“I didn’t recognize it either, but I knew it didn’t seem like his own words based on everything else he’d written. It’s from a Shakespeare sonnet. Then, a bit later in the journal, Kevin writes that ‘quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace—’”
“‘… like a clock during a thunderstorm,’” Margaret finished.
Silence. “You know that line?”
“Maybe I know a few things other than Dr. Seuss. I’ve read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
“And you remember that quote? You never cease to amaze me, Margaret.”
“What about the letters? Did they help?”
“The content didn’t give me much yet. Maybe later. But the envelopes do.”
“How is that?”
“The postmarks. The dates line up with his journal entries. The postmark on one envelope tells us that he mailed a letter from Seattle on June 4, and it was stamped at a postal facility just a few blocks from the King Street Station. It’s the biggest clock tower in Seattle. And, the day that he referred to that Shakespeare sonnet rant in his journal, he mailed another letter from downtown Chicago. It was in the vicinity of two fairly notable clocks. It’s interesting what he left out in both quotes. The full Shakespeare line is ‘When I do count the clock that tells the time, and set the brave day sunk in hideous night.’ And the Stevenson line is ‘Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.’”
Margaret inhaled sharply as the concept hit home. “Clocks…”
“Yes, the first quote was in a Kevin journal entry from Seattle. And there’s another reference here, from Osbert Sitwell. That one is from another of the letters from Kevin to Harriet, and the envelope is also stamped Chicago and dated a little before Kevin’s death.” Kendra flipped more pages. “It says, ‘Killing time is only the name for another of the multifarious ways by which Time kills us.’”
“Time kills us?”
“I think Kevin is telling us something here. No, I’m almost sure of it. You need to check the clocks in those cities.”
“Easy to say. There must be hundreds of clocks and clock towers in Chicago and Seattle.”
“But both Kevin and his mother have gigantic egos. They wouldn’t play around with small stuff. It would amuse them to go after a place that would garner headlines.”
“I assume you have a few ideas?”
“I’m e-mailing you a list of possibles. I just sent you pictures and map data for several of the most-high-profile clocks in Chicago and Seattle.” She paused. “I don’t want to influence you, but I’d zero in on the Wrigley Building downtown, next to the Chicago River. There’s a huge clock tower atop the building, but there’s also a clock at the nearby baseball field. They might have chosen either one. Or neither one.”
“And Seattle?”
“I’d go first to the King Street Station. Besides the postmark on the letter, that clock tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the entire city.” She was silent again. “All of this is just my opinion, Margaret. No proof. I’m still working on alternate—”
“Stop trying to punch holes in it,” Margaret said. “You did great work, and you know it. Try to get some sleep. We’ll take it from here.”
“Not entirely,” Kendra said dryly. “Every time I turn around, someone is throwing something else at me. I’ve got to double-check my findings on the journal, then dive into Pacific Coast driftwood.”
“I’m not going to try to talk you out of it,” Margaret said quietly. “It’s too important. All of this talk about clock towers and terrorist plots. It’s all world-shaking and horrible, but the nightmare for Jane may be what’s behind that driftwood you have to locate.”
“Or her salvation,” Kendra said. “I’ll keep on it, Margaret.” She hung up.
“She’s astonishing,” Caleb said slowly as he watched Margaret thrust her phone back into her pocket. “Jane told me about her, but I guess she’s something you have to experience.”
“You could say that,” Margaret said. “And thank God when she’s for you instead of against you. Kendra doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”
“I got that impression.”
“You were going to order me breakfast.” She checked her watch. “But that’s okay. I’ll wait until after I call Jane, and we’ll all have it together.”
“Of course, there’s the issue of disturbing Jane,” he murmured. “You’ve changed your mind about that?”
“It’s not important right now.” She looked at him impatiently. “I told you all that sex stuff doesn’t mean diddly-squat to me when you put it in the balance. Kendra worked her butt off to give us a chance to put a roadblock in the way of Harriet Weber’s plans. I’ve got to tell Jane.” She frowned. “And you said Harriet was going to pick up the detonator this morning. Maybe that will give us a clue about where they planted the device.”
“Perhaps. ‘Diddly-squat’ … what an unusual term … But, then, there’s nothing usual about you.” Caleb got to his feet. “I’ll call Jane for you and invite her to breakfast.”
She shook her head. “I’ll give her another fifteen minutes, then do it myself.” She went headed for the bathroom. “You’d enjoy it entirely too much.”
* * *
THE SUN WAS ALMOST OVER THE HORIZON, the amber gold streaks soft against the dark clouds. Beautiful, Jane thought drowsily, as she turned away from the window and cuddled closer to Trevor.
And he was beautiful. Strong and full of light and warmth like that sunlight.
“Awake?” he whispered in her ear. “I thought you were dozing.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I tried not to sleep. I didn’t want to let go.” Her lips moved across his cheek. “I didn’t want to let you go.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly. “I’ve got you, and I’m going to keep you.” His hand gently stroked her hair back from her face. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you since I came back. You haven’t been listening, you stubborn woman.”
“I’m listening now.” She nestled closer. “I am stubborn … and scared. I think I must have loved you since the moment I saw you all those years ago. You took my breath away. All that charm and charisma and you were so damn Greek-god beautiful.”
“Beautiful?” He made a face. “Your artistic tendencies must have blinded you. I’m no Greek god.”
“No, maybe not. According to the myths, Greek gods weren’t always very kind or sane or unselfish. Not like you.”
“I’m not unselfish. Not where you’re concerned. I want to reach out and grab and hold. I hope I’m sane, but it’s easy to be kind to you, Jane.”
“Is it? You’re wrong, you know. I’m hard to love. No one ever loved me before Eve came into my life. A few of my foster parents pretended for a while, but something always happened, and they sent me away.”
“Stupid bastards.” He cleared his throat. “You were better off without them.”
“I think so, too. Because then Eve came.” She raised herself on one arm and looked down at him. “Look, I don’t feel sorry for myself. I didn’t mean that, Trevor. I’m a very good artist, and a good person, and I’ll make damn sure that we have a great life together. I just wanted you to know that I don’t have any illusions about being the easiest person in the world to live with.”
“Just so you do live with me and don’t walk away again.” His lips brushed the tip of her nose. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Never again, Trevor,” she whispered. She lowered her cheek to the hollow of his shoulder. “I was lying here thinking. Do you know what I want most in the world, no, the universe?”
“Whatever it is, I’ll get it for you.”
“We’ll get it together. I want to be back at the lake cottage. I want to sit in the porch swing with Eve and watch Joe making barbecue down by the lake. I want to see you strolling down
to talk to him and look back at me and smile.” Her lips brushed his collarbone. “Family. And you part of it.”
“I think we can manage that. Though Joe will have to teach me to barbecue. Anything else?”
“We watch the sun go down. And then we say good night to Eve and Joe and we go home together.” She could feel a tightness in her throat. “And we talk the way we did tonight, not holding anything back.”
“Do we make love?”
She laughed huskily. “Of course, that goes without saying.”
“Oh, I think that should definitely be said. We do it so well.”
Yes, they did, she thought dreamily. They knew each other’s bodies and how to make them respond. Their passion tonight had been slow, hot, sweet, heady. Completely satisfying. “I agree. I didn’t mean to make such an important omission.”
“Understandable. It wasn’t the focus tonight.”
She had a sudden thought and raised herself to look down at him again. “Why wasn’t it the focus? Was it because of Caleb? Did what he did tonight interfere with—”
“Hush.” He kissed her and shut off the words. “It was necessary. Did I like it? Hell, no. But nothing you and Caleb could do together would interfere with what I feel for you.” She opened her lips to speak, and he put two fingers on her lips. “And the reason that sex wasn’t the focus was that it’s always there for us, and it’s always magic. The focus tonight was on the miracle.”
“What miracle?”
“Commitment. Barbecues and porch swings and family.” He kissed her gently. “Dreams. Love ever after.”
Love ever after.
Oh, yes, she did love him so much. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
And Ever After.
If she was to keep from crying, she had to make a joke of it. “Ever After? It sounds like something from a Disney movie. That’s schmaltzy, Trevor,” she said huskily. “Nice, though.”
“I like the idea of Ever After. It means that all the things that have gone before are just the beginning, that all the mistakes and the happy times we’ve gone through are only building blocks.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And I find I’m developing a tendency toward schmaltz, on occasion.” He pulled her down into his arms again. “But strictly sincere schmaltz. Did I embarrass you? You’ll have to get used to it.”
“I think that’s possible.” The rays of the sun coming into the room were stronger. Life was invading, she realized reluctantly. “It’s almost seven. I suppose we should get up.”
“In a little while.” He smiled. “I believe my focus is beginning to shift toward—”
Her phone on the bedside table rang.
She stiffened. Caleb?
No, Margaret.
She accessed the call. “Margaret, where are you?”
“In Caleb’s room. I’ve ordered coffee and breakfast for everyone. Thirty minutes?”
Jane looked at Trevor. “Maybe a little longer.”
“It’s important, Jane,” Margaret said quietly. “Things are breaking.”
“What—”
“Thirty minutes.” Margaret hung up.
“She said it was important,” Jane said as she pressed the disconnect. She lay there, gazing at him. Dear God, she loved him. She didn’t want to leave the cocoon that they’d built together in the past hours. “I guess we have to go.”
“You know we do.” He got up and scooped her up in his arms and turned in a circle. “And important can be good.” He kissed her before setting her on her feet. “There will be other miracles. They’ll be that much better if we go out and earn them.”
That’s right, they were just starting out. It was hard to remember that when she had just found out that all the paths they had traveled had come to this wonderful crossroad.
It was hard to remember and harder to believe.
No, she would not be negative. She didn’t even know from where that crazy thought had come. She would reach out and grasp that gold ring, and everything would be fine. She would find Eve. She would keep this love. There would be dreams and love and miracles.
“You take the first shower.” Trevor patted her behind as he nudged her toward the bathroom. “Then you can run down and talk to Margaret. I know you’re going to be on edge once you start thinking.”
He knew so much about her, she thought as she closed the bathroom door. That knowledge was a miracle in itself. She was already eager to find out what Margaret considered important. She moved quickly to the shower and turned on the spray.
Trevor said it could be good news. Please, let it be good news, Margaret.
* * *
“EAT YOUR BREAKFAST, JANE,” Caleb said mockingly as he poured more coffee in her cup. “You have to keep up your strength. I’d hate to waste all my efforts.”
“Be quiet, Caleb.” Jane turned back to Margaret. “Clocks?” Excitement was sweeping through her. At least one answer in this hellish puzzle. “Bless Kendra. If we can locate those nuclear devices, then no matter what Harriet does, we’ll be in control. We could go forward with finding Eve without that hanging over us.”
“Not true,” Trevor said. “We have to do more than locate them—have them disarmed. Or at least prevent them from being detonated.”
“And you said Harriet denied she was going after the detonator this morning,” Margaret said. “But she’ll have to go get it sometime. Could you steal it, take it away from her?”
“We don’t even know if the detonator is here or in Seattle. And once she has it in her hands, the danger increases. If she panics, she might set it off before anyone could get near enough to her to take it away from her. It would have to be handled with extreme delicacy.”
“I can’t see her in a panic,” Jane said dryly. “I think she has a keen appreciation of her own value and a well-developed sense of self-preservation.” She added thoughtfully, “But Harriet wouldn’t like to risk defeat. She might set off those explosions from sheer bitchery. She’s supposed to meet with this Cartland. Perhaps we can work something through him.”
“Or call in Venable,” Margaret said quietly. She held up her hand at Jane’s expression. “I know that you’re afraid that he’ll sacrifice Eve to national security. It’s a legitimate concern after the way he almost got her killed in Colorado. But you have to consider that you may have to do it. You can’t let Harriet even get close to setting off those bombs.”
“I know that I can’t,” Jane said curtly. “But I’m not going to run that risk while there’s still a chance that we can take care of it ourselves. We still have some time. She’s not going to set off those explosions until after Zander is executed.” She moistened her lips. “And Zander isn’t going to be killed until Doane kills Eve. He wants him to see Eve die. It’s all connected.”
“Yeah, let’s see, we find out where the nukes are stashed here in Chicago and have them disabled,” Caleb’s lips twisted. “Then we follow Harriet when she heads for Seattle and joins Doane. We rescue Eve, kill the bad guys, then have the nukes in Seattle disabled. Piece of cake.”
“I know it’s a nightmare.” And his listing of those nightmare elements was causing her desperation to soar. “You can opt out, Caleb,” Jane said. “I’ve told you that before.”
“Same answer,” he said shortly. “But somebody had to outline the problems. Trevor is ready to leap tall buildings with a single bound for you. Well, I’m not Superman, but I’m damn good, and I have a few talents he lacks. There’s a job to be done, and I’ll do it.” He smiled recklessly as he glanced at Trevor. “I’ll even work with you to do it.” He looked down at the photos on Margaret’s phone. “Two very famous clocks here in Chicago. Which one do we try first?”
“Neither one,” Margaret said. “I’m heading for Wrigley Field right after breakfast to check out that clock at the stadium. You tend to Harriet Weber and let me do the advance work.”
“Advance work?” Trevor’s brows rose. “And that is?”
“Rats,” Margaret said flatly. “I took a look a
t that clock. It’s in the scoreboard and maintenance has to be done on the scoreboard and the clock. That means that there are places inside where a device could be placed. I don’t think it would take that much space.”
“Rats,” Trevor prompted.
“There are rats everywhere,” Margaret said. “Particularly around the rivers and lakes. Rats are always hungry and looking for food. They don’t care what it is and will try anything.”
“Even a nuclear cocktail?” Caleb asked.
“Anything,” Margaret repeated. “And they may remember the taste, or the death of another rat from ingesting, or location. If there were human food scraps in the area where the device was planted, it would be particularly memorable.”
“You mean if Kevin dropped a few bites of a McDonald’s Big Mac when he was planting the bomb, it might be a giveaway?” Jane asked. “That was over five years ago, Margaret. How long do rats live?”
“Wild rats can live from five to seven years.” She shrugged. “I’m not hoping for that kind of contact. But you can never tell. Rats tend to breed in the same area if food is readily available, and a baseball stadium and an office complex have that advantage. There might be places in either that they use as a pathway or—”
“And you expect to be able to pin those rats down to a location?” Trevor said skeptically.
“Possibly. It’s worth a shot. At least, I won’t attract much attention the way you would. Both you and Caleb are very memorable. People generally sort of take me for granted.” She made a face. “As for the rest, no promises. Rats aren’t really reliable.”
“Pity,” Caleb murmured. “If they were, I think you might pull it off.”
“Really?” Margaret tilted her head. “You mean it?”
“You’re remarkable,” Caleb said. “Annoying but definitely remarkable. And Jane told us about the way you charmed that wolf in the mountains.”
“You don’t charm wolves; you accept them and hope they accept—”
The machine on the table by the balcony doors pinged softly.
“Our Harriet’s moving.” Caleb rose swiftly to his feet. “It may take her a while to shower and dress, but I’m not going to take a chance. I’ll go down and watch the suite until she takes off to meet Cartland.” He glanced at Jane. “Stay here. The last thing we want is for Harriet to see you. I’ll call you when she’s left the hotel.”