'We could have protected her.'
'Would she have let us? We’re strangers to her. At the welfare facility she’ll be surrounded by kids and staff. She’ll be much safer, and we can still keep an eye on her.'
Eve was still uneasy. 'I wish you hadn’t…'
'She may be a material witness to a murder case, Eve. Did she talk to you?'
Eve shook her head.
'Then I’ll have to see her later tonight.'
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'Can’t you leave her—' Of course he couldn’t leave Jane alone. She might have seen something. 'Barbara Eisley may not let you talk to her. She’s not pleased with us.'
'Sometimes it helps to have a badge.' He pulled her to her feet. 'Come on. I’ll drive you home.
Forensics will be here any minute. I’ll have to come back, but you don’t need to be here.'
'I’ll wait for you.'
'No, you won’t. I may be here hours and the media will be right behind the forensics team.' He nudged her down the steps. 'I called Charlie. He’s at the lobby of my apartment building now and will keep an eye on you until I get there.' He opened the car door for her. 'As soon as you’re inside the apartment, call Spiro and Mark and tell them what happened.'
She nodded. 'And maybe I’ll call Barbara Eisley and see if I can talk her into seeing me again.'
'Give it a rest, Eve. Let her cool off.'
She shook her head. She couldn’t forget her last glance of Jane MacGuire, sitting ramrod straight, afraid she’d break if she lowered her defenses. Dom could break her and butcher her.
How close had Jane come to Dom in the kitchen?
Panic rose inside Eve at the thought. Smother it. The immediate danger to Jane was over.
The hell it was. 'I’m calling Barbara Eisley as soon as I get to the apartment.'
'No,' Barbara Eisley said coldly. 'Don’t make me repeat myself again, Ms. Duncan. Jane stays in our custody. Come near her and I’ll have you tossed in jail.”
“You don’t understand. Dom killed Fay Sugarton in broad daylight. He managed to get inside her house and then he cut her throat right in her own kitchen. What’s to stop him from doing the same thing to Jane at the welfare house?”
“The fact that every day we deal with abusive parents and mothers on crack and heroin who want their children back. We know what we’re doing. The location of the holding facility is confidential. And even if he found out where it is, no one’s going to get past our security.'
'You’ve never had to deal with—”
“Good-bye, Ms. Duncan.'
'Wait. How is she?'
'Not good. But she’ll get better. I’ll send her to the therapist tomorrow morning.' She hung up.
Eve remembered those therapists. Sitting there probing with their questions and then trying to hide their resentment when they couldn’t get through to her. Jane would chew them up and spit them out just as Eve had when she was a child.
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'No luck?'
She turned to Charlie, who was sitting across the room. 'No luck. I’ll try again tomorrow morning.'
'You’re persistent.'
'Persistence is the only weapon I have with Eisley. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.'
Dear God, she hoped it worked this time. 'Have you heard anything from the agent Spiro sent to Phoenix?'
'Not much, only that their PD is cooperating. I wish Spiro had let me go.' He smiled. 'Not that I’m not enjoying the company. It’s just that I joined the FBI for more challenging work than guard duty. Although the subject does have me running all over Georgia to keep her under surveillance.”
“Sorry. Coffee? I’m afraid there’s no food in the refrigerator.”
“I saw a Thai restaurant around the corner that delivers.' Charlie pulled out his phone. 'What do you want?'
She wasn’t hungry, but she supposed she should eat something. 'Anything with noodles, I guess. And get something to put in the refrigerator for Joe. He never stops to eat.'
'Okay.'
She picked up her purse and headed for the bedroom. 'I need to call Spiro.”
“No, you don’t. I already did that after Joe phoned me. He swore like a trooper and said he’s on his way.'
