Hunting Eve

“Good God, you sound almost sentimental. Not at all like you.”

He smiled. “I have an agenda. It’s not going to be simple to keep you in this hospital for a few days. If you have something of value to do that will push the hunt forward, it will be easier for me.”

She gazed at him without expression. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“How did you find Cira?”

“Scouring the Internet for info, tracking down esoteric books, calling academic experts when I had leads.” She paused. “You’re saying that I should do the same thing with investigating the area where I saw Eve in my dream.”

“Or anything that she was thinking that might give you a clue.”

She didn’t speak for a long time. “You know it’s crazy.”

“What could it hurt?” he repeated.

What could hurt was the desperate hope she was begi

But she had found Cira in the end. She hadn’t given up until she had all the answers. So this was different, the odds even greater that she wouldn’t be able to succeed. Take every chance, go down every road that might lead to Eve.

“They were new mountains, sharp, towering. Maybe the Rockies.”

“Put it down on the notepad.”

“Later.” She sat up straighter in bed. “Get my sketchpad from the closet.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He went over to the closet. “You’re right, drawing it will make everything clearer for you.” He drew out the pad and brought it back to her. “But maybe take a nap first?”

“Hell, no. I might forget something. I can do that while you go out and get me a load of travel books.”

“Is that my first task?”

“Along with doing computer site work. I don’t have time to do it all myself. And you might find something that I don’t.” She flipped open the pad. “Now be quiet and let me concentrate. Eve was moving all the time except for the time she was looking down into the valley. She was on the run. I’ll have to make several sketches so I won’t miss anything.”

“Should I bring up the fact that I think you’re supposed to rest while you’re in here?”

“You should have thought of that when you turned me loose on this wild-goose chase. You can’t stop me now.”

“No, I don’t believe I can. At least, medical staff will be on hand if you collapse from exhaustion.” He leaned back in his chair. “And I’ll enjoy watching you work. The intensity is like a comet streaking.”

She made a rude sound.

He chuckled. “It’s true. People never see themselves as others see them.”

She didn’t answer, frowning as her pencil flew over the page.

Minutes passed before he spoke again. “I’ve been thinking about your Cira. If you’re right, and she was your ancestor—”

“I didn’t say that. It’s one explanation.”

“And the other might be reincarnation, which is way too far out there for you to consider. At least openly. But haven’t you wondered?”

“No.”

“I would. But then my family is very ancient, very wicked, and the descendants of our founding fathers have been struggling for centuries to stamp out any trace of similarity. Reincarnation is a great excuse for failure.”

“I don’t want any excuse for my sins.”

“But then your sins are almost nonexistent compared to mine.” He tilted his head. “You mentioned Cira had a lover. What was his name?”

“Anthony.”

“And did Anthony remind you of anyone you knew?”

She stiffened. “What does it matter? I don’t want to talk about any of this, Caleb.”

“He did remind you of someone. Let’s see, Mark Trevor was very much in your life at that time, wasn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“Did Cira’s lover remind you of Trevor?”

She didn’t answer.

“Did he, Jane?” he asked softly.

She shrugged, her gaze still on the sketch. “Yes.”

She wasn’t looking at him but she heard him sigh.

“I was afraid of that. Oh, shit.”

CHAPTER

5

Rio Grande Forest

Colorado

AN ANCIENT RED TRUCK.

Yes.

Venable had mentioned an old red truck that Doane had stolen in one of his reports, Zander thought.

This old log house was in the cell-tower area from which Doane had made the call to him. According to the Google map he’d pulled up, buildings of any kind were extremely sparse in this wilderness. There had been one possibility down in the valley that Zander had dismissed immediately after taking a quick look around. Then he’d driven up the mountain to the second habitation on his map, which had looked more promising. It was higher in the mountains, where there were seldom any hunters or tourists.

An ideal place to keep a prisoner.

Make sure.

He’d already reco

On the passenger seat was a folded black cloth. He lifted it to his nose. A faint fragrance. The cloth could have been used as a blindfold. The scent was definitely feminine.

He burgled the glove compartment and found the gas receipts for which he’d been looking. Not charged to a credit card. But one was from a station in Birmingham, the other a small town in Missouri. Both issued on the same day.

The path was clear.

He gazed speculatively at the log house. It was probably booby-trapped. Doane’s son had been Special Forces as well as al-Qaeda-trained and had probably taught his father. It would take time to disarm even though it would be an ideal place to ambush Doane as he entered the place.

And where were Doane and Eve Duncan? The truck was here, and presumably this was where Eve was working on the reconstruction. Yet neither one of them appeared to be on-site. They would not be taking a casual stroll, and unless Blick was nearby, and they were using his car, there was no reason for them to be gone.

He quickly checked the area for other tire tracks.

No Blick.

It could be that Doane had become enraged with Eve and killed her.

However, that would be a last choice for Doane. He had the idea fixed in his head that he would hurt Zander more if he made him witness Eve’s death.

Which left one other interesting possibility.

“Did you take it on the lam, Eve?” he murmured. “How unobliging of you to be so troublesome to Doane.” He looked up at the path leading to wilderness country. “But it may make my task more of a challenge.”

Hunting the hunter. Much more exciting than hunting prey.

The hunter seldom expected to be caught in the crosshairs when he was feeling the exhilaration of being the dominant one. He turned and headed down the rock road, where he’d left his Jeep a mile from the area of the house. He’d get his weapons and equipment and set out tracking.

He was already feeling the urgency, the excitement of the hunt.

She had said that she wouldn’t count on anyone to protect her, but if she could hold out in that harsh country until he tracked down Doane, she might have a chance to save herself.

He found his pace unconsciously escalating at the thought. What was he doing? He deliberately slowed as he realized that his instinct had been to rush that kill just to get to Eve. He’d thought those instincts had died long ago.

He could almost name the date and hour.

He’d take his time, not rush the kill and risk making a mistake. If that time proved to be in time for Eve, then so be it.

If not, then she could take care of herself.

Lake Cottage

THE SKY HAD JUST BEGUN to lighten to a dusty orange when Joe walked into the cottage.

Kendra stood up from the kitchen table. “How’s Jane?”

“Extremely pissed. They’re going to keep her there for a few days. They’ve pumped her full of antibiotics to combat the infection, and depending on how she responds to treatment, surgery may be necessary again.”