Dont you dare say that. Youre my daughter, not my mother. You take care of yourself, Ill take care of myself. No guilt, dammit. I wont be another Bonnie.
Eves eyes widened.
Oh, shit, dont look at me like that. Sandra leaned forward and squeezed Eves shoulder. Just let me go, Eve. Let her go.
Were not talking about Bonnie.
Oh, yes, shes here every minute of every day. Shes behind your every word and gesture.
Thats not true.
Sandra shook her head. You dont have to forget her to let her go, baby. Just let a little light come into your life. God, its dark where you are.
Imfine. Everything will be okay once this is all over.
Will it?
Mom, I cant take this right now.
Ill be quiet. I know youre hurting. But dont try to run my life, Eve. Its taken me too long to learn how to do it myself.
Piedmont is right ahead, Logan said.
The Arms is around the corner.
What if Rons not home? Eve asked.
I have a key. Sandra smiled. Ive had it since our third date. That I never told you says something about the way you intimidated me, doesnt it?
I never tried to
I know. Logan had stopped before the apart-ment building and Sandra got out of the car and grabbed her suitcase. Ill check every three hours with the hospital. If you dont hear from me, youll know his condition hasnt changed.
Be careful. I hate your taking a chance like this.
And Im relieved that Im doing something on my own. Ive felt like some kind of pawn, moved back and forth by you and Logan and even this Fiske person. Its time I took control.
Stunned, Eve watched her mother walk into the apartment building.
Phoenix rising from the flames? Logan mur-mured.
Shes doing the wrong thing. Im scared to death.
Maybe not. Ron could be a good guy wholl do everything he can to protect her.
Against Lisa Chadbourne? Against Timwick?
Well, Fiske is out of the picture. Our first lady will have to hire another hit man and that may take a little time. Particularly if she doesnt find out right away that Quinn put him down.
Not enough
You cant do anything about it, Logan said. Your mother has made her choice, Eve. You cant protect her if she wont accept your protection.
She doesnt understand. Gary and Joe She doesnt understand what can happen.
I believe she understands very well. She saw Joe taken away in that ambulance. Shes not stupid.
I didnt say she was stupid.
Then why do you treat her as if she were?
I just want to protect her. I dont want to lose her.
Like you lost Bonnie?
Shut up, Logan.
Ill shut up. Sandra already said it all. He got on the I-85 entrance ramp. But Id think about what she said. Shes a smart lady. I had no idea how smart.
Where are we going?
To meet Margaret and tell her to get out of town. I dont suppose I could persuade you to go with her?
Anger was suddenly replacing fear. And will you go? How about you boarding that boat for Timbuktu, Logan? Why dont you forget about Gil? The words were tumbling out, exploding with fury that was building every second. Why dont you forget about Ben Chadbourne? Just run away and say screw the world.
He pursed his lips in a soundless whistle. You dont have to bite my head off. It was just a sugges-tion. I didnt think youd
It was a lousy suggestion. I wont leave Joe and Mom. Im tired of running and hiding and being afraid. Im tired of people I care about getting hurt and Im tired of feeling helpless. I swore a long time ago Id never be a victim again, and its happening. Shes making it happen. Her voice was shaking with intensity. I wont tolerate it any longer. Do you hear me? Ill never let her
I hear you, Logan said. I get the picture loud and clear, but Im fuzzy about how the hell were going to stop her.
So was Eve. Then she remembered her mothers last words to her, the words that had struck a deep chord and triggered her rage.
Its time I took control.
Lisa Chadbourne had been the one in control, the one on the attack. She had killed Gary. She might have killed Joe.
But her mother was alive. Eve was alive, so was Logan. And they were going to stay alive.
No more deaths, she had prayed.
She wasnt praying now.
She was taking control.
Margaret got out of the van, leaving Pilton in the passenger seat. Hows Quinn?
We dont know, Logan said. Intensive care.
Im sorry, Margaret told Eve. You okay?
Eve nodded.
Hows Sandra? She was pretty fond of him, wasnt she?
Yes. Her eyes were stinging. Change the sub-ject. Dont think about Joe. She wont be going with you. Shes staying here.
Margaret frowned. Do you think thats a good idea?
No, but she does. She wont listen to me.
Perhaps I could talk to
Shes through listening, Logan said. Now, you and Pilton take off.
Pilton deserves a bonus, you know, Margaret pointed out. He never figured hed be a fugitive when he took the job. The police will be looking for him.
Then give him a bonus.
A big bonus. Hes been a good
Wheres Fiskes car? Eve asked suddenly. Did you find it?
Pilton found it. It was parked in the driveway of an empty rental property about two miles from our cottage.
Did you clean it out?
Clean as a whistle. We dumped everything from the glove compartment and the trunk into garbage bags. Then I drove the car to the airport and left it in the long-term lot.
Where are the bags?
In the back of the van.
Eve moved toward the van. Lets get them, Logan.
Margaret watched them toss the garbage bags into the backseat of their car. You think he had something important?
I dont know, Eve said. Probably not, since he was a professional. But we dont have any other leads.
Be careful with that bigger bag. There was enough firepower in Fiskes trunk to start a small war, Margaret said as she climbed back in the van. A rifle, two handguns, shells, a few boxes that con-tained some kind of electronic bugging equipment. He didnt believe in traveling light. She smiled grimly at them. Good luck. Be sure you keep alive, John. The bonus Im going to charge you for my part in this mess is going to make Piltons look sick.
Eve was already crawling into the backseat as Piltons van left the parking lot. Ill look through the bags. You drive. She opened the bigger bag first. What did she know about weapons? That she didnt like them, that they frightened her, that to her they represented only violence and horror.
But they hadnt frightened Fiske. He had used these weapons. They wouldnt frighten Lisa Chadbourne. She had ordered their use.
Eve put her forefinger on the barrel of the rifle. The metal was warm, smooth, almost pleasing to the touch. Somehow she had expected it to be cold. Find anything? Logan asked.
Nothing she had wanted to find. Not yet.
I bet there wont be any way to trace those guns to Lisa Chadbourne.
I know. Lisa would leave no trail that could lead back to her. Eves search was probably hopeless.
To lose hope was to admit defeat. Shed be damned if shed lose hope.
She pushed the first bag aside and started on the second. Rental car papers in a green folder, a first-class ticket to Washington on Delta Airlines, an air-line schedule, a few receipts from restaurants, two in Atlanta, one in Bainbridge.