Catherine checked her watch. Thirty minutes before Queen’s flight arrival. Time to position herself and get ready.
And hope Queen called Paul Black as soon as he reached the terminal. Otherwise it might get very dicey if she had to follow him to another location.
PAUL BLACK WAS REFUSING to answer his phone, dammit.
The bastard always tries to dominate me, Queen thought. He could imagine Black sitting there smiling as he let the phone ring.
Queen stopped at the baggage claim and dialed again.
That time it rang four times, but Black finally answered.
“I told you I was handling this,” Black said. “I don’t want you whining at me about the kid. We’re getting along just fine, aren’t we, Cara? She understands the rules now.”
“I’m not going to argue with you about her any longer. There’s so much publicity that you can’t let her live. It would be too awkward. Just be sure that she totally disappears. Where are you?”
“Just outside Milwaukee.”
“Gallo and Duncan aren’t at the Marriott any longer.”
“I didn’t believe they’d stay there for long. But I have you to tell me where they are, don’t I? Why do you think I answered your call?”
“You didn’t answer the first call,” Queen said sourly.
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know. I have to find out. Gallo knows about what happened in St. Louis. He thinks you’re going to try to use the kid.”
“Because he’s a very smart man. Is Duncan still with him?”
“Yes.”
“Then that will make it easier. She reportedly has a soft heart where children are concerned.”
“And a very hard heart where you’re concerned. She’s sure you killed her daughter.”
“Is she? Then that will be a double reason for her to lose her perspective when we start negotiating.”
Queen hesitated. “Gallo is pressuring me to become involved. He wants me to persuade you to give up Cara Clark.”
Black laughed. “Good God. He doesn’t realize what he’s asking, does he? He believes I’ll listen to you?”
Queen could feel anger flush his cheeks with heat at the sheer arrogance of the words. “He knows I hire you. It would be natural to think that you have respect for my opinion.”
Black ignored his answer. “And what did you tell him? That you have no influence on me?”
“No, I thought that we might find a way to trap him. I just arrived at the Milwaukee airport, and I hoped we could work together to get the ledger.” He paused. “You do remember that the ledger is the primary goal in this exercise, Black. Everything else is of minor importance.”
“He’ll give me the ledger to keep me from killing the little girl.”
And Gallo would have no more trust in Black’s restraint than Queen did. They both knew his word was without value. “You make the first contact, then let’s discuss it. I can find a way to lead Gallo and Duncan to you. Then we need to get the job done quickly.”
Black was silent. “I’ll consider it.” He added, “I’m not sure that I want to get out quickly. I promised myself some fine hunting. Cara would be disappointed.”
Queen stifled his impatience. Black had to be handled carefully or Queen would never get his hands on the ledger. “Just get me the ledger, and you can do all the hunting you want to do. But you’ll have more time to play with the kid if we take care of Gallo and Duncan first. And I can help you with them. You can see that, can’t you?”
“If you don’t get in my way.”
“It will be your rules. Just make the contact. I’ll be standing by.”
“I’ll let you know.” Black hung up.
Queen felt a surge of fierce satisfaction as he shoved his phone in his pocket. He had made progress. Once Black thought about it, he would probably agree to let Queen become part of his plans. Black was clearly more interested in the processing of his precious kills than anything else. Once involved, Queen could make the move to assume control.
He picked up his carry-on and moved toward the entrance to pick up his rental car.
“THERE’S SOME CANNED BEEF stew in the cupboard,” John said as he opened the door. “We might as well eat something.”
“I’m not-” But she was hungry, she realized. They hadn’t eaten all day. They had even missed the breakfast John had ordered that morning at the hotel. “Why not? You heat it, and I’ll wash some bowls to serve it.”
He nodded and headed for the cabinets. “That sounds like a plan.”
It was strange yet oddly comfortable working with John to prepare the simple meal. The momentary uneasiness she’d experienced earlier was gradually disappearing. But the curiosity remained, and she yielded to it when they were almost finished eating.
“I was watching you before you came back to the cabin.” She didn’t look at him as she spooned up the last of the stew in her bowl. “You looked as if you were listening to something. Were you communing with nature?”
“Nothing so spiritual. My uncle taught me to identify the sounds of the forest. He said someday it could keep me alive. I was concentrating and seeing how much I remembered.” He was studying her expression. “You looked a little spooked when I came into the cabin. What did you think I was doing?” He nodded slowly. “You’re not sure of me. What was your first thought?”
She hesitated and then said honestly, “Voices.”
His brows rose. “Schizophrenia?”
“You said you had delusions in the hospital.”
“But not lately. I like to believe I’m on the up path.”
“Yet you told me the first time you called me that you had moments of instability.”
“And I do.” He smiled faintly. “Did I really appear to be listening to voices? Who did you suppose was whispering in my ear? An angel or the devil? No, I’ve never heard either entity singing to me in this forest.”
“Nor anywhere else?”
His eyes narrowed on her face. “Why are you being so persistent?”
Say it. Don’t back down. “I was wondering if… Bonnie.”
“You thought that I was imagining I heard Bonnie’s voice? A voice from the dead?” He shook his head. “I’m not that crazy, Eve.”
“Crazy? I know someone who would argue that with you.” She tried to smile. “My friend, Megan, hears voices from the dead, and she’s one of the sanest people I know.”
“You believe her?”
“Sometimes it’s difficult not to believe her. Though I was more skeptical than you in the beginning.” She picked up her coffee cup. “But now I believe that there are many things out there that defy understanding or reality itself. You experienced one in that prison when Bonnie came to you.”
“What are you getting at?”
“You told me that you’d dreamed of Bonnie even after she was killed. How many times?”
He stiffened. “Not often.”
“Did the dreams come when you were in the depths of despair? When you desperately needed someone, something?”
He was silent, then slowly nodded. “Yes.”
“And what kind of dreams, John? Was she so real that you felt as if you could reach out and touch her? After they were over, did you feel a sense of peace?”
