More than a little, Eve thought, as Jane reached the table.
“Is something wrong with Patty?”
Jane nodded. “I’m going over to see her. She found out her power line was deliberately cut last night. She doesn’t want to involve the police because she knows it will upset her grandfather. I’m going to have to convince her to do it anyway.” She picked up her purse. “I’ll take a taxi. I’ll see you at home.”
“No, I’ll go with you,” Eve said.
Jane shook her head. “It will be difficult enough for Patty having me there. You saw how her grandfather behaved. He doesn’t like anyone in the house. I’m not letting you in for a tantrum.”
“This is your friend, Patty?” Seth Caleb asked. “It happened last night?”
“Patty Avery. Yes.”
“Curious.”
Eve’s gaze narrowed on his face. “What are you thinking?”
“I believe in connections. And definitely not in coincidences. Is that the only thing that happened to her last night?”
“Yes, she thought the power outage might be the storm.”
“But now she’s worried?” Caleb said.
“She lives across the street from Piedmont Park,” Eve said.
“Connections,” Caleb murmured. He tilted his head. “Jane, will you call her back and ask her to do something?”
“What?”
“Look in her refrigerator.”
Eve felt a chill. “And what is she to look for?”
“You know,” Caleb said softly. “He didn’t think the kill was worthy. We have a missing goblet. Would he have thought your friend worthy? Is she strong, clever?”
“Yes,” Jane said.
“Go ahead. Call her,” Joe said curtly.
“Your faith is touching.” Caleb smiled. “Do you believe in connections, too, Quinn?”
“I believe in the process of elimination.”
“I hope you’re wrong.” Jane was already dialing. “Damn, I hope you’re wrong.” She spoke into the phone. “Hi, I’m on my way, but I’d like you to do me a favor. Would you take a look in your refrigerator and tell me if you find anything? Thanks.” She waited, and when Patty came back on the phone, she smiled. “That’s good. Are you sure?” She had a thought. “Check in the back, maybe a lower shelf.”
She waited again.
“Shit.” She drew a deep breath. “No, don’t touch it again. I’ll tell Joe, and he’ll send someone to come and get it. I’ll be there myself in fifteen minutes.” She paused. “Lock your doors, Patty.” She hung up and looked at Caleb. “Gold goblet with carvings. Blood residue. How did you know?”
Joe muttered a curse and reached for his phone.
Caleb shrugged. “A guess. Connections. He wanted vindication and revenge. He couldn’t hit at you, so he went after your friend, Patty.” He shrugged. “But something went wrong, and he couldn’t get to her either. So he took another kill and used the goblet as a threat. Would you mind if I came along and took a look?”
“No.” Joe was on the phone talking to the precinct, and he glanced up to say, “This is now an official police investigation.”
“And there’s nothing official about me,” Caleb said. “But I found your lost goblet before he had a chance to refill it with the target of choice. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“It counts for a hell of a lot,” Jane said. She looked at Joe. “Patty is my friend. She may be in this trouble because of me. You do what you like on an official level. I’ll take help where I can get it.” She turned back to Caleb. “I don’t care if you can hear him or smell him or feel him. Any way you can get Jelak is fine with me.”
“I assure you I can’t hear or smell Jelak. Feeling is bad enough. May I drive you to your Patty’s house?”
“Yes.” She looked at Eve. “It’s okay. Can’t you see? He’s brimming with hate, but it’s not for anyone but Jelak.”
“But he’d offer any of us up as a sacrifice to get him.” Eve rose to her feet. “I don’t care about her grandfather. I’m coming with you. Her house is going to be teeming with police and forensic people anyway.” She glanced at Caleb. “You can follow us.”
“Fine.” He got to his feet. “We’ll see you there, Quinn.”
“You certainly will,” Joe said grimly as he hung up the phone. “And you’ll stay out of my way.”
“By all means; I’m just happy to be allowed to trail along.”
Eve shook her head. She was remembering Caleb, all power and intensity, inviting Joe to go hunting. If Caleb was “trailing” along, it was a deceptive move that was only designed to get him what he wanted.
Jane was gazing at Eve, reading her expression. “We don’t have to trust him. He can help Patty. That’s all that matters, isn’t it?”
