He was true to his word. In two minutes he returned carrying a thin, gangly girl in blue plaid pajamas. He dumped her against the wall and pushed the red-brown hair away from her face. “Vulnerable, innocent, more child than woman. But the hair color reminded me a little of Eve Duncan’s hair.” He turned toward the door. “I’ll let you be alone with her. There’s something about a sleeping child that’s very appealing.”
Diabolical, Joe thought, as he stared at the young girl. She was as vulnerable as Jelak had said. Just a kid. Her skin still had the glow of childhood. The son of a bitch had hit him hard and blown his defenses. What the hell could he do?
There had to be something, and he’d better think of it quick.
“WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE, Eve?” Jane asked. “I know you’re not going to sleep, so you might as well have the caffeine.”
“Why not?” Eve went to the window and gazed out into the darkness. “Jelak’s not in any hurry to call, is he?”
“He said he wasn’t going to hurt Joe,” Jane said as she scooped coffee into the coffeemaker.
“But we don’t know how much he’s hurt him already. Where’s Caleb?”
“He decided to drive around and see if he could sense anything. He said it was a needle in a haystack, but he couldn’t stand not doing something.”
“I know how he feels.”
“You did what you could.”
“No, there’s something else I can do. If Jelak would just call.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.” Jane looked up after she turned on the coffeemaker. “Don’t even think that I’d let you make a trade.”
“You’d have nothing to do with it.” She smiled wearily. “This is between me and Joe.”
“And Jelak.”
“Maybe Jelak is right. I’m not afraid, Jane. Not for myself.”
“Well, I’m scared enough for both of us.”
“Joe has been by my side all these years. He’s given me everything. I won’t let him die.”
“No, we won’t. We’ll find a way. Not Jelak’s way, Eve.”
“I think I’ll go out on the porch and get some air.”
“Eve, I won’t let you do it.”
“There’s no use discussing it yet. Stop worrying, Jane.” She went out on the porch and sat down on the swing. She’d stay here for a while and give Jane time to calm down. She should have kept her thoughts to herself, but she was dead tired and too accustomed to sharing with Jane.
“So you told her the truth. You scared her, Mama.”
Bonnie.
She was sitting on the floor by the door, with her legs crossed and her head leaning back against the wall. “You scared me too.”
Eve shook her head. “You’re never frightened.”
“Sometimes I am. I just never let you see.”
“What are you frightened about, baby?” She moistened her lips. “About . . . where you are?”
“No, I’m fine here. I keep telling you that. You scare me. I want to be with you, too, but it can’t happen.”
“I was almost on my way to you that first night that you came to me.”
“That’s why I came. I could see that you were letting go. But look what you’ve done in all these years. All the parents you’ve helped, all the children you’ve brought home. All the love Jane gives you. All the love you and Joe have had together. Now Jelak comes, and you think you have a reason to stop. I’m not going to let you, Mama.”
“I won’t let Joe die, baby.”
“Of course not. I know you wouldn’t. Joe has to live. He’s the one who keeps you here. We’ll have to work it out.”
“How?”
Bonnie shook her head. “I don’t know yet, Mama.”
Eve was silent. “All these years I wouldn’t admit you were anything but a dream. Did I hurt you?”
“How could you hurt me?” Bonnie’s luminous smile lit her small face. “It didn’t matter how I was with you as long as I was with you. If you needed me to be a dream, then that was fine with me.”
“But it shouldn’t only be what I need. How can I help you? Is there something I can do for you?”
Bonnie chuckled. “Oh, Mama, that’s just like you. You decide I’m definitely a ghost and set out to change my living conditions. I don’t need anything. If I said that I wanted you to stop looking for me, would you do it?”
“I have to bring you home.”
“Then do it. But know that I can’t feel any more at home than I am with you now. That’s only a shell you’re going to bring home, Mama.”
