“I changed my mind. It wasn’t worth disturbing myself when I could make him come to me.”
“You can find him, can’t you? You didn’t seem to have any doubts.”
“I make my living by finding people … and disposing of them. Yes, I can find him.”
“Then do it,” Venable said harshly. “And get Eve away from him.”
“Eve Duncan wouldn’t enter into the equation. If she did, then I’d lose any advantage. I’d go after Doane and not let any other concern enter into it. I’d think you’d realize that, Venable.”
“Oh, I realize it. I just occasionally hope for a spark of humanity in you.” He paused. “She’s worth saving, Zander.”
“Then you and Joe Quinn go do it.”
“I’m tempted to tell Joe Quinn where you are and let him come after you,” he said grimly. “I did tell him that Doane wanted you dead. That may be enough to turn Joe loose to stake you out. You may be in more of a trap than you’d like.”
“You shouldn’t have discussed me with him. It was bad enough that you didn’t keep Doane’s cohort from pulling the information out of that funeral director’s family about my paying for Kevin’s cremation. Now you’re talking about it to Quinn? Our relationship is confidential, Venable.”
“Bullshit.” He drew a deep breath. “Okay, you won’t help Eve. But I’ll take you just going to get rid of Doane. Will you think about it?”
“Maybe.”
“Answer me. Will you think about it? I’m not asking much. She’s not asking much.”
“She’s not asking anything. Or expecting anything. I admit that’s what impressed me about her. I’m hanging up now, Venable.” He pressed the disconnect and turned toward Stang. “An interesting reaction from Venable, I knew he liked the general, but I didn’t think it would trigger that degree of emotion.”
“General?”
“That’s right, you don’t have the entire picture, do you? I must fill you in.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Then I choose to do it.” He moved toward the desk and flipped open the file on the desk. He gazed down at the photo of Eve Duncan in her dossier. “Venable is almost as emotionally involved with her as you are. You must be kindred spirits.”
“Ridiculous. I’m not emotionally involved. How could I be? I’ve never met her.” His gaze lifted to Zander’s face. “All I know about her is in those dossiers and the snatches you’ve been giving me of what happened to her when she was taken by Doane. I just told you that I thought Eve Duncan appeared to be a worthwhile woman, and anyone would be sorry if she was killed by a mad dog.”
“Anyone but me?”
“I don’t judge you.”
“You don’t voice it if you do.”
“I don’t want to know anything about your business.” He tapped the photo. “Not this kind of business. I’m your accountant, and I handle your money. I don’t know why you suddenly decided I should be anything different.”
“Neither do I. A whim?” He smiled. “There’s always that possibility, isn’t there?”
Stang moistened his lips but didn’t answer.
Zander waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter. Where was I? Oh, yes, the general and how he’s connected to Eve Duncan. General John Tarther was a client of mine several years ago.”
“I gathered that.”
“He hired me to kill Kevin Relling. Kevin Relling was previously with the Special Forces but when he was in the Middle East, he decided that the al-Qaeda was the way to power and insinuated himself into the group. The Army had no knowledge of that or that his killings didn’t stop at the enemy targets. He was a serial killer who particularly liked little girls. He was very clever, and he left a trail of victims in half the countries in Europe. One of the victims was Dany Cavrol, five years old, and the illegitimate daughter of the general. The general was devastated and set out to catch her killer. He threw money and detectives and personal influence into the hunt. They brought Kevin Relling to justice.” He shrugged. “But a jury member was tampered with, and the case was declared a mistrial. He escaped on the way back to jail.”
“And that’s when the general contacted you.”
“Yes, you always have a wonderful grasp on the continuity of numbers or events, Stang. It’s that fine orderly mind of yours. It didn’t take me long to track him down. He was in Athens, and I knew it well. I shot him, then arranged for his body to be cremated by Nalori Crematorium. Unfortunately, his father was close by and rushed to the crematorium and retrieved Kevin’s head from the furnace. He was a little upset and threw the man I’d bribed to do the cremation into the furnace.”
“His father? Doane?”
“He was Jim Relling then. He took the name of Doane when Venable took him into protective custody. He’d contacted General Tarther and told him that his son had given him a disk with names of embedded CIA agents and Pakistanis who were searching for Bin Laden. He was afraid that al-Qaeda would find out and target him. He said if he didn’t get protection, he’d have to turn the disk over to the newspapers.” He shrugged. “He appeared a broken man just trying to understand what had happened to his Kevin. There was no evidence that he had any connection with his son’s crimes, and I’m told he was very convincing. My instinct was to dispose of him immediately. I could see him trying to find out who killed his son and causing us trouble down the road. But the general was afraid that would be dangerous for those agents in Pakistan. I conceded graciously and let him live.”
Stang’s brows rose. “Graciously?” The gentle, old-fashioned word did not fit Zander in either profession or appearance. His close-cut white hair, the features that were more bold than handsome. He was probably somewhere in his fifties or sixties but he appeared ageless. His tall, muscular body, which he’d honed to perfection with daily workouts in the gym, was sleek and powerful. And so was that mind, which Stang had found to be sharper than that of anyone he had ever met.
“I’m always gracious,” Zander said. “And I told Venable I’d let Doane live as long as he kept him under surveillance. That was truly gracious.”
“And why did Doane target Eve Duncan?”
“He had a skull. She’s a forensic sculptor.”
Stang’s eyes were narrowed on his face. “Is that all?”
“You’re probing. You told me that you didn’t want to know anything that—”
“I don’t.” He looked down at the photo. “Or maybe I do. I feel as if I’ve gotten to know her in the past few days. I feel … close to her.”
“Really?” He studied the photo. “Are you attracted to her? She’s not beautiful. She’s just interesting. Nothing to make you—”
“Are you going to go after him?”
“I told Venable I’d think about it.”
“Do it.”
“I beg your pardon?” Zander turned to look at him.
“I know it’s not my business. I’ve tried to stay out of it. I know it would be safer for me.”
“Yes, it would.” He tilted his head. “But it intrigues me you’re willing to take the risk of involving yourself. If you stayed on the outskirts of my iniquitous life, I’m much more vulnerable to ambush.”
“You didn’t give me a choice. It was either resign and leave you or take the next step.” He forced himself to stare him in the eye. “And you don’t know that I want to ambush you.”
“No, but I’m a tolerable judge of character, and I’ve been suspecting it since the day you came to work for me. The prospect was interesting. Besides the fact that you’re a genius at making my money grow there was another factor. I live a fairly boring life, and watching you and wondering what you’re up to gave it a little spice. But now life is becoming more entertaining, and I may not need that additional stimulation.”
Stang felt the tension grip him. “And that means?”
“I think I’ll let you dwell on that and decide for yourself.” He flipped the file closed. “I believe I’ll go work out at the gym.” He headed for the French doors that led to the detached building that housed the gym. “I’m a bit restless tonight.”
Stang had been aware of that restlessness, and it had caused his uneasiness to heighten. Zander was usually in full control, and volatility was rare. “What if Venable calls again?”