Margaret shook her head. “Nothing but that those wolves really wanted to bring down Doane for some reason.”
“That’s interesting but not pertinent.” She smiled. “Now I suggest that you put on your shoes, and we go back to that crowd. I want to talk to Joe again if I can get him away from all those mourners who have him cornered.”
“He’s hating it. He’s particularly angry about all those reporters and media people he had to let come to make sure Doane would know about Eve’s service. He said Eve would hate this kind of show if she were really dead.”
“If she were really dead, she wouldn’t care either way.”
Margaret gestured. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I do. She’d just want to fade away and live on as a memory. That’s what I’d want, too.” They had reached the edge of the trees, and she saw that Joe was still surrounded. She’d have to wait until he was free, she realized impatiently.
She had a sudden thought. “Zander. Is Lee Zander here? I need to talk to him. He seems to be the center of this equation.”
“Zander didn’t come. He disappeared shortly after the fire was put out.” Margaret shook her head. “Don’t count on talking to him. I’m not even sure he cares whether Eve is alive or not. Though the idea that Doane is still a threat to him might spur him.”
“To hell with what he cares about. I’m going to talk to him.”
“Whatever.” Margaret was strolling toward Jane. “I warned you. Everyone has to march to their own drummer.”
Catherine stayed where she was at the edge of the crowd, waiting for Joe.
She could see why Joe was on edge about the media. A TV cameraman was drifting around setting up shots of different dignitaries. There was no bank of microphones, but there were two reporters who had hand mikes.
She instinctively tried to fade back into the shadows. Was it worth it? All this media attention that Joe Quinn hated so much and was enduring on the chance that it might help Eve in some way.
Are you out there watching, Doane?
CHAPTER
2
Starlite Motel
Casper, Wyoming
“YOU’RE NOT WATCHING, EVE,” Doane said. “I’ve made you a star, and you’re not paying any attention.” He turned the sound down on the TV. “Though those fools thought you were a star anyway, didn’t they? But people always look kindly at victims after they’re dead.”
“Turn off the TV.” Eve looked straight at the reconstruction of Kevin she was repairing. It had been damaged during the time they were in the stream flowing out of the cavern. “I can’t concentrate with it on.”
“Of course you can.” He leaned back in the chair. “You’re so talented. Listen to all those people being interviewed who are raving about you. I’ve counted four police chiefs so far who have sung your praises.”
“You listen to them. I don’t give a damn. It was always the work, not what anyone thought of me.” She didn’t look at him. He was trying to disturb her, and he was succeeding, but she couldn’t let him know. It would be a victory, and he’d had too many victories lately. “I thought you wanted this reconstruction of your monster son finished. It wasn’t me who did all the damage this time. You can’t take a skull reconstruction down into an underground stream without water damage. You almost ruined him beyond repair.” She smiled maliciously. “Kevin wouldn’t be pleased, would he?”
Doane’s smile vanished. “He knows I’m only doing what I have to do. It was all your fault that I had to find a way to get us out fast when all your people were closing in on me.” He added with satisfaction, “But I’d prepared a way to do it. It was a good plan. Just like the plans I always made when Kevin was alive and with me. He was always proud of me.”
“Yes, luring little girls into your son’s web was something for which he’d praise and stroke you, wasn’t it?” And those many children had been raped and murdered by Kevin, Doane’s son. In the end, which one, Kevin or Doane, had been the most evil? “He was your son. You could have stopped him. You could have saved the lives of those little girls. That would have given you a little reason for pride.”
“You don’t understand. I’ve told you, Kevin was special. He could have ruled everything and everyone around him if he’d been given a little more time. The little girls weren’t important.” He shrugged. “Great men need a release. Kevin chose the children.”
She felt sick. She should be accustomed to Doane’s horrible justifications after these days of being with him. But the words were new and painful every time he spoke them. “And he’ll burn in hell for it. So will you, Doane.”
“He’s not in hell,” he said softly. “We both know that, Eve. He’s right there, waiting. Death can’t hold him.” His eyes were glittering. “But I’m sure he’s enjoying being so close to your Bonnie. You know how he needs little girls. They’re together, you know. Only a little more power, and he’ll be able to scoop her up.”
“You’re crazy.” She tried to smother the panic. Keep calm. Doane’s hallucinations regarding his son were infectious. While working on Kevin’s reconstruction, she had actually wondered if that demon spirit was reaching out, trying to merge with his father to take back the life that Zander had stolen. Not only reaching out to Doane but to her … and, maybe, Bonnie. “I don’t know anything about what happens in the afterlife. But my Bonnie would never be anywhere near that monster. She’s light to his darkness.”
“A light to warm his hands when he stretches out to—”
“Shut up!” Get control. He often taunted her, but she didn’t usually let him get to her like this. It was the strain of working on this damn reconstruction that she only wanted to crush and destroy. They had been holed up in this tiny motel since Doane had brought her here the night of the fire. He had given her an injection, and she had not regained consciousness until just a little while before they had reached this seedy motel. It was the smallness of their quarters that she found nerve-wracking. Their motel room had two full-size beds and one bathroom; he’d converted the round dining table to use as her workbench, and the proximity with Doane was suffocating. He’d watched her like a hawk, handcuffing her whenever he left the room, sniping, trying to hurt her at every opportunity. Usually, she could handle it, but not when he talked about Bonnie. She whirled and headed for the bathroom. “I can’t listen to you right now.”
“I didn’t say you could stop working and leave.”
“I need to go to the bathroom and wash my face. I haven’t had a break in hours, and my eyes are getting blurry. You wouldn’t want me to make a mistake with your Kevin.” She slammed the door behind her and leaned back against it.
She had been telling the truth about her stinging eyes, and she closed them for a moment. She’d shown weakness to Doane, and she mustn’t do that again. He knew that to strike at Bonnie was to strike at Eve’s heart. Her little seven-year-old daughter, who had been killed and taken from Eve so many years ago.
No, not really taken. Eve had not found Bonnie’s body until recently, but she had been aware that Bonnie’s spirit was still with her from about a year after Bonnie’s death. She had first been conscious of her in what she had thought were dreams but had gradually begun to believe the wonderful truth. Bonnie was being permitted to come back to her from that place beyond. The knowledge had kept Eve alive when she’d only wanted to die and join her Bonnie.
Where are you, Bonnie? My God, how I need you.
But Bonnie couldn’t come to her. She had managed to reach Eve only once since this nightmare had begun. That had been at the Colorado house to which Doane first brought her after he had kidnapped her. But then she had been in a deep-coma state, and Bonnie had told her that was the only reason she had been able to reach her, that Kevin was keeping her back.