She struck out at him. 'Let me go.'
'You can’t help him. There’s a chance he could be all right.' All right? She had seen that light The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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inside the car when it exploded. 'I’m going down there.'
'No way.' His grasp tightened. 'Too many people have been hurt tonight. I’m not going to watch you tumble down that mountain.'
She kneed him in the groin and his grasp loosened. She ran, but two highway patrolmen grabbed her and forced her to the ground.
She fought desperately, kicking, frantically striking out.
Joe!
Darkness.
'You son of a bitch. Did you have to hit her?'
'I didn’t hit her,' Spiro said. 'It was one of Phoenix’s finest. They were trying to keep her from sliding down that mountain and killing herself. She’s not hurt badly. Only stunned.'
'You could have stopped them.'
Joe. That was Joe’s voice. Her eyes flew open. Joe kneeling beside her. Joe’s face, oil-streaked, a cut on his cheekbone—but he was alive. Oh, God, alive.
'How do you feel?' Joe was frowning. 'Did they hurt you?' Alive.
She shook her head.
'You’re lying. Why are you crying if you’re not hurt?'
She hadn’t known she was crying. 'I don’t know.' She sat up and wiped her cheeks. 'I’m okay.'
“You’re not okay. Lie back down.'
'Shut up, Joe.' Her voice was uneven. 'I said I was okay. No credit to you. God, you’re stupid. I thought you were dead, you idiot. I saw the light in the car right before it blew up.'
'I had to drop the flashlight when I wriggled out of the car.' Stop shaking. He was alive. 'You shouldn’t have been there.”
“I know,' he said wearily. 'The squad leader is mad as hell at me, but I had to make sure.' He glanced at Spiro. 'I’m sorry, it was Charlie in the car. I thought he was dead, but I had to be sure.'
'And he was dead?'
Joe nodded.
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Spiro flinched.
'And Billy Sung was alive when we got him out of the car, but he died before we reached the top.'
Dead. Both dead. Nice Charlie Cather and Billy Sung, with his plans for taking the world by storm. Joe could have died too. Joe…
'Eve?' Joe was gazing at her in concern.
'I heard you. They’re dead. They’re both dead.' She wrapped her arms around her body, but she couldn’t stop the shaking. 'I heard you.'
'You’re cold.' He reached out to her.
'Don’t you touch me. I feel fine.' Her voice was rising, and she had to stop to control it. 'I wasn’t down there. I didn’t do that stupid—'
'Come on.' Joe took her hand to help her to her feet. 'I’m taking you home.' She jerked away from him and stood on her own.
'Yeah, get her home,' Spiro told Joe. 'Those officers may be focused on the wreck, but there’s still an APB out on her.' He grimaced. 'I have to make a telephone call. Jesus, I’m going to hate this.'
Charlie’s wife, Eve thought dully. Charlie hadn’t survived, and Joe had been so close to not surviving. Oh, God, she was going to throw up. 'She’s pregnant. Can you get someone to tell her in person?'
'I’ll have someone from the field office go out to see her, but I’m the one who has to do the dirty work.'
'Come to the house after you’ve finished,' Joe said. 'We have something to talk about.' He opened his jacket.
Half of a five-by-seven envelope was stuffed into the top of his jeans. 'The photograph?' Spiro asked.
'I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, but it was on the floor of the car beside Charlie. It was caught under the drive shift, and it ripped when I jerked it out and ran for it.'
Spiro held out his hand. 'Give it to me.'
Joe shook his head. 'You’ll get it after we take a look at it, and I’m not going to stop and do that now. I need to get Eve home. She’s not doing well.'
