Bonnie

“He had a bad back injury that he got in Syria.” He added impatiently, “Look, it might not have been him. I have to find out.”

“So do I.”

“No,” he said sharply. “My uncle is my business. I’ll take care of it.”

“It stopped being your business when he killed Jacobs because he didn’t want Jacobs to talk to us. If what he was trying to hide had to do with Bo

Silence. “Oh, God, I don’t know, Eve.”

The agony in his voice hurt her, but she had to push it away. “Then we have to find out. Where do we start?”

He was silent, then finally said, “The death certificate. I’m going to Atlanta to see the doctor who signed it.”

“Then I’m going with you. Where are you now?”

“New Orleans airport.”

“If I join you there, I run the chance of Catherine or Joe being there to intercept us. Get a car and pick me up. I’m at the Marriott in the French Quarter. We’ll leave from Mobile.”

“You’re avoiding Catherine and Joe?”

“Only for the time being. I don’t know what’s coming down with all this business, and I don’t want to deal with conflict. How soon can you get here?”

“I didn’t say I’d take you with me.”

“No, you didn’t. But if you think about it, you’ll know I’m right. How soon?”

Silence. “Thirty minutes. Be outside the entrance on Canal Street.” He hung up.

It was done. She had isolated herself from everyone but Gallo, and she couldn’t be sure that his allegiance would ever be as strong toward her as it was to the uncle who had been his savior as a child. Eve slowly pressed the disco

Are you happy, Bo

No answer. No feeling either way that Eve had done the right or wrong thing. She would have to rely on herself … and John Gallo. But Gallo wasn’t Joe, who had never failed her. There had never been trust between her and Gallo. All they had shared was sex.

No, they had also shared Bo

She would just have to trust in Bo

But she would not run away and leave Joe without talking to him.

She braced herself and quickly dialed Joe’s number.

“I was waiting for your call,” Joe said when he picked up the phone. His voice was tight and she could sense the effort at control. “Catherine just phoned me and filled me in. What the hell are you doing, Eve?”

“Gallo has to be in this. Da

“Then tell him to go screw himself.”

She was silent. “I can’t do that. It has to be this way.”

He didn’t speak for a moment. She could almost hear the mental wheels clicking. “Bo

“He’s her father. She wants him to stop hurting,” she said wearily. “Do you think I want it to be this way? I want you with me. I want to hold you. But I told Gallo that the two of us had started all of this, and we had to face the results together. That was the truth, Joe.”

“You’re shutting me out.”

“No, how could I do that? You’re always with me. I thought you’d realize that we’re way past that now. I’ll bring you into this as soon as I can. Help me, Joe.”

“I hate this.”

“I know you do. So do I.” She repeated, “Help me. From the moment you came to my house after Bo

“But I won’t be there, dammit.” She could sense the struggle that he was going through. For an instant, she thought he was going to lose it. “Okay, I’ll give you a little time to work this out with him and try to find out about Da

She felt a rush of relief. She had not been sure that she could persuade Joe to agree to what she was doing. It was a testament to the way that their relationship had grown in the last weeks that he trusted her to such an extent. When Gallo had first come back into her life, there had been an element of jealousy in his resentment of Bo

“You’d better. Or I’ll hunt you down.” He paused. “Be careful, Eve. I know that you think Gallo had reason to hesitate when he should have acted at that bayou.” His voice was sour. “Catherine says he was in shock. Screw that. Catherine almost died. If he cares so much about Da

“I don’t. I won’t give you any arguments as Catherine did. I only know I have to do this.”

“Then do it, but don’t be surprised if I’m right behind you.” He hung up.

She wouldn’t be surprised, she’d be grateful to have Joe hovering over her. He’d probably be even more concerned if he knew the love that existed between Da

Stop sitting here and thinking about all the problems ahead. Be grateful that Joe understood even if he hadn’t approved. She wouldn’t dwell on it, taking one step at a time. She would just do what she had to do. She checked her watch. It was time to meet Gallo.

She got to her feet, grabbed her suitcase, and headed for the Canal Street entrance.

That was easier than I thought, Bo

*   *   *

“YOU HEARD FROM EVE,” Catherine said the moment she pulled up in front of the police station. Her gaze sca

“I didn’t talk her into anything.” Joe slammed the door shut. “She’d made up her mind, and there wasn’t anything I could have said that would have shifted her even an inch. She thinks that she has to work with Gallo and that we’ll cause him to shy away.”

“She may be right,” Catherine had to admit. “Though it surprised me that she managed to persuade him to let her go with him.” Yes, she’d been surprised, and there was a touch of some other emotion she refused to identify. “She said that she had a card he wouldn’t refuse. I guess it’s that they have a history.”

Joe shook his head. “Maybe, in a way.” He was looking out the window. “But that’s not what she meant.”

“Don’t tell me.” Catherine pulled away from the curb. “Bo

“Okay, I won’t tell you. But that’s what this is all about.”

“I know what this is all about. Bo

Joe smiled faintly. “It’s a deal. Do you know, you sound like me a few years ago. I promise I won’t try to ram any of this weird bullshit I feel down your throat.”

“You’d better not.” She smiled back at him. This was the Joe Qui

“I think I could. She realizes that we’re part of the equation. She’s just trying to strike a balance, and right now, Gallo is on the upswing.”

“You’re being very reasonable.” She gazed at him appraisingly. “I’m not sure why.”