her head. “Or maybe not. Maybe that’s her nature. I’m pretty cynical. I haven’t known her for long.”
“Long enough for her to trust you.”
“She would have trusted the devil himself if he could have gotten her away from Munoz.”
“Possibly,” Eve said. “But I prefer to think the kid has excellent instincts. What is all this patterns business?”
“I’m not sure. Venable only said that she was brilliant and disturbingly inquisitive.” She reached for her phone and put it on speaker. “But I’m going to find out.”
“Good morning, Catherine.” Venable didn’t sound in the least drowsy in spite of the hour. “Did you like the little surprise package I left for you?”
“No. I don’t like you using her or using me. I want her out of here.”
“Actually, I had the feeling that she was using me. But it suited me to give her what she wanted. At any rate, she’s now your problem. Deal with her.”
“I could strangle you, Venable. She’s a kid. Even you wouldn’t want to throw her in Rakovac’s path.”
“Then perhaps the two of you had better keep a low profile and leave Rakovac to us.” He paused. “If you send her back to me, I can’t promise that she won’t run away. She was determined not to let her mother shove her into that rehabilitation home. Besides, there’s a slight chance she might be able to help you find Luke.”
“She’s a kid,” Catherine repeated flatly. “I don’t care how intelligent, she can’t offer me anything that I’d want to use.”
“Don’t be too sure. Did she tell you about the patterns?”
“Briefly. Not enough. You tell me.”
“Kelly’s thinking processes are different from anyone else’s. When she was a toddler, they found she was a whiz at mathematics.”
“And how would that help me?” Catherine asked impatiently.
“It was only the start. The educators began testing her, and they found that if they gave her a piece of a puzzle, she could construct the entire picture.”
“What kind of puzzle?”
“Any puzzle. Astronomy, mathematical, situational. You name it. She can see it all and project the ending. Her professors at William and Mary think that Einstein must have had that kind of brain. She’s incredible. That’s why her mother is so uneasy with her. Kelly can probably read her like a book.”
“Is that any reason to push her away? All the more reason to hold her close and help her work it out. It must have been frightening for her.”
“Yes, some puzzles aren’t pretty, are they? But Kelly had her father, and after his divorce, he was very protective of the girl.” He added dryly, “Believe me, I know. He wouldn’t let us near her.”
“Why would you-Of course, an ability like that would prove very valuable to the Company. I’m surprised you don’t want to whisk her away to one of your training camps.”
“I admit I was interested enough in what I heard about her to go to her school and talk to her professors. As I said, she’s very promising.”
“She’s a kid, Venable.”
“I didn’t do anything, did I?”
“Because she had her father to protect her.”
“I might have been able to get around him. And now her father has been removed from the equation.” He added quickly, “Not that I’ve been thinking about it. It wouldn’t be practical. All that media attention has spoiled her for any confidential use.”
“Otherwise, you’d do it.”
“Possibly.” He went on brusquely. “That’s not important since I can’t implement it. What might be beneficial is having her concentrate on your problem. Doesn’t it seem fitting that your Luke’s kidnapping should be resolved by another child who was also a victim?”
“Fitting and completely nuts.”
“Don’t be hardheaded. I think it would be poetic justice.” His tone became grave. “You may not believe this, but I sent her because I wanted to give you a chance before there are no more chances. Use her, Catherine. Use everything you’ve got.” He hung up.
“He sounded dead serious,” Eve said. “And foreboding.”
Catherine nodded. “Something ugly is going on with Rakovac. I’d bet that the situation is heating up.” She slowly put her phone in her pocket. “And Venable was trying to warn me that Luke may not have much time before the blowup.”
“And what can you do that you’re not doing?”
Catherine shook her head. “I don’t know. Move faster. Get really desperate and take a stab at using Kelly?” She looked at Eve. “The only thing I do know is that I have to know what Luke looks like so that I won’t get the wrong kid when I go after him. You’ll be finished tomorrow?”
“If everything goes right.” She didn’t speak for a moment. “I could keep Kelly with me after you leave.”
Catherine’s face lit. “You’d do that?” She grimaced. “Not that I’ll be able to get her to stay. She seems pretty determined. Still, thanks for the option.” She sat down in the chair. “Go on to bed. I’ll wait until Kelly gets out of the shower and tuck her in.”
“Good.” Eve yawned and started down the hall. “I’m ready for bed, and I still have to explain Kelly to Joe before I go to sleep. Try to get a few hours’ sleep before morning.”
“I will.”
“And don’t lecture the girl. She’s been through enough tonight.”
“Whatever you say.”
Eve glanced back at her over her shoulder. No, Catherine wouldn’t be giving that child a hard time. She was a strange combination of toughness and vulnerability, and Eve wasn’t sure which was stronger. But Kelly seemed to tap into that same reservoir of emotion that Catherine reserved for her Luke.
It wasn’t something that she should be worrying about, Eve thought impatiently. Both Catherine and Kelly had been catapulted into her life, and she would do the best she could for them, but after tomorrow her involvement would probably be over.
Why didn’t she believe that?
And why wasn’t she relieved?
The bitch had been frightened, Rakovac thought, as he stared thoughtfully at the photo on his desk. He had felt the jolt of familiar satisfaction at Catherine’s panic and shock. It was always like that when he twisted the knife. He tried to ration the extreme cruelties so that she would not become calloused, but there was no doubt that this time she had needed the flick of the whip.
Her use of Eve Duncan was not to be tolerated. She must stay groveling at his feet until it suited him to step forward and crush her.
“You just received a call from Ali Dabala.” Nicholas Russo came into the office. “He wants to know when he can set a date.”
“Let him wait. I’ve given him a tentative. The fool has no grasp of the importance of details. He doesn’t realize that one false step and his men will end up in Guantanamo.”
“He has a grasp on the huge amount of money he’s paid you,” Russo said. “He’s being pressured by Al- Qaeda.”
“I’m fully aware of that, Russo.”
“Then why are you still playing games with Catherine Ling?” Russo frowned. “You have no time for this.”
“There is always time for the pleasures of life.” Be patient. He still had use for Russo. As usual, Russo was dressed in an immaculate suit made by his favorite London tailor, and he was beautifully groomed from the top of his brown hair to his polished shoes. He was a good front man. Yet it was difficult to be patient. Lately, Russo had been very critical and overbearing, and Rakovac was well aware that Russo had always been slightly contemptuous of Rakovac’s lack of proper schooling and rough background. He added softly, “What I don’t have time for is a man who questions my authority. You’re acting like a frightened rabbit. Dabala is no more a threat than a hundred others I’ve dealt with over the years. The only difference is the money. I’m charging him enough to set up my own little kingdom on an island off the Brazilian coast. If you’re efficient and do everything I tell you, then you’ll have a place
