“Bad decision.”
He was silent a moment. “Not as bad as the one you made when you and Kendra went to get those records at the hospital and shut me out of the action.” He held up his hand. “No, I didn’t do it as some kind of revenge. I’m over that now … Well, almost.”
She opened her mouth to argue, then shut it without speaking. He was right. She had opened herself to this action on his part. He would not have purposely lied to her. When you were dealing with a monster like Drogan, things happened that changed the situation minute by minute.
And she would not want Joe’s self-will and independence threatened, even by her. It would be the quickest way to destroy what was between them. “Okay, but you should still have woken me when you came back. And why didn’t you come to bed right away?”
He smiled slyly, “I was down in the library with Beth.”
“What? Is she okay?”
He sighed. “That’s not the response I was hoping for. I was enjoying the idea that you were a little possessive. I think you’re taking me too much for granted.”
“No, I’m not. And you’d be mad as hell if I didn’t trust you. Now why were you with Beth?”
“I was using the computer in the library to see if I could check out background info on Drogan. I need to get to know everything I can about him.” He met her gaze. “Because I believe that Beth isn’t going to be his only target from now on. I made him very, very angry.”
She slowly sat back down on the bed. “Why? Talk to me, Joe. Everything.”
“I was about to do that. But I thought I’d take a shower and change first.”
“No way.”
“Whatever you say. But it will take a while. There have been developments.” He leaned back on the headboard. “And then we’re going to have to make a few decisions.”
* * *
“NASTY.” WHEN JOE HAD FINISHED speaking, Eve got to her feet and went over to the window to look down at the surf pounding against the beach. “Three innocent people, Joe?” She shook her head. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after what he did to Beth and Newell, but I am. He’s even worse than I imagined.” She turned to look at him. “What decisions?”
“One, we have to leave here and find somewhere safe for Beth. We probably won’t be able to leave the area safely until evening. It’s a break that the Lamborghini was ditched outside the drive, but they’ll still do a cursory search since his rental car was found down the street. I’ll have time to make some calls to contacts I have in Los Angeles and set up a safe house.” He made a face. “But I guarantee it won’t be as luxurious as this one Newell arranged for her.”
“What else?”
“Dr. Hans Gelber.”
She nodded. “The psychiatrist Pierce brought in to do the hypnosis on Beth when she first arrived at the hospital. But that was years ago. He may not even still be alive.”
“He’s alive. After I checked out Drogan, I went on the Net and verified Gelber. He moved from Germany the same year he was involved with Beth’s therapy. Evidently he earned a nice fat fee from Pierce and was able to set up offices in Beverly Hills. We won’t be able to squeeze any information out of Pierce, but Gelber may cave if we put some pressure on him. He’s the only one besides Pierce who knows the story behind why Beth was supposedly so traumatized. If his job was to make her forget that episode, he must have known exactly what happened.”
“That fat fee was probably supposed to guarantee Gelber’s silence. And, if there was anything criminal behind it, he’s not going to incriminate himself.”
“Unless we can scare him. And I’m willing to do my damnedest.” His lips tightened. “I hate the idea of anyone’s circumventing a person’s will, and for anyone to deliberately twist Beth’s psyche pisses me off royally.”
And she had no doubt Joe would be able to do it. He could be extraordinarily intimidating when he chose. And seeing his expression at that moment, she knew that he would choose. She wasn’t going to try to dissuade him when she felt the same way. Pierce might have been the guiding hand behind his tool, Gelber, but the doctor had let himself be used and kept his silence for many years. Years when Beth was being held prisoner. “Do you have his address?”
“Oh, yes. I figured I’d pay him a visit once I got you and Beth settled again.”
She shook her head. “Not this time. I’m going with you. Newell can stay with Beth.”
He lifted his shoulders. “I thought that would be the way it would go.” He was silent. “Shall we tell Beth?”
“Of course; it’s her right to know what we’re doing. She was that bastard’s victim. Hell, she’ll probably want to go with us.”
“If she believes that he actually hypnotized her. It’s all a blur to her. I think she’s having trouble believing that there was any plot against her by the Averys. She’d rather think that Pierce was the sole guilty one who kept her at the hospital so he could milk the family for money.”
“It’s easier than having to believe Rick Avery had anything to do with it.” She wrinkled her nose. “She clearly adores the man. I don’t see how she could— Yes, I could. She didn’t have anyone else. Everyone needs someone to love, and he evidently has a certain charisma.” She added, “She can ignore the truth if she wishes, but we’ve still got to give her the opportunity to face her demons. Maybe she’ll remember something from the therapy sessions if she sees him again.”
“Perhaps.” Joe got up from the bed and moved toward the bathroom. “And maybe she’ll close her mind and refuse to see anything. I’m heading for the shower. I left Beth in the library. If you want to discuss this with her, I’m sure that she’ll still be awake. I suggested that she take a nap, but I dangled the possibility of finding out more about you by tapping the Internet. Considering that she has a boundless curiosity about the world in general and you in particular, which suggestion do you think she’d choose?”
“You’ve learned a good deal about her.”
“I like her. She’s very human. And I can see similarities with you. That automatically puts me on her side.”
“We’re nothing alike.”
“Wrong. You’re both mentally and physically tough but have a certain vulnerability. Physically, there’s little resemblance, but every now and then, I see her tilt her head in a certain way…” He smiled. “And I can see Bonnie in her.”
She stiffened. “Her hair … it’s curly like Bonnie’s.”
“No, that’s not it. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s there.” The door of the bathroom shut behind him.
Crazy. Beth was really nothing like Bonnie. Beth was stubborn and wonderfully vital and as changeable as quicksilver.
But would there have been a character resemblance if Bonnie had grown up in the same environment as Beth? Bonnie had been taken from Eve when she was only seven, and she had been so special. But she had always been surrounded by love. Beth had not had that advantage and had grown wary. Would the years have changed Bonnie if she’d had to live a life like Beth’s?
No, not Bonnie. Eve could not imagine Bonnie wary or afraid to give love.
And it was ridiculous standing there and mentally trying to compare them just because Joe had made that comment. She was already feeling the start of a fierce protectiveness toward Beth. Which was completely ridiculous. The woman had threatened to shoot her, been completely rude, then suggested that she would like to sleep with Joe.
Yet Beth had managed to touch her in a way that was completely mystifying.
They were approaching each other tentatively, half-afraid to commit, unsure of what they would find. Beth was surrounded by lies and terror and death, and Eve was beginning to feel as if she had entered into that suffocating cocoon with her.
Forget it. All this emotional fretting was getting her nowhere. Do what Joe suggested and go downstairs and discuss Hans Gelber with Beth and give her the chance to say yea or nay.
She threw on a robe and ran a comb through her hair. She’d shower later, when Joe was finished, but she wanted to get this talk over and done with. She ran down the stairs and down the hall to the library and threw open the door.