“As well as Weismann,” Jane murmured. “Busy woman.”

“Ambitious woman,” he said. “With connections.”

“And is that why Weismann slept with her? Or did Millet send him to worm himself into her confidence?” She frowned. “But why did she sleep with him? He was a criminal, for God’s sake. Did she know he had a connection with Millet? It would have been logical for him to have lied to her, but what could he offer her? Was it purely physical?” She turned to Jock. “Caleb said that Weismann is gay. Do you know if he swings both ways?”

Jock shrugged. “I told you, I didn’t have much to do with him once he managed to get me accepted into the group. I suppose most women would think he was very good-looking and his personality was pleasant enough, smooth. As I told you, I know Millet sometimes sent him as an advance man to scope out his jobs. Particularly when there were women involved. But I didn’t even know he was gay. He probably didn’t advertise it. Millet is a macho bastard, and he wouldn’t have accepted it very well.”

“Then Weismann could have had sex with her for the usual reasons.”

“As far as I know.” Jock frowned. “But I think it’s more likely that Millet sent him to her because he wanted something and couldn’t get it himself. Weismann is a manipulator, and the woman is ambitious. Put them together, and you don’t come up with a grand passion.”

“Right,” Caleb said. “We’ll have to ask the lady. I’m sure she’ll be cooperative.”

“Is everyone?” Jane asked curiously.

“Almost everyone. One way or the other.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes… it’s difficult.”

“Difficult for whom? You or the person who’s mind you’re manhandling?”

“Both of us. And occasionally I run into someone that I can’t push at all. But it’s very rare.”

Jock was skeptically shaking his head.

“You might be one.” Caleb was gazing at him in the rearview mirror. “Jane is being very protective, almost maternal about you, but it might not be necessary. Sometimes when a mind is broken, it grows back ten times stronger.”

Jock smiled faintly. “Is that supposed to make me feel more secure? I never felt insecure with you, Caleb.”

“I can see that,” Caleb said. “You don’t feel insecure with anyone, do you? You’ve gone way beyond that place.” He was silent, then said to Jane, “I can work with him. I was concerned, but it will be fine.”

“But can I work with you?” Jock asked. “And do I want to? You haven’t proved to me that you can do anything but talk. Jane and I can get through this by ourselves.”

“But it will take longer. Jane doesn’t want to wait or she would never have called me.” He asked Jane, “How are Eve and Joe doing?”

The change of subject was definitely pointed and intentional. “Safe at MacDuff’s Run.”

“So far.”

“MacDuff will keep them safe,” Jock said. “Stop making her worry.”

“She’s already worried. That’s why we have to work together. I’d prefer not to do it either, but I can’t leave you out. She wouldn’t permit it.”

“Would you please stop talking as if I weren’t here?” Jane asked impatiently.

“Yes, soon. This is important,” Caleb said. “Gavin?”

He was silent, then slowly nodded. “Conditionally.”

“Good enough.” Caleb’s gaze left the mirror and focused on the street. “Now you can ignore me.”

“Not yet,” Jane said. “Why do you want to get there before dawn? What difference does it make?”

“Darkness heightens the senses and changes perceptions. Some things are done better in the dark.”

“I don’t like the sound of that. We don’t even know for sure if this woman is anything but an innocent dupe. What things are easier in the dark?

“Fear, intimidation.” He smiled. “I’m not talking about any particularly foul deeds. I just want everything to be on my side if I have to ask her a few questions. That way I can glide on the surface instead of going deep.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,”

“I know, and I won’t explain. You wouldn’t like it any more than you would anything else that I do.” He added, “But from the moment I met you, I knew that you could sense more about me than most people. You’re a little fey, as our Scottish Jock might say.”

“Ridiculous.” She didn’t speak for a moment. “But I’m grateful that you’re helping me. And it’s partly my fault that I’m finding this difficult. My instinct is to question, not meekly accept. Yet I knew what I was doing when I phoned you. That makes any argument I give hypocritical.”

“How extraordinarily honest and clear thinking of you.”

“But I’ll still argue anyway.”

He chuckled. “You should. Because you didn’t know exactly what you were doing. I only let you see the tip of the iceberg. It’s a form of self-preservation. I’m not like Gavin. I still have moments of insecurity.”

“Bullshit,” Jock said.

“Ditto,” Jane echoed.

“It’s a terrible burden not to be understood. Well, perhaps not insecurity. I suppose I just like the idea of feeling that sense of companionship I knew with you and Eve. It was very unusual for me. I was feeling quite wistful after I left the lake cottage.”

She wished he’d look back at the mirror so that she could see his expression. Wistful? Caleb?

It had to be mockery.

“You’re trying to make up your mind whether I’m telling you the truth or not. I can’t recall ever lying to you except by omission. I guess you’ll have to decide for yourself.”

“Or maybe she’ll just decide it doesn’t matter,” Jock said coolly. “The only thing she cares about is if you can find Weismann. So I can’t see her fretting about whether you’re mooning wistfully for old times.”

Caleb burst out laughing. “Mooning? What a sickly image that brings to mind. You do know how to deflate a man. Gavin, I believe I like you.”

“Caleb, I don’t give a damn.”

“I know. And that gives me still another reason.”

Jane was tired of their personal interchanges. Even when they weren’t edged with tension, the remarks seemed to breed an intimacy that she would rather stop before it took form. “How long before we get to Versailles.

Caleb glanced down at the GPS. “About forty minutes.”

Forty minutes. They might find out absolutely nothing, but they had a chance. There was only a slim possibility that Weismann was with Adah Ziller, but she might be able to lead them to him. She leaned back in the seat. Try to relax.

At least she wasn’t back at the inn twiddling her thumbs. She was moving, and any move forward was progress.

THE HOUSES IN ADAH ZILLER’S subdivision were obviously meant to look like quaint, thatch-roofed farmhouses. To Jane they resembled the small rural homes she’d seen in the English countryside rather than a French village.

“Not exactly grand,” Jock murmured. “I was expecting more presence. It’s only a few miles from the palace of Versailles.”

“I’m sure they found it more economical to mirror Marie Antoinette’s fantasy of being a French peasant than the palace of Versailles.” She had a vague memory of visiting the village adjoining Versailles that Antoinette had created so that she could play milkmaid with her ladies and gentlemen of the court. “I wonder why Adah Ziller decided to settle here. Why not settle in Paris?”

“It’s close enough,” Caleb said. “And she’d have to pass Versailles every day as she drove to work. It could be that she liked that tiny connection with royalty.” He pulled the car over to the curb. “Her house is down the block. Number 42. It’s better if we park here and walk the rest of the way. Surprise is always more effective.”

“Then let’s go.” Jane got out of the car. Excitement was tingling through her. “What do we do? Surely not just knock on the door?”

“Not if there’s any possibility that Weismann is in there with her,” Jock said. “And, even if he’s not here, I don’t think Caleb is planning on a civilized chat with the lady.”