But Jane had not come.

Ben had a dream.

And Ben’s dreams were always about Bonnie.

Perhaps Bonnie was having some ghostly trepidations, too? He had only recently come to believe that Bonnie actually was an entity and not a figment of Eve’s imagination. He was hardheaded and a complete realist, but sometimes a knockout vision could change everything. He had to accept that if Bonnie was Eve’s hallucination, she was also his. Now it appeared Bonnie was somehow involved with all this.

And Jane’s being shot would make Eve forget everything but getting to her daughter.

She would be vulnerable.

“Something wrong, man?” Nelker said.

“Everything is wrong,” Joe muttered. He was torn between telling Nelker to go back to Miami and continuing to Summer Island. There was a slight chance that there was a phone malfunction, and Eve would not forgive him if he didn’t get to Jane as soon as possible.

But he didn’t think there was a phone or tower malfunction. He didn’t know what was happening, but he had a hunch it was all bad. Hell, he knew it was bad. He was on his way to Jane, who might not even be alive when he got there.

Eve …

He couldn’t think of Eve right now. Emotion always got in the way when he thought of Eve, and he had to make choices.

Eve was the choice, always and forever.

Even if he had Nelker turn around, he couldn’t get to Eve for another two hours minimum.

Okay, find a way to give Eve her best chance considering all the circumstances.

Venable.

He quickly dialed Venable’s number.

Voice mail.

“Listen, you bastard. You’ve been avoiding my calls since yesterday. I’m not taking it any longer. Call me back, or I’ll be coming for you.”

He hung up the phone and waited.

Three minutes later, the phone rang.

“I don’t take kindly to threats, Quinn,” Venable said sourly. “I was tempted to ignore you.”

“Like you’ve been ignoring me since you called me yesterday. It wouldn’t have been a wise move if you’d done it now. I’m a little tense.”

Silence. “I noticed.”

“That’s because you know me well, and you’re very observant. You’re also a conniving, ruthless, son of a bitch when it suits you. I’m beginning to think it may be suiting you right now.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You called me yesterday and made polite inquiries about me, Eve, Jane … and how the world was treating us. Very suspicious, Venable.”

“You’re paranoid.”

“Why did you call?”

“I hadn’t talked to you for a while. It’s not so unusual. Sometimes I think we’re friends.”

“Sometimes I think so, too. But not if it concerns the CIA. Then I think you’re a manipulator on the grand scale. Talk to me. Why did you call?”

Venable didn’t answer.

“Answer me.” Joe’s voice was low and tense. “Do you know where I am right now? I’m on a plane flying down to Summer Island in the Caribbean. I’m going there because Jane’s been shot, and I have to get to her. What a coincidence that you called and inquired about her only yesterday. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you?”

“Shot? Hell, no. How is Eve?”

“Strange you went straight from Jane’s being shot to Eve. Or is it strange, Venable?”

“Is Eve okay?”

“I don’t know. I can’t get in touch with her.”

Venable muttered a curse.

“Exactly how I feel,” Joe said. “No voice mail. She was supposed to call me from Atlanta International and hasn’t. So I’m putting it in your camp, Venable. I’m calling the police officer I had keeping an eye on her, but I want one of your people on the job, too.”

“I don’t know if we have any CIA agents in the area.”

“No? Then get them there. Fast.”

“Eve may be fine, Quinn. There could be any number of reasons why you can’t reach her.”

“Then find her, get her to call me.”

“I’m not arguing. I’ll look into it for you.”

“How generous.”

“It is generous. I don’t have to do it. You’ve no proof I have any involvement in any of this. So back off, Quinn.”

“I’m not backing off. First, go find Eve and keep her safe until you put her on a plane to the island. Then call me and tell me how and why you’re pulling strings that caused Jane to end up with a bullet in her.”

Silence. “I’m sorry about Jane, Quinn. I hope she’ll be okay. If I can help, let me know.”

“I’ve told you how you can help us. Get Eve on that plane so that she can get to Jane.”

“I’ll do my best. I’ll call you as soon as I make contact with her.” He hung up.

Venable had sounded genuinely sorry. Hell, he probably was regretting that Jane had been hurt, and Eve—No, don’t think about what might be happening to Eve. He couldn’t be certain that she was in danger. Keep calm. He’d call Ron, the officer who had been on patrol at the cottage, then hang tight until he heard back from both Venable and him. By that time he should have been able to find out if Jane was going to survive and take charge of what was happening there on the island.

Keep busy, he told himself. It could work out. He was doing the right thing.

No, he wasn’t. There couldn’t be anything right about flying away from Eve no matter what the emergency on the other end. So what if it was what she’d want him to do? Eve was the center of his being. Ignore everything but that fact and tell the pilot to turn around and go back to Miami.

Jane.

Jane was the one known victim. How could he abandon her?

He drew a deep, harsh breath and started to dial Ron’s mobile phone. There was a chance the policeman had seen her leave or could reassure him she was safe.

Know something, dammit.

Tell me I’m jumping to conclusions.

Know something, anything.

*   *   *

INTENT DARK EYES STARING down at her.

A faint flicker of emotion in those eyes. Relief?

Strange …

Jane knew those eyes. They frightened her.

Or did they? She had never admitted that fear to herself. Perhaps it wasn’t fear of Caleb but wariness of the way he made her feel. He always knew too much. What would happen if she let him invade her space?

Too close. He always came too close …

“Stop frowning,” Caleb said roughly. “Stop pushing me away. I’m trying to help you. Are you hurting? Devon gave you a sedative. You shouldn’t be uncomfortable.”

Why should she be hurting? Yet she was aware of a dull ache in her upper right shoulder.

An explosion of pain, then darkness.

“I’m … all right. Bullet?”

He nodded. “Sniper. Shooting from one of the hangars. It happened a little over three hours ago.”

Sniper. It was like something from a war movie, she thought hazily. And it made no sense at all. She couldn’t comprehend any of it. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” His lips tightened. “I haven’t been able to go after the bastard. I couldn’t leave you.”

And it had made him angry, she realized. “Why? Am I dying?”

“No. Devon says that she thinks you’re going to be okay. The bullet went through your shoulder and didn’t appear to damage any organs. Devon doesn’t like or trust the local village doctor, so she’s arranging for an air ambulance to take you to a hospital in San Juan. But you scared us. You wouldn’t stop bleeding. Devon had to give you a transfusion.” He smiled crookedly. “Margaret wanted to donate her blood, but I’m universal, so Devon took mine.”

“I would have preferred Margaret.”

He nodded. “I know. But you have to take what’s available. I’m very much available.” He stood up. “I have to go and tell Devon and Margaret you’re awake. They made me promise. They wanted to hover, but I told them that you’d do better to wake with someone you knew.” His dark eyes were suddenly gleaming. “I told them you’d feel safer.”

“You lied.”

“Yes, but it worked. I got what I wanted. They don’t understand the complications of our relationship. I brought you to the island, and, therefore, I’m presumably a man to trust.”