“I’d have to be deaf and blind not to have gathered that.” Her brows rose. “And you’re willing to bet on a wild card.”
“I’m willing to bet on anything or anyone,” he said bluntly. “I’ve seen and experienced weirder things than a kid who is a dog whisperer. I don’t expect anything. Prove me wrong.”
“I’m not a kid. And I don’t expect anything, either. I just hope.”
“Is that how it always works?”
“Not always. Sometimes I have somewhere to start, as I did when I was trying to find out what happened to Toby. And I had support and an intelligent animal who’d had contact with people and could translate his experience for me. That’s not always the case. Particularly when I may have to deal with wild, not domestic, animals. Then I have to fumble around and try to interpret.”
“How long have you known you could do this?”
“All my life. But I was five years old before I realized that other people couldn’t do the same thing. The sounds and thoughts and impressions were all around me, and I thought they were there for everyone. Then one day I told my father that our neighbor’s dog, Brandy, told me that she was sick and there was something hurting her stomach.”
“And?”
“My father accused me of lying and beat me until I couldn’t stand.”
“A five-year-old kid?”
“It wasn’t the first time. He drank a lot. My mother died when I was born. My father let me go to foster care because he didn’t want to take care of me. But when I was four, he took me back. I didn’t know until later that the only reason he kept me around was for the welfare checks. I usually tried to stay out of his way, but I didn’t know how to help Brandy.” She shrugged. “I should have worked it out for myself. But at least when I went to my father and he beat me, I learned what not to say. The next day I went to see Brandy’s owners, the Andersons, and told them their dog was sick. I said I’d seen him throw up a couple times, and he was crying when he did it. They were nice people who liked Brandy and didn’t want to take a chance even if a little kid wasn’t exactly a credible witness. They took him to the vet. It was a tumor, but they got it in time.” She wrinkled her nose. “But the Andersons were grateful and went to my father and told him what a fine, observant little girl he had. He agreed, thanked them, and then when they left, he beat me again for talking to the neighbors. I wasn’t supposed to ever talk to anyone outside the house. He wasn’t stupid. He knew DEFACS relied on interviews with neighbors to make their quarterly reports. After that, I usually did what he wanted, but I was pretty lonely. Until I realized I didn’t have to rely on my father or other people to talk to me. It was much better then.” She smiled. “Of course, most people would say that it was isolation and mistreatment that led to hallucinations. You’re a practical, reasonable man; isn’t that what your first reaction would be?”
He nodded. “Damn right. Unless you can prove first reactions are false. So this so-called gift isn’t inherited?”
She shrugged. “As I said, my mother died when I was born, so I have no idea what she could or could not do. The only thing I’m sure about is that I heard she managed to put up with my father for ten years, so she must have been a saint … or a fool. I only made it until I was a little over eight before I ran away from home.”
“Didn’t they catch you and bring you back home? That’s pretty young.”
She shook her head. “I knew how to take care of myself, and I was ready. I didn’t go near anyone who might turn me back over to him. I was used to the woods by that time, and I lived off the land. Later, I made friends who were willing to take me in and help me get an education. There are good people in the world, and some of them don’t believe you have to go by every rule. You just have to find them.” She paused. “The people on Summer Island are like that. So is Jane. So are you, Joe.”
“I believe in rules.”
“Except where it concerns your family. Then the rules are thrown out the window. Caleb is like that, too. But he’s one of the wild ones who don’t have exceptions, so I can’t really include him in the mix.”
“By all means, let’s not include Caleb,” Joe said dryly. He was silent a moment. “You’re not exactly reserved about your background. I admit I didn’t expect such openness since—”
“I’m traveling with false documents and might be a criminal,” she finished for him. “But that’s another story. I told you what I could. I thought it would help you to trust me a little. Not a lot. But we all take what we can get.” She raised her head and listened. “The grave is over the next hill.”
“Yes. That was easy. No voices but a disturbance in the birds?”
“That’s right.” She nodded. “Caleb told me that you were a SEAL. You’d know the basics.” They had come over the hill, and she saw the yellow tape cordoning off the area. There was a uniformed policeman standing by a pine tree, and he lifted his hand in greeting at Joe when he saw him.
Margaret’s gaze was drawn to the area in the center of the taped enclosure. She felt a wave of sadness. “Poor man. Death comes so swiftly sometimes. How did he die?”
“His throat was cut. Do you want to get closer?”
“No, this is fine. What do you want from me?”
“Anything you can give me. We need to know where Dukes was killed on the property and if there’s any evidence to be found there. There’s a possibility that Dukes might have been trailing Doane when he stole a truck from the Hallet farm several miles from here. We can’t find the farmer or Doane’s vehicle.” He added grimly. “I have search teams all over the property, but there are too many damn acres, and I need to know something now.”
“It’s not going to be that fast,” she said absently. “You’re asking too much. I have to find a carrier with a reason to be concerned.” She dropped down on the ground and crossed her legs tailor fashion. “You’re right; the birds are disturbed. Some of them left when the grave was being dug. Some when you excavated the body. There are only a few left who were here originally, and I don’t sense any who witnessed anything disturbing.” She saw Joe’s skeptical look, and said, “Yes, if they saw Dukes’s throat being cut, they would be particularly disturbed. Death disturbs all creatures. Even if they don’t understand it or empathize with it, there’s a sense of loss.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” He hesitated, then fell to his knees beside her. “What’s next?”
“I cast around for an animal I can work with who has been disturbed enough to linger or come back to the grave.” She was gazing down the hill at the grave. “It may take a while.”
He was silent for a few minutes, his gaze on her intent face. “How long?”
He could see the effort she had to use to jerk her attention back to him. “You don’t have to stay. It’s hard for you to believe it’s worthwhile, that I’m worthwhile. I’ll come back to the cottage if I have anything to report.”
The words surprised him with their simple maturity. She gave the impression of cheerful high energy and youthful vigor, but he was beginning to see layers beneath that façade that intrigued him. “I’ll stay. God knows I don’t have anything else to do right now until Venable—” He broke off as his phone signaled an incoming call. “That may be Jane. I told her to call me if Venable showed—Shit!” He was gazing at the ID. “Eve!” He punched the button.
Nothing.
A dial tone.
He was dialing Venable as he jumped to his feet. “I just got a signal that could be a missed call from Eve. It didn’t even ring. What the hell is happening? Did you get a trace on her?”
“They’re working on it,” Venable said. “The call was cut off before it made a connection. But they may have the tower.”
“May?” Joe repeated savagely. “Who the hell knows what Eve risked to make that call. And your tech guys can’t trace it?”
“They’re trying, Joe. If anyone can do it, they can. I’m almost at the cottage. I’ll see you within an hour.” Venable hung up.
Joe whirled
and started down the hill toward the path to the cottage.
“Joe.” Margaret called out quietly from behind him, “I know that this seems unimportant at the moment, but I think I’ve found what you were looking for.”
She was right. When he’d gotten the call from Eve, he’d forgotten that Margaret existed, much less for what he’d asked her to search. He looked impatiently over his shoulder. “What, already? You said that it would take—”
“It’s a feral cat. I got lucky.”
“And that means?”
“Cats are clever, and they stalk prey. Feral cats are always looking for food, and this one scavenges the neighboring farms as well as your woods for his next meal. The wife of the farmer who Doane stole a truck from often fed the feral cats on the property.”
“So?”
“The cat was familiar with the farmer as well as his wife. There was often grain in the bed of the farmer’s truck, which he went after when he couldn’t find any other prey.”
“What does that have to do with Dukes’s death?”
“Dukes watched Doane get rid of his blue car and the farmer’s body. But Dukes mustn’t have been too good at his job because Doane turned stalker and went after him. He cut his throat, then took the body away to bury it. Probably because he didn’t want anyone to discover his car or the farmer before he took Eve.”
“This cat told you all this?” Joe asked sarcastically.
“No, don’t be silly. All I get is impressions for the most part. A lot of it is my interpretation of what the cat saw combined with what you told me.”
“And where is Doane’s car and the missing farmer?”
Her gaze went to the north side of the lake. “The lake is deep out there?”
“Very deep.”
“Then you’ll have trouble retrieving the car.”
“We checked the entire bank of the lake for any sign of vehicle entry.”
“It was raining that night, and Doane must be very good at masking his trail.”
“So judged your feral friend?”
She ignored the sarcasm. “There’s a huge moss-covered rock near the bank where the car went into the water. Do you know it?”
He slowly nodded his head. “I taught Jane how to dive off that rock when she was a kid.”
“Then you have somewhere to start, don’t you?”
“I guess I do.” It could be guesswork about that moss-covered rock on the north side of the lake, but it was a peculiar coincidence she had known about it since Margaret had just arrived at the cottage. But, hell, her story was even more peculiar than the coincidence. He had to choose which one to believe.
No, he didn’t. He’d accept everything and check it out later. He started back down the trail. “I’ll order a new search in that area. Come on, let’s get back to the cottage. We have to be there when Venable gets there.”
“We? That sounds … companionable. You’re going to let me help Jane?”
“I’m going to let you help Eve. Providing we find signs that car went into the lake.”
“Eve. Jane. It’s the same thing for me.”
“Not for me.”
“I can see that. She stands alone.” Her voice was a little wistful. “You truly love Eve, and you don’t try to mask it or hide it. It’s … nice. Most people I’ve met are afraid to give themselves unconditionally to any emotion.”
“Then they’re cheating themselves. Are you coming or not?”
She didn’t move. “I’ll be along soon. I have something to do.”
“What?”
“The cat. He was afraid and ran away and didn’t see Dukes’s body being removed. I have to let him know that he doesn’t have any reason to stay close to the grave.”
He frowned. “Why the hell should he be doing that? I’ve never heard of a cat’s guarding a grave.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Go on. I’ll be down soon.”
“Why?” he asked again.
She was silent a moment. “He’s a feral cat,” she said quietly. “He scavenges for food. How do you think he knew where Dukes was buried? He was hungry and followed Doane when he hid the body. But Doane buried Dukes, and he couldn’t get at him. I have to let him know that he should go look for other food.”
Joe grimaced. “Pleasant thought.”
“No, but it’s nature. We’ve got to accept it and not hang our own values on other creatures. He’s doing what his instincts and self-preservation tell him to do.”
“And you accept it?”
“Most of the time. When my emotions don’t get involved.” She turned back to look at the grave. “And I like this cat. He loves lying in the sun and everything about the forest and hunting. He’s tough, but that’s okay, there’s no malice. Maybe we can persuade that farmer’s wife, Mrs. Hallet, to be a little more proactive in taking care of the ferals.”
“If the cat doesn’t eat anyone she knows.”
She shrugged, and said again, “Nature.”
* * *
“THEY SHOULD BE BACK SOON.” Caleb had come up behind Jane on the porch. “You could call Quinn if you’re worried.”
“He just called me. They’re on their way back. He thinks he just got a signal from Eve’s phone.” She held up her hand as he started to speak. “But Venable doubts they can trace it, dammit. She managed to try to get word to us, and we can’t even take advantage of it.”
“Is there a chance?”
“Not a very good one.”
“At least you know Eve is alive and working to save herself. That should give you some comfort.”
“It doesn’t give me comfort. I’m upset and feeling pissed off. I want her back here.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I hate staying here and waiting. Eve is helping herself, but I’m not doing anything. I could at least have gone with Margaret and Joe if he hadn’t dragged her off so quickly. I want to shake someone. Preferably Joe.”
“Quinn still thinks of you as walking wounded. He didn’t want you to exert any extra effort.”
“I know all that.” She crossed her arms across her chest. She felt cold. That was probably because she was tired from lack of sleep. Don’t admit even to herself that it had anything to do with the wound. Ignore it. “You’re defending him. That’s not at all like you, Caleb.”
“I’m defending you. You need all the support you can get right now.” He sighed. “It appears I’m not sufficient.” He sat down on the porch swing and stretched his legs out before him. “Until you realize how mistaken you are.”
She turned to look at him. “Since when have you needed any other opinion but your own?” Lord, he was magnetic, she thought suddenly. It was hard not to keep on staring at him. He was leaning lazily back in the swing, and his white shirt was clinging to the powerful muscles of his abdomen. She could see a hint of the dark hair that thatched his chest. And his eyes … dark, sensual, knowing. Everything about him reached out, touched, stroked. She had always thought he was probably the sexiest man she had ever met, and at this moment there was no doubt of it.
But sex could be enslaving if you couldn’t trust the man who wielded it. She was right to keep Caleb at a distance. Even now, when she was weary and hurt, he managed to make her feel more than she wanted to feel.
“But I value your opinion,” Caleb said with a half smile. “And I’m willing to work to be thought sufficient. Sometimes you come close, then you veer away. I agree that it’s safer for you to handle me that way, but so boring. Take a chance, Jane.”
“Why? You don’t have anything that I need except your help finding Eve.”
“No, but there might be something that you want.” He suddenly straightened and got up from the porch swing with one fluid movement. She tensed, foolish to feel this threatened. “A little distraction?” he offered as he came toward her. “I’m more than sufficient at that and very willing to—”
Her phone rang, and she grabbed it quickly without checking ID.
“Did you connect with Margaret?” Trev
or asked. “I contacted the head of the search-and-rescue group, and he said that she’d been picked up in Atlanta.”
“Yes, Margaret’s here, Trevor.” She saw Caleb stop and go still. He obviously didn’t like or appreciate Trevor’s calling. Too bad. She was relieved to have that moment interrupted. She wasn’t too pleased with Trevor either, but she never felt threatened around him. “You shouldn’t have put her in touch with that group. It was none of your business. I didn’t want her here.”
“She wanted to come,” Trevor said. “And I liked the idea of your having someone besides Caleb and Joe Quinn beside you.” He paused. “It didn’t hurt that it kept me in the picture if only on a peripheral level. Have you found out anything more about Eve?”
“A little.” She rattled off the information they’d gathered. “Venable will be here soon and tell us more.”
“I’ll check out the info you’ve given me with my contacts and see if I can come up with anything. You have my number. Call me if you need me.” He added, “I’m letting you have a little time and space, but I’m going to be on my way up there in a day or two. Expect me.”
“I may not be here. If Venable gives us the information we need, we’ll be going after Doane.”
“Expect me,” he repeated, and hung up.
“He’s going to come here,” Caleb said flatly, as she pressed the disconnect. “I knew it was only a matter of time.”
So had Jane. Trevor had always done exactly what he wanted once he made up his mind. He had clearly made a decision that their relationship was to have a new start, and she could only hope that he stayed out of her way while she was searching for Eve. “Yes, tomorrow or the next day maybe.”
“And I’m sure he’ll try to be everything that’s sufficient.” His lips twisted. “No, glorious.”
“Glorious? What a description. Trevor would laugh at you.”
“No, that he wouldn’t do,” Caleb said softly. “Not more than once.”
“Caleb, I won’t tolerate any conflict,” she said through clenched teeth. “Not from either of you.”
“I’m sure you won’t have trouble with Trevor. He’ll be everything that’s civilized. Greek-god looks, sophistication, and intelligence. How could you ask for anything more?”