“I’m not arguing. Venable’s judgment is usually fairly good, but he’s failed miserably in this. Do you think it’s worthwhile going to question Doane’s wife?”

“From what you say, probably not,” Jane said slowly. “But I think I’m going to do it anyway. There was something in the journal that was very curious. It won’t hurt to go check her out.”

“Then I’ll forward you the file that Venable sent me on her,” Catherine said. “If you need anything else, call me.”

“I will. What are you working on?”

“Zander. Who else? He seems to be the center of the storm.”

“You’re going to Vancouver?”

She was silent. “No, I’m taking another route. I’m leaving right away. I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.” She paused. “Good luck with Kevin’s mother. I can’t imagine what kind of woman could give birth to a monster. Yet there are quite a few monsters in the world, and they all had to come from someplace. Personally, I don’t believe in heredity. I believe everyone is born with a soul, and that dictates his character. It was one philosophy upon which Eve and I agreed.”

“What about Doane? It appears that he’s also a monster. You’re saying he didn’t pass those traits on to his son?”

“Maybe Doane’s soul was always tarnished, and it just became visible when his son revealed his own malignance.” Catherine added impatiently, “I don’t know. I don’t sit around thinking about theories about good and evil. Everyone has gut instincts, and that’s what I go by. My gut instinct tells me that Doane is a terrible man and growing worse with every passing day. I’ll let God decide how Doane got that way … after I kill him.” She hung up.

Caleb was chuckling. “I do like her.” He got to his feet. “I, too, believe in gut instinct. But I don’t entirely agree about heredity not having a part in what we are. I’m the living proof that certain traits are passed down through generations.”

“Physical traits,” Jane said. “Not necessarily souls. You told me that your ancestors back in medieval times were said by the villagers to be offspring of the devil. You don’t have to be what your ancestors were.” She added deliberately, “That’s all bullshit.”

Caleb glanced at Trevor. “What do you think, Trevor?” he asked mockingly. “Do I have a devil’s soul?”

Trevor didn’t speak for a moment. “I think that you’re strong enough to be whatever you want to be,” he said quietly. “And I believe that souls can change if the desire is there.”

Caleb’s eyes widened with surprise. “I wasn’t expecting that. You continue to astonish me. I give you the opportunity to condemn, and you return it with generosity. It’s really very clever since you come across in a very favorable light.”

“It wasn’t calculated, Caleb.”

He smiled wryly. “I know.” He turned to Jane. “I take it we’re heading for Muncie, Indiana? When?”

“In a few hours.” She checked her watch. “We don’t want to roust Kevin’s mother from her bed. We should arrive in Muncie about eight or nine if we can do it.”

“Then we should all try to get a few hours’ sleep.” Margaret jumped to her feet and headed for the door. “Call me when you’re ready to leave, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

“Margaret,” Jane said. “I appreciate your—”

“Stop arguing, Jane. It takes too much energy.” She smiled. “You can’t just use me and throw me away.”

“I’m not doing—”

“I’m going with you, or I’m going alone. That’s your only decision.” She opened the door. She glanced at Trevor and Caleb. “And you get out of here, too, and let her rest. All this talk about souls and devils and monsters. Too deep and too gloomy.” She gestured in front of her at the open door. “Out.”

Trevor’s smile was faintly bemused as he allowed himself to be ushered into the hall. “Heaven forbid that we express any gloom and doom. However, I have to point out it was you, Margaret, who delved into the ugliest concept of all.”

“Necessary.” She pushed Caleb out the door, then stuck her head back in the room to repeat to Jane. “Call me.”

Jane turned and headed for the bedroom. She was suddenly dragging in every limb, totally exhausted. She could use that few hours’ sleep Margaret had suggested, no, demanded. The effects of the brief rest she’d had earlier in the afternoon had dissipated.

She didn’t bother to undress as she curled up on the bed and closed her eyes.

Sleep.

Relax.

She wasn’t at all sure that this journey would prove helpful, but if it didn’t, they could fly on to Vancouver immediately. They were at least no longer standing still. They were going to be on the move in a few hours.

She remembered Margaret’s words as she burrowed her head into the pillow.

Close out the gloom and doom. Cling to hope and send all the devils and monsters packing …

Penthouse

Drake Hotel

Denver, Colorado

8:40 A.M.

CATHERINE HESITATED FOR A moment before the door of the hotel room.

What the hell. Go for it.

She knocked firmly and waited for an answer.

An eye appeared in the security peephole. “Yes.”

“I need to talk to Zander.”

“Wrong room.”

“You must be Stang. Let me in.”

“Wrong room.”

“Look, you clearly don’t want to draw attention to Zander’s being here. Let me in, or I’ll start pounding on the door and screaming that now that I’ve had your baby, you won’t give me child support. You have no idea what kind of publicity and outrage that can spark. I’ll give you one minute.”

“I believe I’ll have to call security.”

“And that will cause even more of an uproar.”

“Let her in, Stang.” A deep voice and completely without expression. “I’ll attend to it.”

The door swung open. “I’m Howard Stang.” Stang was a tall, thirtyish man in a beige sweater. “And you are?”

“Catherine Ling.” The white-haired man who had spoken strolled forward from the balcony to confront her. He was dressed in black slacks and a white shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to reveal that there was a cast on his right forearm. He appeared ageless, but her immediate impression was of power, elegance, and leashed violence. “If I’m not mistaken?”

She nodded curtly. “But I’m curious to know how you guessed. I didn’t tell Venable I was coming to see you.”

“Really? He didn’t send you?”

“Hell, no. The two of you are dancing around each other like Olympic fencers. He’d be afraid of sending you underground where he couldn’t get his hands on you.”

Zander smiled faintly. “I don’t have to go underground to be sure that he can’t get his hands on me. But Venable is proving moderately helpful, and I don’t mind giving him limited access.” His smile faded. “But I’m not pleased he was less than discreet about taking you or anyone else into his confidence.”

“He didn’t think that I’d go knocking on your door.”

“Then he has bad judgment, and I’m even less pleased.”

She changed the subject. “How did you know who I was?”

“A matter of elimination.” He turned to Stang. “Why don’t we get the lady a cup of coffee?” He looked at Catherine. “Or do you prefer tea? Since you grew up in Hong Kong, I’m sure that’s your preference.”

“Either will do.” She shut the door behind her as Stang went to the phone. “Elimination?”

“You’re bold, smart, and you have a certain dash. You had to have a CIA connection, or you would never have been able to locate me. Eve mentioned her friend, Catherine Ling, who was with the CIA.” He waved his hand. “Elimination.”

“Joe mentioned that you’d talked to Eve in the mountains. I didn’t think I’d be the topic of conversation.”

“You weren’t, actually; she didn’t bring you up until right before she took off into the woods. That’s why I felt I had to check you out while I had nothing better to do here in Denver.”