She ignored those words. “Tell Joe I’m fine, that I’m only going up to see Kendra. Do not tell him I’m tired.”

He nodded. “Whatever you say.” He stood watching her from the bottom of the stairs. “But Quinn never trusts me entirely. He’s too protective of you, and he’s seen me do a few things that are both violent and unorthodox. It might be better if you give him a text from your cell.”

Yes, she’d say that Caleb’s causing a killer’s heart to explode from a rush of blood could be termed both violent and unorthodox. She opened the cottage door. “Perhaps you’re right. I’ll tell him myself.”

CHAPTER

3

CALEB WATCHED THE DOOR CLOSE behind Jane before he started to turn away. She had looked fragile and almost breakable during those last moments. That would not last long, and the strength would be back. It was Jane’s strength that had first drawn him to her when he’d met her all those years ago. Yet now this breakable quality filled him with an almost primitive desire to reach out and touch, hold. Hell, he wanted to touch, stroke, hold, whenever he looked at her, no matter what the circumstance.

He should have lied to her, he thought recklessly. He had never wanted to have sex with anyone as much as he did Jane, and that lust was growing in intensity. Yet for some reason he couldn’t reach out and take what he wanted. Most of the time lies were counterproductive, but to increase Jane’s physical need for him could have been—

“Is she okay?”

He turned to see Margaret standing behind him. “Hello, Margaret. I’m afraid I was a little rude when I whisked Jane away from you.” He added mockingly, “Did you trail along behind us to make sure I wasn’t going to harm her?”

“Yes,” she said bluntly. “I knew she’d slap you down if you annoyed her too much, but I’m never sure what you’re going to do. You’re one of the wild ones. I thought that it wouldn’t hurt to tag along.”

“I’d hardly cause a furor at this sad occasion.”

“Yes, you would. If it suited you. But you know that Jane would never forgive you.” Her gaze went back to the door at the head of the steps. “She did look tired. Is she okay?”

“If she rests.”

She turned to look at him with narrowed eyes. “You know that’s true. Why? Is it that blood thing that Jane told me about you?”

He said warily, “It depends what she told you.”

“Only that you have this kind of blood gift that was passed down through your family since ancient times.” She giggled. “And that you’re not a vampire.”

“How kind of her to specify.”

“I was disappointed. I was sort of sensing that blood thing whenever I was around you. That’s why Jane finally broke down and told me about your family. She didn’t want me asking you about it. I think she didn’t know how you’d react.”

“You wanted me to be a vampire?”

“No, but I’ve always been interested in vampire bats because I can never read any of their impressions. I thought I might be able to get a clue from you how to do it.” She made a face. “Not that I can read minds or anything. I just get occasional impressions, particularly from the wild ones.”

“And I’m a wild one?” He smiled. “Let me see. Primitive, barbaric, possibly violent?”

She nodded. “All of those things. Along with intelligence and cynicism and…” She shrugged. “Who knows? Every person has their own soul.” She beamed at him. “But I’ve always liked you, Caleb. You’re very interesting. I just have to watch and be careful that you don’t hurt Jane while you’re trying to have sex with her.”

“Indeed? May I say that it’s none of your business, Margaret?”

“Of course you may. But you’d be wrong. Jane saved my life and I can’t have her hurt.” Earnestly she said, “I know you’ve been stalking Jane since I met you, and it’s perfectly natural behavior for you. She’s probably very receptive to you on a basic level, but you mustn’t hurt her. You’re disturbing. I think she’s very vulnerable at the moment.” Her gaze left him and went across the crowd to Mark Trevor. “If she wants sex, Trevor would be better for her right now.”

“No!” He smothered the violence. “Margaret, I’m becoming a little annoyed with you.”

She nodded. “It happens. I just wanted to get everything straight between us.” She looked at her watch. “It’s getting late. Some of the media people are packing up to go. This should be over with soon.” She looked up the steps again. “I don’t want to hover. Does she need me?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll go see if I can help Joe.” She turned. “You’re probably going to hover around here anyway. Only in you it doesn’t look protective, it looks slightly sinister.” She drifted away. “See you…”

Hover? He did not hover.

And he would not go away from the cottage just because Margaret accused him of doing so. Those media people would love to corner Jane while she was in the cottage and bombard her with questions. It would do no harm to grab a drink from a passing waiter and stick around until the cameras and reporters were gone.

Dammit, that was not hovering.

*   *   *

“HI.” JANE CLOSED THE DOOR behind her. “It’s crazy down there. Do you mind if I hide out for a while and join you?”

“It’s your home. I’m the one who should ask you that. I just had some thinking to do and didn’t want to interfere.” Kendra got up from the couch and went to the kitchen. “Sit down. I’ll get you a cup of coffee. You look like you could use it.”

“Don’t say that.” Jane grimaced. “I’m fine. If I remember, it was you who told Joe I had an infection from that gunshot wound, and he should take me to that damn hospital. If you weren’t so observant, I’d have—”

“You’d have gone on until you were so ill that Quinn would have been frantic about you as well as Eve.” She handed her a mug filled with steaming coffee. “No apologies.” Her gaze raked Jane’s face. “And you’re looking a little fragile at the moment. Should I be calling Quinn?”

“You do, and I’ll break your neck,” Jane said. “I’m grateful for everything you did to track Eve down to that ghost town, but you worry about Eve and not me. I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe.” Kendra’s tone was skeptical. “But I’ll let it go. You’re right. Everyone and everything has to be concentrated on Eve.” Her jaw tightened. “We were so close. We almost had that bastard. Then everything went wrong. We can’t let it happen again. Everything has to go right this time.” She took a sip of her own coffee. “Zander. Doane will be targeting Zander. We have to target him, too. Where the hell is he? He left Colorado the day that Venable told him that Doane and Eve were still alive, and Venable says he’s not answering his phone.”

“Joe will find Zander,” Jane said grimly. “We just can’t be obvious if we want to keep the surprise factor. It’s the only weapon we have against Doane. That’s what this idiotic show is all about.” Her lips twisted. “I try to tell myself it’s all a farce, but it hurts me. I keep thinking, what if it was real? What if we’re wrong about Doane’s wanting to keep Eve alive so that he can kill her in front of Zander.” She shook her head. “But we’re not wrong. He wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble to stage that fake death if he hadn’t wanted to keep her alive a little while longer. I have to keep thinking that’s true, or I’d go crazy.”

“Me, too,” Kendra said. “I feel guilty as hell I didn’t figure it all out sooner.” She paused. “And I agree that Doane mustn’t have any idea that we know he’s alive. I’m scared to death he might decide to change his precious plans in midstream.”

“And kill Eve?” Jane whispered.

“I’m not projecting that kind of scenario, any kind of scenario. I just don’t want to set Doane on a different path than the one we know he wants to travel.” She moistened her lips. “So our actions must seem absolutely logical and normal to him. Before he disposed of his buddy, Terence Blick, we know he probably had him doing surveillance on us. Venable said a man of his description had been sighted during the search on the other side of the lake by one of his agents. That means we have to assume Doane knows who was here at the cottage.” She tapped her chest. “I was brought here to investigate Eve’s disappearance. No one tried to hide it. It couldn’t have been more clear. Blick knew I was at Goldfork. Again, it was very clear why I was there.”