“Would you like me to take care of it?” Caleb asked. “I’ve had training in this kind of thing.”
“I thought you were a profiler?”
He shrugged. “It all has to do with psychology.”
“No one’s trained to deal with Granddad,” Patty said. “He’s going to raise hell. I wouldn’t put anyone through it.”
“Let me try.” He headed for the door. “Sometimes a stranger has better luck than a family member. I wouldn’t want Quinn to have a bad time when he gets here. Which room?”
Patty hesitated. “Second bedroom off the hall.”
“And what’s his first name?”
“Marcus.”
He nodded and disappeared down the hall.
“I shouldn’t have let him do it,” Patty said. “It’s my job.”
“Then he should know that within a few minutes,” Jane said. “I’m glad that he’s going to try. You look beat.”
“It scared me,” Patty said. “The idea of anyone being in the house and me not knowing it. It’s like a horror movie I saw once.” She paused. “And this guy belongs in a horror movie, doesn’t he?”
“Yes,” Eve said. “Jelak qualifies.”
Patty shuddered. “Do you think he’s right about Jelak killing me if I’d left Granddad’s room that night?”
“I wish I could say he was wrong,” Jane said. “But he seems to know Jelak.”
Patty nodded. “Those details were pretty—” She stopped. “I think I hear cars outside. Joe must be here.” She grimaced. “And that means your Seth Caleb didn’t have enough time to explain much of anything to Granddad. I’m surprised I haven’t heard him screaming for me yet. I’ll go and let Joe in and try to run interference when he goes in to talk to Granddad.”
“Joe can take care of himself,” Eve said, as she and Jane followed her toward the front door. “Stop trying to shoulder everything yourself, Patty.”
“It goes with the territory,” Patty said. “Just because I called you for help tonight doesn’t mean I have to saddle anyone else with—”
“Be quiet,” Jane said. “We’re friends. We’ll do what friends do. Support. Now, do you have a couch where I can sleep? I’m going to move in with you for a few days. Your grandfather can just get used to me.”
“No way,” Patty said flatly. “No one is going to hover over me and hold my hand.”
“Look, this may be my fault. I need to—”
“She’s right, Jane,” Caleb said from the doorway of her grandfather’s room. “You shouldn’t come here. It’s what Jelak wants to happen. You’ll be more vulnerable than you would be with Eve and Quinn.” The doorbell rang, and he smiled. “And, even as we speak, there’s Quinn. I’d better prepare to make my departure. I tend to annoy him.” He moved toward the door. “I think Marcus will be okay for a while. I didn’t have much time, but he seemed willing to cooperate.”
“Cooperate?” Patty repeated. “Granddad?”
“No guarantees,” Caleb said. “But since he really cares about you, there’s a chance.” He stepped forward and opened the door. “Hello, Quinn. I was just leaving. You’ll be glad to know I didn’t disturb a thing. Ask Eve.”
“I’ll do that.” He looked at Patty. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “A little uneasy. No, dammit, big-time scared.” She glanced at the four forensic techs coming up the steps. “And they make it seem too real.”
“We’ll be in and out as quick as we can.” He paused. “We’ll need statements from both you and your grandfather.”
“He doesn’t know anything.”
“I’m sorry. We have to get a statement.” Joe stepped aside for the team to enter. “Where’s the goblet?”
“In the kitchen.”
“I’ll show you.” Jane started across the room toward the hall.
“And I’ll go prepare Granddad,” Patty said. “It’s not going to do any good, Joe. He’ll rave and rant at you, and there’s nothing he can really tell you.”
“I have to do it, Patty.”
“Whatever.” She shrugged and moved toward her grandfather’s room.
“Good-bye, Eve,” Caleb said. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.” He turned back to Joe. “Jelak is nowhere near here, Quinn. I thought perhaps he might be. He was trying to draw Eve and Jane into the web and using Patty as bait. I wasn’t sure if he could resist making contact or at least being near them. But I can’t sense any trace of him. He’s not here.”
“That’s why you wanted to come here?”
Caleb nodded. “And I had to check out the goblet.” He moved out on the porch. “Call me if you need me. I’ll be in touch.”
He strode down the steps and toward his car, parked across the street.
Joe turned back toward Eve. “Was he telling the truth?”
