“That’s not all. You’re my friend. I think you wanted it over for me.”

“Maybe. And now we have to wait for a jury to pull the plug on him.” His lips twisted. “And I have to watch what that does to you. Is that what you want?”

“I have to talk to him. I have to make him tell me if he lied about killing Bonnie.”

It was coming as he’d known it would. Joe could almost see the dark shadow looming over her.

“Maybe he lied,” she added shakily. “Maybe he’ll tell the truth if he thinks it will get him off.”

“And maybe he’ll lie again.” He got to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you in the car and away from him.”

She didn’t move. “I have to ask him, Joe.”

“You’re not going to get anything from him but curses if he regains consciousness anytime soon.” He took her elbow. “We need to call Slindak and get those squad cars up here.”

“They should be here any minute. I told that man in the truck to go down to the gates and get them as I ran past him toward the clubhouse.”

“Good.” He glanced once again at Fraser. He still wasn’t stirring. “I don’t think he’s playing possum, but perhaps I’ll stay here until Slindak gets here.”

“Because he might be strong enough to walk away from this? I never thought evil could be as strong as good. I hoped it couldn’t be that powerful.” She shuddered. “But that was before I lost Bonnie.”

Joe heard the sirens and gently took her elbow again. “He won’t walk away from this.” He nudged her toward the door. “I promise you, Eve.”

“When can I see him again?” she asked. “I have to see him. He has to tell me about Bonnie.”

“We’ll talk about that later.” A long time later, he thought. When she was stronger, when he could find a way to cushion the blow. As if he could ever cushion that blow. “Let me take you home.”

Two Weeks Later

PAPERWORK, JOE THOUGHT SOURLY as he finished the third page of the report. It was the bane of every law-enforcement officer’s life, and that went double when you had to make reports to the local police department as well as the Bureau.

“You look pissed.” Slindak had stopped by his desk. “You shouldn’t mind doing a little bragging on paper. You’re a rising star. The Bureau is probably going to give you a promotion.”

“Knock it off.”

Slindak hesitated. “How is Eve Duncan?”

“Fine.”

“Did you see her today?”

“Last night.”

“Did she mention Fraser?”

He raised his head. “Every day. She wants to see him. I’ve been making excuses.”

“I think that she saw through them. I just got a call from the jail. She’s talking to Fraser now.”

“What?” He jerked upright in the chair. “How did she get in to see him?”

“She went to his lawyer, and he arranged it.”

Joe was cursing as he jumped to his feet. “Damn him. Do you know what that’s going to do to her?”

“I have an idea. I thought you’d want to know. She doesn’t need any more…”

The last words were lost as Joe ran out of the squad room.

Fifteen minutes later, he was taking the stairs two at a time to the second-floor room where they’d brought Eve for her visit with Fraser.

She was coming out of the room when he reached the top of the stairs.

She was stark white and was moving slowly, like an old woman.

“Eve, dammit.”

She looked at him as if she didn’t recognize him. “Joe?”

“Why did you have to do it?” He put his arm around her waist to support her and pulled her down the stairs. “I knew he’d do this to you.”

“Did you?” She almost fell as they started down the next flight. She was walking stiffly, as if her legs weren’t be able to function. “I guess I knew he would do it, too. But I had to ask him. It’s Bonnie. Do you know what he told me?”

“Shh. Not now. Let me get you home first.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“That’s what I want.” They were walking out of the station, and he put her into the passenger seat of the car he’d parked at the front entrance.

She stared straight ahead as he drove the twenty minutes to her home, but he doubted if she was seeing anything. Her breathing was shallow and quick.

He brought the car to a screeching halt in front of the house. The next moment, he was around the car and half lifting her out of the seat. “Come on. Only a little farther.”

She was looking at the empty place where the hanging basket had been. “He’s a beast,” she whispered. “Why did God let him come into the world?”

“Maybe he didn’t. I think he’s a creation of Satan.” He had the door open, and he pushed her over the threshold. “And Satan will take him back soon.”

“Not yet. Not until he tells me where to find my Bonnie.” She stood straight, frozen, looking straight ahead. “He did it, Joe. He really killed her. I was afraid it was true, but I didn’t really believe it. I didn’t see how anyone could kill my Bonnie. But he did it. He looked into my eyes, and he smiled. And then he started to tell me what he did to her.” Her voice was uneven. “I sat there and I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted to cover my ears, but I was frozen in that chair. So I listened and listened and I—”

“Hush.” He couldn’t stand any more. It was tearing him apart. “Just give me a minute.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her across the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. He placed her on her bed, then followed her down, holding her in his arms. Her skin was cold where he touched her. “I didn’t want you to go to see him. God, I didn’t want you to go.”

“I know. You wouldn’t help me. I had to do it myself.”

“You should have told me. I would have tried to make it easier for you. I’d never want you to be alone.”

“I am alone. I’ll always be alone now. He killed her.”

He could feel the moisture sting his eyes. “He’d lie anyway, Eve. Are you sure?”

“He gave me details. Details down to the flavor of the ice cream she got from that booth in the park. It was her favorite flavor. Details about how soft and curly her hair was to the touch…” Her voice broke. “It was so soft, Joe. I remember her sitting on my lap the night before he took her. I was singing a song to her, and her head was pressed against my cheek…”

He could feel the pain in every word, it reverberated within him. He desperately wanted to take it away, but there was no way to do it. All he could do was give her his warmth. His arms tightened around her. “Do you want to talk about her?”

“Not now. All I can think about is Fraser and what he said about her. It hurts, Joe. I can’t tell you how it hurts. It keeps twisting inside me. I want it to go away.”

He couldn’t even tell her the pain would get less. The loss of a child was eternal. “I’ll be here to share it with you. Always.”

“No … not fair. No one should … Go away, Joe. Not fair.”

“It’s fair, if I say it’s fair.” He was stroking her hair. “What’s a friend for?” And what’s a lover, a guardian, a warrior to protect you, for? I have to be all things to you, Eve. Something crazy happened, and my whole world changed when you came into my life. “So be quiet and just let me hold you.”

“I want it to go away. I don’t think I can stand…”

That was one of the things he’d feared when he’d known what Eve was going to have to face. “You can stand anything. You’re tough.” His hand was gentle on her hair. “Give it time. The state’s going to kill that bastard, then some of the—”

“They can’t kill him. I have to know where he buried Bonnie. I can’t let them do it.”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“He said to come back, and he might tell me.”

“And put you through this torture again? No way.”

“I can take it. I have to take it.”

“I said you were tough. I didn’t say you were invincible.”

“I’ll find a way to block it out. I have to make him tell me.”

“Eve…”

“You’ve never had a child, Joe. You don’t know how important it is for me to bring her home. I can’t leave her out there alone. Every night of her life, I tucked her into her bed, sang to her and kissed her good night. She was safe, she was home, she knew she was surrounded by love. Now I have to tuck her in one final time. I have to surround her with my love. I think wherever she is that she’ll know it.” Her voice was hoarse. “I have to … bring her home.”