known anyone with more dedication.”
“I have.” Catherine glanced over her shoulder and met Eve’s gaze. “Perhaps not more, but just as much.” Her gaze shifted to Kelsov. “And what about you, Kelsov? I wouldn’t be able to use you if you weren’t obsessed with Rakovac. I can’t see you risking your neck just to help me find Luke.”
“I might.” He smiled. “Though that wasn’t my attitude in the beginning. All I could think about was pure revenge. You were a stranger, and we used each other. But I’ve grown to know you, Catherine. These days, it’s difficult for me to separate my obsession from yours.”
“I imagine that if you had an opportunity to put Rakovac down, it would all become very clear to you,” she said dryly. “Don’t try to tell me anything else.”
He stared at her for a moment before he said, “I might, if I thought I could make you believe me.” Then he chuckled. “But that won’t happen, so I’ll hold my peace.”
“‘Peace’?” she repeated. “You and that word are strangers to each other. How is Natalie?”
“She’s well. As well as she can be. She’ll be much better once I kill Rakovac.” He changed the subject. “You said you had Rakovac’s surveillance file. Is there anything in it that will help us?”
“Not so far as I can tell. I still haven’t finished.”
“Who is Natalie?” Joe asked.
“Natalie Ladvar,” Catherine said. “Another one of Rakovac’s victims. We found her two years ago in a town near what was his headquarters at that time. Sixteen years old and the daughter of one of Rakovac’s men. Rakovac thought she’d amuse him for a few months, so he raped her and set her up as his mistress. She decided she didn’t appreciate the honor and took off. He was insulted and found her and brought her back.” Her lips tightened. “He kept her prisoner for six months, and she can’t even talk about the torture he put her through. When he decided he was finished with her and let her go, she was almost a zombie. We found her in the brothel where he’d sold her. I thought she might be able to tell me something about Luke, so Kelsov went in and got her.”
“And?”
Catherine shook her head. “I told you, she was a zombie. She couldn’t even talk.” She made a face. “But we couldn’t just let her go back there. So Kelsov took her home with him.”
“At Catherine’s orders,” Kelsov said.
“You didn’t argue,” Catherine said. “So shut up. If I hadn’t told you to do it, you would have done it anyway. And you never tried to get rid of her.”
“She doesn’t talk much, and she cooks pretty good.”
“After you worked with her for a year.”
“Which just demonstrates how much I hate to cook.”
“That must be it.” She glanced back at Eve. “Anything from the institute?”
Eve shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll e-mail them again.”
“Wait until we reach the farmhouse,” Kelsov said. “The reception is better.” He turned a curve in the road and nodded. “It’s just ahead.”
The house he’d indicated was a small stone building that was set far back from the road. An equally small barn was situated to the rear of the house. A brown-haired woman opened the door as they drove up the driveway. She was small, thin, dressed in brown pants and a loose white shirt, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. If this was Natalie, she appeared far older than her eighteen years. Eve had expected her to be the zombie Catherine had called her, but she only appeared to be pale and withdrawn. Her enormous brown eyes weren’t terrified, only uncertain.
“You lied,” Catherine murmured. “She
“I worked with her. I couldn’t leave her like that. Rakovac would love it if he’d totally destroyed her. I wasn’t having it.”
“And that’s the only reason you helped her? I don’t think so.”
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m getting soft,” he said quietly. “I’m a selfish bastard intent on getting exactly what I want. I’m just no monster. In comparison, I look pretty good to her.”
“Better than good.” Catherine got out of the car and moved toward the girl. “Hello, Natalie. Do you remember me? I’m Catherine Ling.”
Natalie nodded. “I remember. You were with Kelsov when he took me from that place.” She tried to smile. “Though Kelsov says I shouldn’t remember anything about that time if I can help it.”
“You should pay no attention to him,” she said. “Don’t dwell on it, but it will always be with you. You can’t ignore it, or it will sneak up on you when you least expect it.” She studied her. “You’re looking well.”
Natalie nodded. “I looked in the mirror one day last week, and I could almost see…I looked alive.”
“You are alive,” Kelsov said roughly as he got out of the car. “Stop talking foolishness. Would I have wasted all my time on you if you weren’t alive and worthwhile?”
“No.” Natalie smiled faintly. “And because your time is so important, I must be very worthy.” She started to turn away. “Dinner is ready. I made stew that-”
“Wait.” Catherine gestured to Eve and Joe, who had just joined her. “Joe Quinn, Eve Duncan. This is Natalie Ladvar. They’re trying to help me, Natalie.”
Natalie inclined her head. “I’m very happy to meet you. I hope you can help Catherine. I couldn’t do it. She wanted me to tell her about-but I couldn’t-I might have known something, but by the time she came to that…place, it was gone.”
“We’ll help her,” Eve said gently. “Everything is all right, Natalie.” She stepped forward. “And it will be better when I try that stew. I’m very hungry.”
Natalie smiled. “Then please come in. Kelsov doesn’t bring company very often. This stew is what you might call a test case.”
“Your test case was a complete success,” Joe said as he lifted his napkin to his lips. “You’re quite a cook.”
“My mother taught me before she left us.” A shadow crossed her face. “But I forgot how to do it. I forgot a lot of things.”
“It’s coming back to you,” Kelsov said. “And if it doesn’t, sometimes new is better.”
“He always says that,” Natalie said as she rose to her feet. “Go into the living room while I stack the dishes. I’ll bring coffee.”
“I’ll help,” Catherine said.
Natalie shook her head. “It’s my job. I have to pay for my keep some way.” She started to stack the bowls. “Kelsov says it’s important for me.”
“And she believes me. She doesn’t realize it’s because I’ve always wanted a slave,” Kelsov said, straight- faced.
“Yes, I believe you.” She didn’t look at him as she turned toward the huge country sink. “I’ll always believe you.”
Kelsov rose to his feet. “You see what I’m up against? I’m such a good liar, and it’s all wasted.” He turned and led them from the small kitchen to the adjoining living room. “How can I fight her?”
“You can’t,” Eve said as she dropped down on the faded easy chair by the fire. “Why would you want to? She’s very fragile.”
“If I treat her too gently, she’ll never come into her full strength,” Kelsov said. “That bastard took her when she was only a kid, and what he did stunted her. It wasn’t only the mental and physical torture. He made her feel so helpless, she withdrew into herself.” He sat down and stretched his long legs out before him. “So I pull her out of the shell. Sometimes it hurts her, but that’s too bad. It’s got to be done even if she hates me.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.” Eve had watched the strange interaction between the two of them at dinner. Close. So close. Natalie had been very quiet, but Eve was sure she had not missed a word or gesture that had issued from Kelsov. Kelsov had spoken very seldom to Natalie, and he had clearly been trying to avoid showing any concern, but his attitude had been watchful, protective. “Would she be better off in a rehabilitation center?”
“Yes. God knows, she shouldn’t be around me. I probably remind her of Rakovac and all the men who abused her. I drink too much on occasion, I don’t bring women home, but she knows I have them.” He grimaced. “And Catherine will tell you that I’m not a gentle man.”
But he was gentle with Natalie. “Then why not get her to go where she wouldn’t be exposed to you?”
