Hunting Eve

“I’m not going to be—” His gaze was suddenly cool. “I’ve done what I thought best. You’ll have to do the same.”

“Right.” Jane took off down the mountain. “And I’ll be going straight to that street in front of the saloon, and any bullets from the gunfire you order will have to go through me.”

“Come back, dammit. I’m warning you. I’ll be on the phone giving orders you’re to be stopped before you get near that saloon, Jane.”

“Go ahead.” She heard him calling behind her, but she ignored it. The time was over for anything but action. She had to get down there.

“Let me go first.” Margaret was suddenly beside her. “I grew up outdoors in the woods and hill country like this. I’m as steady as a mountain goat. Just step where I step.”

“Okay.” She tried to steady her voice. “If it will get me down there faster. Thanks, Margaret.”

Margaret nodded. “I’ll take you to her.” She didn’t speak for a moment as they made their way swiftly down the mountain. “She’ll survive, Jane. I know you told me that she was strong, that she’d fight, but I never knew her, never saw her until a moment ago.” Her voice was quiet. “And she stood there in the street, taking punishment and enduring, and I thought that maybe she was stronger than even you dreamed. Perhaps more than she knows. I watched her, and I wanted to hold her, help her. I came here for you, Jane. But now it’s for her, for your Eve.”

“That’s all I ever asked. I’m so scared, Margaret,” she whispered. “It’s all going wrong.”

“Maybe not. Joe Qui

The gunfire had started again, and Jane felt rage and desperation choking her. She’d swear one of those bullets had struck the wooden bench beneath the saloon window. Too close. How near must a bullet come before Doane panicked? “Dammit, why don’t they stop?”

Margaret says you’ll survive, Eve. God, let her be right. Fight him. Fight all the stupidity that might destroy you. She’s right, we all love you so much. We can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.

‘We’re in the foothills now,” Margaret said. “Not long, Jane.”

But where was Joe, and what was he doing? She hadn’t seen him since he’d driven around to the rear of the saloon. He could even be inside the saloon by now. Stay safe, Joe. Don’t let anything—

She saw the wall of flame first, reaching for the sky.

Then she heard the explosion, rocking the earth, rocking the mountain, rocking the world.

The saloon blew apart, shredding into pieces. One blast following the next, feeding on fire and smoke … and agony.

Jane screamed.

“Dear God,” Margaret whispered. “No. No. No.”

“Eve.” Jane fell to her knees, her gaze on that inferno. No one could live through a blast of that magnitude. There was nothing left of walls or structure. The saloon was nothing but pure flame. The houses and shops around it were knocked flat, and the fire was licking, devouring the wood sidewalks. “Eve!”

Margaret was kneeling in front of her, wrapping her arms around her. “Hold on to me. You’re not alone. I’m here.”

But Eve wasn’t here. Eve would never be here again.

It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true.

She jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to go to her. I’ve got to help her.”

“Jane…”

But she was ru

She fell, jumped up again, and ran.

Joe. Where was Joe? Maybe he’d gotten Eve out before the explosion. That could happen, couldn’t it?

Or perhaps Joe was lost in those flames, too.

Agony tore through her at the thought.

Nightmare. Loneliness. Pain.

There were people around her, Venable’s team milling around in front of the saloon.

Caleb was coming toward her.

“Joe Qui

“Thank God.” She swallowed. “Now tell me Eve is okay.”

Caleb didn’t answer.

“Tell me. She has to be alive. She has to be okay.”

Caleb’s gaze went back to the fire. “Eve went into that saloon and never came out. Dozens of witnesses, Jane, all focused in hopes that Eve would walk out of there. There must have been enough explosives in there to blow up a mountain. We’ll see a hole big as a crater when we manage to get in there.”

“Don’t tell me that.”

“I have to tell you exactly that,” he said fiercely. “Do you think I want to do it? I hate it. I can’t stand seeing you like this. I want to stop it. But I can’t stop it. All I can do is cut you, and hurt you, and hope that you heal soon.”

“She’s not dead. She can’t be dead.”

“I hope you’re right. But don’t expect me to tell you that you are. I’ll leave that to Trevor or Qui

Joe was struggling to get to his feet when Jane reached him a few minutes later. His face was cut and bleeding, and his eyes were wild.

“No.” His voice was hoarse. “No, Jane. It doesn’t make sense. We can’t lose her.”

“I know.” She went into his arms. Caleb had said there would be comfort, but that was not true. There was love but not comfort. The world was still barren. She had the horrible feeling it would always be barren. “I’ve always told people that I’d know if anything ever happened to Eve, that I’d feel it. But now I’m not sure. Maybe that’s what I’m feeling now.” The tears were ru

“No, because it’s not true. I won’t let it be true.”

“Jane.” Trevor was beside her. Warm, kind, loving. “There’s a chance. Don’t lose hope yet.”

“That’s what Caleb said you’d tell me. He said go to Trevor, and he’ll comfort you.” She said, “He’s getting to know you very well, Trevor.”

“Because I won’t give up until we get an ID.” He said gently, “And, give me the opportunity, and I’ll wrap you in all the comfort that this world provides. It would be my privilege.” He turned away. “I’ll leave you two alone. You don’t need anyone else right now. I just talked to a Howard Stang, who said he could get a doctor here right away. I think we need to get you looked at, Qui

Joe wasn’t listening, Jane realized. He was staring—stu

Devouring air, devouring life, devouring hope.

Eve went into that saloon and never came out. Dozens of witnesses. Jane, all focused in hopes that Eve would walk out of there.

Dozens of witnesses …

Give me a miracle, Eve. All my life with you you’ve made every day a miracle. I need a miracle now.

But the panic was starting, piercing the numbness, and desperation as she stared into the searing depths of that fire.

Oh, God, no miracle this time, Eve?

*   *   *

“I’M SORRY, JANE.”

She looked up to see Venable standing a few feet away.

He looked genuinely sorry, she thought dully. Too late. Everything was too late.

“That’s nothing to how sorry you’ll be if Joe finds out that it was one of your damn bullets that caused the saloon to blow.” She gazed at Joe, sitting beneath the trees several yards away and being bandaged by the doctor that Stang had somehow managed to get down here. “He’s in shock right now, but he’ll go crazy once it hits home that Eve is dead.” She moistened her lips. Joe wasn’t the only one who would go insane. She was barely holding herself together now. “Caleb said he was going to go talk to you. Did you see him?”