“Poor little girl.” She shook her head. “Do you know I just felt a rush of relief? I’m like George Bristol. I wanted it to be anyone but Bonnie. He said he was terrible. I guess we’re all ruthless when it comes to protecting our children.” She paused. “If I still have a daughter to protect.” She went on haltingly, “But I was thinking about what you said about that skull being hard to ID unless you knew where to find the dental records. What if you didn’t have any idea who that victim was? She might be lost forever, maybe buried by the county in a nameless grave with her parents never knowing. It breaks my heart to think about it. There are a lot of victims like that, aren’t there, Joe?”
He nodded. “Too many.”
“It breaks my heart,” she repeated. “What if it were-” She drew a deep breath and gestured to the boxes. “Thank you for bringing these.”
“That sounds like a dismissal.”
“You don’t want to go over these records again. Things are moving for you. You have things to do.”
“And you don’t want me to be here.”
She met his gaze. “No, I don’t. I have some thinking to do, and I want to be alone to do it. I don’t want to be soothed or protected. I’ve been leaning on you too much.”
“I haven’t noticed.”
“And I don’t want to look at you and know that you’re wondering how I’ll survive when I find out my Bonnie is dead.” She added jerkily, “You’ve been very kind, but I need a break from you, Joe. Get out of my life for a while.”
He hadn’t realized he was that transparent to her. But Eve was intelligent and more savvy about people than anyone he had run across. Even upset as she had been today, she had managed to pick up on all the signals he had not wanted her to see. Damage control was clearly necessary. “What about throwing me out after dinner? You have to eat, and I’d bet this place doesn’t have room service.”
She smiled faintly. “I’ve been rude as hell, and you still try to take care of me.”
“It’s beginning to be a habit. I like it. I never had a cat or a puppy when I was kid. I was always envious of the kids on TV who had animals. You’re supplying a need.”
Her smile widened. “You’re nuts. I refuse to be a substitute for Lassie.”
“Dinner?”
Her smile faded. “No, I meant it. I need to be alone and think. What happened today may… it could open a door.”
“What door?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I have to think about it.” She added pointedly, “Without you to question me while I’m doing it.”
She was determined. Okay, back off before she tossed him out on a permanent basis. “No problem.” He turned away. “If I hear anything that might interest you, I’ll be in touch. Call me if you need me.”
“Thanks, Joe.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled at her over his shoulder. “But I’ll stop at that pizza restaurant across the street and ask them to deliver a pizza and a drink to you in about an hour.”
“Joe…”
“I’d do the same for Lassie.”
His smile vanished as he shut the door and strode toward his car. It was going to be hard as hell to give her space. He wanted to hover, build a wall, keep all the ugliness away from her.
And he didn’t like the fact that she was distancing herself from him. She had gone through a tremendously painful experience at the Bristols’. Instead of it drawing her closer to him, she had become quieter, more independent. He had been almost able to see her strengthen as each blow had struck her.
If he hadn’t cared before, that courage would have made him love her.
He stopped at the pizza restaurant and sat in the car for a moment. No, he couldn’t go back. He would do what he’d told her he’d do.
Be patient. Keep in contact, but give her a moderate amount of space. Do his job and find the bastard who had killed her Bonnie.
And be ready to catch Eve when she was downed by that final horrible blow.
CHAPTER 6
“WE GOT THE REPORT on the print on the shoe.” Slindak stopped by Joe’s desk the next afternoon and handed him a sheet of paper. “He’s big. Size thirteen. It’s a work shoe, but it’s not the usual model built for construction workers. The pattern on the soul is different and deeper. It’s not a product of any of the major U.S. companies. Schweitzer, the owner of the shoe company, is going through his catalogs and seeing if he can locate where it was purchased.”
“Different and deeper,” Joe repeated. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I suppose we’ll know when Schweitzer gets back to us.”
“That’s not good enough. I’m calling the Bureau and getting them on it.” Joe reached for the phone. “I’ll make a copy of this before I give it back to you.”
“Suit yourself. My feelings won’t be hurt. That’s why we called you into the case.” Slindak strolled across the room toward his desk.
Joe finished his call and leaned back in his chair. Call Eve and tell her what they’d learned? Which was virtually nothing as yet.
Hell, yes. It was a reason to make contact. She had only been going to spend the one night at the motel. She should be home now. He was about to dial again when the phone rang.
“Mr. Quinn?” It was Sandra Duncan’s soft, Southern voice. “I do hope you’ll excuse me for phoning you. It’s really nothing, but you’ve been so nice to me I just knew you wouldn’t mind me bothering you.”
“You’re right. I’ll be glad to help you. Are you still at Pastor Nambrey’s? Do you need a ride home?”
“No, Eve doesn’t want me to come home yet. She said I was to stay at the pastor’s until she called me.”
Joe’s hand stiffened on the receiver. “That’s… strange.”
“That’s what I thought, but Eve didn’t want to talk about it.” She hesitated. “Eve’s been real upset. You know that. I just wanted to make sure that she wasn’t- It was such an odd call.”
“You believe she might try to hurt herself?”
“I don’t think so. Not when she’s so set on finding Bonnie. But she was firing all kinds of orders at me and wouldn’t answer questions. Then she just hung up.”
“What orders?”
“Not to come home. Not to pay any attention to the afternoon papers or anything else. To stay with the pastor and not go with anyone I don’t know. Don’t you think that’s peculiar?”
“Yes, very peculiar.” His heart was pounding, and all he wanted to do was to get off this damn phone. “But I’m sure she has a reason for everything she said. She’ll be fine.” God, he hoped he was telling the truth. “And it’s probably best to do exactly what she told you.”
“Well, I did promise her. But I thought that maybe you knew more, and I could find out what Eve was talking about. I know how much Eve trusts you.”
That was more than he knew, Joe thought grimly. “No, she didn’t confide in me. I have go now, Mrs. Duncan. I’m sure Eve will be fine. If you have any other concerns, just call me.”
“I knew you wouldn’t mind me phoning you. I do feel better after talking to you. Sharing always helps, doesn’t it?” She didn’t wait for an answer but hung up.
Sandra’s sharing didn’t make him feel better, Joe thought as he jumped to his feet. It was scaring him to death.
He had to get his hands on the afternoon paper. There was a machine downstairs.
Suicide? Yesterday had been a nightmare for her, and he’d known she was coming closer to accepting that her daughter was dead.
