“No, I probably wouldn’t. But I do understand about nightmares.” He smiled. “I believe I’ll take this one away from you.”
“What do you mean?”
“If this skull exists somewhere, it will always haunt you. So it will no longer exist.” He held out the reconstruction to her. “Do you wish to make sure of that? Or would you like me to do it? I thought I’d offer you the opportunity.”
“What opportunity?”
“Can’t you guess? Why do you think I built this fine fire? Five years ago, I sent Kevin’s body to a crematorium to be burned. If Doane hadn’t snatched his head from the blaze, you wouldn’t have had to deal with putting his skull back together.” He added mockingly, “Now I can correct that little error.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re going to burn this reconstruction?”
“I regret burning your wonderful work, but I prefer to think of it only as Kevin’s skull. And I’m going to burn Kevin’s skull to ashes. Then I’m going to toss those ashes into the most disgusting mire I can find. I thought about the ocean, but that would be too clean for him.”
“Yes, it would.”
“I won’t ask if you approve. Your work is to save, not destroy. I just wanted you to know it was being done and that you could trust me to do it right.”
She gazed at Kevin’s handsome features, which reflected none of the evil that had corroded his soul. All the murders, all the innocent children … She felt suddenly sick. No one should ever look at him again and not know what he was. And she would not let Zander be responsible for doing what she thought was right. “I trust you.” She took the reconstruction from him. “But I won’t let you do it alone.” She took a deep breath and threw the skull into the flames.
The fire leaped high and hungry as if in blazing welcome.
She stared at the skull as the fire began to consume it.
“It’s time for you to go,” Zander said quietly. “You’ve made your decision and acted on it. You don’t need to see it happen. It will take a long time for it to burn down to ashes. In a furnace, the heat is more intense, but this fire will do what’s necessary. I’ll tend it all day and all night, longer if need be. Then I’ll dispose of the ashes.”
She got to her feet and moved toward the path. No, not like this. She wouldn’t leave him like this. She turned and looked at him. “Thank you for my gift, Zander.”
He grimaced. “I’m happy you’re pleased. I thought you’d think it was a suitable good-bye present for a man of my profession and character.”
“You never do anything that’s suitable. But it’s a gift that I’ll remember you thought about, then gave to bring me peace. That’s a very precious gift, Zander.”
He looked a little taken aback. “Are you getting maudlin again?”
“No. I’m being sincere. I know it’s hard for you to recognize the difference. I think I may have to teach it to you.” She met his eyes. “Because if this is a good-bye present, you’ve wasted it. I’m not saying good-bye to you.”
“You’re not? You may not have a choice.”
“Bullshit. I’m not intruding into your life, but I’m in it now, and I won’t be thrown out. You did that when I was ten years old. It’s not going to happen again.”
He smiled faintly. “You’re intimidating me, Eve. And your judgment is very, very faulty. Do you really want to have anything to do with a lost soul like me?”
“I don’t know. It depends on you … and me. But it’s not good-bye.” She started up the path. “So we’ll see how it goes.”
He chuckled. “Because your Bonnie believes in second chances?”
“Because your granddaughter believes in second chances.” She didn’t look back. “And so do I, Zander.”
Epilogue
Lake Cottage
Atlanta, Georgia
Four Days Later
“DÉJÀ VU,” CATHERINE SAID to Kendra as she gazed down from the porch at the guests milling on the grounds below her. “It reminds me of the day that I was here for that phony memorial service for Eve.” No, not really, she thought. There were no public figures or media at Trevor’s funeral. Only the people who had been on the hunt for Eve and a dozen or so friends of Trevor’s who had flown in from Europe. They were all moving from group to group, talking soberly. Except for Seth Caleb, who was standing apart and alone, drinking a glass of wine. Her gaze rested on him for an instant before moving on. That fascinating face always made her pause, and particularly today, when she could sense the tension behind it. “I was so angry and bewildered when I showed up here that day…”
“And relieved when you found out she was still alive,” Kendra said. “God, it’s good to have her back. I only wish to hell that this was a celebration and not a genuine funeral.” Her gaze was focused on Eve and Jane, who were standing together down by the lake. “Jane is managing to hold it together, but I don’t know for how long.”
“As long as she has to do it.” Catherine had watched Jane all through Trevor’s funeral and burial this morning, and her heart had ached for her. She had been pale, tragic, but there had also been strength and endurance. “And she has Eve. You can almost see Eve…” She tried to find the words to describe the bond between the two women. “She’s kind of spreading invisible wings to enfold her Jane.” She suddenly stiffened. “There’s Venable. I wasn’t sure he’d be here. He was pretty pissed off at Jane for not letting him know about Harriet sooner.” She headed for the steps. “I’m going to intercept him and make sure that he doesn’t say anything to her.”
“He wouldn’t be that insensitive, would he?” Kendra asked.
“I don’t think so, but I’m not taking any chances.” Catherine glanced back over her shoulder. “And he should thank you for figuring out where those nukes were located. Who knows how long it would have taken him to find out where Kevin placed those devices? It could have been a threat for years.”
“Stop it,” she said testily. “I don’t want thanks. I had my fill of it with Eve when I got here. She’s free and back home, and that’s all that matters.” Her gaze returned to Eve and Jane. “And we can only hope that the healing begins soon.”
Catherine silently seconded that wish as she ran down the steps. Healing for Eve, who had been tortured mentally and physically. Healing for Jane, who had lost even more than Eve.
Venable was gazing at her with a sardonic smile as she came toward him. “Catherine to the rescue?”
“It depends on how much of an asshole you turn out to be,” she said soberly. “You’re not getting near Jane if you’re here to give her even one word of condemnation. She’s had enough.”
“I agree,” he said. “Though she was wrong, and I was right.” He added, “And, by complicity, you were also wrong, Catherine.”
She lifted her chin. “Then fire me, Venable. You could make a good case.”
“I thought about it.” He shrugged. “But I’d be cutting off my nose to spite my face. You’re the best of the best. I’ll need you next week when I send you to Guatemala City.”
“I’m not going anywhere next week but home to my son. Find someone else.”
“I could hold your disloyalty over your head and—” He broke off, then said wearily, “But I won’t do it. I’m tired of being the bad guy. Someone’s got to do it, but not me. Not right now. I’ve got to go over there and try to explain to Eve why I was willing to risk her life. I like Eve and Joe and Jane, and I let them all stay under the gun. They may never forgive me because I can’t even say I’m sorry.”
“Maybe,” Catherine said. “You’ll just have to try. You might begin by expressing your condolences to Jane for losing the man she loved. It might establish a rapport that could carry you through.”
“I was going to do that,” Venable said. “I’m not that much of a bastard.”
“No, you’re a good guy when you’re not trying to save democracy.” But she was suddenly bone weary of dealing with Venable and his agendas. “But I don’t care about jumping back on your bandwagon right now. Go do your duty and clear the way for me to say my good-byes. By midnight, I’m going to be on a jet to Hong Kong, and tomorrow I’ll be with Luke and Hu Chang.”