Bonnie’s voice was only a wisp of sound. “All the pretty little horses . . .”
EVE’S HEAD SANK DOWN TO rest on the steering wheel. Get a grip. She couldn’t sit here and wallow in the past. So her life right now seemed to be going down the tubes. She had to go on. She had to deal with the problem with Joe. She had to pick up Jane from the airport.
She lifted her head and started the car.
And she had to try to block out that bittersweet memory that was still echoing in her mind and heart.
All the pretty little horses . . .
“DAMMIT, I’VE MISSED YOU so much.” Eve gave Jane a hug before releasing her. “How dare you look as beautiful as if you’d spent the night at a spa. After that international trip, you should be haggard and rumpled. I always am.”
“I’m rumpled, but I got a new haircut in Paris that makes it look fashionable.” She glanced at the revolving baggage carousel. “I think I see my duffel. I’ll be right back.” She sprinted toward it.
So much energy, Eve thought. Jane was the complete package: beauty, talent, and a loving nature that didn’t preclude a streak of pure iron. She had graduated from college only two years ago and was already making her name as an artist in the galleries of the U.S. and Europe. It had been a blessing that Eve and Joe had been able to take Jane into their home when she was a street kid. She had enriched their lives then and now. It was a shining—
Her cell phone rang. Joe? she thought as she pulled her phone out of her handbag. Let it be Joe.
Megan Blair. She smothered her disappointment. It had to be important. Yet she still was wary to take the call. Megan’s psychic gifts were undoubtedly genuine, but Eve had wanted to distance herself for a while. And why on earth was she calling at this hour of the morning?
“Eve, are you okay?” Megan Blair’s voice vibrated with urgency as Eve picked up the call. “Dear God, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that—Is everything all right with you?”
“What are you talking about?” Eve glanced at Jane, who was pulling her black duffel off the carousel. “Everything’s fine. I’m just picking Jane up at the airport. She flew in from Paris tonight.”
“Good. Someone’s with you. Tell her not to leave you.”
“I’ll tell her no such thing. Why should I?”
“It’s this damn facilitator thing. I thought you were safe. I was unconscious, so I thought the emotion wouldn’t trigger anything.”
“You’re not making yourself clear, Megan.”
“I’ll try to slow down.” She took a deep breath. “Remember I told you that I had this other gift. Gift? No, that’s not the word. So far it’s been mostly a curse. Anyway, when I’m experiencing extreme emotion, it’s dangerous for me to touch anyone.”
“Yes, I noticed you treated everyone as if they had the plague.”
“It’s because I facilitate. Whatever latent psychic gift the person I touch possesses becomes active. Mind reading, healing, finding . . . whatever. But that sudden freeing of the psychic talent can be too much for some minds.”
“Madness. Yes, you told me all that. But you also said I didn’t have to worry because you were in a coma when I touched you in the swamp.”
“But it just occurred to me that I was still aware of those dead children that were buried on that island even then. That means that the coma wasn’t deep enough. At least, I don’t think it was. I just don’t know.”
“Shh. You’re upset for nothing, Megan.”
“Don’t tell me that.” Megan was silent a moment. “Look, I know you probably didn’t believe me when I told you about this weird facilitator stuff. You accept that I can hear echoes of what happened to those murdered children in the place where they were killed because you were there, you saw me going through it. But the other is too bizarre for you. Well, it’s bizarre to me too. But I’m not going to let anyone be hurt by it if I can help it. I touched you. I held your hands. That’s all it takes sometimes. Lord, I don’t want to hurt you, Eve.”
Jane was coming toward her, pulling her duffel bag, her brows lifted inquiringly.
“I’m not hurt,” Eve said. “Nothing is going to happen to me, Megan.”
“I hope not. But if anything strange does happen, don’t be afraid. We’ll work through it together.”
“I don’t think we’re going to have to work through it. I feel perfectly normal, Megan. Besides, you said the danger period had long passed by the time I left you at the hospital.”
“But that was before I realized that my emotional response was still active even though I was in that coma. The effect may have been delayed. Tell Jane to stay with you anyway. Just in case. Will you do that for me?”
“I’m not going to have her holding my hand, Megan. I’ll be fine. If there’s a problem, I promise to call you. Just try to relax.”
“No way. Dammit, I know this all sounds crazy to you. Hell, it is crazy. But I can’t let go until I know for sure that you’ve not been affected. I’ll check back later.” Megan hung up.
“What was that all about?” Jane asked. “You sounded very soothing. And why should I have to be holding your hand, Eve?”
“You shouldn’t, that’s the point.” Eve turned and walked with her toward the exit. “I’m fine.”
“And why doesn’t Megan Blair think you’re fine? She should know. She’s a doctor, isn’t she?”
Eve nodded. “ER. But she’s not practicing right now.”
“Too busy with this voodoo stuff?”
Voodoo. Yes, that was what Eve had thought when she had first met Megan. She had believed all psychic powers were crap and everyone who claimed to have them charlatans. But she had seen too much in that swamp while they were chasing that killer, Henry Kistle, to discount anything that Megan told her.
Except that last facilitator revelation. Eve still couldn’t quite accept that possibility as reality. It was too bizarre, as Megan had said.
“I guess you could call it voodoo. But Megan isn’t . . . I respect her, Jane.”
“Then I apologize for being flip. Heaven knows, I realize that there’s more out there than we can see or touch. It’s just that someone like Megan Blair is outside my realm of experience. Where’s your car parked?”
“Short-term lot.” She started across the street. “I brought the Jeep. I was expecting more luggage, or maybe a canvas or two.”
“No, I left everything in Paris. I’ll go back, or they can send it to me.” Jane’s brow was furrowed. “Why did Megan think I should hold your hand? You told me Kistle was dead. There’s no threat from him, right?”
“Right.” Jane wasn’t going to let it go, Eve thought. She was in protective mode, or she wouldn’t have flown here from Paris just to be with Eve. “And there’s no threat, period. Megan is just having second thoughts about something.”
“What?”
Tell her, but keep it light. “She thinks I may go off my rocker.” Eve made a face. “Or become a voodoo priestess myself.”
“Not likely.”
“That’s what I told her.”
“Why would she say something like that?”
Okay, just explain and then drop it. “I told you that Megan has certain . . . talents.”
Jane nodded. “She can hear the dead under certain circumstances or, at least, echoes of what happened to them. Pretty creepy.” She paused. “And hard for me to believe. Though I can see that you might be open to it.”
Because Jane knew that the memory of Bonnie was still a major part of Eve’s life. “It was difficult for me too. I thought Megan was like one of those psychic phonies who victimized me right after Bonnie disappeared all those years ago. It took a lot for me to admit to myself that Megan was the real thing. But I was with her when she located the grave of a little boy in the woods in Illinois. I saw her go into deep shock in the swamp here in Georgia trying to help us find Kistle and those children he’d killed.”
Jane’s lips quirked. “I imagine ‘real’ is rather an ambivalent term in cases l
ike this. And did Megan’s dead friends tell her that you had to be looked after?”
“No.” She made a face. “It seems Megan has another talent. She said that she releases . . .” She shrugged. “She said that she’s sort of a facilitator, that if she touches someone while she’s in an emotionally charged state, it could trigger the release of latent psychic powers in the person she touches. According to her, some people can’t accept that release. They go bonkers.”
“Now that’s bizarre.”
“‘Bizarre’ seems to be the word for the night,” Eve said as she unlocked the Jeep. “Megan used it, I used it. Now you, Jane. Megan said that she understood how I’d fight accepting this facilitator effect. She’s absolutely right.” She slipped into the driver’s seat. “Particularly since I seem to be a candidate for it, and I’m not feeling in the least bonkers. Nor am I sensing any splendid new mental powers.”
“You don’t need any more mental powers,” Jane said as she got into the passenger seat. “You’re probably the foremost forensic sculptor in the world. And you’re the smartest woman I know.”
“I’m not bad in the IQ department, but I can’t say the same for my emotional acumen. I don’t seem to learn from my mistakes.”
“You’re smart enough to hold on to Joe,” Jane said. “That strikes me as positively brilliant.”
“I’ve been lucky . . . so far.” Her smile faded. “I have you, and I have Joe. And neither one of you is inclined to kick me out of your lives. That’s pretty wonderful.”
Jane was silent for a moment. “How are you and Joe getting along?”
She had known that question would be asked. “As well as can be expected considering that I have an obsession that dominates our lives.” She looked away from Jane. “We really needed that Henry Kistle be Bonnie’s murderer as well as the killer of all those other children on the island. Joe is . . . tired of it all. Who can blame him? Certainly not I.” She smiled determinedly as she backed out of the parking place. “But he’ll be glad to see you. You’re like a fresh breeze every time you whisk into our lives.”
“And how is your work going?”
“I just finished up a forensic sculpting job a few days ago. Joe said I may have to work on the skulls of one or two of the children we found buried on the island in the Okefenokee Swamp if we can’t get an ID. I’ll do whatever it takes to bring them home.”
Jane nodded. “Since you couldn’t bring your Bonnie home.”
“I still have hope. In fact, I have two more names that may pan out. Paul Black. Kevin Jelak. I’ll have to follow up as soon as I learn more about them.” She could see Jane gazing at her in wonder, and she smiled crookedly. “Yes, I know that I just got through dealing with Henry Kistle. But he wasn’t the right one. He couldn’t help me bring my Bonnie home. So I have to go on. You see? I am obsessed.”
“Maybe.” Jane’s hand covered hers on the steering wheel. “But it’s one I can understand. It’s a beloved obsession, Eve.”
Eve was touched. “Good heavens, that sounds like a movie.”
Jane chuckled. “And I embarrassed you. Sorry. I must have picked up a few melodramatic flourishes in Paris.”
“You didn’t embarrass me.” Jane could say anything she wanted to Eve. She was just glad to have her here beside her. As a successful artist, Jane’s life was busy these days and, as Eve had said, she whisked in and out of her life, leaving only lingering affection and wonderful memories. Eve wouldn’t have it any other way. The last thing she wanted was to interfere in Jane’s life or hold her back.
And she couldn’t pull her down into the darkness that seemed to be approaching Eve right now. So push away the darkness, try to keep the conversation light. “But tell me about some of the other things you picked up in Paris. Anyone tall, sexy, and interesting?”
TWO
JOE CAME OUT ON THE PORCH as soon as they pulled up in front of the cottage. He was fully dressed in khakis and a white shirt.
Eve tensed. Let it be better. Let Jane make a difference.
“Joe!” Jane jumped out of the Jeep as soon as Eve turned off the engine. She flew up the steps and into his arms. “Dammit, it’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.” His arms tightened around her. “Though you should have stayed in—”
“I heard all that from Eve,” she interrupted. “So be quiet.” She took a step back. “I hear you were fighting alligators and trying to—” She stiffened as she looked up at his face. “Joe?”
He turned quickly to Eve. “I put fresh coffee on. I’m going to go in and get my phone, then I have to leave.”
“Whatever you say.” Eve slowly got out of the Jeep. Joe was in the shadow, and she couldn’t see his face, but she could see Jane’s expression. She didn’t like what she was seeing. “I hoped you’d stay for a cup of coffee. I stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts.”
“Thanks, but I don’t have time. I have to get to the precinct.” He moved back toward the door. “I just wanted to stay and see Jane before I left. I’ll get my phone and take off.”
Jane took a half step forward after him. “Joe, wait. I want to—”
But he had disappeared into the house.
Jane whirled to face Eve. “I thought you said everything was okay.”
“I didn’t say okay.” She climbed the porch steps. “I said as good as could be expected. Nothing to be alarmed about.” But she was alarmed and had to hide it from Jane. Not an easy task. “And he does have work to do at the precinct. What are you getting bent out of shape about?”
“He was . . . stiff. His face was—And he didn’t look at me.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it. Look, maybe you need some time alone with him. I’ll go inside and set out the doughnuts. You catch him when he comes out. Okay?”
Jane nodded. “I have to make sure. It’s not like Joe to treat me like that.” She sat down on the porch swing. “I’ll be in right away.”
Eve nodded. “Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.” She went into the house and straight to the kitchen. Give Jane her chance to talk to Joe with no interference. Maybe she’d be able to make him tell her why he was behaving in a way that was scaring Eve. She couldn’t believe their problems would impact Joe’s relationship with Jane. It had to be something else. But Jane would make sure that everything was straightened out. She wasn’t shy about taking matters and relationships into her own hands.
Lord, she was glad to have her home again.
JANE JUMPED TO HER FEET the minute Joe walked out on the porch. “Okay,” she said. “What the hell is wrong with you, Joe?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Joe looked away from her and out at the lake. “Nothing is wrong with me. Eve and I have had a rough patch for the last few weeks. She probably told you about it on the way from the airport.”
“She told me that the serial killer who she’d thought might have killed Bonnie hadn’t done it. She told me that you’d found a virtual killing ground of children on that island in the swamp that he had murdered.” She paused. “She didn’t tell me that you’d withdrawn from her like this. She downplayed it. But you didn’t even look at her. And not only her. Have I done something lately to make you angry with me?”
“How could you? You’ve been in Paris at your art gallery.”
“Maybe you think I should have been here and supporting Eve. I did try, Joe. She wouldn’t have it.”
“I’m not blaming anyone for anything.” Joe’s smile was forced. “Look, we just have to work through this.” He checked his wristwatch. “And it’s time I got to the precinct and did some work on cleaning up that case. We still haven’t identified all those bodies.”
“And you won’t tell me what’s wrong,” Jane said bluntly. “You’re running away. Don’t bullshit me, Joe. You and Eve practically raised me. I know you.”
“Do you?” He started down the porch steps. “Then you know that I’m a cop and when I have a job to do, I do it. I’ll call you and Eve la
ter and tell you what time I’ll be home.” He could feel Jane’s troubled gaze on him as he got into the driver’s seat. As he started the car, he saw Eve come out of the house and stand beside Jane on the porch. Two strong, intelligent women, the two women he loved most in the world.
And because of their strength and intelligence he had to avoid them like the plague right now. He didn’t need them focusing that keen intelligence and perceptiveness on him. They might see something he didn’t want anyone to see.
He waved as he backed the car out of the driveway.
He’d be okay. It had only been the stress and strain of the years of searching for Eve’s little girl that had sparked that hallucination earlier this morning. He wasn’t nuts. As long as he recognized the problem, then it was no problem at all. There would be no more hallucinations.
There would be no more ghostly visits from Bonnie.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME, Eve?” Jane watched Joe drive down the road. “I’ve never seen him like this. I know you’ve been having problems, but Joe was almost . . . distant.”
“I couldn’t tell you what I didn’t know,” Eve said. “He was fine when I left to pick you up at the airport.” No, not fine. Joe and her relationship was strained, and the failure to find Bonnie on that island and bring closure to the agony of the years of searching had not made it any better. But he hadn’t been the stiff, almost remote man who’d greeted Eve and Jane when they’d returned to the lake cottage. “Yes, we’re not absolutely on the same page, but we’re working through it.”
“Are you?”
She shrugged. “We’re trying. We may not make it. If we don’t, it will be my fault. I have to find Bonnie, but that’s my obsession, not Joe’s. I don’t know why he doesn’t just walk away from me.”
“Yes, you do. He loves you. You’re his center,” Jane said. “And he won’t walk away from you.”