“SLINDAK SHOULD BE HERE ANYTIME,” Eve said, when Joe walked into the house. “He said to tell you that he can’t wait until you go back to Washington, so that he can sleep through the night.” Her lips were trembling, as she added, “Of course, he had a few words for me as well. He holds me to blame for all of this.”
“Did he say that?”
“No, don’t go on the attack. He didn’t have to say it. It couldn’t be clearer, could it?”
“He’s lucky to have your help. At least, we have a chance of bringing Zeus down now. They were running around in circles a few weeks ago. He can stuff his damn blame where the sun doesn’t shine.”
“Lucky?” Her lips tightened. “And was McVey lucky to have my help, too?” She shuddered. “I must go out on the porch and tell him how lucky he is.”
“I knew this was coming.” He pulled her to her feet. “We’re going into the kitchen. I’ll make you a cup of coffee, and we’ll talk.” He pushed her down at the kitchen table. “Sit there and block out everything.” He turned to the cabinet and got down the coffeepot. “That shouldn’t be hard. You have plenty of practice.”
“I do, don’t I?” Her smile was bitter. “Only I think that the blocks are beginning to crumble. What do I do when the flood rushes in and overwhelms me?”
“No problem. I’ll be there to pull you out.” He heard the sirens. “You’ll have to finish making this. I have to go out and report in to Slindak. It’s probably better for you to be busy anyway.”
“Yes.” She got to her feet and reached for the tin of coffee. “Go on. I don’t need you to coddle me.”
The coffee was ready, and Eve was sitting at the table with a cup cradled in her hands when he came into the kitchen thirty minutes later. “Is he… gone?”
He knew she didn’t mean Slindak. “Yes, they took him a few minutes ago.” He poured a cup of coffee. “But forensics is still working on the porch and the backyard and the Simmonses’ car.”
“The car?”
He nodded. “Zeus hid in the trunk of the car of the young couple down the block. He couldn’t just walk down the street carrying a bloody head under his arm. He was watching and knew that you were guarded. He waited in the trunk until he saw Bramwell go toward the backyard, then got out and placed the head in the basket. He’d already gone around back and arranged a suspicious scenario for Bramwell to investigate to keep him from coming back too soon.”
“And then he made the call to me.” She shook her head. “Zeus had it all planned.” Her lips twisted. “I thought he’d go after me. But I should have known that I wouldn’t be enough. He couldn’t get to me easily, so he went after Brian.” She shook her head. “And I called him stupid.”
“He’s cunning.” Joe sat down across from her. “But he took a big chance. It’s clear he’s still as arrogant as he ever was. McVey was no fool. He wouldn’t have been an easy mark.”
“But Brian wasn’t expecting to be targeted. Maybe if I hadn’t set myself up in the aggressive role, he might have suspected. But we both thought that the setup would lead Zeus straight to me.”
“It did.”
“And I dragged Brian along with me.”
“Bullshit. He wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips. “Yes, I know that you think that I’m biased. You’re right. I wouldn’t have wanted McVey killed, but I did blame him for letting you set up that scenario at the lake house. I can’t deny it. But I’m not letting you think that anyone but Zeus is to blame for McVey’s head being in that basket.”
Eve was silent. “He was only twenty-six, Joe. He told me he was going to have a Pulitzer by the time he was thirty.”
“He told me the same thing. Too bad. He was smart and had enough drive to make it. But you have to remember, he was nagging you to let him come here and make another try at Zeus as late as yesterday morning. If you want to blame something besides Zeus for McVey’s death, then hang it on McVey’s ambition.”
“It was horrible.” She closed her eyes. “Brian’s eyes… I’ll never forget his face.”
“Then you’ll be giving Zeus exactly what he wants. Don’t do it, Eve.”
“I’ll do my best.” Her lids opened to reveal eyes shining with tears. “Because you’re right. You’re pretty damn smart, Joe. How did you get that way?”
“I’m a natural. Me and Solomon and a few other gifted guys out there. We could run the world if you gave us a chance.”
“I believe Solomon tried.” Her voice was steady, but her hand was shaking as she lifted her cup to her lips. “Okay, I’ll stop blaming myself because of McVey and see if I can help find that bastard who murdered him. Zeus must be feeling very triumphant right now.”
“Yes, smug and self-satisfied as a Cheshire cat. But he may have tripped up.”
She went still, her eyes locking with his. “What are you talking about?”
“Ego. He’s always been careless because he thought no one could touch him. I thought I’d seen signs that he was changing but maybe not. Maybe that arrogance is just too ingrained to overcome.”
“And why do you think he may have tripped up? How was he careless?”
He shook his head. “I’m not discussing it with you yet. I have to check on some things, then think about it. I know you, Eve. You’ll grab hold and try to run with it. I’m not ready to do that.”
“Tell me.”
He shook his head. “When I’m sure.” He finished his coffee and stood up. “Now get to bed and try to sleep. I’m going out on the porch and see what I can help wrap up. And I want to make sure that they clean it, so that it’s not going to hurt you every time you go out there.”
She was glaring at him. “You’re not being fair.”
“No, but I’m making it easier on myself. It won’t hurt you to wait. I’m not having you disappointed if my theory doesn’t pan out.” He headed for the door. “And thinking about how angry you are at me will keep you from dwelling on what happened tonight.”
“Your decision, your opinion. Tell me, dammit.”
He paused at the door to look back at her. Her eyes were glittering, and her cheeks flushed with color. Much better than when he’d walked into the house earlier. Good.
He turned and went out onto the porch. “When I’m ready.”
THE LAB TECH HANDED JOE the report the next morning. “Here it is. No wonder you didn’t send it up to the Bureau for analysis. A first-year intern could have done this one.”
“Thanks.” Joe scanned the report before turning away. It was what he’d expected, but he still felt a flare of excitement at the confirmation. “I appreciate your making it a priority.”
The tech shrugged. “No problem. Literally.”
Joe moved quickly down the hall toward the elevator.
One down.
A moment later, he was at Slindak’s desk in the squad room. “Did you check out that shoe factory in Toronto?”
“Yes, we haven’t got the report yet.”
“Give me the name and phone number. I’ll follow up.”
“Sure.” Slindak studied Joe’s face as he searched the papers on his desk for the information. “You’re wired. What’s happening?”
“Nothing yet.” He took the report Slindak handed him. “But maybe soon.” He turned and went to his desk across the room.
A moment later, he was dialing the number in Toronto.
Fifteen minutes later, he leaned back in his chair and looked down at his scrawled notes. It was all coming together.
But there were still a few pieces to fit into the puzzle. Get to work and make it happen.
He reached for the telephone again.
EVE MET HIM AT THE FRONT DOOR when he came back to the house that afternoon. “Well?”
“You’re barring the door. Does that mean you’re not going to let me in the house unless I divulge everything I know?”
“You’ve got it.” She grimaced and stepped aside. “I’d do it if I thought I could get away with it. I’m frustrated as hell, Joe. I didn’t think you’d-” She stopped, staring at his expression. “You look… Joe?”
“How do I look?” He passed her and went into the living room. “Slindak said ‘wired.’ Yeah, that’s what I feel.” More than that, he thought, as he turned to face her. He had the bastard in his sights and was aching to pull the trigger. “I think I’ve got him.”
She inhaled sharply. “What?”
“Or at least I know how to get him.”
She dropped down on the couch. “Talk to me. Who is he?”
“Zeus could be either Donald Novak or Ralph Fraser.”
“You don’t know which one?”
“I will by the end of the day.” He paused. “I’m going to go pay him a visit.”
“You know where he is?”
He nodded. “It was easy to trace him. He’s not trying to hide. He doesn’t think it’s necessary.”
She shook her head. “My mind is spinning. Start at the beginning.”
“The beginning.” He pulled her up and toward the back door. “We’ll start here.” He threw open the door. “What do you see?”
She looked at him in confusion. “Fence, flowers, lawn.”
“A nice lawn. Pretty flowers. Did you put in the landscaping after you moved in?”
“No, I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. It was already established. I just took over the care of it.”
“But you were offered a maintenance contract by the landscape company who does most of the rest of the neighborhood.”
She nodded. “The price wasn’t too bad, but I’m a student and work two jobs. I can cut my own lawn.” She frowned. “Where is this leading?”
“It’s leading to the fact that there was a landscape-maintenance crew in your neighborhood several times a month. Including five of the homes on this block. That’s why all the lawns and gardens look so well kept.”
Her eyes widened. “Yes…”
“And all the houses of the victims’ parents that we visited had the same nice lawns. They all had that in common if nothing else. Such a little thing…”
“The landscape company?” Eve repeated. “Is that what you’re saying? He works for the landscape company?”
“It would be the perfect opportunity for him to observe possible victims playing in the neighborhoods where he was working. He could take his pick of the children.”
“Are you guessing?”
“Yes, but I’m betting I’m right. In the trunk of the car where he was hiding last night, there was blood, but there was also a scraping of something that looked like dirt. It wasn’t dirt; under testing, it proved to be fertilizer. It was a common brand used by most landscapers in the area. I contacted the company in Toronto that manufactured the shoes from which we got that print in the cave. Heavy rubber content. The company said that it sold those shoes almost exclusively to professional gardeners and irrigation specialists.”
“And last night on the phone Zeus said something about liking plants and flowers better than he liked people,” Eve said. “I didn’t think anything about it.” She moistened her lips. “But you did.”
“Only because it was all coming together for me.”
“This landscaping company…” She lifted her hand to her cheek. “I know I’ve seen their truck in the neighborhood, but I can’t even remember the name.”
“Johnston and Son. They service every one of the subdivisions of the kidnapped children. It’s a big company, and they have branches all over the Northeast as well as the South. The operations are extensive in Georgia. It wouldn’t have been a stretch for Zeus to have killed those children who disappeared outside Atlanta.” He paused. “But the company is based in Toronto, Canada. I checked with Johnston and Son personnel in Toronto, and the only workers they have in Georgia who were hired in Canada are Novak and Fraser.”
“What difference does that make? Zeus is Canadian?”
“I couldn’t tell on that first phone call, but on the second he was talking about your house. McVey was right, the pronunciation is different. Novak is Canadian. Fraser is a U.S. citizen, but raised in Toronto.”
Her hands clenched as she looked out at yard. “It makes… sense.”
“Yes.”
“And this man could have been working on one of the yards on the block and watching Bonnie. I could have passed him when I went to the bus stop to meet her.”
“It’s possible,” he said gently.
“If he killed her. I can’t be certain. I won’t be certain.”
But it was coming close to the time when the truth would be thrust upon her, Joe thought. “The only thing I have to be certain about right now is catching the son of a bitch.”
“You said you were going to pay him a visit. Where is he?”
“The crew Novak and Fraser are on is working at Nottingham Subdivision in Towne Lake today.” He turned. “I’m on my way there now. I’ve changed cars so that Zeus won’t recognize it. I just wanted to stop and let you know what was happening.”
“You didn’t send the police to pick them up?”
“They’ll be there outside the subdivision. First, I have to make sure I locate him before he gets spooked by the squad cars pulling into the subdivision. The crew doesn’t all work on the same house. He could be anywhere in the area.”
“But you’d recognize him. You saw the sketch I drew of him.” She paused. “And I’d recognize him.”
“Yes, you would,” he said quietly. “But he’d also recognize you. I know where this is going, Eve.”
“Of course he’d recognize me. But that’s no argument. We both know while he was doing surveillance on this house that he saw you. If he spots you, he’ll take off.”
“You want to go with me.”
She met his gaze. “And you want me to go. Why else did you stop here before going after him? You may have told yourself you just wanted to keep me informed, but that’s bullshit. You knew I had to go. You know I deserve to go.”
“I don’t want you hurt,” he said roughly. “I don’t want him to touch you.”
“And that makes it hard to do the right thing. That’s why you’re lying to yourself. You promised we’d do this together.” She threw back her head and stared him in the eye. “Do you want me to make it easier? If you walk out that door without me, I’ll be at Nottingham Subdivision before you get there. If you take me, I’ll stay in the car. But I have to be there. I have to see him captured. I want to see his face when he knows that he’s not Zeus any longer.”
She was right. He had known that it would come down to this when he had come here. They had taken this journey together, and he couldn’t leave her behind now. He just couldn’t admit it to himself because it caused him to break out in a cold sweat at the idea of letting her come that close to Zeus. Yet he had to admit it and drown that fear because he could not cheat her.
“Joe?”
His hand closed on hers. It was a soft, graceful hand belying the strength that lay beneath that fragile surface. His grasp tightened. “You stay in the car,” he said hoarsely as he led her toward the door. “Unless you want to drive me crazy, you stay in the car.”
NOTTINGHAM SUBDIVISION WAS an upper-middle-class neighborhood that had been built within the last ten years and had all the amenities. Including a homeowners’ association that demanded the homeowners pay to keep the verdant lawns and shrubs meticulously maintained.
And Johnston and Son had a truck that was parked close to the clubhouse and swimming pool.
Joe parked across the road from the clubhouse, his gaze raking the surrounding area. “There’s a man in the truck, but I don’t see any workers.” He got out of the car. “I’ll go ask questions. Lock the door.”
“You think the man in the truck is a supervisor?”
“He’s not doing hard labor. That’s a good sign.”
She frowned. “Aren’t you going to call the police waiting outside the gate to assist?”
“As soon as I can point the way to Zeus.” He crossed the road and drew out the photos of the sketches of Zeus as he approached the truck.
“May I help you?” The man in the truck smiled politely at Joe. “Les Cavanaugh. I run this crew. I know we’re a little late coming to do the maintenance this week, but we got behind because of the rain. We’ll get to your yard as soon as we can.”
Joe showed his ID. “FBI. You can help me with an identification. You have an employee working for you who we have an interest in questioning.”
Cavanaugh stiffened warily. “What for? Look, we got rid of that joker who was planting marijuana in some of the flower beds. We don’t stand for anything like that.”
“I’m glad to hear it. But the FBI doesn’t deal with drugs.” He handed him Kim Chen’s sketch. “Do you know him?”
Cavanaugh frowned. “He’s… familiar.”
He handed him Eve’s sketch. “Is this clearer?”
Cavanaugh’s eyes widened. “Hell, yes. Ralph Fraser.” He looked at Joe. “But Fraser is a good guy. Been working for us for years and never caused any trouble.”
“Where is he working now?”
“In the flower bed behind the clubhouse, next to the pool. But he’s not the guy you’re looking for. He’s real quiet, works hard and-”
“Stay in the truck.” Joe started for the clubhouse.
And saw Ralph Fraser come around the corner toward him.
Shit!
Fraser stopped, then whirled and ran into the clubhouse.
Joe tore after him, but instead of going through the front entrance, he ran around back and entered from the pool area.
A bullet splintered the jamb of the door as he dove down and to the left.
“Put down your weapon. You’re under arrest.”
“The hell I am.” Another bullet, closer.
But Joe had the direction now. Fraser was behind the bar across the room. He aimed and got off a shot. “Give it up, Fraser. Last chance. I’ll kill you. It’s what I want to do anyway. Why waste the taxpayers’ money on shit like you?”
“You’re not going to kill me. All these years, and you assholes haven’t been able to touch me. I’ll get out of here and kill you and that whore, too.” Another shot. “Just like I did that newspaper reporter.”
“But it’s really me you want to kill, isn’t it, Fraser?”
Oh, my God, Eve.
She was standing in the front doorway. But only for an instant, then she dove to the right behind the couch in front of the huge fireplace.
A bullet embedded itself in the soft cushions.
“You missed,” Eve called. “Stupid, Fraser. Incompetent and stupid and-”
Take advantage of Eve’s distracting him.
Another bullet struck the coffee table. “Bitch.” It was a scream of rage. “I’ll blow your-”
The scream was cut off as Joe dove across the bar on top of Fraser, jerking the gun from his hand and tossing it aside.
“No!” Fraser struggled wildly.
God, he was strong. Joe would have to put him out quickly.
But Fraser had rolled over, taking Joe with him. His face was contorted with rage as he looked down at him. There was fierce malice imprinted on every line of his heavy face. “You helped her. You helped the bitch. I’m going to cut your-”
Joe’s knee jerked up into Fraser’s groin.
Fraser groaned with pain.
Joe bucked him off his body. He moved swiftly to give him a karate chop to the neck.
Fraser went limp as he lost consciousness.
Joe was breathing hard as leaned back against the bar.
Eve was beside him, looking down at Fraser. “It’s him. It’s Zeus?”
“Ralph Fraser.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out handcuffs. “And you were supposed to stay in the car.”
“And you were supposed to call in the police when you knew where Fraser was.” She was still looking down at him. “And then I saw you run after him. What could I do?”
He cuffed Fraser and sat back on his heels. “And you wouldn’t have come running to the rescue anyway? I could have handled it, Eve.”
“I had to be sure.” Her glance shifted to Joe. “And I had to make certain that you didn’t kill him.”
“I gave him the usual warning.”
“But I think you wanted him dead. Didn’t you?”
“He’s a son of a bitch. I didn’t want some slick lawyer to find a way of getting him off.”
“That’s not all. You’re my friend. I think you wanted it over for me.”
“Maybe. And now we have to wait for a jury to pull the plug on him.” His lips twisted. “And I have to watch what that does to you. Is that what you want?”
“I have to talk to him. I have to make him tell me if he lied about killing Bonnie.”
It was coming as he’d known it would. Joe could almost see the dark shadow looming over her.
“Maybe he lied,” she added shakily. “Maybe he’ll tell the truth if he thinks it will get him off.”
“And maybe he’ll lie again.” He got to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you in the car and away from him.”
She didn’t move. “I have to ask him, Joe.”
“You’re not going to get anything from him but curses if he regains consciousness anytime soon.” He took her elbow. “We need to call Slindak and get those squad cars up here.”
“They should be here any minute. I told that man in the truck to go down to the gates and get them as I ran past him toward the clubhouse.”
“Good.” He glanced once again at Fraser. He still wasn’t stirring. “I don’t think he’s playing possum, but perhaps I’ll stay here until Slindak gets here.”
“Because he might be strong enough to walk away from this? I never thought evil could be as strong as good. I hoped it couldn’t be that powerful.” She shuddered. “But that was before I lost Bonnie.”
Joe heard the sirens and gently took her elbow again. “He won’t walk away from this.” He nudged her toward the door. “I promise you, Eve.”
“When can I see him again?” she asked. “I have to see him. He has to tell me about Bonnie.”
“We’ll talk about that later.” A long time later, he thought. When she was stronger, when he could find a way to cushion the blow. As if he could ever cushion that blow. “Let me take you home.”
Two Weeks Later
PAPERWORK, JOE THOUGHT SOURLY as he finished the third page of the report. It was the bane of every law-enforcement officer’s life, and that went double when you had to make reports to the local police department as well as the Bureau.
“You look pissed.” Slindak had stopped by his desk. “You shouldn’t mind doing a little bragging on paper. You’re a rising star. The Bureau is probably going to give you a promotion.”
“Knock it off.”
Slindak hesitated. “How is Eve Duncan?”
“Fine.”
“Did you see her today?”
“Last night.”
“Did she mention Fraser?”
He raised his head. “Every day. She wants to see him. I’ve been making excuses.”
“I think that she saw through them. I just got a call from the jail. She’s talking to Fraser now.”
“What?” He jerked upright in the chair. “How did she get in to see him?”
“She went to his lawyer, and he arranged it.”
Joe was cursing as he jumped to his feet. “Damn him. Do you know what that’s going to do to her?”
“I have an idea. I thought you’d want to know. She doesn’t need any more…”
The last words were lost as Joe ran out of the squad room.
Fifteen minutes later, he was taking the stairs two at a time to the second-floor room where they’d brought Eve for her visit with Fraser.
She was coming out of the room when he reached the top of the stairs.
She was stark white and was moving slowly, like an old woman.
“Eve, dammit.”
She looked at him as if she didn’t recognize him. “Joe?”
“Why did you have to do it?” He put his arm around her waist to support her and pulled her down the stairs. “I knew he’d do this to you.”
“Did you?” She almost fell as they started down the next flight. She was walking stiffly, as if her legs weren’t be able to function. “I guess I knew he would do it, too. But I had to ask him. It’s Bonnie. Do you know what he told me?”
“Shh. Not now. Let me get you home first.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“That’s what I want.” They were walking out of the station, and he put her into the passenger seat of the car he’d parked at the front entrance.
She stared straight ahead as he drove the twenty minutes to her home, but he doubted if she was seeing anything. Her breathing was shallow and quick.
He brought the car to a screeching halt in front of the house. The next moment, he was around the car and half lifting her out of the seat. “Come on. Only a little farther.”
She was looking at the empty place where the hanging basket had been. “He’s a beast,” she whispered. “Why did God let him come into the world?”
“Maybe he didn’t. I think he’s a creation of Satan.” He had the door open, and he pushed her over the threshold. “And Satan will take him back soon.”
“Not yet. Not until he tells me where to find my Bonnie.” She stood straight, frozen, looking straight ahead. “He did it, Joe. He really killed her. I was afraid it was true, but I didn’t really believe it. I didn’t see how anyone could kill my Bonnie. But he did it. He looked into my eyes, and he smiled. And then he started to tell me what he did to her.” Her voice was uneven. “I sat there and I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted to cover my ears, but I was frozen in that chair. So I listened and listened and I-”
“Hush.” He couldn’t stand any more. It was tearing him apart. “Just give me a minute.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her across the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. He placed her on her bed, then followed her down, holding her in his arms. Her skin was cold where he touched her. “I didn’t want you to go to see him. God, I didn’t want you to go.”
“I know. You wouldn’t help me. I had to do it myself.”
“You should have told me. I would have tried to make it easier for you. I’d never want you to be alone.”
“I am alone. I’ll always be alone now. He killed her.”
He could feel the moisture sting his eyes. “He’d lie anyway, Eve. Are you sure?”
“He gave me details. Details down to the flavor of the ice cream she got from that booth in the park. It was her favorite flavor. Details about how soft and curly her hair was to the touch…” Her voice broke. “It was so soft, Joe. I remember her sitting on my lap the night before he took her. I was singing a song to her, and her head was pressed against my cheek…”
He could feel the pain in every word, it reverberated within him. He desperately wanted to take it away, but there was no way to do it. All he could do was give her his warmth. His arms tightened around her. “Do you want to talk about her?”
“Not now. All I can think about is Fraser and what he said about her. It hurts, Joe. I can’t tell you how it hurts. It keeps twisting inside me. I want it to go away.”
He couldn’t even tell her the pain would get less. The loss of a child was eternal. “I’ll be here to share it with you. Always.”
“No… not fair. No one should… Go away, Joe. Not fair.”
“It’s fair, if I say it’s fair.” He was stroking her hair. “What’s a friend for?” And what’s a lover, a guardian, a warrior to protect you, for? I have to be all things to you, Eve. Something crazy happened, and my whole world changed when you came into my life. “So be quiet and just let me hold you.”
“I want it to go away. I don’t think I can stand…”
That was one of the things he’d feared when he’d known what Eve was going to have to face. “You can stand anything. You’re tough.” His hand was gentle on her hair. “Give it time. The state’s going to kill that bastard, then some of the-”
“They can’t kill him. I have to know where he buried Bonnie. I can’t let them do it.”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“He said to come back, and he might tell me.”
“And put you through this torture again? No way.”
“I can take it. I have to take it.”
“I said you were tough. I didn’t say you were invincible.”
“I’ll find a way to block it out. I have to make him tell me.”
“Eve…”
“You’ve never had a child, Joe. You don’t know how important it is for me to bring her home. I can’t leave her out there alone. Every night of her life, I tucked her into her bed, sang to her and kissed her good night. She was safe, she was home, she knew she was surrounded by love. Now I have to tuck her in one final time. I have to surround her with my love. I think wherever she is that she’ll know it.” Her voice was hoarse. “I have to… bring her home.”
Oh, God in heaven. What could he say? What could he do?
“We don’t have a weapon to use against Fraser, Eve. He knows he’s going to be convicted of one of those killings. It’s just a choice which case the state is going to choose to prosecute. But the bastard has a weapon he can use to hurt you, and he’ll do it.”
“I have to try. It’s not only Bonnie. It’s all those other lost children, too. If I go there often enough, he may get cocky and let something slip. I have to try.”
He couldn’t make the attempt to talk her out of it. Not right now.
She lay there silent for a long time. “Your cheek is damp, Joe. I feel it.” She reached up and touched his lashes. “Are you crying for my Bonnie?”
“Yes, and for you.” He cleared his throat. “It wouldn’t hurt you to do a little crying yourself. It might help.”
“I can’t cry. I can feel all the tears in a tight little ball deep inside me, but they won’t come out. Maybe later… After I’ve brought Bonnie home.”
“Then I’ll cry for you.”
“Will you do that?” She cuddled closer to him, her cheek in the hollow of his shoulder. “You’re so good to me. Maybe Bonnie will know that, too. She was so special, so full of love. I wish she’d known you, Joe…”
For an instant, he could almost see how different their lives would have been if tragedy had not entered it. An Eve vital and smiling, the child, Bonnie, who would love Joe as well as her mother. The image was bittersweet, but he would not push it away. That was neither their life nor their future, but he would work with what he had. He’d drain every bit of joy and happiness around them that he could to make it a good life, create a shelter and a haven for them.
His lips gently brushed her forehead. “I wish I’d known your Bonnie, too, Eve.”
Diagnostic Classification Facility
Jackson, Georgia
January 27
11:55 P.M.
IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
Oh, God, don’t let it happen.
“Lost. She’ll be lost. They’ll all be lost,” Eve said.
“Come away, Eve. You don’t want to be here.” Joe tried to hold the huge black umbrella over her. “There’s nothing you can do. He’s had two stays of execution already. The governor’s not going to do it again. There was too much public outcry the last time.”
“He’s got to do it.” Her face was white and strained, her expression frantic. “I want to talk to the warden.”
Joe shook his head. “He won’t see you.”
“He saw me before. He called the governor. I’ve got to see him. He understood about-”
“Let me take you to your car. It’s freezing out here, and you’re getting soaked.”
She shook her head, her gaze fixed desperately on the prison gate. “You talk to him. You’re with the FBI. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”
“It’s too late, Eve.” He once more tried to draw her under the umbrella, but she stepped away from him. “You shouldn’t have come.”
“ You came.” She gestured to the horde of newspaper and media people gathered at the gate. “ They came. Who has a better right to be here than me.” Sobs were choking her, but there were no tears. She hadn’t shed one tear all the time that Fraser had gone through his trials and appeals. Joe had prayed that she would cry and gain at least a little release from the terrible tension. But she had never broken down through all the agony. “I have to stop it. I have to make them see that they can’t-”
“You crazy bitch.” A man jerked Eve around to face him. He was in his early forties, and his features were twisted with pain and tears were running down his cheeks. Bill Verner, Joe realized. His son was one of the lost ones.
“Stay out of it.” Verner’s hands dug into her shoulders. He shook her. “Let them kill him. You’ve already caused us too much grief, and now you’re trying to get him off again. Damn you, let them burn the son of a bitch.”
“I can’t do- Can’t you see? They’re lost. I have to-”
“You stay out of it, or so help me God, I’ll make you sorry that you-”
“Leave her alone.” Joe stepped forward and knocked Verner’s hands away from Eve. “Don’t you see she’s hurting more than you are?” All those months of torture and torment Fraser had put her through had been enough to drive a less strong woman mad. And still, in the end, Fraser would not tell her where he’d buried Bonnie.
“The hell she is. He killed my boy. I won’t let her try to get him off again.”
“Do you think I don’t want him to die?” she said fiercely. “He’s a monster. I want to kill him myself, but I can’t let him-There’s no time for this argument.” She was suddenly frantic again. “There’s no time for anything. It must be almost midnight. They’re going to kill him. And Bonnie will be lost forever.”
She whirled away from Verner and ran toward the gate.
“Eve!” Joe ran after her.
She pounded on the gate with clenched fists. “Let me in! You’ve got to let me in. Please don’t do this.”
Flashbulbs.
The prison guards were coming toward them.
Joe was trying to pull her away from the gate.
The gate was opening.
The warden was coming out.
“Stop it,” Eve gasped. “You’ve got to stop-”
The warden gave her a sympathetic glance. “Go home, Ms. Duncan. It’s over.” He walked past her toward the TV cameras.
“Over. It can’t be over.”
The warden was looking soberly into the cameras, and his words were brief and to the point. “There was no stay of execution. Ralph Andrew Fraser was executed four minutes ago and pronounced dead at 12:07 A.M. ”
“No!”
Eve’s scream was full of agony and desolation, as broken and forsaken as the wail of a lost child.
Joe caught her as her knees buckled, and she slumped forward in a dead faint.
He turned and carried her quickly toward the parking lot, his eyes never leaving her face. Even unconscious, her features were frozen in agony.
But, as he watched, two tears brimmed and slowly rolled down her cheeks. The tears she had not been able to shed for her Bonnie. Was it the start of healing?
God, he hoped so.
“Sir.” A guard had followed him. “Is there something I can do? May I help you?”
“No.” He looked down at Eve, and suddenly the love was flowing over him in such a powerful tide that it was spiraling, cresting, filling him with hope. “We’ll get along fine. You can’t help.” His arms tightened around Eve as he started across the dark parking lot. “She’s mine. ”