Eight Days to Live (36 page)

“Providing there is anything inside,” Caleb said. “Why don’t we take it back to MacDuff’s Run and have it done there?”

“Because if we don’t come up with the jackpot, I’m going to go back to that field and try again.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” He turned to Gillem. “It seems there is something you can do. Arrange someplace safe for us to stay until we get some answers.”

“That won’t be easy on short notice. Venable didn’t tell me I was supposed to do anything but get you in and get you out.”

“But a good agent always reacts to the situation,” Caleb said. “Isn’t that right?”

Gillem reached for his phone. “I’ll find a place.”

Jane was unfastening her backpack and gently taking out the bottle she’d swathed in heavy plastic. It appeared to be intact,
she realized with relief. Amazing after that headlong race across the field.

“Curious? Not even a peek inside?” Caleb asked.

Curious? She was practically biting her nails. “I can’t risk it. It has to be incredibly fragile. We’ve just got to hope that Venable can get that expert here in a hurry.” She glanced at Jock, who was still on the phone. “And that the expert won’t be tempted to call the local authorities when we try to take a priceless artifact out of the country.”

“That depends on whether there’s a document in the bottle that would authenticate. Otherwise, he would have no idea that he was looking at anything other than a couple of ancient Aramaic items.”

“In that case I might be tempted to invent a document of my own if it will lure Roland to take the bait.” She grimaced. “You seem to know a lot of people who aren’t exactly lilywhite. You could probably point—” Her cell phone rang, and she glanced at the ID. “MacDuff?” Her heart stopped, then went into high gear. She punched the answer button. “What’s wrong, MacDuff?”

“God, I wish I could tell you that there was nothing wrong.”

Her hand clenched on the phone. “Answer me. What’s wrong? Is Eve okay?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Is Eve—” She closed her eyes. Let him talk. Don’t jump to conclusions. Never that conclusion. She opened her eyes. “Tell me.”

“I know she was shot. I don’t know how bad or if she was killed. They took her with them.” He paused. “I promised she’d be safe. I lied. I failed. There was activity in the hills, and I went up to check it out. Dammit, it was a red herring. I thought the castle was secure. I left good people in charge. Millet was more clever than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember the inner staircase from the stable that leads down to sea?”

She had used that passage herself years ago. She had just spoken of that escape route to Eve yesterday. “Of course, I do. But no one knew about that entrance but your most trusted people.”

“My housekeeper knew about it.”

“Mrs. Dalbrey? She betrayed you? Millet bribed her?”

“No, she would never have done it for money. I’m guessing Millet kidnapped her son and told her that he would kill him unless she let him through that stable door that led to the sea entrance and did whatever else he told her to do. She gave Eve and Lina the sedative he provided her, but evidently not enough. It made them sick but didn’t knock them out. They tried to get to the gates but only managed to get down to the courtyard before Millet showed up.”

The thought of Eve sick and helpless, struggling to get away, made Jane go cold. “And Millet shot her?”

“Not intentionally. Lina said they were trying to kill her, and Eve stepped in front of the bullet.”

“And Lina doesn’t know how badly Eve was hurt? Why the hell not?”

“Lina was shot too. Upper arm. We believe she’s going to be okay but she was barely conscious when they took Eve away in the helicopter. She thinks that she saw Eve move, but she can’t be sure.”

Celine pinned to the oak door
.

Blood flowing in a stream from a white flower box
.

“If Eve’s not dead now, he’ll kill her.”

“No, if she’s not dead, we’ll get her back,” MacDuff said. “I promise you.”

“You promised to keep her safe.”

He was silent a moment. “You have a right not to believe in me, but I’ll move heaven and earth and I
will
get her back. I won’t let Millet beat me. He killed two of my men at the gates and one guarding the stable exit down to the sea. We found my housekeeper’s son in the stable with his throat cut. They only waited until they managed to get through that stable door before they killed the hostage. Mrs. Dalbrey was shot trying to help Eve and Lina get to the gates. Those were
my
people. That’s a big score for me to settle even without Eve.”

“I don’t care about your big score.” Her voice was shaking. “All I care about right now is Eve. If she’s alive, I have to keep her that way.”

Brilliant butterfly pinned to the door
.

But now she kept seeing Eve instead of Celine on that door.

“I can’t talk right now. I’m going to give the phone to Jock. You tell him how you’re going to bring Eve back to me.” She had another thought. “Have you called Joe?”

“No, I’ll do that next.”

“Yes, right away.” No one was smarter than Joe or loved Eve more. “I’ll talk to him later.” She handed the phone to Jock. “You heard me. Millet’s got Eve.”

“Lord, I’m sorry, Jane.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just find a way to get her back.”

Jock nodded and turned away as he spoke into the phone. “What the hell happened, MacDuff?”

Jane walked away from him. She was shaking, and the muscles of her stomach were clenching with fear. She took a deep breath, then another.

“Jane.” Caleb’s hand was on her shoulder.

She stepped away from him. “Don’t touch me. I’m trying to keep from breaking apart.”

“I know.” His hand dropped away from her. “And I know you’ll be okay once you get over the shock. Just take a few minutes, then we’ll start planning what we’re going to do.”

How had he known that those were the words she needed? Not sympathy, just acceptance and understanding, and a plan to make things right. “She stepped in front of Lina to keep them from killing her. I won’t believe Eve’s dead. I’d
know
.”

“I don’t believe it either. They might have wanted to do a revenge killing earlier in the game, but now she’d be more valuable to them alive. If she was wounded, it was accidental and they took her with them because they’re hoping to use her.”

“Or convince me she’s still alive.”

“You said you’d know,” Caleb said quietly. “I have faith in your instincts. You have to have faith in them, too.”

Her faith was ebbing and flowing from minute to minute through this crippling terror. But she had to get a grip on herself. She tried to smile. “Maybe I need an attitude adjustment.”

“Anytime. Anything you want.” He said quietly. “Now?”

Her eyes widened in shock. “No! I wasn’t serious. I don’t want anesthesia. I want a solution.” And he had known that and had given her that emotional jolt to counteract the one she was experiencing. “Everything I’ve ever felt for Eve has been honest. I wouldn’t exchange even the pain for anything counterfeit.”

He nodded. “Then let’s start preparing.” He turned to Gillem. “Have you found us a place to stay?”

Gillem nodded. “A house on the outskirts of town that we use to hold political prisoners for the Israelis is available. The prisoners whose existence the government denies any knowledge of.”

“Then let’s go and set up shop.” He turned to Jane. “Unless you’d rather go back to Scotland?”

She shook her head. “Why? Millet wouldn’t keep Eve anywhere
near MacDuff’s Run. She’s probably out of the country by now. We’ll stay here until we have an idea where Millet has her hidden.” She was able to think again, thank God. Maybe that cold numbness was wearing away. She climbed into the rear seat of Gillem’s car.

Jock had finished his call and was coming toward them. “I’ve never seen MacDuff this angry,” he said as he got into the passenger seat. “He’s feeling guilty and outraged and maybe even a little helpless. He doesn’t like any of those feelings. I wouldn’t want to be Millet when he catches up with him.”

“He’ll have to stand in line,” Jane said. “When you got through to Venable, did he promise to send someone to examine that bottle?”

“Right away. He didn’t think there would be any problem. There are a good many historical artifact experts in the area. It’s the Mideast, after all.” He paused. “You’re not thinking of putting it on the back burner?”

“No, I want to speed it up. I may need a negotiating tool.” She leaned back in the seat as Gillem started the car. “One that won’t involve me being tied to a slab with that mosaic of Judas staring down at me.”

“You think that’s what Millet and Roland will demand?” Caleb asked.

“Don’t you? That’s what this has always been about. Millet wants a sacrifice, and I’m the Offering of choice.” Her lips twisted. “My time is almost up. April 1 is right around the corner.”

“That’s what Millet wants, but Roland may be tempted by the Judas coins.”

She nodded. “That’s what I’m hoping. But I’ve got to have proof I have something to trade.” She paused. “And it’s Millet who has Eve, and I don’t have much faith that he’ll be willing to give up Eve for the coins. He wants his blood Offering.”

Caleb smiled. “Then we’ll have to find a way to make sure he has all the blood he’s craving.”

That smile was cold and deadly, but it didn’t bring the usual chill. Not when it concerned Millet. Not when Millet had Eve. “Not until I have Eve safe. Then you can do anything you want to the bastard.”

“Ah, isn’t it strange that my savagery doesn’t seem nearly as wicked when it concerns the people you care about?” He didn’t wait for her to answer but turned to Jock. “Did you call Venable back after you talked to MacDuff?”

“Yes, he said that he’d tap every source he knew to see if he could get a lead on where Millet took her.” He added, “He has motivation. Joe Quinn is working with him, and he knows Joe will murder him if he doesn’t come up with something.”

She had to call Joe, Jane thought. But not right now. He wouldn’t want talk to her until he got over the shock and started moving on trying to find Eve. Maybe not even then. Eve was everything to Joe, and in situations like this, he would be blind to anything but her. “When did it happen, Jock?”

“Over an hour ago.”

Over an hour ago. While she had been running across that Field of Blood, they had shot Eve, taken Eve. “That’s not long. We probably won’t hear from Millet for a little while.”

“No, he’ll want to have her safely stashed in a secure place before he calls you,” Jock said. “The Sang Noir has their main headquarters in Rome.”

“I wish I could believe it would be Rome. Venable and Joe are right there.”

“But you don’t think he’s heading for Rome,” Caleb said. “Do you?”

Guilt
.

A mosaic face staring down in torment
.

Jane slowly shook her head. “No, he won’t take her to Rome.”

THE SMALL STUCCO HOUSE
where Gillem took them was on the outskirts of Tel Aviv and was set back among the cedar trees away from the main road.

“It has two bedrooms, a bath, a kitchenette, and a living room,” Gillem said as he pulled up in front of the house. “The freezer is always stocked. So you should have food. Is there anything else I should do?”

“No, I’ll call you if we need you. Just bring that expert here as quick as you can,” Caleb said, as they got out of the car. “Thanks. You did your job, Gillem.”

Gillem gave him a sour smile. “Of course, I did my job. I always do my job.” He waited until they had unlocked the door before he drove off.

“His change of attitude may be effective, but not particularly pleasant,” Jane said.

“Some people can’t accept pleasant. I have to work with what I have,” Caleb said as he turned on the lights. “He’s become very cynical over the years. I had to settle for reviving an almost extinct sense of duty.”

The room they had entered was basic in every detail. Navy blue couch and matching easy chair, a metal stand and small TV, an oak table, a kitchenette on one side of the room.

“I’ll take your bags into the bedroom,” Jock said as he took her backpack and duffel. “And then I think I’ll call and see if I can talk to Lina. She may need someone. She’s probably blaming herself for Eve’s being shot.”

“That’s nonsense,” Jane said curtly. “It was all Millet. Being Eve, she had no choice but to try to save Lina from the bastard. It would be as natural as breathing to her. Lina just had the bad luck to be in Millet’s way.”

Jock smiled faintly. “I know that. But if you don’t mind, I’ll let Lina know that’s how you feel.”

Jane nodded. “I’ll tell her myself later. I just have to deal with one thing at a time right now.”

“I can see that.” He disappeared into the bedroom.

“I should have thought of Lina,” Jane said wearily. “She’s another victim in this nightmare. We’ve taken away her home and almost her life. I’ll have to try to make it up to her.”

“Stop blaming yourself,” Caleb said. “To repeat your words. It’s all Millet.” He added, “And Roland.”

“Yes, and Roland,” she said. “And we have to hope that Roland will want those coins enough to help me break Eve away from Millet.”

“Help us,” Caleb said. “You’re not alone in this, Jane.”

She felt alone. Alone and frightened and sick with apprehension. “In the end, I’m always alone. Except for Eve. It’s always been that way since I was a kid. I was ten years old when she came into my life. I’d battled my way through a dozen foster-care homes, then she was there.” Her voice was uneven. “And everything changed. I knew I’d never have to be really alone again as long as we were together. We could take care of each other. Always.”

He nodded. “And you don’t really trust anyone but Eve. That’s why you have problems committing.”

She had to pull herself together. “I’m not in the mood to listen to your analyzing me. I have a few other things to think about.”

“Just a comment. Not a criticism. I have no right since I suffer from the same difficulty.” He moved toward the tiny kitchenette.
“Suppose I go through those cabinets and see if I can find some coffee or tea to make. I don’t think the caffeine will bother any of us since there won’t be any way any of us can sleep.”