Interesting. He grimaced. And maybe a little eerie.
Dont be stupid, she said coldly. Its a talent, not some kind of paranormal idiocy.
And Doprel has it too?
Yes. She carefully lifted the scorched skull out of the box. Caucasian. Male. Facial bones almost en-tirely intact. A good portion of the back of the skull was missing.
Not very pretty, is he? Logan said.
You wouldnt be pretty either if youd gone through what he did. Donnelli was lucky. The brain could have blown forward instead of backward and then there wouldnt have been any blackmailhellip; or any reconstruction.
The fire caused the brain to explode?
She nodded. It happens almost all the time with fire victims.
He went back to the previous conversation. So Doprel would be a reasonable first choice?
If Timwick could get him. Most of his work is done for the NYPD.
Timwick can get him. He looked at the skull. Two days, Eve. Please.
It will get done when it gets done. Dont worry, Im not going to waste time. I want this over. She moved over to the pedestal and placed the skull in the center. Now, get out of here. Ive got measuring to do and I have to concentrate.
Yes, maam. A few moments later the door closed.
She hadnt taken her eyes away from the skull. Shut Logan out. Dont let anything get in the way. Every measurement had to be exact.
But not yet. First she had to establish a link, just as she usually did. It was probably going to be harder since this was an adult and not a child. She had to re-member that he was also a lost one. She measured dif-ferent parts of the cranium and wrote the numbers down on her pad. Youre not who he says you are, but that doesnt matter. Youre important in your own right, Jimmy.
Jimmy? Where had that come from?
It could be Jimmy Hoffa or some Mafia goon.
Grinning, she remembered the reasons she had told Logan she shouldnt take the job.
But here she was doing it.
And Jimmy was as good a name as any.
Im going to do all kinds of undignified things to you, but its all for a good cause, Jimmy, she mur-mured. Just hang in there with me, okay?
CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND
TUESDAY EVENING
Ive no time for this, Timwick, Simon Doprel said. Youve pulled me away from an important case thats going to trial next month. Find someone else.
Its only a few days. You agreed to do it.
I didnt agree to leave New York and come down here to the country. Your men practically kidnapped me. Why couldnt you bring the skull to me?
It had to be kept confidential. Dont back out now. Finding out if this is the terrorist weve been looking for is more important than a murder case.
Whats the Treasury Department doing chasing terrorists? Simon asked sourly.
We always get involved if the threat concerns the White House. If you need anything, just ask Fiske. Hell be closer than your shadow until you finish the job. Timwick smiled. We want to make you as comfortable as we can while youre with us. He walked out of the room and closed the door.
It was just as well Doprel was so reluctant to do the job, he thought grimly. He would work at top speed, and speed was what they needed.
When Timwick had been told how the skull had been tossed from the limo, hed been immediately suspicious. The retrieval might have been a little too easy. Fear for their lives could have made Logan sacri-fice the skull, but it might also have been a diversion. Why not take out the skull before throwing out the coffin? Panic?
Logan wasnt a man to panic, but hed been driving. Kenner had said it was the woman who had thrown out the coffin. At any rate, they would know soon.
And the surveillance would go on at Barrett House until they did.
Youre awake. Logan came into the room and dropped down in the chair beside Gils bed. How are you feeling?
A hell of a lot better if that doctor hadnt doped me up, Gil growled. My shoulders fine, but Ive got a jumbo headache.
You needed the rest.
Not twelve hours. He struggled to sit up. Whats happening?
Logan leaned forward and adjusted the pillows against the headboard. Eves working on the skull now.
Im surprised. I thought your decision to take her along was a mistake. You could have scared her off.
Or made her mad enough to dig in her heels. It could have gone either way. But I didnt have a choice. I needed to make them think that what we were doing was important. I wasnt expecting them to get that close.
You mean you were hoping they wouldnt. He smiled sardonically. Dont bullshit me. You would have done it anyway.
Probably. He added soberly, That doesnt stop me from being sorry about letting you take the heat.
Thats why I was there. We agreed that Id run interference while you took care of the red herring. Gil made a face. But I was clumsy. I would have been toast if it hadnt been for our bone lady. She was damn good.
Yes, very good. It seems Quinn thought she should know how to protect herself from the Frasers of the world.
Quinn again?
Logan nodded. He always seems to be in the background, doesnt he? He stood up. Im going to go down and take Eve a sandwich. She hasnt left the lab yet.
Im sure shell be grateful youre going to allow her to eat.
Drop the sarcasm.
I wasnt being sarcastic. I meant it. Now that youve got her on the job, I imagine youll crack the whip until you get what you want.
She wouldnt let me. Anything I can get you?
My CD player and discs. He grinned. How thick are these walls? I was thinking about tor-menting you with Loretta Lynns Coal Miners Daughter.
If you do, Ill ask Margaret to come in and play Florence Nightingale.
You wouldnt dare, Im a sick man. His smile disappeared. How much time do you think we have?
Three days maximum. Once they find out theyve got the wrong skull, theyll launch an all-out war. Weve got to be out of here by that time. He headed for the door. So get well and on your feet.
Tomorrow. Ill be up and functioning and back at the carriage house. Im tempted to loll in bed with Loretta and Garth Brooks, but its not worth the chance of Margaret nursing me.
Logan closed the door and went downstairs to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later he was knocking on the lab door, a ham sandwich and bowl of vegetable soup on a tray in his hand.
No answer.
May I come in?
Go away. Im busy.
I have food. Youve got to stop and eat sometime.
Put it down and Ill get to it later.
Logan hesitated and then set the tray on the table beside the door. Try to make it soon. The soup will get cold.
Christ, he sounded like a nagging wife. How far the mighty had fallen. Its a good thing Margaret wasnt nearby to hear that curt rejection. It would have amused the hell out of her.
TEN
"You didnt eat your dinner. You cant work if you dont eat, Mama.
Eve slowly raised her head from the desk.
Bonnie was sitting on the floor by the door, her arms linked around her knees. And its dumb to fall asleep at your desk when you have a bed to go to.
I was going to close my eyes for only a minute, she said defensively. I have work to do.
I know. Bonnie looked at the skull on the pedestal. Good work.
Good?
I think so. Bonnies forehead was creased in a puzzled frown. Im not sure. I think its important. Thats why I called you up to the cemetery.