'I’m not sure that—'
Eve pulled her out into the hall and closed the door. 'He’ll be fine. Mom will take care of him.'
'She doesn’t cook very well. The pancakes were runny.'
'Cooking isn’t one of her talents. But she’s a good person. You’d like her if you got to know her.'
'I do like her. She’s sort of like… Fay.”
“And Fay was very protective, wasn’t she?”
“Yes.' Another silence. 'That man.”
“He’s a nice guy. He won’t hurt Mike.”
“I don’t like him.'
Eve had liked him a lot better the first time she’d met him. But, no one was perfect, and she should be glad he was protective of Sandra. 'He’s worried about my mother. Do you think I’d leave him if I wasn’t certain?'
Jane stared at her with a frown and finally shook her head. 'I guess not. Where are we going?'
“Someplace out of town where we can find a motel and get some sleep. I’m tired, aren’t you?'
'Yes.'
Eve could see Jane was exhausted. Her face was pinched and pale with strain and yet she had The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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doggedly held on until Mike was settled.
She was silent until they got into the elevator. 'Why?' she whispered. 'Why is it happening?'
'I’ll tell you, but not now. Trust me.”
“Why should I?'
What could she say? After what Jane had gone through in the last twenty-four hours, why should she trust anyone? 'I don’t know. I’m not sure if I’d trust anyone either. I guess because I’m your best bet.'
'That’s not saying much.'
Frustration made Eve speak sharply. 'Well, it’s all you’ll get from me. It’s all I can give you.'
'You don’t have to get nasty.'
'Yes, I do. I feel nasty. I’m mad as hell and I don’t need—' She bit her lower lip. 'Sorry. Things are piling up on me.'
Jane was silent until they reached the front entrance of the apartment building. 'It’s okay. I’d rather you be nasty and honest. I hate those soppy caseworkers who ooze all over me.'
As a child, Eve had hated them too, but as an adult she felt bound to defend them. 'They want only to do their—' Oh, what the devil. She was too tired for hypocrisy. 'I promise I’ll never ooze.' She opened the back door of the car. 'Jump in. We have to get out of here.'
Mark looked over his shoulder at them. 'I see we’ve lost one of our orphans.”
“Mom will take care of him.'
'So where to now?'
'Away from here. Fast. One of the first things the police will do to find me is talk to Mom.
We’re lucky we got here before they did. Go somewhere outside the city. A motel.'
'Any preference?'
She shoot her head. 'Somewhere safe.”
“Safe from Dom or safe from Joe Quinn?'
Joe.
Mark’s narrowed gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. 'Joe will find you, Eve.' She knew he would. It was only a matter of time. So she had to take advantage of that time. 'I’ll deal with The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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Joe later.'
He gave a low whistle. 'Better you than me.'
How could Mark not understand the risk to Joe’s career if he helped Eve now? She needed to call Joe at least one more time. She had to tell him about the scrawl on the cardboard box and the bone. Perhaps Dom had left some scrap of evidence.
He had made no detectable mistakes so far.
But wasn’t he showing signs of recklessness? Mere hours after killing Fay Sugarton, he risked discovery by planting that bone only blocks from the crime scene.
Maybe he wasn’t invulnerable. Maybe this time he’d left a clue to his identity. So call Joe, take the flak, and tell him.
