* * *
“Good God, you look terrible.” Eve’s eyes widened when Catherine walked into the waiting room. “You said you were okay when you called me yesterday to tell me that Santos was definitely dead. You didn’t mention he’d used you as a punching bag.” She glanced at Catherine’s bandaged shoulder. “No problem with that wound?”
Catherine shook her head. “I told you, it’s a minor flesh wound.” She gingerly touched the bruises on her cheek and lip. “These hurt more.”
“And you have deep circles under your eyes. You’re exhausted. You shouldn’t have stopped off here. Go home and get some rest.”
“I will.” She reached out and took Eve’s hand. “But that’s not true, I should have stopped off here. You were all in the front lines. Santos targeted you, and you came through for me. Hu Chang made sure everyone else was safe, but you were the center that let me move forward.”
“Bullshit,” Eve said baldly. “It was a team effort. I just rounded up the troops when you called and said that Dorgal was on the way. I handled persuading the doctors and nurses to go along with it. But, basically, we got a plan together and executed it. Joe, Caleb, even Jane, were part of it.”
“How is Jane?”
“Better every day. She’s in her own room now. We had her moved from the isolation area after you called me yesterday. We’ll be able to take her home in a week.” She shook her head. “Which is good and bad. She’s been very much my own while she’s been here in the hospital. It will change once she starts taking back her life.” She added quickly, “Not that I don’t know that’s for the best. I want her to have her independence back. It will just seem … a little empty.”
“I can understand. Luke is only twelve and I’m having issues.” She paused. “I want to see her, Eve.”
“By all means. Caleb is with her now, but I got the impression he wasn’t going to stay long. Besides, she’s getting restless. She’ll be glad to have someone besides us to talk to.” She smiled. “Though she may go into shock when she sees your face.”
Catherine grimaced. “Maybe she’ll think I deserve it after what I put her through.” She held up her hand as Eve frowned. “Okay, no more apologies. I’ll substitute gratitude and just say I owe you more than I can say.” She gave her a hug and held her tight for a moment as she whispered, “This has been a terrible time, but I’ve learned from it, Eve. I thought I was a loner, and I am in many ways. But I didn’t count my blessings, I didn’t realize that the friends who surrounded me were so strong, so unique, that I am never alone.” She hugged her again, then stepped back and turned away. “And that I’ll never let you be alone either. You feel a little lonely or empty, give me a call. I’ll be there for you.”
Eve chuckled. Though she was very touched. “I don’t need you to hold my hand, Catherine. I’ll be fine. I’m just anticipating a little withdrawal syndrome. Go on and see Jane.”
Catherine nodded. “I will.” She took Eve’s hand and turned it palm up. “Right after I give you this. It’s not in nearly as good condition as when you gave it to me.”
Eve looked down at the melted, blackened, gold dog tag chain that Catherine had poured into her hand. Only the LING were left of the letters.
“I didn’t expect it back.”
“It had Jane’s blood on it. I decided I didn’t want him to be able to claim what he did to her even in death.” She touched the chain. “It was in his hand when we found him at the bottom of the spiral staircase. He was burned and in a number of charred pieces, and he must have been clutching the dog tag when the blast hit. I thought I’d let you decide what you wanted done with it.”
“I’ll talk to Joe. He’ll probably want to drop it into the nearest toilet.”
“Good choice.” She started down the hall. “And very Joe-like. I should have known it would have to be a joint decision.”
“Always.” She called after her. “What about Richard Cameron? You didn’t mention him.”
“What about him?” Catherine didn’t look back. “He went on ahead to talk to Hu Chang and make sure that Erin was all right. Then I guess that he’ll be on his way again. I’m sure his precious committee is very impatient to get him back on the job. I was an unwelcome distraction to them.”
“But he was a very good friend to you. You’ve got all this warm and fuzzy viewpoint on friendship now. If he was in trouble, would you come if he needed you?”
Catherine stopped and turned around to face her. “Maybe. If he asked me, which he would probably never do. And friendship isn’t what he—well, maybe it is, but it’s much more complicated than— You’re smiling.”
“Yes, I am. I’m curious about Cameron, so I decided I’d probe a bit.”
“Well, you probed.” She grinned at her. “And the only concrete statement you’ll get from me is concerning you, my friend. Through hell and high water, I’ll always be there for you.”
Eve watched as Catherine turned and continued down the hall.
* * *
“I’ll always be there for you. Those are nice words, aren’t they, Mama?”
Bonnie.
Eve turned to see Bonnie curled up in one of the chairs across the waiting room. “Very nice. And the meaning is even nicer, young lady. I could have used having you here for me during the last few days. What good is a ghost if she’s not on the job when you need her?”
Bonnie smiled. “Not much good at all. I’ve told you that I can’t be with you all the time. It doesn’t work that way. I have things I have to do. I’m lucky to be able to be with you at all. It doesn’t usually happen.”
“I know, I know. I just miss you. Sorry to complain. We managed without you. Santos is dead. Jane is getting well.”
Bonnie nodded. “And Trevor is trying to keep busy and stay away from her. It’s hard in the beginning. You want to stay where you know you’re loved instead of sending out the love yourself.”
“Was it hard for you, baby?”
“Oh, yes, but you needed me so badly that I was allowed to come to you and visit.” Her smile deepened. “And it was wonderful, wasn’t it, Mama?”
“Past tense?” She went still. She was sensing something that was making her uneasy. “I don’t like this, Bonnie. Are you trying to tell me something?”
“I think so. I’m a little confused myself. You know I don’t always understand what I’m supposed to do to help you. Most of the time, it’s enough for me to be with you and let the love between us do the work.” She paused. “I think something is going to happen, Mama.”
“Something bad?”
She nodded. “Something bad, and terrible, and scary, and yet there’s a light, too.”
“Well, that’s clear.”
“I just wanted to warn you. Because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to be with you again.”
Eve felt a surge of panic. “No. Why shouldn’t you be able to come? You thought that when we found your body and the man who took you, that you might not be able to come. But it wasn’t true, you still managed to do it.”
“This is different.”
“How?”
Bonnie shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. It’s just different. Things are going to … change. I don’t know how, but they’re going to change, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop it.”
Eve drew a deep, shaky breath. She said unsteadily, “You’re being most unsatisfactory, and I don’t want to waste my time with you worrying if you can’t tell me what’s happening. So just sit there and we’ll talk about things that make us happy until you have to leave me. Okay?”