“‘Game’? You sound like Joe.” She studied Eve’s face. “But you don’t think like him, do you? He actually does think of it as a game. That’s what I was thinking when he left the house to hunt down Drogan.”
“I guess we’ve been together so long that we do think alike in some things. And I had to become a hunter, too, during the years we searched for my daughter.” She shook her head. “Do I enjoy it? No way. But I know what the elements are and how Joe and I can help each other toward a common goal. In a situation like this, that’s crucial if you want to stay alive. You’ve got to have a plan, and there can’t be any impulsive or emotional changes.” She turned toward the kitchen. “Go upstairs and wash your face and choose a bedroom. Coffee will be ready in fifteen minutes, and when you come down, don’t give Newell a hard time. You can’t have it your way. He’s made his choice.”
Beth didn’t speak for a moment, then turned on her heel and ran up the stairs.
“We’d be better off on our own,” Joe said as he filled the coffeemaker. “You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes.” She took down cups from the cabinet over the sink. “She says it’s her battle, but she doesn’t really realize what that means yet. If she sees Gelber try to lie his way out of the situation, it may hit home.”
“Or he may be so plausible that she’ll believe him when he tells her that she really needed all those years as a prisoner in that hospital.” He glanced at Eve. “And that she still needs help and should go back and let those good, competent doctors take care of her.”
“I don’t think so.”
“But you’re afraid that it could happen.”
“She’s confused.” She handed him the can of coffee. “But she’s smart and tough. I’ll bet on her.”
He nodded. “But not too heavily. It could be dangerous.” He suddenly smiled. “But what am I saying? It’s not going to do any good to try to dissuade you. For someone who was so reluctant and wary to come to Beth’s rescue, you’ve come almost full circle. I’ll just have to do what I always do when I see your soft side coming to the forefront.”
“And what is that?”
He turned on the coffeemaker, and brushed his lips across the tip of her nose. “Why, watch your back, my love.”
* * *
“I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, Pierce. But you’re overreacting.” Hans Gelber looked critically at his nails. He really did need a manicure before he went to the book signing at the mall tomorrow. “All you have to do is locate the woman, and the issue is resolved.”
“Overreacting?” He could hear the barely controlled rage in Pierce’s voice. “You can say that. You sit fat and happy in that office in Beverly Hills while I’m on the hot seat. My career could be ruined.”
“Not to mention that you’d face criminal charges if Beth Avery could prove what you’d done to her.”
“What we’d done to her,” Pierce corrected.
“My part would be difficult to prove. I was very thorough in erasing her memories. She won’t remember any of the details of our little get-togethers.” He added, “And you told me that you’d not kept any in-depth records of the sessions. That was very clever of you, Pierce.”
“But you didn’t tell me that you’d destroyed your own records. I don’t trust you, Gelber.”
“I’m shocked. We’ve been partners for a long time, and we’ve both prospered enormously from that single transaction. Why would I wish to hurt you?”
“To turn state’s evidence against me and save your neck. But you’d be hurt as well. Your fine cars and that mansion paid for by your books, all those starlets standing in line to be hypnotized to keep those size-zero figures—your little bubble would burst.”
“You don’t have to threaten me, Pierce. I’ve no desire to make trouble for you.” He couldn’t quite keep the edge from his voice. “Even though it’s entirely your fault we’re having to have this discussion. You could have continued just to keep the woman as a patient, but you decided to take an action that was dangerous for both of us. Then you botched it and now you come to me frantically trying to plug every hole to save your skin.”
“I won’t be lectured by you, Gelber. What I did was necessary. It wasn’t my choice, but now everything is coming unraveled. I just received a call from Nelda Avery with information regarding Joe Quinn. It’s true he’s a detective with Atlanta PD, but he was never assigned to Beth’s case. And his live-in lover is Eve Duncan, Beth Avery’s half sister. Duncan was here at the hospital day before yesterday. She found a way to attach herself to a music therapist touring the place, but she had to be snooping around. There’s no telling what she found out.”
“You’re panicking for no reason. You’ve told me that Beth Avery’s maternal family has never displayed an interest in her.”
“Before she ran away from the hospital. Something has changed. I’ll have to deal with Quinn and Eve Duncan as well as Beth. Now, will you cooperate or not?”
“I might consider it. What do you wish me to do?”
“Send me all the Beth Avery records.”
“I believe you realize that is impossible. After all, they are confidential. You wouldn’t want me to break my Hippocratic oath. They are quite safe with me. Anything else?”
Pierce was viciously cursing, and it took a moment for him to answer. “Leave town. Disappear. Go back to Germany for a while. Show off for the natives how well you’ve done.”
“It’s a global society. It wouldn’t be long before I could be found.”
“But it would take time, and I’d be able to finesse the problem out of existence before that time ran out.”
“‘Finesse’?” He chuckled. “What a word to describe the act I assume you mean. Very amusing.”
“I’m not amused. Will you disappear until I tell you it’s safe to come back?”
“I’ll think about it. But it’s not at all convenient. My new book just came out last week, and it has a chance to make the New York Times bestseller list with the right promotion. I have a signing at Century Mall tomorrow.”
“Then leave right after the signing. I’ll have Stella make the reservations for you. Just tell me where you want to go.”
“Ah, the lovely Stella. If you’d lend me her company for a month or two, I might be persuaded to find a sunny beach in some out-of-the-way island chain.”
“It can be arranged.”
“But lust can’t compare with the Times at my stage of life. Sad but true. Besides, I have no problem acquiring women. You’ve forgotten what a talented man I am.”
“What do you want? I’ll give it to you.”
Desperation, Gelber recognized. It pleased him that he could make the arrogant son of a bitch dangle on his string. He would probably eventually give in to Pierce’s demands. He had no desire to be caught up in the mess that appeared to be looming for Pierce if he didn’t locate Beth Avery soon. He would do better to make himself scarce and be out of the range of the tornado. He would make a discreet exit and only return if he found that it was to his advantage.
“Let me think about it.” Actually, it might make his new book sell even better if there were hints that he was involved in such a notorious case. Only hints, there had to be a balance. “Suppose we get together and discuss it before my signing tomorrow.”
“You can call me.”
“Breakfast is better. If I decide to accede to your request, I’d want to leave at once, directly after my autographing. I’d require that you bring a cashier’s check for $800,000 to take care of expenses on my journey.”
“What?”
“Don’t squeal. I know how well you’ve been doing all these years. It’s time you shared. After all, I’m giving up a generous income to accommodate you.”
“I’ll think about it. Bring the records.”
He ignored the demand. “It would probably be better if we met in private. There’s a small motel north of Los Angeles where I occasionally go when I wish to have a discreet liaison with a client.”