“I don’t believe anything,” Trevor said. “Except that Harriet Weber has displayed a discipline and strength in these last years that makes Doane’s appear weak in comparison. Yet there is a similarity if you look for it. Doane pretended to be a heartbroken but innocent father for the last five years. She was evidently in masquerade mode for far longer and was so good that Venable didn’t even bother to have her watched. But both were controlled by their son, Kevin.”

“The question is whether Harriet was so influenced by Kevin that she became involved in the hiding of the nuclear devices,” Jane said. “Muncie is fairly close to Chicago, and it would have been convenient for Kevin to have brought his mother into his scheme to destroy that city.”

“Now that’s true corruption,” Caleb said. “She’d have to know how dangerous mass murder would be for him. Perhaps she tried to talk him out of doing it as she did the child killings.”

“Or tried to make it safer for him by making sure he wouldn’t be caught,” Jane said grimly.

Trevor’s brows rose. “You’re leaning toward thinking that she would go that far?”

“You should have seen her face. She was proud that he’d taught her to defend herself. She liked the idea that the two of them were banded together against the world. I think she would have done anything for him.” She frowned. “But I’ll still check with Catherine to see if there’s any other reason for her going to Chicago.” She was dialing her phone. “Caleb, I want you to send those copies of Kevin’s letters to my cell. Did Margaret have you send them to Kendra?”

“That’s goes without saying. She wanted Kendra to have material with which to work.” He paused. “The turnoff for O’Hare Airport is five miles ahead. We should have an idea which way Harriet is going to jump soon.”

“Then while I’m talking to Catherine, call Margaret and tell her where we are.” Jane smiled slyly. “I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear from you.”

“I think Trevor should call her. He’s much more diplomatic.”

“I’m driving,” Trevor said. “It wouldn’t be safe.”

Caleb grimaced. “Okay. I’m stuck with it.” He took out his phone. “How bad can it get?”

“You must tell us when you finish the call,” Jane murmured. “Personally, I’d hesitate to—” She broke off as Catherine answered the phone. “Catherine, we’re heading for Chicago. We’re following Harriet Weber, and she proved to be a hell of a lot more dangerous than Venable thought her to be. I need to know more about her.”

“I told you everything that was on the Venable file,” Catherine said. “What do you mean ‘dangerous’?”

Jane filled her in on her meeting with Harriet and the discovery of Kevin’s letters. She ended with, “Why should she be going to Chicago?”

“The nuke,” Catherine said bluntly. “I’d guess she was knee deep in Kevin’s plot from what you’ve told me.”

“That was my first thought,” Jane said. “Either she was a member of the sleeper cell, or she worked alone with him. She seemed very independent, very smart, and aggressive. Even though she seems to have been firmly controlled emotionally by him, she’d need to be an active part of whatever she chose to do. She wouldn’t trust even Kevin’s judgment over her own. She was his mother, and mother knows best. Even in their correspondence, she was evidently telling him gently what to do about his damn murders.”

Catherine was silent. “You seem to have a handle on her.”

“I learned by a huge mistake, but I think I know her now.” She hadn’t realized until actually voicing that knowledge how clearly she was seeing Harriet Weber’s character. As they had been driving, she had been mentally going over what she had been told about Harriet’s background in Muncie, then the actual contact. “First, you have to realize that she has an ego to match Kevin’s and that she also lacks any hint of conscience.”

“A sociopath?”

“Perhaps. I don’t know. Maybe. But she did love Kevin.”

“And you’re excited.”

“Yes, because I believe there may be a way to reach Doane through Harriet. I’ve got to try. You’re in Seattle?”

“Yes, we just arrived. Stang picked us up, and we’re heading toward downtown. Zander’s not wasting any time. He has a rather unsavory contact named Slater who has his ear to the ground and may be able to help. I’ll call Langley and see if they have any other info on Harriet Weber and let you know.”

“Thanks. I’ll be out there as soon as I can. I just have to check out Harriet’s connection in—”

“Stop sounding so agonized. You can’t be everywhere. You said yourself that Doane’s ex-wife may be a strong lead. That’s more than I have right now. We have a target city and a hope that we interpreted Eve’s message correctly.” She paused. “Seattle. Chicago. Both target cities. We’re in Seattle, and I expect Joe and Gallo will show up soon. You’re in Chicago. We should be able to control the situation if we—” She chuckled. “Zander is frowning at me. He doesn’t appreciate my trying to run the show. I’ll talk to you later.” She hung up.

“Not very helpful.” Jane pressed the disconnect.

“I disagree,” Caleb said. “I think talking it out with Catherine was exceptionally helpful to you. You’re seeing everything with crystal clarity now. You were a little confused after your brawl with Harriet. Every instinct was screaming, but you had to put it together.” He smiled faintly. “You’re not like me, who is content to let instinct rule and to hell with everything else. That’s the difference between the primitive and the civilized.” He glanced at Trevor. “Where are you on the scale?”

“I have my moments on both levels.”

Caleb shook his head. “Never on mine, Trevor. We’ve managed to work together, but we’re not on the same wavelength.”

“You never know.” He looked at Jane. “But one thing was decided while you were on the phone.” He nodded out the windshield. “Harriet passed the turnoff for the airport five minutes ago. She’s not trying to fly out of town.” He glanced down at the GPS. “And she’s exiting at one of the lakefront exits.”

Jane tensed. “Don’t lose her.”

“I won’t.” Trevor shifted lanes. “You trusted me to be your driver. I wouldn’t fail you.”

Caleb made a face. “Not when it meant you didn’t have to take the heat from Margaret.”

“True. How did she take the news that we’d left her in Muncie?”

“No curses or threats, just cool acceptance and a comment that neither of us had behaved honorably. She said she’d be on her way to Chicago within the next hour and would tell us where to pick her up. If it was inconvenient, she’d get to Jane on her own.”

“How is she getting here?” Jane was already dialing Margaret. “I doubt if she has airfare, and she gave me back my credit card. Maybe I can prepay her ticket or something.”

No answer.

Voice mail.

“She gave you back your credit card?” Trevor asked. “Why did she have your credit card?”

“Don’t ask,” Caleb said. “But I think I can guess. Stop worrying, Jane. Margaret will find a way. She always does.”

“But it might not be a safe way.” She knew that Margaret had been left behind for the girl’s own safety, but she wished now that she was with them. “I’ll keep trying.”

“Harriet’s car has stopped.” Trevor was looking at the GPS. “Her Jeep Cherokee just pulled off the street somewhere.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know. It could be a gas station or a grocery store.” He was activating the map detail. He added softly, “Or a hotel. She’s pulled into a Marriott Hotel parking lot.” He exited the freeway. “Let’s see if she checks in and sets up housekeeping.”

“We don’t want Jane to check into the same hotel.” Caleb was accessing the hotel feature on his phone. “She’s the only one Harriet would recognize. Even if she was registered under an assumed name, there’s a chance she might run into Harriet.” He found what he was looking for. “Here’s a Radisson Inn a block away but within viewing distance of the Marriott. You check Jane into the Radisson and get her settled, Trevor. I’ll register at the Marriott, find out what room Harriet is in, then take it from there.”