Bonnie

Da

Perfect faith, perfect love …

She felt tears sting her eyes again. No, she would not cry.

She drew a shaky breath and took a step back. “Did you reach 911? I suppose we should call them back and tell them Da

He nodded. “The EMTs should be here soon anyway. They were on the other side of the canyon with Ben.”

“Is he still alive?”

“Yes, but they’re going to have to airlift him out of here to the hospital in Columbus. It may be touch-and-go.”

“I want to go with him. He saved your life, Joe.” She paused. “Ben said something about…”

“Bo

She’d touched all of them. Dreams and visions and a love that lasted beyond death.

“I want to talk to him.”

But would she get the chance? Would he be with Bo

Joe slipped his arm around her waist. “We’ll go to the ranger station and get a ride to the hospital. We’d better tell Catherine what we’re doing.” He turned to Catherine, who was several yards behind him. “Catherine, we need to go to the hospital. Do you want to—”

“I’ll stay with Gallo.” Catherine’s gaze was fixed on Gallo, kneeling beside Da

Then she stopped and turned to Eve.

Eve stiffened with surprise. Catherine’s golden skin was paler, her eyes wide with shock. Eve had never seen her so discomposed. “Are you okay?”

Catherine nodded jerkily. “As good as I can be. I just wanted to say that I—” She muttered a curse and whirled back again and started toward Gallo. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I thought you were all a little crazy. I didn’t believe you. Hell, maybe I’m crazy, too.”

Eve froze, her gaze on Catherine, who had reached Gallo and was standing beside him.

“She saw her, Joe,” she whispered. “She saw Bo

“And it scared the hell out of her.” Joe pulled Eve toward the trail. “I can sympathize. I remember the first time I saw Bo

He was right. Perhaps later she could comfort, help Catherine, but now she was too exhausted and emotionally spent to do anything but try to get through the hours ahead.

But why had Catherine been able to see Bo

Don’t ask. Just accept.

Bo

*   *   *

BEN WAS IN SURGERY WHEN Eve and Joe reached the hospital. But Father Barnabas was in the waiting room and had spoken to the doctors.

“It’s critical,” the priest said. “But the doctors say he has a chance. The nurse just came by to tell me they’re finishing up now.”

“You know that Da

“No. Ben told me.”

“What?”

“Right before he went into surgery. He said that Ted wasn’t here anymore, but that it was okay.” He turned to Eve. “Are you all right?”

She nodded. “Ben told you?” It shouldn’t have surprised her. Just the few minutes she’d spent with him had revealed his co

“I promised I’d try to keep from killing Da

“And he knows you did try,” the priest said. “And I don’t think that the reason he came along was to protect Da

“He was protecting Joe?” Eve nodded slowly. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m right.” Father Barnabas smiled. “And here’s something else that I’m going to be right about. The doctors weren’t sure that Ben would survive this surgery, but he was sure. He told me that she said that it wasn’t his time.” He tilted his head. “And I wondered … a saintly visitation? Or the little girl Ted Da

“Bo

“Bo

“Yes.” She met his eyes. “But not in the end. And he wasn’t afraid of Bo

“A miracle?”

Perhaps not the way the priest meant it. But since the day of her birth, Bo

*   *   *

“YOU LOOK LIKE A SURGEON.” Catherine’s gaze ran up and down Eve’s loose blue-green tunic and pants when she came into the waiting room two hours later. “Have you changed professions?”

“I borrowed the clothes from one of the nurses on the floor. I took a shower, but my clothes were practically falling into shreds after those days in the woods. Joe wanted to stay here until they let him see Ben, and I wanted to be with him.”

Catherine looked down at herself. “I’m not much better than you, but I’ll wait until I can get to a motel. I’ll pick up some clothes for you and drop them off here. How is the boy?”

“He’ll live. The doctors said it was touch-and-go.” She smiled. “Ben said that there would be no problem. He had it on the best of authority.”

Catherine looked away. “I’ve been thinking it over and what I thought I saw could have been a hallucination induced by stress.”

“It could be.”

“That would be the most comfortable explanation.” She looked back at Eve. “I’ve never gone for the safe or comfortable. It’s not my nature.” She smiled recklessly. “I tend to dive into the volcano and hope that the rope around my waist holds.”

“And are you diving into my volcano, Catherine?”

“Yes. I saw a little girl in a Bugs Bu

Eve nodded. “More than you’ll ever know.”

“I hope that’s true. I don’t want to know or see more than I did today.”

“And you may not. I don’t know why you saw my daughter. I assumed that she appeared only to those to whom she was close. Maybe this is a rare instance and won’t be repeated.”

Catherine shrugged. “And if it’s not, I’ll deal with it. Though I hope we won’t become chums. It might be distracting.”

Eve smiled. “She won’t get in your way, Catherine.”

Catherine smiled. “I know she won’t. I’m sure she’s totally independent. She has to be her mother’s daughter.”

Eve’s smile faded. “And her father’s. How is Gallo?”

“How do you think? Not good. He’s taking his uncle home to Wisconsin and burying him in the woods on his property.”

“Are you going with him?”

She shook her head. “I wasn’t invited, and I don’t know if I would have gone if I had been. This is between the two of them, and there were times when I wasn’t at all sympathetic. I was on your side, not his. I wasn’t sure until we were with Da

And some of those issues were fiery and emotional, Eve thought. It might be just as well that Catherine was keeping distance between them.

“Stop frowning.” Catherine was studying her expression. “Be happy, dammit. You deserve it.”

“So do you. Where are you going?”

“Home to Luke for a while. Then I promised Venable I’d do a job in Peru. A very short job. I’ll stop by your place at the lake on my way.” She started to turn away, then said, “Bo

She nodded. “I’m going to ask Father Barnabas to do the service.”

“I want to be there.”

Eve nodded. “I’ll let you know. If you’re not in South America.”

“Screw South America. I’ll be there.” She moved down the corridor toward the elevators.

*   *   *

“YOU LOOK TIRED,” BEN SAID. “Maybe you should go to bed.”

Joe’s gaze flew to the boy’s face. Ben’s eyes were open, and he seemed clear and coherent. Amazing, considering that they’d loaded him with sedatives and antibiotics.