“You’re going to shoot him?” Her gaze was on the pistol.
“Eventually. Right now, I’m going hunting.” He stroked the butt of the gun. “This was Kevin’s tranquilizer gun. He used it occasionally when he did his own hunting. One shot, and they would be out.”
She felt a chill. “Who would be … out?”
“Why not come and see.” He yanked her to her feet and pushed her toward the front door. “Harriet said that Kevin and I had nothing in common, but he never shared this with her.” He threw open the door and she felt a blast of cool air as he pulled her out on the porch. He gestured to the shimmering white driftwood. “You said it looked like a graveyard. That’s how Kevin wanted it to look. It was his own little joke. He searched the entire coastline to find just the right-shaped driftwood.” He whispered. “Why do you think that he did that, Eve?”
She was afraid she knew. “How many, Doane?” she asked hoarsely.
“Only two little girls. He took one from a suburb in Seattle and the other from a little town in Oregon. He was under pressure when he was here and needed release, but he didn’t want to attract too much attention.” He nodded at the driftwood closest to the house. “One is buried there if I remember correctly. The other I’m not sure…”
“Why bury them practically on his own doorstep?” she asked. “He must have been even more mad than I thought.”
“He liked the idea of having them near him. And the fact that no one knew what lay beneath that pile of driftwood amused him.”
“His little joke,” she repeated. She felt sick. A joke. And two little girls who had once been loved and cherished had died and never been brought home.
“We can go inside now,” he said softly, his gaze on her face. “That’s how I wanted you to look. You were too hard, too tough, like her. But I can hurt you if I go about it the right way.”
He pushed her back into the cottage. “And I can hurt her. I just have to wait until all this is over.” He pushed her down into the chair and began to bind her. “You’ll be good when I’m gone, won’t you? Just sit there and anticipate seeing your father. I may even let you have some time together before I kill you. He should appreciate what he’s losing.”
“He won’t care if I live or die. How many times do I have to tell you that? We’re strangers.”
“Blood means everything. He killed my son. Blood for blood.” He turned and picked up the tranquilizer gun. “And who knows? I may bury you both beneath that driftwood outside.” He smiled as he headed for the door. “Kevin would like that …
* * *
“I THINK YOU’D BETTER come back to the hotel, Jane,” Margaret said as soon as Jane picked up the phone. “Forget about those security tapes. Something strange is going on.”
“We’ve already got the tapes. It didn’t take us that long. We’re already on our way back. What are you talking about?”
“I was monitoring those machines, and Cartland called Harriet. He wouldn’t talk to her on the phone. She went down to the lobby to talk to him.”
“What? Did she leave the hotel?”
“No, that was what I was afraid would happen. I followed her down to the lobby. She talked to Cartland, then made a phone call and went back to her room.”
“Could you get close enough to hear the conversation?”
“No way. They were being supercareful.” She paused. “And when CartIand called her, he didn’t want her to talk on the phone. Does that suggest anything?”
“That Cartland might be afraid that her phone has been bugged,” Jane said. “Shit.” She turned to Trevor. “She may be on the run. She could take off at any time.”
“But not yet.” He stepped on the accelerator. “We should be back at the hotel in ten minutes.”
Seattle
CATHERINE SILENTLY OPENED the door.
The sitting room was dark.
There was no sound.
But she knew Zander was in that room.
And Zander knew she was standing there.
“Really, Catherine, you’re making me feel harassed,” he said. “Though you’re very good. I didn’t even hear the door open.”
“You’re ready to make a move, aren’t you?” she asked. “I’ve been feeling it all day. And you didn’t want me to follow you. That means you found out something from that contact Slater you talked to last night. You know where Doane is.”
“No, I have no idea … yet.”
“But you are ready to move.” Catherine turned toward the corner from where his voice was coming, but she couldn’t make him out in the darkness. “You know something. I’m coming with you, Zander.”
“You’re not invited.”
“Too bad.” She glided forward. “Now let’s stop playing hide-and-seek. Turn on the lights.”
“But you have such a delightful voice coming out of the darkness. Very soft, very mysterious.”
“If you don’t take me with you, I’ll follow you.”
“I know you will.” His tone was regretful. “And I can’t allow you to do that.”
His voice was issuing from about a foot right of the corner of the room, she judged.
“You won’t kill me. Why should you? I’m on your side, on Eve’s side.”
“No one is on my side but me. I learned that a long time ago. And you would get in my way, Catherine. That could be a great danger.”
She could feel her heart pounding. “Okay, but I’m on Eve’s side. That means something to you.”
“Does it?”
“Yes. That man Slater told you something. What?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“Yes.”
He chuckled. “True, but in this case I’m not lying.” He added, “And why are you trying to move closer to me? That’s really not wise, Catherine.”
“I want you to be able to see me, touch me. I want you to remember who I am, all our conversations. I believe it’s much harder to strike down an antagonist you know.”
“Not for me.”
“Even you, Zander.” She paused. “You were waiting for me, weren’t you? Cat and mouse?”
“You’re much more like a sleek, beautiful panther than a mouse. But yes, I was waiting for you. Since you’re my bodyguard, I thought I should tell you something.”
“I can hardly wait to know what. You haven’t told me anything since I’ve been with you.”
“Don’t be sarcastic. Pay attention. Judging by your information from Jane MacGuire, once I’m taken, I figure that I’ll probably have from five to eight hours before Harriet Weber shows up to witness my execution. After she shows up, I think that Eve’s survival will be very dicey. In case something goes wrong with my calculations, it might be wise if you find that driftwood cottage. Purely as a backup, you understand.”
Shock jolted through her. “What the hell are you saying?”
“I’ve always intimidated Slater. He probably did know where to reach Doane, but he would never deal with me. But he’d put out the word that I was in town and where I could be found … for a price. By this time, Doane should have set up his ambush. I’d bet he’s outside now waiting for me to appear.”
“And you’re going to walk into it?” she asked in disbelief. “No, that’s a sure way to lose both Eve and you, dammit. I won’t let you do—”
“I told you, I’m the one in control, Catherine.”
“Not of Eve. You can commit suicide, but I won’t let you take Eve with you.” She gathered herself to leap. He’d be expecting it, but if she did a half—
“Find that cottage, Catherine. Just as a precaution…”
His voice was no longer coming from the corner, she realized in panic just a second before the edge of his hand came down on the back of her neck in a karate chop. He was behind her.
How the hell … The bastard had been throwing his voice and been behind her all the time …
Darkness.
* * *
A COLD, WET CLOTH on the back of her neck …
She slowly opened her eyes.
“You’re going to be okay, Catherine.” Stang’s voice was relieved. “I didn’t think that Zander would—But then I’m never sure what he’s going to do.”