“Presumably.”

“But you don’t trust me. You don’t trust any man, do you?” He suddenly looked back and snapped his fingers. “No, there is a man you do trust, and it should comfort you to know that he should be arriving on the island at any moment.”

“Joe?”

He smiled. “You see? You knew exactly whom I was talking about. Tell him I’ll talk to him when I get back.”

“Wait.” She moistened her lips. “You’re going to try to track down that sniper.”

“I’m not going to try. If he’s still on the island, I’m going to get the bastard within the next few hours.” He added coldly, “If he’s found a way off, it may take a little while longer.”

“I’m not asking you to—”

“Be quiet, Jane,” he said softly. “I’ve been thinking about my reward all the time I’ve been sitting here playing the sturdy, solid friend in need. This has a little to do with you but more with what and who I am. I want him.”

Before she could answer, he was gone.

And she was left to remember how savage and violent Caleb could be when he went on the hunt.

Dammit, and she was wounded and too weak to go after him. Yes, Caleb had a primitive and barbaric desire for revenge, but this was really all about her. He wouldn’t even be on the island if she hadn’t asked him to come here.

“He upset you.” Margaret was standing in the doorway, her gaze on Jane’s face. “I told Devon it was taking a chance to let him stay with you. He’s one of the wild ones. Even if he meant well, he is what he is.” She came forward and sat down beside the bed. “What do you want me to do? Go after him and bring him back?”

“No, that’s impossible. You couldn’t do it. I told you about—you don’t know what he is.”

“Yes, I do.” She shrugged. “I told you, he’s one of the wild ones. I know all about them. It’s true I haven’t run across anyone quite like him. It would be hard, but I could bring him back to you if you want him.”

“You don’t know all about Caleb,” Jane said dryly. “I guarantee that you don’t. I didn’t give you more than a hint. There’s no one like him.”

“I can get him.” She was holding Jane’s gaze. “Say the word.”

“So then I’d have two people to worry about?” Jane said in exasperation. “No, I won’t say the word, dammit.”

“Now I’m upsetting you, too.” Margaret suddenly smiled. “You’re ill, we should all leave you alone to heal and deal with everything else ourselves.”

“I’m not ill. I’ve been shot. There’s a difference.”

“Cause and effect.”

“That should affect only me. And perhaps whoever is in charge of law and order on this island. Not Seth Caleb and not you.”

“There’s only a constable and his assistant in the village. Devon will probably tell him about the shooter in case he might be a danger to the locals. But I don’t think he would be a danger to anyone but you, do you?”

“I don’t know,” she said in frustration. “Maybe. Why would I be a target?”

“Caleb may find out … if he doesn’t decide to kill him instead of question him. I only know the shooter was stalking you. He was in the woods outside, and he was at the airfield.”

Margaret had been coolly analytical about Caleb’s potential actions and apparently completely without judgment. “You have no objection to Caleb’s … going that far?”

“Why? It’s his nature. Besides, it’s justice. The man tried to kill you, now he has to pay. I told you I believe in revenge.”

“Yes, you did.” But lying here looking at Margaret, it was difficult for Jane to accept. The young girl was so full of life and that youthful joyousness that it was hard to make the connection. “But this is a little more final than going after the man who poisoned Toby to punish him.”

She shook her head. “Justice is justice.”

“Yet you said that you’d go after Caleb and bring him back.”

“Because I didn’t want you to worry when you’re not well.” Her smile held a hint of mischief. “But I didn’t say I wouldn’t go after that man who shot you myself after I got Caleb back for you.”

“Oh, for God’s sake.”

She laughed. “But I’d have to do it. Payback, remember? You saved my life. You took that bullet for me. I owe you a debt. Debts have to be paid.”

“No, I don’t remember it like that. Everything happened too fast. You don’t owe me anything, Margaret.”

“You’re wrong. I don’t know quite how I’ll do it, but it will come to me.” She got to her feet. “We won’t argue about it right now. Maybe when Caleb comes back, he’ll have some answers, and it will all become clear to us. You rest now, and I’ll bring Joe Quinn in to see you as soon as he gets here. Caleb did tell you that he was on his way?”

“Yes, but he didn’t mention Eve. Is she with him?”

“No, he’s flying in from Miami. I think the plan is for her to arrive a little later.”

“That would make sense.” She couldn’t wait to see Eve. Whenever Eve was on the scene, everything seemed right with the world. Though she doubted if even Eve could make all the ugliness that had happened lately seem normal or right.

And she still had that niggling feeling of uneasiness about that last phone call with Eve. “Where’s my phone? I’d like to call her.”

She shook her head. “Devon wants you to rest. You lost a lot of blood.”

“I hear you offered a bit of your own. Thank you.”

“It didn’t happen. Caleb won that round.” She headed for the door. “He seemed intrigued at the prospect. I didn’t understand.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. Not many people understand Caleb. His background makes him unique.”

“We’re all unique.” She smiled back over her shoulder. “You, me, Toby, Devon. Isn’t nature wonderful? It’s like a kaleidoscope that never shows the same picture twice.” She opened the door. “Rest, Jane. I’ll send your phone in when Joe Quinn gets here.”

Jane stared after her with bewilderment. She wasn’t sure exactly how wonderful nature could be, but she was beginning to believe that Margaret was a brilliant kaleidoscope of character in her own right. She would actually have gone after Caleb if Jane had asked. And it wasn’t because she underestimated the danger he represented. Totally extraordinary.

But she wasn’t up to analyzing Margaret right now, she realized. She was feeling weak and exhausted, and the temporary adrenaline rush was fading rapidly.

Blank out the bewilderment, the unfathomable questions, Caleb and Margaret. She would deal with them later with Joe.

And then Eve would come, and they would be able to get through this nightmare as they got through everything else.

Together.

*   *   *

VENABLE.

Zander didn’t hesitate as he saw the ID. He punched the access. “Has your agent got a report on Doane?”

“He got into the house. No disk. He snatched the computer, but all the data had been erased. We’re having to restore it. We should know something by tomorrow.”

“That should tell you something. He’s covering his tracks.” He paused. “And he doesn’t want us to know where those tracks are going to lead. Are they going to lead to me? Or to Eve Duncan?”

Venable didn’t answer.

Not good. “Answer me, Venable. Just why did you call?”

“There have been a few developments that have disturbed me. I thought it only fair to put you into the loop.”

“Disturbed?”

“Okay, scared the hell out of me,” he said bluntly. “Jane MacGuire was shot by a sniper. We don’t know whether she’s going to make it or not.”

“Jane MacGuire … Not Eve Duncan? Where? At the lake cottage?”

“No, Jane was on an island in the Caribbean. She was supposed to be with Eve at the cottage, but she flew down there to the island because of an emergency. Joe Quinn is on his way down there right now. He was in Miami giving evidence at a trial, and he took off immediately.”

“He wasn’t with Eve either? Curious.”

“Not really. They lead independent lives.”

“And so does Jane MacGuire, but both Quinn and MacGuire revolve around Eve Duncan. Do you think I haven’t studied her world? MacGuire’s a weakness in the armor, or that’s what Doane would think, anyway.” He was thinking quickly, putting the pieces together. “But why shoot Jane MacGuire? That wouldn’t be necessary and Doane is smart enough to realize—” He stopped. “Quinn is going to the island and not Eve? That doesn’t compute. Where’s Eve Duncan?”