She couldn’t argue with Rick Avery’s sincerity. It was no wonder Beth had believed him. Eve had tried to punch holes in his words, but she couldn’t fault that part of his story. She could see how Sandra, and now Beth, had been caught and held by him all these years. If he was a liar, he was the greatest one she had ever met. “So he appeared to be telling the truth. It doesn’t mean that he’s not being used.”
“What if he’s not? We’re not sure if his mother is to blame for what happened. I can’t remember anything. Maybe it was all Pierce’s fault, his plan.” Her eyes were glittering in her taut face, and her expression was alight with excitement. “I have to go to Rick. He wants to talk to me. We may be able to go home together.”
“You’ve never had a home with him,” she said in despair.
“Not because he didn’t want to give me a home. It was just … difficult.” She gazed at Eve pleadingly. “It’s my chance, Eve. I don’t want to turn my back on it.”
“It’s a trap.”
“No. Rick wouldn’t do that.” She turned and started toward the garden gate. “I’m going. Don’t try to stop me.”
She meant it, and there was no way to argue her out of it.
“Okay, I won’t.” She jumped to her feet and strode toward the gate. “But I’m going with you. Don’t argue. You’re not going alone. I’ll drive you.”
“Rick told me not to bring—”
“Then Rick will have to change his mind,” she said grimly. “You can leave Newell and Joe out of the mix, but you’re not going to leave this house without me. I’m going with you, I’m taking my gun, and I’m going to search that beach house before you take a step inside it.”
“It’s going to be all right, Eve,” Beth said. “I feel it. Whatever you believe about his mother, I know Rick is a good guy. I just have to show him that I’m not a mental case, then we’ll put our heads together to try to find out what happened to me.”
“We’re already trying to do that.” Eve made an impatient gesture. “And we’ve come pretty damn close without Rick Avery’s help. But I can’t convince you of that, can I?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she pulled the garden gate closed behind her and headed around the house toward the car in the driveway. “So we’ll do it your way and hope that you’re right. But there’s no way that I’ll bank on it. If your father wants to get cozy with you, then he’ll have to take me with the package.” She got into the driver’s seat of the Toyota and started the car. “Get in. Faith is a wonderful thing, but I’m sadly lacking in it at the moment. Let’s get this over.”
“You don’t have to have faith,” Beth said. “I have it. You’ll realize when you meet him how—”
“Eve!” Newell was running out the front door. “What the hell is happening? Where—”
“I’ll call you,” Eve called to him as she drove off down the street. “I promise.” She turned the corner and headed for the entrance of the subdivision. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I don’t like leaving Newell in the dark. I don’t like anything about this.”
“Then let me take you back, and I’ll drive myself,” Beth said quietly. “You’ve done enough for me. Let me take over now.”
“I can’t do that.” She drew a deep breath and tried to release the frustration that was both useless and emotionally wearing. “I have to see it through to the end. I understand that sisters do that for each other. Give me my phone. I’m calling Newell. Although it’s probably too late to stop him from calling Joe.” She dialed Newell’s number. “I’m sorry, Newell. Rick Avery called Beth, and she insisted on going to him when he said he needed to see her.”
Newell cursed long and emphatically. “Are you nuts, Eve? Do you want to set her up? It has to be a trap.”
“She won’t believe it, and I couldn’t let her go alone. I had no choice.”
“I would have had a choice. I’d have knocked her out, then given her a shot to keep her that way.”
“No, you wouldn’t. You’d be doing the same thing I’m doing. Trying to keep her safe. I’m not going to take any chances. I have my .38 and I’m not going to go in blind.”
“But you’re going in alone. And Joe is going to go ballistic. I’m calling him as soon as I hang up. Where are you going?”
“Malibu somewhere.” She saw Beth shaking her head. “I can’t tell you exactly where. He’s going to give us an address as soon as we get in the general area.” She added, for Beth’s benefit, “He didn’t want anyone but Beth, but that’s not an option. He’ll put up with me. And I’ll give you and Joe the address when I pull up to the house. That should give you both a chance to get here within a reasonable length of time and still let Rick have his opportunity to convince Beth that he’s only misunderstood. Tell Joe that I’m not answering my phone. I’ll talk to him at Avery’s place.”
“Coward.”
“You bet. I know how stupid this is. I just have to do it.” She hung up.
“Rick’s not going to like not having much time alone with me,” Beth said reproachfully.
“Compromise.” Eve turned onto the freeway. “He gets what he wants. We get what we want.”
It sounded good, but it might be a shallow victory. Was Drogan behind her on the freeway?
Or was he waiting at that house in Malibu?
“You’re worried,” Beth said. “You have a right to worry considering all you’ve been through for me. You think I’m foolish. But don’t we have to trust the people we love? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”
She opened her mouth to tell her that Rick didn’t deserve trust. But she glanced at Beth and sighed resignedly. Her expression was no longer luminous and excited, but the wonder and wistfulness was just as touching. God, she was hoping Beth’s trust wouldn’t be betrayed in any brutal way. She reached out and gave her sister’s hand a quick squeeze. “So they tell me. We’re certainly giving it a good try.” She took her hand away. “Now do a return on Rick’s call, tell him we’re on our way, and get an address from him.”
* * *
“SHE DID WHAT?” JOE TRIED to keep his voice even when he wanted to shout at Newell. “I told you to keep watch over—” He broke off. This wasn’t Newell’s fault. Eve had made the decision.
And that decision was scaring him shitless.
“I thought I was watching to keep the bad guys from coming in and attacking,” Newell said. “I didn’t think they’d be running away to meet them.”
“I know.” He strode away from the flashing lights of Pierce’s accident scene toward his car. “And Eve wouldn’t have done it if she’d had any way to persuade Beth.”
“At least Eve’s on guard. She’s not all dewy-eyed like Beth,” Newell said. “She said Avery is in Malibu, and she’d call us with the address. I’ve called a taxi to take me to the nearest rental-car place to pick up a car, but you’ll probably get to Malibu before I do.”
“Maybe. I’m a good hour away.”
And a second could mean the difference between life and death.
Kendra.
“Look, don’t go to the rental agency. I’ll call you right back.” He hung up and dialed Kendra. “How close are you to Valencia now?”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Try to make it sooner.” He rattled off the address. “Pick up Newell. I’m across town, and he has to move fast.”
“Problems?”
“Mega problems. Newell will explain.” He hung up and called Newell back. “Kendra Michaels will pick you up. Get out there to Malibu.” He hung up and called Eve.
No answer. He didn’t expect one, but he’d had to try. Eve had made her decision and wouldn’t permit any interference. She’d committed to Beth and was attempting to walk a fine line to keep Beth safe and let them have their chance if she was in danger. She was trying to be all things to all people, dammit.
And she could get herself killed.
CHAPTER
17
THE COTTAGE IN MALIBU WAS very modest, but it was not crowded on top of its neighbors. It was on one of the back streets, not on the beach, and the neighboring cottages were a good hundred yards away.