Never refuse a bribe if you dont have to sign on the dotted line for return favors. He opened the door. And never leave your doors unlocked, as you did tonight. Theres no telling who could have been waiting in here for you.
I lock the lab up at night, but it would be incon-venient to keep it locked all the time. Everything in here has been insured, and I know how to protect my-self.
He smiled. I bet you do. Ill call you.
I told you that Im
She was talking to air; hed already closed the door behind him.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she had the slightest doubt she would hear from him again. She had never met a man more determined to get his own way. Even when his approach had been velvet soft, the steel had shown through. Well, she had dealt with powerhouse types before. All she had to do was stick to her guns and John Logan would eventually get discouraged and leave her alone.
She stood up and went over to the pedestal. He cant be so smart, Mandy. He didnt even know you were a girl. Not that many people would have.
The desk phone rang.
Mom? She had been having trouble with the ig-nition on her car lately.
Not her mother.
I remembered something just as I reached the car, Logan said. I thought Id throw it into the pot for you to consider with the original deal.
Im not considering the original deal.
Five hundred thousand for you. Five hundred thousand to go to the Adam Fund for Missing and Runaway Children. I understand you contribute a portion of your fees to that fund. His voice lowered persuasively. Do you realize how many children could be brought home to their parents with that amount of money?
She knew better than he did. He couldnt have offered a more tempting lure. My God, Machiavelli could have taken lessons from him.
All those children. Arent they worth two weeks of your time?
They were worth a decade of her time. Not if it means doing something criminal.
Criminal acts are often in the eyes of the beholder.
Bullshit.
Suppose I promise you that I had nothing to do with any foul play connected with the skull.
Why should I believe any promise you make?
Check me out. I dont have a reputation for lying.
Reputation doesnt mean anything. People lie when it means enough to them. Ive worked hard to establish my career. I wont see it go down the drain.
There was silence. I cant promise you that you wont come out of this without a few scars, but Ill try to protect you as much as I can.
I can protect myself. All I have to do is tell you no.
But youre tempted, arent you?
Christ, she was tempted.
Seven hundred thousand to the fund.
No.
Ill call you tomorrow. He hung up the phone.
Damn him.
She replaced the receiver. The bastard knew how to push the right buttons. All that money channeled to find the other lost ones, the ones who might still be alivehellip;
Wouldnt it be worth a risk to see even some of them brought home? Her gaze went to the pedestal. Mandy might have been a runaway. Maybe if shed had a chance to come home she wouldnthellip;
I shouldnt do it, Mandy, she whispered. It could be pretty bad. People dont fork out over a mil-lion dollars for something like this if theyre even slightly on the up-and-up. I have to tell him no.
But Mandy couldnt answer. None of the dead could answer.
But the living could, and Logan had counted on her listening to the call.
Damn him.
Logan leaned back in the drivers seat, his gaze on Eve Duncans small clapboard house.
Was it enough?
Possibly. She had definitely been tempted. She had a passionate commitment to finding lost children and he had played on it as skillfully as he could.
What kind of man did that make him? he thought wearily.
A man who needed to get the job done. If she didnt succumb to his offer, hed go higher tomorrow.
She was tougher than hed thought shed be. Tough and smart and perceptive. But she had an Achilles heel.
And there was no doubt on earth that he would exploit it.
He just drove off, Fiske said into his digital phone. Should I follow him?
No, we know where hes staying. He saw Eve Duncan?
She was home all evening and he stayed over four hours.
Timwick cursed. Shes going to go for it.
I could stop her, Fiske said.
Not yet. She has friends in the police depart-ment. We dont want to make waves.
The mother?
Maybe. It would certainly cause a delay at least. Let me think about it. Stay there. Ill call you back.
Scared rabbit, Fiske thought contemptuously. He could hear the nervousness in Timwicks voice. Timwick was always thinking, hesitating instead of taking the clean, simple way. You had to decide what result you needed and then just take the step that would bring that result. If he had Timwicks power and resources, there would be no limit to what he could do. Not that he wanted Timwicks job. He liked what he did. Not many people found their niche in life as he had.
He rested his head on the back of the seat, staring at the house.
It was after midnight. The mother should be re-turning soon. Hed already unscrewed the porch light. If Timwick called him right away, he might not have to go into the house.
If the prick could make up his mind to do the smart, simple thing and let Fiske kill her.
THREE
'You know youre going to do it, Mama, Bonnie said. I dont understand why youre worrying so much.
Eve sat up in bed and looked at the window seat. When she came, Bonnie was always in the window seat with her jean-clad legs crossed I dont know any such thing.
You wont be able to help yourself. Trust me.
Since youre only my dream, you cant know more than what I know.
Bonnie sighed. Im not your dream. Im a ghost, Mama. What do I have to do to convince you? Being a ghost shouldnt be this hard
You can tell me where you are.
I dont know where he buried me. I wasnt there anymore.
Convenient.
Mandy doesnt know either. But she likes you.
If shes there with you, then whats her real name.
Names dont matter anymore to us, Mama.
They matter to me.
Bonnie smiled. Because you probably need to put a name to love. Its really not necessary.
Very profound for a seven-year-old
Well, for goodness sake, its been ten years. Stop trying to trap me. Who says a ghost doesnt grow up? I couldnt stay seven forever.
You look the same.
Because Im what you want to see. She leaned back against the alcove wall. Youre working too hard, Mama. Ive been worrying about you. Maybe this job with Logan will be good for you.
Im not taking the job.
Bonnie smiled
Im not, Eve repeated.
Whatever. Bonnie was staring out the window. You were thinking about me and the honeysuckle tonight I like it when you feel good about me.
Youve told me that before.
So Im repeating it You were hurting too much in the beginning. I couldnt get near you.hellip;
Youre not near me now. Youre only a dream.
Am I? Bonnie looked back at her, and a loving smile lit her face. Then you wont mind if your dream stays around a little longer? Sometimes I get so lone-some for you, Mama.
Bonnie. Love. Here.
Oh, God, here.
It didnt matter that it was a dream.
Yes, stay, she whispered huskily. Please stay, baby.
The sun was streaming through the window when Eve opened her eyes the next morning. She glanced at the clock and immediately sat up in bed. It was al-most eight-thirty and she always got up at seven. She was surprised her mother hadnt come in to check on her.
She swung her feet to the floor and headed down the hall to the shower, rested and optimistic as she usually was after dreaming of Bonnie. A psychiatrist would have a field day with those dreams, but she didnt give a damn. She had started dreaming of
