You took enough time. Logan scowled at her as she walked into the study. Weve been waiting.
I had to wash and blow-dry my hair.
And very nice it looks, Gil said from the corner of the room. Worth every minute of the delay.
She smiled at him. I dont believe Logan thinks so.
I dont, Logan said. Its rude to keep people waiting.
It depends on whether you have an appoint-ment or a summons.
Gil chuckled. You shouldnt have sent Margaret, Logan.
Dammit, I didnt want to appear pushy.
Her brow lifted. Oh, yes?
Well, not obviously pushy. Logan gestured to the chair. Sit down, Eve.
She shook her head. This wont take long.
Logan tensed. Look, I dont want you to
Shut up, Logan. Ill do it. Ill go to your damn cornfield to get this skull. Well bring it back here and Ill do the work you want me to do. She gazed di-rectly into his eyes. But we do it right away. I want this over with.
Tonight.
Fine. She started to leave.
Why? Logan asked suddenly. Why are you doing it?
Because youre wrong and the only way I can prove youre wrong is to do the work. I want to be done with it and get back to whats important to me. She added coolly, And, yes, I do want to see you with egg on your face. I want it so much that I might even volunteer to work on Chadbournes reelection campaign.
And thats all?
She carefully kept her face without expression. Dont let him see anything. Dont let him know the panic shed had to overcome last night. Dont give him a weapon to use against her. Thats all. When do we leave?
After midnight. He smiled crookedly. As is proper for such a nefarious enterprise. Well take the limo. Its only about an hours drive from here.
She glanced at Gil. Are you coming too?
I wouldnt miss it. I cant remember the last time I dug up a skull. Particularly one that promises to be this interesting. He winked. Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him, Horatio.
She headed for the door. Actually, that quote is closer to the mark than anything Logans told me. That skull has a hell of a lot better chance of be-longing to Shakespeares Yorick than to Kennedy.
Theyre on the move, Timwick, Fiske said into the phone. Price, Logan, and the Duncan woman. They just drove out the gates.
Be careful. Youll blow everything if they realize youre following them.
No problem. We dont have to get close until theres need. Kenner planted a signal device in the limo when Price was at the Bentz apartment. Well wait until theyre on a deserted road and then over-take them and
No, youll let them get where theyre going be-fore you act.
That may not be the ideal situation. I should
Screw the ideal situation. Youll let them get where theyre going. Do you hear me, Fiske? You let Kenner handle it. Ive given him exact instructions and youll do what he says.
Fiske hung up the phone. Son of a bitch. It was bad enough having to give in to Timwick without knuckling under to Kenner. Hed had a bellyful of the prick in the past twenty-four hours.
I told you I was in charge, Kenner said from the drivers seat. Youre just along for the ride until I give the word. He jerked his head at the two men in the backseat. Just like them.
Fiske gazed straight ahead at the limos taillights in the distance. He drew a deep breath and tried to relax. It would be all right. He would manage to do his job in spite of Kenners interference. Hed kill the three in the limo up ahead and cross their names off the list.
And then hed start his own list with Kenners name at the very top.
The cornfield should have reminded Eve of some-thing as all-American as a state fair but all she could think about was a horror movie shed seen about a group of ghoulish children living in a cornfield.
No children here.
Only death.
And a skull buried beneath the rich brown earth.
Waiting.
She slowly got out of the car. Its there?
Logan nodded.
The field looks well tended. Wheres the farm-house?
About five miles to the north.
Its a big field. I hope Donnelli gave you good directions.
He did. I have them memorized. He got out of the car. I know exactly where its located.
Those directions had better be good. Gil had opened the trunk and was taking out two shovels and a large lantern flashlight. Diggings not my favorite pastime. I spent a summer on a road crew when I was working my way through college, and I swore Id never do it again.
Serves you right. Logan took the lantern and one of the shovels. Never say never. He strode into the cornfield.
Coming? Gil asked Eve as he started after Logan.
She didnt move.
She could smell the earth where death waited.
She could hear the breeze as it rustled through the rows of tall corn.
She felt her chest tighten at the thought of sinking, drowning into that swaying sea of corn.
Eve? Gil was standing at the edge of the field, waiting. John wants you with us.
She moistened her lips. Why?
He shrugged. Ask him.
Its stupid for me even to be here. Im not going to be able to tell anything until I get back to the lab.
Sorry, he wants you there when he digs it up.
Stop arguing. Do it. Get it over with. Get out of this place.
She followed Gil into the cornfield.
Darkness.
She could hear the rustling sound Gil was making ahead of her, but she couldnt see him. She could see nothing but the tall stalks all around her. It was like being buried. Even with a map and directions, how could Logan manage to find anything?
I see a light ahead. Gils voice drifted back to her.
It was more than she could see, but her pace increased.
Get it over with. Get out of here.
She could see the light now. Logan had set the flashlight on the ground and was already digging, his shovel spiking into the earth and tearing at the roots of the cornstalks.
Here? Gil asked.
Logan glanced up at them and nodded. Quick. Its buried pretty deep so the farmer wouldnt dig it up when he was planting. You dont have to be careful. Its supposed to be in a lead-lined box.
Gil started digging.
She wished theyd given her a shovel, she thought after five minutes. Being busy would have been better than standing there, watching. Her tension was growing with every second.
This was stupid. There was probably nothing buried there and they were all behaving like people out of a Stephen King novel.
Ive hit something, Gil said.
Logan glanced at Gil. Hallelujah. He began digging faster.
Eve moved closer to the hole and saw rusted metal through the loosened dirt. Jesushellip;
Why was she feeling so shaken? Just because Donnelli hadnt lied about the location didnt mean the rest of the story was true. There might not even be a skull in the box and the chances of it being Kennedy were out of sight.
Logan was prying open the lock on the box.
Only it wasnt a box, she suddenly realized. It was a coffin.
A babys coffin.
Stop it.
Logan looked at her. What the hell?
Its a coffin. A babyhellip;
I know that. Donnelli was an undertaker. How else do you think he got a lead-lined box?
What if its not a skull?