries depress me, but I thought you might be interested.



Why?



I dont know. All those bones and stuff you work with.



I dont hang around graveyards like some kind of ghoul, but they dont bother me. Particularly family cemeteries. No lost ones here, and it was ex-tremely well kept. All the graves were even covered with pallets of fresh carnations. Where did all the flowers come from? Are there Barretts still in the neighborhood?



No, the direct line died out about twenty years ago. She pointed at a gravestone. Randolph Barrett. The family scattered over the years and Randolph Barrett was the last to be buried here back in 1922. The graveyard was in pretty sad shape when John bought the property. He gave orders for it to be cleaned up and fresh flowers brought in every week.



Im surprised. I wouldnt think Logan would be that sentimental.



Well, you never know what John is going to do. But Im glad he brought in a landscaper for this job. Like I said, cemeteries depress me.



Eve turned and started down the hill. They dont depress me. Sadden me, maybe. Particularly the babies graves. Before modern medicine, so many children didnt live to grow up. Do you have any children?



Margaret shook her head. I was married once, but we both had careers and were too busy to think about kids.



Your job must be very demanding.



Yep.



And varied. She paused. Like this one. You cant say that skeleton hunting is in many peoples job description.



I dont hunt, I just do what Im told.



That could be dangerous.



John will keep me clear of trouble. He always has before.



Hes done this before?



Bones? No, but hes been known to walk some mighty thin lines.



But you trust him?



Hell, yes.



Even if you dont know what hes looking for? Or do you?



Margaret grinned. Stop pumping me. I dont know anything about anything and I wouldnt tell you if I did.



You wont even tell me if it was Logan who left in the middle of the night?



Sure. Johns still here. I saw him before he disap-peared into his study this morning. It was Gil who left.



Why?



Margaret shrugged. Ask John. She added bluntly, You came here because John made it worth your while. I handled the transfer to the Adam Fund. Hell tell you everything when he thinks its time. Trust him.



I dont have your faith in him. She glanced at the carriage house. Is that where the gates are monitored?



Margaret nodded. Its a pretty elaborate system with video cameras all over the place. Mark Slater does all the monitoring.



I havent met him yet.



He doesnt come up to the house much.



Does Logans house on the West Coast have se-curity like this?



Sure, there are lots of nuts out there. Men in Johns position are prime targets. Her pace quick-ened. I have some work to do. Will you be okay if I leave you alone this afternoon?



Yes. You dont have to baby-sit me, Margaret.



Actually, I enjoyed it. Youre not what I expected from a bone lady.



Bone lady. Thats what Gil had called her. The correct term is forensic sculptor.



Whatever. Like I said, I expected someone very cool and professional. Hence the mistake I made with the lab. Not that Id admit to John that I made a mis-take. I told him it was all his fault because he didnt let me know what I had to contend with. Its not good for him to know that Im not perfect. It would make him feel insecure.



Eve smiled. I cant imagine that.



Everyone has insecure moments, even me. She added gloomily, But only when I stand next to giants like you. It comes from growing up a shrimp with four six-foot brothers. Is your mother tall?



No, only medium height.



Okay, then youre a freak and Ill magnani-mously forgive you. I wont mention it again.



Thank you. I appreciate the



I was wondering where you were. Logan had come out of the house and was walking toward them. Did you have a good night? he asked Eve.



No.



I have those reports to finish, Margaret said quickly. See you later, Eve.



Eve nodded, her gaze on Logan. Dressed in black jeans and sweatshirt, he looked very different from the man she had met that first day. Not only because of the clothes, but because he seemed to have stripped off the sleek image and completely discarded it.



Strange bed?



Partly. Why did Gil Price leave right after we got here last night?



I had an errand for him to run.



At four in the morning?



He nodded. It was a rather urgent errand. He should be back tonight. He paused. I was hoping youd have a day or two to become acclimated to the situation, but we may have to pick up the pace.



Good, I dont need to become acclimated. Just bring me the bones and let me get to work.



We may have to go to them.



She stiffened. What?



You may have to do a cursory examination right after we excavate and determine if its worthwhile to bring the skeleton here. My source could have lied, and the skull might be damaged too badly for a face to be reconstructed.



You want me to be there when you dig it up?



Maybe.



Forget it. Im not a grave robber.



It may be necessary for you to be there. That could be the only



Forget it.



Well talk about it later. It may not be necessary. Did you enjoy the graveyard?



Why does everyone assume I enjoy grave Her gaze narrowed on his face. How did you know I was at the cemetery? She glanced at the carriage house. Of course, your video cameras. I dont like being spied on, Logan.



The cameras scan the grounds continuously. They just happened to catch you and Margaret at the cemetery.



It could be true, but she doubted if anything just happened in Logans life. I liked the fresh flowers.



Well, Im living in the Barretts house. I figured that was the least I could do.



Its your house now.



Is it? The Barretts built the inn, they lived and worked here for over a hundred and sixty years and saw a lot of history troop by. Did you know Abraham Lincoln stayed here right before the end of the Civil War?



Another Republican. No wonder you bought the place.



Some of the places Lincoln stayed in I wouldnt have touched on a bet. I value my comfort too much. He opened the front door for her. Have you called your mother?



No, Ill do that this evening when she gets home from work. She smiled. Providing shes not out on the town. Shes keeping company with a lawyer from the D.A.s office.



Hes lucky. She seemed very nice.



Yes, and shes smart too. After Bonnie was born, she finished high school and then went to technical school to learn court reporting.



She finished school after your daughter He stopped. Sorry, Im sure you dont want to talk about your daughter.



I dont mind talking about Bonnie. Why should I? Im very proud of her. She came into our lives and made everything different. She added simply, Love can do that, you know.



So Ive heard.



Its true. Id tried to get my mother off crack, but couldnt. Maybe I was too bitter and resentful. God knows, sometimes I thought I hated her. But Bonnie came and I changed. Somehow all the bitter-ness was gone. And my mother changed too. I dont know whether it was just the right time and point in her life or it was because she knew she had to get off the crack in order to help me raise Bonnie. My God, how she loved Bonnie. No one could help but love her.



I can understand that. I saw her picture.



Wasnt she beautiful? She smiled luminously. So happy. She was always so happy. She loved every waking hour that she She had to swallow to ease the tightness in her throat and then said brusquely, Im sorry, I have to stop talking now. I can go only so far, and then it starts to hurt. But Im getting better all the time.



Christ, stop apologizing, he said roughly. Im sorry I made you talk about her.



You didnt make me do anything. Its important that I keep her with me, that I never let myself forget her. She existed. She became a part of me, maybe the best part. She turned away from him. And now I think Ill go to my lab and see if I can do a little work on Mandy.



He looked at her in surprise. You brought those fragments with you?



Of course. Theres probably not much I can do with them, but I couldnt give up without trying.



He smiled. No, I can see you couldnt.



She felt his eyes on her as she walked away. She probably shouldnt have shown him how vulnerable she could be, but the conversation had seemed to flow from one subject to another. Logan had listened in-tently and sympathetically and made her feel as if he really cared. Maybe he did care. Maybe he wasnt the manipulator she suspected him of being.



And maybe he was. What the hell difference did it make? She wasnt ashamed of how she felt about Bonnie, and there was no way he could twist anything she had said and use it against her. The only advantage he might have gained was that she felt a little closer to him now; the very act of talking to him about Bonnie had caused the most tentative of bonds to be formed. But a connection that tentative was easy to break and wouldnt influence her in any way.



She opened the door of the lab and went directly to the briefcase she had left on the desk. She unlocked it and began taking the skull fragments out of the case. Putting them together would be like working on a jigsaw puzzle with some pieces the size of tiny splin-ters. What was she thinking? she wondered in despair. It was crazy, probably impossible.



The task would be impossible if she took that attitude, she thought impatiently. Reconstructing Mandy was her job, and shed find a way to do it. The connection with Mandy was one she could trust, a bond she could afford to hold on to.



Hello, Mandy. She sat down at the desk and picked up a nasal bone, the largest left intact. I guess well start here. Dont worry. It may take a long time, but well get there.



Dora Bentz is dead, Gil said baldly when Logan picked up the phone.



Shit. His hand tightened on the receiver.



Stabbed to death and apparently raped. She was found by her sister in her apartment about ten this morning. They were planning on going to an aerobics class together. The sister had a key and let herself in after she kept knocking and didnt get an answer. The window was open and the police think its a simple rape-murder.



Simple, hell.



If its not, it was done very well, Gil said. Ex-tremely well.



Like the vandalism of Eves lab in Atlanta. Were you followed?



No doubt about it. You knew I would be.



Can you find out from one of your old buddies who Timwick might be using?



Maybe. Ill put out some feelers. Do you want me to come back there?



No. Ive been trying to contact James Cadro all morning. According to his office, hes camping with his wife in the Adirondacks. He paused. Hurry. I wasnt the first one to inquire about him.



Do we know where in the Adirondacks?



Somewhere near Jonesburg.



Great. Thats what I like. Precise directions. Im on my way.



Logan replaced the phone. Dora Bentz dead. He could have saved her if hed acted yesterday. But, dammit, hed thought theyd all be safer if he didnt display any interest in them, if he seemed to ignore their existence.



He was wrong. Dora Bentz was dead.



It was too late for her but maybe not for the others. A distraction could possibly save lives and give him the witnesses he desperately needed.



But he couldnt move fast without Eve Duncan. She was the key. He had to be patient and let her begin to trust him.



Trust building would be a slow process with someone as wary as Eve. She was smart and some-where along the way she would find out that there was more danger to her and her family than an act of vandalism.



Scratch trust.



Then find a way to overcome her resistance and catapult her into his camp.



He leaned back in his chair and began to go over the possibilities.



Hi. Margaret stuck her head into the lab. The decorators in charge of warming up the lab are here. Can you vacate the place for an hour and let them do their thing?



Eve frowned. I told you it wasnt necessary.



The lab isnt perfect, therefore its necessary. I dont do my job halfway.



Only an hour?



I told them you didnt want to be bothered and theyd lose the sale if they took longer. And you do have to eat. She checked her watch. Its almost seven. How about having soup and a sandwich with me while we wait?



Just a minute. She carefully moved the board with Mandys bones to the bottom drawer of the desk. Tell them not to touch the desk or theyll lose more than a sale. Ill murder them.



Right. Margaret turned and disappeared.



Eve took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. A break would probably be good. She had made only a little progress in several hours and her frustration was growing. But a little progress was better than none. Shed tackle the work again after eating.



She encountered six men and two women in the hallway, bearing accent pillows, chairs, and carpets, and had to press back against the wall to avoid the stampede.



This way. Margaret took her arm, maneuvered her around two men carrying a rolled carpet, and led her toward the kitchen. Its not as massive an under-taking as it looks. One hour, I promise.



Im not timing you. A few minutes either way isnt going to matter.



Not going too well? Margaret asked sympa-thetically. Too bad. They entered the kitchen and Margaret gestured to the two places set at the kitchen table. I made tomato soup and cheese sandwiches. Is that okay?



Fine. Eve sat down, picked up her napkin, and spread it on her lap. Im not that hungry.



Im starved, but Im on a diet and trying to be good. She sat down opposite Eve and looked at her accusingly. Youve obviously never been on a diet in your life.



Eve smiled. Sorry.



You should be. She reached for the TV remote on the counter. Mind if I turn on the set? The Presi-dents having a press conference. John has me tape and listen to all of them and report to him if theres any-thing interesting.



I dont mind. She began to eat. If you dont mind my not paying any attention to it. Politics isnt my cup of tea.



Nor mine. But John is fairly obsessed with it.



I heard about the fund-raisers. Do you think he wants to go into politics himself ?



She shook her head. He couldnt stand the bull-shit. She watched the TV for a moment. Chadbournes damn good. Hes practically oozing warmth. Did you know theyre calling him the most charis-matic president since Reagan?



No. Its a big job and charisma doesnt get the work done.



But it can get you elected. She nodded at the TV. Look at him. Everyone says he might carry Con-gress this time.



Eve looked. Ben Chadbourne was a big man in his late forties with a handsome face and gray eyes that sparkled with life and humor. He answered one of the reporters questions with a good-natured jab. The room erupted into laughter.



Impressive, Margaret said. And Lisa Chadbournes not chopped liver. Did you see her suit? Valentino, I bet.



I wouldnt know.



Or care. Margaret grimaced. Well, I care. She always attends every press conference, and the only kick I get from watching them is seeing what she wears. Someday Im going to be skinny enough to wear suits like that.



Shes very attractive, Eve agreed. And shes doing wonderful work raising money for abused children.



Is she? Margarets tone was absent. That suits got to be Valentino.



Eve smiled with amusement. She would never have dreamed a dynamo like Margaret would be so interested in clothes.



The suit in question was precisely cut to enhance Lisa Chadbournes slim, athletic body. The soft beige color made her olive skin and sleek dark brown hair gleam in contrast. The Presidents wife was smiling at him from the sidelines, and she appeared both proud and loving. Very nice.



Do you think shes had a face-lift? Shes sup-posed to be forty-five but she doesnt look a day over thirty.



Maybe. Eve finished her soup. Or maybe shes just aging well.



I should be so lucky. I saw two new lines in my forehead this week. I stay out of the sun. I use mois-turizer. I do everything right and Im still going downhill. Margaret flicked off the television set. Looking at her depresses me. Chadbournes just saying the same old things. Lower taxes. More jobs. Aid to children.



Nothing wrong with that.



Tell that to John. Hell, Chadbourne says and does everything right and his wife smiles sweetly, has as many charities as Evita Peron, and bakes her own cookies. Its not going to be easy for Johns party to oust an administration that everyones calling the second Camelot.



Unless he could find a way to smear the other party. The more Eve thought about it, the more likely that explanation seemed, and she didnt like it one bit. Where is Logan?



Hes been in the study all afternoon making phone calls. Margaret stood up. Coffee?



No, I had some in the lab an hour ago.



Well, evidently I did something right by pro-viding the coffeemaker.



You did a great job. I have everything I need.



Lucky woman. She poured coffee into her own cup. Not many people can say that. Most of us arent as fortunate. We have to compromise and She looked up, stricken. God, Im sorry. I didnt mean that you



Forget it. She stood up. Now I believe I have about twenty minutes more until your decorators finish with my lab. I think Ill go to my room and make a few phone calls too.



Have I chased you off ?



Dont be ridiculous. Im not that sensitive.



Margarets gaze raked her face. I think you are. But you handle it damn well. She paused and then added awkwardly, I admire you. In your place, I dont think I could She shrugged. Anyway, I didnt mean to hurt you.



You didnt hurt me, Eve said gently. Truly. I do have phone calls to make.



Then go make them. Ill finish my coffee and then go nag those decorators and get them out of your way.



Thank you. Eve left the kitchen and strode quickly to her room. What she had told Margaret had been partly true. Time had formed scars on the wounds and, in many ways, she was lucky. She had a worthwhile profession, a parent she loved, and good friends.



And shed better check in with one of those friends, see if Joe had dug up anything more on Logan. She didnt like how the situation was shaping up, she thought grimly.



No, shed call Mom first.



It took six rings before Sandra picked up, but when she did she was laughing. Hello.



I guess I dont have to ask if youre okay, Eve said. Whats so funny?



Ron just spilled paint on his She broke off, giggling. Youd have to be here.



Youre painting?



I told you I wanted to paint your lab. Ron of-fered to help me.



What color? Eve asked warily.



Blue and white. Its going to look like sky and clouds. Were trying one of those new finishes that you do with garbage bags.



Garbage bags?



I saw it on TV. The receiver was suddenly cov-ered. Dont do that, Ron. Youre messing up the clouds. The corners have to be done differently. She came back on the line. How are you?



Fine. Ive been working on



Thats nice. She was laughing again. No cherubs, Ron. Eve would have a cow.



Cherubs?



I promise, just clouds.



Good God, cherubs, clouds. Youre busy. Ill call you again in a few days.



Im glad youre having a good time. Getting away is good for you.



And it was obviously not causing her mother any problem. No more trouble?



Trouble? Oh, you mean the break-in. Not a bit. Joe dropped by after work with Chinese food but left right after Ron got here. It turns out they know each other. I guess its not so strange, Ron being in the D.A.s office and JoeRon, you need more white in that blue paint. Eve, I have to go. Hes going to ruin my clouds.



We wouldnt want that. Good-bye, Mom. Take care of yourself.



You too.



Eve was smiling as she hung up. Sandra sounded younger than she had ever heard her, and everything was Ron and how everything and everyone related to Ron. Nothing wrong with being young. Kids grew up quick in the slums and maybe Sandra would be able to snatch some of that childhood magic now.



Why did that thought make Eve feel a thousand years old?



Because she was stupid and selfish and maybe a little envious.



Joe.



She reached for the telephone again and then stopped.



Logan had known she had gone to the cemetery.



She didnt like the idea of that electronic beehive in the carriage house.



She was being paranoid. Video cameras didnt necessarily equate to bugged telephones.



But they might. Ever since shed arrived there shed had the vague sensation of being caught in a web.



So she was paranoid.



She stood up, dug her digital out of her shoulder bag, and punched in Joes number.



I was just going to call you. How are things going?



Theyre not going. Im treading water. He wants to involve me more than Im comfortable with. I need to know what Im looking at. Did you dig up anything?



Maybe. But its pretty weird.



Whats not weird about all this?



It seems hes lately acquired an obsession about John F.Kennedy.



Kennedy, she repeated, startled.



Yeah. And Logans a Republican, so that by it-self is already weird. He paid a visit to the Kennedy Library. He ordered copies of the Warren Commis-sion Report on Kennedys assassination. He went to the book depository in Dallas and then to Bethesda. Joe paused. He even talked to Oliver Stone about the research he did for his movie JFK. All done very ca-sual and quiet. No urgency. Youd never even make the connection between his actions unless you were looking for a pattern, like I was.



Kennedy. It was bizarre. That cant have any-thing to do with why Im here. Is there anything else?



Not so far. You asked for out of the ordinary.



Well, you certainly gave it to me.



Ill keep looking. He changed the subject. I ran into your moms current flame tonight. Rons a nice guy.



She thinks so. Thanks for keeping an eye on her for me.



I dont think Im going to have to do much more of it. Ron seemed pretty protective himself.



I havent met him yet. Moms afraid Ill scare him off.



You might.



What do you mean? You know I want whatevers best for Mom.



Yep, and youll kick ass until you get it for her.



Am I that bad?



Joes voice softened. No, youre that good. Look, Ive got to go. Diane wants to catch a nine oclock movie. Ill call you when I know anything more.



Thanks, Joe.



Forget it. I probably didnt help you much.



He probably hadnt, Eve thought as she hung up. Logans interest in JFK might be just coincidence. What possible connection could there be between the ex-president and her present situation?



Coincidence? She doubted if anything Logan did was coincidental. He was too sharp, too much in con-trol. His search for information about Kennedy was too recent not to be suspicious, and if hed tried to keep his interest in Kennedy under wraps, it was for a reason.



What reason? It couldnt be of



She stiffened with shock.



Oh, my God.



SEVEN



The library was unoccupied when she entered a few minutes later.



She slammed the door closed, flicked on the light, and strode toward the desk. She opened the right-hand drawer. Just papers and telephone books. She slammed it shut and opened the left-hand drawer.



Books. She pulled them out and set them on the desk.



The Warren Commission Report was on top. Be-neath it was the Crenshaw book on the Kennedy au-topsy and then a well-thumbed book titled The Kennedy Conspiracy: Questions and Answers.



May I help you? Logan stood in the doorway.



Are you crazy, Logan? She glared at him. Ken-nedy? Youve got to be out of your mind.



He crossed the room and sat down at the desk. You appear to be a little upset.



Why should I be upset? Just because youve brought me here on the wildest goose chase ever con-ceived by man. Kennedy? she repeated. What the hell kind of crackpot are you?



Why dont you sit down and take a deep breath. He smiled. You scare me when you loom over me like that.



Bullshit. This isnt funny, Logan.



His smile vanished. No, its not funny. I was hoping it wouldnt come to this. I tried to be so careful. I take it you didnt just decide to ransack my office out of curiosity. Joe Quinn?



Yes.



I heard he was very smart. He shook his head. But youre the one who sicced him on me. Why couldnt you have just left it alone?



You expected me to wander around in the dark?



He was silent a moment. No, I guess I didnt expect it. But I hoped. I wanted you to go into this unprejudiced.



Id be unprejudiced no matter what I suspected. You have to be when you do my kind of work. But I cant believe you want me to help you dig up Kennedy.



No manual labor is required. I just need you to verify



And get shot in the process. For Gods sake, Kennedy is buried at Arlington Cemetery.



Is he?



She went still. What the devil are you saying?



Sit down.



I dont want to sit down. I want you to talk to me.



Okay. He paused. What if it isnt Kennedy buried at Arlington?



Heaven help me, not another conspiracy theory?



Conspiracy? Yes, I guess that about covers it. But with a slight twist. What if it were one of Kennedys doubles who was shot in Dallas? What if Kennedy died before the Dallas trip?



She stared at him in disbelief. Kennedys doubles?



Most public figures have doubles to protect both their lives and their privacy. Its estimated Saddam Hussein has at least six.



Hes a dictator of a third-world country. No one could get away with that here.



Not without help.



Whose help? she asked sarcastically. Little John-John? Maybe brother Bobby? Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Youre nuts. Its the most outrageous thing Ive ever heard. Who the hell are you accusing?



Im not accusing anyone. Im just looking at possibilities. Ive no idea how the man died. He had all kinds of health problems that werent public knowledge. His death could have been by natural causes.



Could? My God, are you suggesting the cause might not have been natural?



Youre not listening. Dammit, I dont know. The only thing I do know is that a deception that exten-sive would have involved more than one person.



A White House conspiracy. A cover-up. She smiled mockingly. And isnt it convenient for you that Kennedy was a Democrat? You can paint the op-position as a bunch of unscrupulous connivers not worthy of winning the election this year. What a co-incidence that a massive smear like this might trans-late to a victory for your party.



It might.



You bastard. I dont like smear campaigns. And I dont like being used, Logan.



Understandable. Now, if youre through venting your displeasure, will you listen to me for a moment? He leaned forward in his chair. Eight months ago I got a call from a man named Bernard Donnelli, a mortician who owns a small funeral home outside Baltimore. He asked me to meet him. He told me just enough to intrigue me, so I flew to Baltimore the next day. He was scared and met me in a parking garage at five in the morning. He shrugged. No imagination. He must have thought he was Deep Throat or something. Anyway, he was more greedy than he was scared and offered to sell me information. He paused. And an object that he thought I might find valuable. A skull.



Only a skull?



The rest of the body was cremated by Donnellis father. It seems that the Donnelli Funeral Home has been used for decades by the Mafia and Cosa Nostra to dispose of bodies. The Donnellis be-came known to the mob as being very discreet and reliable. However, one particular disposal made Donnelli Senior very uneasy. Two men appeared one night at Donnellis home with a mans body and, though the money they paid him was extraor-dinary, he was uneasy. They werent his regular cus-tomers and couldnt be counted on to play by the rules. They tried to keep him from seeing the corpses face, but he caught one glimpse and it was enough to scare him shitless. He was afraid theyd come back and cut his throat to eliminate him as a witness. So he rescued the skull and hid it away to use as a weapon and an insurance policy.



Rescued it?



Not many people know that it takes a tempera-ture of twenty-five hundred degrees and a burning time of at least eighteen hours to completely destroy a skeleton. Donnelli managed to position the body so that the skull would partially avoid the flames. When the two men left after forty-five minutes, Donnelli retrieved the skull and burned the rest. Donnelli used the skull as a tool for blackmail, and before he died he told his son, Bernard, where hed buried the skull. A rather macabre legacy but profitable, very profitable.



Donnelli died?



Oh, he wasnt murdered. He was an old man and had a bad heart.



And who was he blackmailing?



Logan shrugged. I dont know. Donnelli Junior wouldnt tell me. The deal was for the skull.



And youre saying you didnt press him?



Why would I tell you that? Of course, I tried to get it out of him. All hed tell me was what Ive told you. He wasnt as gutsy as his father and he didnt like living on the edge. He offered me the location of the skull and the story in exchange for enough money to set him up in Italy with a new face and identity papers.



And you took the deal?



I took it. Ive paid more for prospects with less potential.



And now you want me to bring that potential to fruition.



If what Donnelli told me was the truth.



It isnt. The entire story is crazy.



Then why not go along with me? Whats the harm? If its not true, then youll come out with your pocket full of my money and Ill come out with egg on my face. He smiled. Both prospects should bring you extreme pleasure.



Its a waste of my time.



Youre being well paid to waste it.



And if theres any truth at all to the story, its not smart for me to go around digging up



But you said there wasnt any truth to it.



Its too wild to think its Kennedy, but it could be Jimmy Hoffa or some Mafia goon.



Providing I havent paid through the nose for a fairy tale.



Which youve probably done.



Then come with me and well find out. He paused. Unless you think you couldnt do the job with an unprejudiced mind. Theres no way I want you putting Jimmy Hoffas face on this skull.



You know damn well Im too good to do that. Dont try to manipulate me, Logan.



Why not? Im good at it. We all do what were good at. Arent you even a little bit curious to find out if Donnellis telling the truth?



No, its just another wild-goose chase.



Not so wild if they tried to scare you off. Or per-haps youd rather forgive and forget what happened to your lab?



Manipulation again. Strike where it hurts. She turned away. Im not forgetting anything, but Im not sure I believe



Ill double the contribution to the Adam Fund.



She slowly turned back to him. Dammit, youre paying too much for too little. Even if its true, it all happened a long time ago. What if nobody cares that the Democrats did a massive cover-up?



What if they do? The climate is right. The public is sick to death of being manipulated by politicians.



Just what are you up to, Logan?



I thought you had me figured out. Im just your run-of-the-mill low-life tycoon trying to stack the deck.



She wasnt close to figuring him out and there was no way she would accept one word he had spoken as truth.



Will you think about it?



No.



Yes, you will. You cant help yourself. Give me your decision in the morning.



And what if I say no?



Why do you think I bought a property with a cemetery?



She stiffened.



Just joking. He smiled. Ill send you home, of course.



She started for the door.



And I wont ask for the Adam Fund money back. Even if you dont complete your part of the bargain. Which makes me appear a good deal more honorable than you, doesnt it?



I told you I wouldnt do anything illegal.



Im not trying to involve you in anything really illegal. No raid on Arlington or digging up a grave-yard. Just a brief visit to a cornfield in Maryland.



Which is probably still illegal.



But if Im right, our little transgression will come out smelling like the proverbial rose. He shrugged. Think. Sleep on it. Youre a reasonable woman and I think youll agree that Im not asking you to do anything that would betray your code of ethics.



If youre telling me the truth.



He nodded. If Im telling you the truth. Ive no intention of trying to convince you that I am. I know it wouldnt do any good. Youll have to make up your own mind. He opened the top desk drawer and pulled out a leather address book. Good night. Let me know your decision as soon as you make it.



She was dismissed, she realized. No persuasion. No protestations. The ball was in her court.



Or was it?



Good night. She left the library and swiftly climbed up the stairs to her bedroom.



Kennedy.



Impossible. Kennedy was lying at Arlington, not in some hole in a Maryland cornfield. Logan had been suckered into paying for nothing.



But Logan was anything but a sucker. If he thought there was any truth to Donnellis story, that might be enough reason for her to look deeper into it.

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