Bonnie (33 page)

Not by standing here wondering, he thought impatiently. “We go south, pick up that trail, and start climbing.”

And hope they were in time.

“There’s another trail that I ran across five minutes ago that would be quicker.”

Joe turned at John Gallo’s voice to see him coming toward them. “How much quicker?”

“Maybe only a few minutes.” Gallo added grimly, “But a few minutes can be enough.” He turned. “I’m heading back and taking the trail up to that cliff. Come if you like.”

Joe hesitated for only an instant. Gallo was an expert woodsman and tracker, and it didn’t matter how Joe felt about him personally. He was right, a few minutes could be enough to make a difference. He strode quickly after him. Ben and Father Barnabas were only steps behind.

Gallo glanced back at them as he moved swiftly through the trees. “This isn’t your job, Father. You shouldn’t be here. And who’s the kid?”

“Ben. He’s a friend of your uncle’s.”

“You’re John Gallo.” Ben was gazing at Gallo. “Ted told me about you.”

Gallo was frowning. “What?”

“Ben came along to protect Danner,” Joe said. “He doesn’t trust me.”

“He shouldn’t trust any of us,” Gallo said, his lips tightening. “And I don’t know if he’s going to get the chance to help him. We have to worry about Eve.” He turned back and increased his pace to a trot.

Joe caught up with him. “Where’s this trail? Time is—”

“There.” Gallo was now on the trail curving toward the cliff and running hard. “And I know all about time. When did you catch sight of my uncle and Eve, Quinn?”

“Just before they started up the hill again.”

“Well, I saw them a moment or so before that,” he said jerkily. “And he had his hands on her throat.”

Shit.

“Get rid of the priest and the kid, Quinn,” Gallo said. “They’re going to get in the way.”

“Maybe not.” His head was lifted, his gaze on the trail on the summit where Eve and Danner had disappeared. God, he prayed not. “I’d think you’d be grateful to have them. They’re both on Danner’s side.”

“It only means I may have to fight my way through them,” Gallo said hoarsely. “I promised myself that Eve has to come first. I’ll keep that promise.”

He meant it, Joe realized. Good. At least, he didn’t have to worry about Gallo’s turning traitor at the last minute. It was one small light in a nightmare scenario.

“At least get rid of the kid,” Gallo said. “He makes me … He shouldn’t be here.”

But he was invited, Joe wanted to tell him. He may belong here more than any of us. But that would require explanations, and he wasn’t about to make them. He increased his speed and passed Gallo as they reached the hill. “It’s too late. Deal with it.”

*   *   *

I’M COMING, BONNIE. I’LL BE THERE
with you soon. Do you feel me? Do you hear me?

But there was no answer. If Danner was truly taking her to Bonnie’s final resting place, wouldn’t Eve have sensed her near? Not necessarily. Bonnie had never been predictable.

The higher they’d climbed, the pine trees had become thinner, sparser, then disappeared entirely. They were replaced by huge boulders and canyon walls that jutted in and out like a giant maze. A dozen cracks seamed the rose red of the stone that led off the trail and disappeared into dark crevices.

“We’re almost at the top of this canyon,” she called to Danner. “And it’s all rock. Where’s Bonnie? Have you been lying to me? Has it all been one of your hallucinations?”

“Be quiet.” His voice was rough. “I don’t lie. You said that before. You said there was no demon. But it was a demon who killed the little girl.”

He was referring to Bonnie as the little girl again. Was it because he could not bear to acknowledge her identity now that they were close to her? Eve was beginning to understand his reluctance to acknowledge that it was Bonnie who had appeared to him. If he rejected the thought that he had been to blame for Bonnie’s death, it was natural that he would not want to admit that it was her spirit that was haunting him. The little girl had to be anonymous. He rejected Bonnie’s spirit as he had rejected the thought that he had killed her.

“We’re almost at the top of this canyon, and there’s nothing but rock. I don’t—” She stopped on the trail, her heart leaping to her throat, her gaze on the huge dark crack between two canyons to the left of the trail.

“Bonnie?”

“You’ve found me, Mama. I kept telling you that it didn’t matter, but you wouldn’t believe me.”

“It mattered to me.”

“And I guess that’s why you finally found me.”

“Where are you? I don’t see you.”

“You will. Not right now. He’s suffering so much that I can’t get near you.”

“Damn him.”

“No. Don’t be angry. Can’t you see? I know everything now. The two planes have come together, and I remember what happened. There mustn’t be anger.”

“I don’t see. He took you away from me. I am angry. I won’t let—”

“She’s here, isn’t she?” Danner was staring at Eve, his face pasty white. “But I don’t see her.”

She could no longer sense Bonnie, and the sudden loneliness sparked even more anger. “You’re keeping her away.” She looked at the looming dark crevice. “You bastard. You stuffed her in that black hole? What did you do? Just pile a bunch of rocks on her body?” She was striding into the narrow space between the rock walls. It was dark and so close it was claustrophobic. She could see the shadow of a large boulder blocking the path ahead.

“Get out of my way.” Danner was pushing her aside and going ahead. He rolled aside the boulder and pushed her through the opening out of the darkness. “If she’s here, it must be because she wants you here, too. Can’t you see? I was right. I have to do it.”

After the darkness, the daylight almost blinded Eve.

She stopped, stunned.

*   *   *

“SHIT, WHERE’S HE TAKING HER?”
Joe said between set teeth, as his gaze flew down the path and the dark crevices on either side. “This part of the canyon looks like a rabbit warren. It will be a nightmare trying to follow him into any of those crevices.”

“And no footprints,” Gallo said. The trail had become rock and stone once they left the lower part of the trail. “If we had shale, I could at least tell if it had been disturbed.” He stopped and gazed down one of the twisting passageways between the walls. “I’ll check out this one. You take the next path over there.”

Joe nodded. Taking the openings one by one was the only thing they could do, but it was a waste of time. Dammit, they had no time to do an extensive search.

“No.” Ben was suddenly beside Joe. “Not there. Not this one. Straight ahead.”

“We have to eliminate every possibility, kid,” Gallo said.

“No, straight ahead.” He put his hand on Joe’s arm. “She’s not there.”

Joe looked at him.

“I have to be with you. But not here.” He added urgently, “Tell him. We have to hurry, Joe.”

Joe hesitated, gazing at the boy’s pleading expression. Then he said slowly, “We’ll split up, Gallo, we can cover more area. You search here, and I’ll go straight ahead.” He whirled and started running up the path. He could hear Gallo cursing behind him, but when he glanced behind him, Gallo had disappeared down one of the crevices.

Ben caught up with Joe and passed him.

Follow him
.
He seems to know where he is going.

And God knows Joe had no idea.

*   *   *

EVE WAS FROZEN WITH SHOCK.
She couldn’t believe her eyes.

Greenery where there had been only rocks, grass so well tended it looked like velvet. A flowering magnolia tree, shiny-leafed shrubs, plum leaf azaleas, small, exquisite pink roses, delicate lantana, and golden sunflowers … She was on the edge of the rose-hued canyon wall on a cliff that was perhaps thirty feet in diameter. It was sheltered by a network of vines on all sides that made it into a secret garden.

Secret Garden.
Yes, that was what it reminded her of, that classic children’s tale about a garden of magic beauty that had the power to heal because of the love that gone into bringing it to life.

“What is this, Danner?”

“It’s the place.” He gazed at the garden. “It took me years to make it for her. I had to bring in lots of soil, and the vines to shelter it from the weather. And the flowers had to be hardy and not take much care. I couldn’t bear to come here too often after I gave it to her. She frightened me.”

Her gaze was wandering around the garden and stopped at a twisting path that led upward along the edge of the canyon. “What is that?”

“It’s a path that goes to the top of the canyon. It took me a year to hack it out of the wall.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t be sure that the demons wouldn’t find her. I had to have a route to take her out of here.”

“An escape hatch?” she asked softly. “Good heavens, you thought of everything.”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No, there’s nothing funny about this.”

It was sad, tragic.

“No.” His gaze went to the far west corner of the garden, then glanced quickly away. “There she is.”

Bonnie.

It was a raised plot of earth that was surrounded by the same gorgeous blossoms that were everywhere in the garden. A simple carved cross marked the grave.

Eve slowly moved to stand before it.

Here I am, baby.

No special sense of presence. She had not believed Bonnie when she had told her that it would not matter whether she found her body. That she was always with her, that it was memories and love that made the difference. She could almost see Bonnie standing in front of her with an impish I-told-you-so smile.

Okay, so you were right. But I’m glad to be here anyway.

And maybe she would have felt something more special if Danner had not been here.

Danner, who was standing looking at her from a few yards away.

He was getting ready. She could see the tension in the set of his shoulders … and his eyes …

“It’s a beautiful place,” Eve told him quietly. “I’m glad that you gave Bonnie such a wonderful garden. She loved flowers.”

“She was John’s daughter. I had to take care of her after the demon killed her. I had to find a place to hide her so that the demons wouldn’t steal her soul as well as her body.”

“And you brought her here.”

“I thought she’d be safe. I took care of her. I made a beautiful place for her. I kept the demons from finding her.” His expression clouded. “At least, I thought I had. But they started coming at me. I heard that Queen and Jacobs had lied to me and were trying to destroy John. I had to stop them. But even after they were dead, it didn’t stop. There are so many demons.… Everywhere I turned, I saw them there in the shadows, waiting.”

“But not here, not in this place.”

“No, the little girl was safe here.” His lips were twisted. “But she wouldn’t stay. I’d see her in the canyon. Sometimes I’d even see her in the camp or in the city. She’d look at me with those big eyes, and I knew she wanted something from me, but I didn’t know what it was.”

“And you were too afraid of her to stick around and ask.” She was putting together the pieces of the tragic puzzle that had haunted all their lives. “Because you thought she’d want revenge because you’d killed her.”

“She didn’t understand. It wasn’t me. I saved her.”

“I think she understood more than you could believe.” Eve was gazing at the cross. “You should have tried to listen to her.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His voice was rough. “I tried to hear her, but all I could see were her eyes looking up at me that day at the car. ‘I’m not afraid, Ted,’ she said. Did I tell you that?”

“Yes.”

“And then I let the demon kill her.” His hands clenched at his sides. “But she’s safe here, the demons can’t reach her. But she has to stay. You see that, don’t you?” He took a step closer. “She won’t leave if you’re here with her.”

“Another lovely cross for me, Danner?” Eve asked, her gaze on the grave.

“You love her. You want to be together. Don’t you want to keep her safe?”

“With all my heart.”

He was only a few feet away, and his hand was grasping the hilt of his dagger. “It will be quick. I know how to do it. No pain, Eve. Don’t fight me. I know you want it.”

She did want it. The thought of being with Bonnie was almost irresistibly alluring.

“No, Mama, it’s not your time.”

“Well, that stirred you to action. You always say that it’s not my time, but you promised us that this was the finish. It wouldn’t be a bad ending, baby.”

“Mama.”

Eve was suddenly bombarded with a kaleidoscape of pictures of her life with Joe, her life with Jane, of her work, intense, satisfying, worthwhile. Rich life, sweet life, a life full of love, a life worth living.

“I know. I know. I won’t let it happen.”

*   *   *

HOW TO DO IT? SHE HAD
no weapon.

He was blocking the way that led to the passage that had brought her here.

No choice. She’d have to take the path that led to the top of the canyon. Perhaps she could find a rock or branch up there to use to defend herself.

“Come here,” Danner said. “Don’t make me come to you. Show me that you understand. It will only be a second, and it will be over.”

Get past him, feint to the left, then run for the passage leading to the top of the canyon.

“I’m coming.” She held his gaze as she took a step forward. “You won’t hurt me? You promise?”

He smiled. “I promise. I’m like you. I only want to make her happy.”

And she believed him, she realized with a wrench of pure pain. Through all his torment and fear, he only wanted Bonnie to be safe in body and spirit. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted, too. To bring her home.”

He looked at her in wondering surprise. “But she is home. Who could ever want a more beautiful home? Don’t you see the flowers? You said she— No!” She had ducked under his left arm, bringing her heel up to kick his left kneecap. His leg buckled, and he staggered.