“And did he hear anything?”

McVey nodded. “And he found the lock was broken. I left the desk neat as a pin, and the pad was on the floor and the Rolodex had cards missing from it.” He grinned jubilantly. “I think we’ve got him, Eve.”

“It seems you’re right.” Her hands were clenching the arms of the chair. “When did this Pauley first hear an intruder?”

“About fifty minutes ago. Like I said, he wouldn’t take a risk. He waited to go into the apartment until after he thought he heard the front door close.”

“Less than fifty minutes,” Joe said. “And he has this phone number and address.” He looked at Eve. “Now he only has to choose which one to use.”

“He’ll phone.” She moistened her lips. “I think.”

“Fifty minutes. If you guess wrong, he could be here from that apartment in Dunwoody in another ten minutes.”

“He’d want to be sure.”

“Maybe. Or maybe he’s furious enough to kill anyone here he can get his hands on.”

“Why are you trying to scare me?”

“I want you to get the hell out of here and leave this to me.”

“After all the preparations we’ve made?” McVey interceded. “It’s not going to hurt her to take a phone call, then I could—”

“Be quiet, McVey,” Joe said. “Eve?”

She shook her head.

Joe had known that she’d refuse, but he’d had to make one last attempt. He turned on his heel. “Then get back to the dining room and make sure that we can trace any call, McVey. I’m going to scout around outside and make sure the area is secure.” He unlocked and opened the door. “In case you’re wrong, and he wants immediate and lethal contact.”

CHAPTER

7

JOE RETURNED THIRTY MINUTES later. “No bogeyman is lurking at the moment,” he told Eve. “That doesn’t mean the situation might not change in another five minutes.” He headed toward the room. “I’m going to go to the kitchen and listen on the extension if there’s a call.”

“Okay.”

It was only a breath of sound, and he glanced over his shoulder at her. Then he muttered a curse and turned and strode over to her. He took her face in his two hands and stared fiercely down into her face. “Don’t be afraid. It’s going to be fine. Whatever happens, I’ll make sure you’re safe. I won’t let that son of a bitch touch you. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you,” she whispered. “But there’s no way this can turn out fine. Unless there’s a miracle, and Bonnie is alive and not been thrown into some hole by this monster. I’m not afraid for myself, Joe. I’m afraid of what I’ll find out if we do catch him. That’s terrifying me so much I’m sick to my stomach.”

And there was no way he could take away that fear. All he could do was share her pain and let her know she wasn’t alone. “We’ll get through it together.” He brushed his lips gently across her forehead. “We’ve not done so badly so far.”

She laughed shakily. “When you’re not yelling at me and trying to cut McVey’s throat.”

“That’s only a sign of closeness. I only abuse the people I care about.” He kissed her forehead again and let her go. “If he does call, he’ll try to hurt you. Don’t let him. Assume he’s lying until we find out otherwise.” He turned and walked away from her. “If you want me, just call.”

“Joe.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“I’m not afraid for myself, but I’m afraid for you. Take care of yourself. I don’t have that many friends. I can’t afford to lose you.”

“You don’t have to have that many friends if you have me. I fulfill all needs.” He smiled and walked out of the room.

*   *   *

THE PHONE RANG FORTY MINUTES later.

Joe stiffened, then picked up the phone at the same time as Eve did in the living room.

“Have you been expecting me, Eve?” A deep voice, but it wasn’t smooth, as McVey had described; it was rough with ugliness and fury. “I think you have. I know what you’re doing. I’m not the moron you called me. I suppose the cops are right there recording everything I say. I don’t care what they do. They’re not going to catch me, so it doesn’t matter.”

“They’ll catch you,” Eve said. “You’ve already left so many clues around the crime scenes that the detectives are stumbling over them, Zeus.” She stopped. “And that ridiculous name you’ve given yourself. That’s as stupid as everything else you’ve done. Pretensions of grandeur. You probably picked it because Zeus was supposed to be all-powerful. There’s nothing godlike about a child killer. You’re just a vicious, ludicrous comic-book character, and you don’t even know it.”

“Ask the Bristols if I belong in the comic books,” he hissed. “Ask Linda Cantrell’s mother if she thinks what I did to her little girl is funny.”

“You pick on children because you’re afraid to face anyone else. You’re a coward.”

“And you’re a bitch who doesn’t even know that she’s a dead woman.” He paused. “I’m going to send you to join that red-haired brat that I took from you. But I’m going to make it go even slower with you.”

Silence.

“That got you, didn’t it?” he asked. “Not so brave now. Do you know why I take the kids? Because there’s no greater power to be had than when you kill a man’s child. It’s like throwing a stone into the pond and seeing all the circles that spread and never stop. The death of a kid touches everyone around her.”

“You’re saying that you killed … my Bonnie?”

“She was dead six hours after I took her. I’d tell you how and when, but I’m going to cut this call short. I’ll do that before I cut your heart out. I know you’re probably tracing this call. I’ve got to be gone before the cops get here.” His voice lowered to malignant softness. “I just wanted to tell you that you’re the stupid one to think that you could bring me down, bitch. Look over your shoulder, and I’ll be there. Go to bed, and I may be in the closet waiting for you to sleep. Get in a car, and you’ll never know if I’ve rigged a bomb to blow you to hell and back. If you feel as if someone is watching you, then you’ll be right. I’ll be right behind you until the day I decide to send you to hell.” He hung up.

Joe crashed down the receiver and ran into the dining room, where McVey was looking up from the machine. “Where?”

“2030 Cobb Parkway. It’s a pay phone at a convenience store.”

Joe grabbed a phone and called Slindak.

“You woke me up. Don’t you ever—”

“Send a patrol car to a convenience store at 2030 Cobb Parkway. He’s probably already taken off, but we might be able to get a description.”

“He?” He paused. “Zeus?”

“Yes. Get someone out there fast.” He hung up and turned to McVey. “None of this gets into print. Do you understand?”

“Not unless we get lucky and catch the bastard,” McVey said. “I can wait for the big story.” His eyes were shining with excitement. “But we’re close. I could hardly breathe while Eve was talking to him. She did a good job, didn’t she?”

“He tore her apart,” he said savagely. “Couldn’t you tell?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. He was striding down the hall to the living room.

Eve’s was sitting frozen, her face paper white. “Did we … get a location?”

“Yes, a convenience store on Cobb Parkway.”

“So he could jump in his car and get away. So it was all for nothing.”

“We could get a description.”

She reached up a shaking hand to her forehead. “And there’s something else … I’m having trouble thinking. He hates me. I think he was telling the truth about shadowing me until he finds a way to kill me. We’ve got that advantage.”

The desire to reach out, to comfort, was an ache inside him. But he couldn’t touch her right now. He didn’t have the control, and she would realize the truth.

And that realization would rob her of what little comfort he could give her.