“You’re in a very vulnerable state where that concept is concerned,” Jane said. “You might not be thinking straight.” She shook her head. “It could be a trap.”
“That was my first thought.” Eve grimaced. “I tend to trust Joe’s judgment more than I do Natalie Castino’s motherly love. But if it is a trap, can we turn it against them? I’m supposed to call her if I decide to help her whisk Cara away into the loving arms of her grandfather. There has to be some way we can use that.”
“But we’d need help. You have to tell MacDuff, Eve.”
She nodded. “I know that. I just wanted to talk it out and get it straight in my head before I brought him into the picture. MacDuff can be overwhelming once he makes up his mind.”
“Tell me about it,” Jane said dryly. “But that doesn’t alter the fact that he’s the best game in town and certainly the one with the most cards he can play. Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No, I’ll do it.” Eve gave her a hug. “I have to check on whether he’s located a safe house yet and whether we can travel in this fog. My guess is a big negative. And I’m getting more and more nervous about having Cara out in this wilderness.” She moved toward the door. “I’ll get back to you.”
Jane followed her and watched until she disappeared into MacDuff’s tent. She stood outside surrounded by the fog, which didn’t appear to have abated at all. Then she turned to stare out at the lake.
The beginning or the end.
Today the lake appeared much more ominous than the day she had first seen it.
“You’re very tense. It’s not all that bad.”
She turned to see Seth Caleb coming toward her and automatically stiffened. “I have a right to be tense. I have more at stake than you do, Caleb.” She was suddenly aware of something different, charged, electric, about him. Not so different. She had seen him like this before when there was a threat, but it always disturbed her. “Or perhaps you haven’t heard that Salazar is on the move. You haven’t been around very much lately.”
“I was merely being sensitive to your feelings.” He was smiling recklessly as he came closer to her. “You were pedaling backward at top speed the last time I saw you, and I thought I’d allow you time to regroup. And I knew about Salazar at the same time you did. Perhaps a little earlier.”
“Earlier?”
“I feel things sometimes. A sort of primal instinct. And we all know how primitive I can be.”
“And how much you enjoy it.”
“I can’t help it,” he said simply. “And I won’t lie to you. If you expected me to stay close to the home fires and circle the wagon train, that wasn’t going to happen. It’s not how I operate. I took off for those hills and started hunting.”
She went still. “And did you find anything?”
“Maybe. I didn’t locate Salazar’s camp. They’re probably moving it every three or four hours. But there are only a couple ways they could cause us problems, and perhaps they won’t think of them. And I have the lay of the land now. I know where I’d strike.”
“I don’t want them to strike at all. I want Eve and Cara out of here.”
“So do I.” His lips twisted. “They’ll get in my way. Plus robbing the situation of any hint of fun. After all, I promised Eve I’d take care of her, and responsibility tends to be exceptionally boring.”
“How unfortunate,” Jane said. “No one asked you to take responsibility, Caleb. Eve is my responsibility.” She turned to go back into her tent. “And when she leaves here, I’m going with her.”
“Which means I’ll have to tag along.” He shrugged. “But I’ll try to make it interesting as well as worthwhile. In the meantime, I’ll go back to those hills and see if I can discover anything else of importance.”
Jane suddenly whirled on him. “Why,” she asked fiercely. “Do you just like to take risks? You’ve already found out what you wanted to know. Those bastards could be out there just waiting for a chance to—” She broke off. Why ask when she knew the answers? “Do what you wish. What do I care if you want to behave like a self-indulgent child?”
“But you do care,” he said softly, his gaze on her face. “Why, Jane? You try so hard not to give a damn about me, but it just keeps coming back, doesn’t it? Why do you suppose that happens?”
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “I’ll get over it.”
“Oh, no, I can’t allow that to come to pass.” He smiled. “I’ve worked too hard. Every time we come together, I get a step closer. I get to know you a little better.”
“And I don’t really know you at all, Caleb.”
His smile faded. “True. I’ve been very careful about that, but I might have to relinquish a bit of who I am to make you feel safer.”
“And would I feel safer?”
“I don’t know. It would be a risk.” The brilliance of his smile came back full force. “But then I like risks. You might learn to like them, too.” He turned and started back toward the path to the hills. “But not when it concerns your Eve.” He looked back over his shoulder at her, and she was again aware of that charged electricity, the suppressed excitement that was just below the surface. Dear God, she was beginning to feel that same reckless disturbance she saw in him, she realized. She wanted to follow him into that mist. She wanted to find the thrill of danger and adventure she could sense in him.
And he could see it. “Never Eve,” he repeated. “Never anyone you care about and protect. No risks there, I promise.”
And then he was gone.
But who was going to protect Caleb? Who had ever protected him?
Just another thing that she didn’t know about Seth Caleb.
And why was it hurting her to realize that he could have been vulnerable and in pain, and she would not have been able to help him?
Forget Caleb.
Go back into the tent. Finish packing, then go find Eve.
And keep all risk away from her and Cara and the child.
2:40 P.M.
SOUTHERN ATLANTIC CHARTER FLIGHT 1257
SOMEWHERE OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
Three more hours, Joe told himself as he checked his watch. He’d land in Edinburgh in another two hours and catch a helicopter to Gaelkar.
Three more hours.
It was too long. He felt caught, helpless, in this plane above the Atlantic. He couldn’t get to her.
His phone rang, and he glanced at the ID. Manez.
“I trust that you’re winging your way across the Atlantic even as we speak,” Manez said when Joe answered. “You caused something of an uproar, you know. Toller was most upset that you slipped away from his agent. He didn’t find out that you weren’t on that plane until he managed to get a head count from the flight attendants right before the flight reached Geneva.”
“And how did you know?”
“I’ve been keeping my eye on you … and on Toller. Things are becoming … interesting. I assume you’re finding it necessary to go and rescue your Eve. Salazar is on the move?”
“He’s found out where Eve and Cara are.”
“A very determined man. But Toller is also determined. He wants no interference. If he finds out where you are, he’ll have you arrested, Quinn.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” He paused. “And are you going to tell him where I’m headed?”
“I really should, in deference to international cooperation.”
“Are you going to do it?”
“I don’t actually know where you’re going, do I? Of course you mentioned Scotland, but you were careful not to pin down a location.” He was silent a moment. “And I don’t like the way Toller is handling this. As I told you, he’s not involving me in his investigations into Jenny Castino’s death. This is my city. No one knows more about the cartel bosses than I do, including Castino. My conclusion was that Toller wanted to remain in control and manipulate events to suit himself. That made me very curious, so I decided to dig very hard into Toller’s sources to disco
ver who had given the tip that Jenny was Castino’s daughter.”
“And you found out?”
“It wasn’t Sheriff Nalchek or anyone in his office.”
“I didn’t believe it was Nalchek.”
“But you weren’t sure that it wasn’t one of his men. A reasonable conclusion. I looked there first.”
“And where else did you look?”
“In places that weren’t at all reasonable. I found an agent in Toller’s department who was a bit careless, and I have excellent hackers on my team. Would you like to know who tipped Toller?”
“Stop playing games, Manez.”
“I don’t play games. But Toller may think he’s going to do so,” he said grimly. “But the U.S. government can stay out of my business.” He paused. “James Walsh tipped off Toller that the body in the grave was Jenny Castino’s.”
“What?” His hand tightened in shock on the phone. “No way. Walsh killed Jenny. He wouldn’t have done that.”
“Unless he was trying to protect his ass if he thought Salazar was getting impatient and might try to take him out. Maybe he was trying to make a deal.” Manez added, “I’ve seen stranger things happen. It’s dog eat dog in the cartels down here. And there have been a lot of rumbles on the street lately. Something is going to happen. I can smell it.”
“Look, there’s no way I can concentrate on Toller or his plans that might be upsetting you right now. I owe you, and I’ll get around to it once Eve and Cara are safe. Later, Manez.”
“I’m not asking for help. I can handle my own problems. I just thought you should know that not everything is what it seems.” He paused. “And that you probably have only five or six more hours before Toller manages to track you down. He’s working hard, and he’s very clever. Not as clever as I am, but he doesn’t know that. Or he wouldn’t have made the mistake of trying to ignore me. Good luck, Quinn.” He hung up.
He might need good luck, Joe thought grimly. And he knew damn well that often nothing was as it seemed. But the information about Walsh had stunned him. But, as he’d told Manez, he couldn’t think about anything right now but getting to Eve and finding a way to get rid of Salazar and Franco once and for all.
Three more hours.
4:45 P.M.
LOCH GAELKAR
“We leave for Edinburgh in thirty minutes, Eve.” MacDuff had suddenly appeared at the entrance of her tent, and his voice was curt. “Get ready.”
Eve scrambled to her feet. “I thought we were waiting for the fog to lift. You said we couldn’t even drive through this muck.”
“We’ll manage somehow. We can’t wait any longer. I just got a report from Caleb, and it wasn’t good. He saw signs of Salazar’s force and activity in the hills. I don’t like the idea of having you and Cara stranded out here when we don’t know exactly where Salazar is located.”
“We could find out.” Caleb was suddenly standing beside them. “We know he’s out there in the hills, and he’s not alone. He’s moving fast, and I’d say he has at least nine or ten men with him. Hard to tell in this fog. You’d better warn your guards that they may be outmatched.” He smiled. “Want to go hunting, MacDuff?”
“It appears you’ve already gone hunting,” MacDuff said dryly. “And I’m not going to do anything until I get Eve and Cara safe. I checked with weather, and the fog is lighter in the valley beyond Gaelkar. It’s about seven miles, and we can hike there, and I’ll have a helicopter meet us. Where’s Cara?”
“At the campfire with Jock. Where else? I’ll go get her.” Jane left the tent and hurried toward the campfire.
“We all go. I promised Eve,” Caleb said quietly. “Though I’d prefer to take Salazar’s goons down ourselves. Between Jock and me, I believe we’d have a good chance. And you’re not too bad either, MacDuff.”
“I’m flattered,” MacDuff said dryly. “But I believe I’ll call in Ned Colin and a few more of my men to accompany us until we get out of this fog. Not that I’d want to insult your—”
A shot shattered the words!
“What the hell!” MacDuff pushed Eve down to the ground and turned off the lantern.
Caleb was already out of the tent and zigzagging toward the campfire.
But Jock had already knocked Cara down and covered her with his body.
Another shot.
And a scream!
“Stay here.” MacDuff was on his feet but crouching low as he ran out of the tent.
Eve rolled over and crawled toward the door. Let that scream not be Cara, she prayed. It had not sounded like a child, but it had been high-pitched.
Rat-a-tat-tat.
A rapid spate of bullets.
Another scream.
Not close. Somewhere in that gray mass of fog ahead.
She started to crawl across the ground toward the campfire. She caught up with MacDuff a moment later and rose to her feet.
“I told you to stay in the tent,” MacDuff said, not looking at her. “You don’t pay any more attention to orders than Jane.” His gaze was raking the terrain. “Damn this fog.” He took out his phone. “Don’t worry, I’ll call Colin and tell him to get down here.”
Don’t worry? “Do you see Cara or Jane?”
He was dialing rapidly. “Safe. Jock got them away from the fire and into those shrubs by the lake.” He listened. “No answer. That’s not good. I don’t—”
“MacDuff?” The voice on the phone was so clear that Eve could hear it. “Alfredo Salazar. I’m afraid your man, Colin, is indisposed. Is Eve Duncan close by? I really need to talk to both of you.”
MacDuff turned up the speaker. “I want to talk to Colin. What did you do to him?”
“I needed an example, and Franco ran across a prime candidate. He didn’t want to cooperate, but we managed to convince him. Franco is very talented in that area. Are you listening, Eve Duncan? All of this is really for you and that annoying child.”
“I’m listening.”
“That’s good. Then I can tell you that everything that happens from now on is on your head. Every scream, every death, is because you’re here and causing me trouble. Do you hear that, MacDuff? All of this could end if you’d turn her and the kid over to us.”
“Go to hell.”
“Whatever you say,” Salazar said. “And you Eve? You appear to be such a gentle person. Do you want to see MacDuff and your other friends die? And what about Jane MacGuire? You’ve managed to draw them all into something that wasn’t your business in the first place.”
“I’d be a fool to think that you’d let anyone live if I let Cara go to you,” Eve said. “You’d never permit a witness to escape, Salazar.”
“I might. If the price was high enough to make it worth my while. I understand that you and your friends might be able to pull something out of MacDuff’s lake that would tempt me. Make me an offer.”
“I’m not a fool.”
“Oh well, first things first. Back to the example, MacDuff. We’re taking your guard, Colin, to a place in the forest several hundred yards from your camp. He’s still alive, but very frightened. Come and get him.” He hung up.
Another shot.
An agonized groan from the depths of the fog.
“It’s a trap,” Eve said. “You won’t be able to see them. They’ll pick you off.”
“I can’t leave Colin out there,” MacDuff said. “Salazar won’t be able to see us either. I’ll get Jock and Caleb to scout the area ahead, and I’ll go in and get Colin. Go and stay with Cara and Jane. I’ll call in the perimeter guards to protect you.”
Before she could speak he was gone.
EDINBURGH AIRPORT
One more hour.
Joe strode across the tarmac toward the waiting helicopter. Providing he could get to Gaelkar in this pea soup of a fog, he thought bitterly. The weather forecast said that the fog wouldn’t lift for that area for another eight to ten hours. Definitely not flying weather.
Screw it. He’d get there somehow. But first he’d check
to see if MacDuff had managed to move Eve and Cara into a safe house here in Edinburgh.
His phone rang. Burbank. He’d asked Burbank to check on safe houses, too.
He accessed the call. “What’s happening, Burbank?”
“Nothing,” Burbank said. “Everything’s at a standstill. We have a bit of a fog.”
“So I’ve noticed. Why did you call?”
“You asked me to check on the specialities of the men Salazar hired from the Maitland Cartel. You seemed to think it important.”
“It might be.”
“Four of them are Afghani nationals and trained by the Taliban. Expert at explosives and setting IEDs.”
“Shit!”
“I take it you do think that it’s important.”
“I should have guessed. Franco has a fondness for bombs, and he’d gravitate in that direction.” And in this fog, you wouldn’t be able to see a booby trap even if it wasn’t set by an expert. “Thanks, Burbank.” He hung up and called Eve.
She didn’t answer.
He tried again.
She answered on the third ring. “Joe? I can’t talk now. Things are bad. Salazar has shown up, and he’s hurt one of MacDuff’s men. MacDuff has gone after—”
“IEDs,” he interrupted. “Tell MacDuff to be careful of IEDs. Salazar has imported some experts.”
“I’ll go and tell—”
She’d hung up.
He tried to get her back.
No answer.
And it scared him to death. The last thing he’d wanted was to have Eve running around in that fog after what he’d just found out.
He had to get to her.
He ran for the helicopter.
* * *
Eve was dialing MacDuff even as she ran toward the direction she’d seen him take.
No answer.
She hadn’t expected one.
He wouldn’t take time out to answer a phone when he was trying to save the man Salazar had shot.
Jock.
She dialed his number.
He answered. “Not a good time, Eve.”
“IEDs. Joe said to be careful of IEDs. Tell MacDuff.”
Jock muttered a curse. “No sign of anything yet. Caleb and I have been scouting all around, and I see MacDuff up ahead. And Salazar didn’t move Colin to this area until after we heard the shots. We may only have to worry about snipers.”