“So you decided to kill her. Stupid, Blick.”

“She’s still on the island, isn’t she? You’ve got your delay. I bought you time, and you’re yelling at me. Kevin would never do that.”

“But how much time and at what price?”

“She’s not dead yet. I didn’t have a clear shot. She may not die. It’s up to you from now on.”

“It’s always been up to me,” Doane said wearily. “And I’ll handle it. But I may still need your help. Are you still on Summer Island?”

“No, I used my speedboat to meet with a fisherman from Grand Cayman who I paid to take me somewhere I can get a plane to Miami.” He paused. “I thought I’d go into hiding for a while. Joe Quinn is a detective, and he’s going to be mad as hell at me for shooting his daughter.”

“No, I need you. Did you ever know Kevin to hide when the heat was on? We’ve got to be as brave as he would be, Blick. I want you to go to that lake cottage in Atlanta and keep an eye on Duncan’s family. I’ll expect you to be there within a day.”

“I’ll try to be there by that time.”

“Don’t try, you’ve done very well except for this error. Do it.”

Silence. “Do you have Eve Duncan?”

“Of course. She’s with me now.”

“And you wouldn’t have her except for me.” His tone was once again defiant. “I did what Kevin would have wanted me to do. He always said that you had to adjust actions to changing circumstances. That’s what I did.”

“Kevin was Kevin. You are you. You should have done what I told you. It wasn’t necessary to shoot her.” He broke the connection.

Summer Island. They had been talking about Jane, Eve thought hazily. Shooting. Danger. Death. Blick had said that Jane was still alive. She had to know if—

She opened her lips and tried again to talk.

Nothing.

Or maybe not.

She must have made a sound of some sort because Doane was looking back at her.

“Good afternoon, Eve.” He smiled, and she remembered that she’d thought he had the kindest expression she had ever seen. That kindness was still there, but she mustn’t trust it. Jane. He had been talking to someone who had deliberately hurt Jane. Evil.

“I’m sorry, you’re trying to speak, but the drug I gave you is very potent. It takes quite a while to wear off. I chose it because it has very few lingering effects, and I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable. You really shouldn’t have stirred until I had you safe, but you clearly have a very strong will. But you’ll go back to sleep soon.”

No, she could feel the drowsiness closing in on her, but she had to fight it. Jane.

“You’re looking at me as if you hate me,” he said gently. “How much did you hear? Now what did we say…”

Jane. Jane. Jane.

“Your adopted daughter. Of course, you’re angry and concerned. I didn’t want your Jane to be hurt. You must have heard me tell Blick that he shouldn’t have done it. I’m very angry with him.” He reached down to touch her hair. “I don’t want anyone hurt. You have to believe me, Eve.” He frowned. “Now how else can I put your mind at rest and reassure you of my good intentions? Oh, the young man in the woods. Ben Hudson.”

Ben, lying on the grass with the bloody gash in his forehead.

“He caught me by surprise, and I had to fight him to protect myself. I would never have purposely hurt him. But I have to have your help, Eve. That’s what this is all about.”

She couldn’t speak, but she closed her eyes in silent rejection.

“I know it looks bad for me, but you’re a kind woman. You’ll understand once I explain it to you.” She could feel his hand gently stroke her hair. “I bundled that boy, Ben, up in the truck and dropped him off in the parking lot of an urgent-care facility outside Atlanta. I’m sure that he’ll be fine.”

Eve wasn’t sure of anything. She could only pray that he was telling the truth about Ben and that the boy wasn’t too badly hurt.

And Jane. She still didn’t know how badly Jane was hurt. Was Joe with her by now? How much time had passed since she had run down that muddy road this morning? She opened her eyes to see if she could tell by the daylight streaming into the truck.

Cloudy. Still storming. No way to tell if it was still morning or afternoon. Everything was dimness and confusion.

She could see Doane’s face above her, smiling almost tenderly, and that was the most bewildering of all.

“It will be fine,” he said softly. “Go back to sleep. I’ll take care of you. That’s why I’m here. So that we can take care of each other.”

She couldn’t do what he said. None of this was right. It didn’t matter that she wanted to trust him, that he seemed to have all the loving kindness of a brother or father she’d never had.

Stay awake. Concentrate. Think about Jane. Think about Ben.

But everything was blurring, and she couldn’t think.

Thunder.

Rain on the metal roof.

Rhythmic. Soothing.

“That’s right. Let go,” Doane said. “We’ll get it all straight when you wake up…”

*   *   *

“HI.” MARGARET SWEPT INTO THE hospital room and plopped down on the chair by Jane’s bed. “How do you feel?” Her eyes narrowed on Jane’s face. “You look much better than you did when you left the island yesterday. You have some color in your cheeks.”

“What are you doing here? I thought you were staying on the island to take care of Toby. Devon said that was probably why you jumped out of the plane at the last minute yesterday.”

Margaret shook her head. “It wasn’t necessary. I knew Devon was going to turn around and go right back to the island after she delivered you to San Juan. Toby was out of danger, and Devon would be there in case of an emergency. I just decided to hop a ride with Caleb.” She reached out for the glass of water on the bedside table and held the straw for Jane. “It was more convenient for me.”

“Caleb is never just a convenience,” Jane said flatly after she took a sip. “And he didn’t mention that he’d brought you when he visited me last night.”

“He said that he’d let me tell you.” She suddenly chuckled. “I don’t think he wanted to share the spotlight. Caleb likes to have your full attention when he’s with you. It has something to do with the stalking.”

“What?”

“Never mind. It’s not important anyway. Caleb and I understand each other.”

“Then that’s something I’ve never been able to say about Caleb,” Jane said dryly. She certainly hadn’t understood what he’d done … and hadn’t done to her in that moment of weakness. She hadn’t understood what she felt either. Gratitude for giving her a pain-free night? Or resentment that he’d disturbed and made her so aware of both his power and presence? “And why was it more convenient for you to come with him?”

She shrugged. “No papers. I knew he wouldn’t care.”

“Why don’t you have papers?”

She grinned. “See, that illustrates my point. Caleb never asked that question.”

“Well, I’m asking. Are you some kind of criminal?”

“It depends on who you ask.” She tilted her head consideringly. “But my opinion is the only one that matters, so no, I’m not a criminal.”

“Margaret, you’re dodging.”

She beamed. “You noticed. I do it well, don’t I?”

“No, you’re lousy at it.”

“Not true. I wouldn’t have been able to persuade Caleb into bringing me to you if I wasn’t good.” Her smile faded. “I’m not going to tell you why I have no papers, Jane. It’s … complicated and kind of a mess. I won’t involve anyone else in it. Maybe someday.”

“For heaven’s sake, you’re only a kid. It can’t be too much of a mess.”

“No?” A shadow flitted across her face, but it vanished in an instant. “Don’t be too sure. I’m talented beyond my years.” She shook her head, and said gently, “Drop it, Jane. I get along fine without stamps and visas.”

“Until someone throws you into jail.”

“That only happened once, and I managed to get out after a week.” She changed the subject. “I called Devon this morning and checked on Toby. He was well enough to put with the other dogs, and Monty won’t leave him. He’s doing fine. I knew he would.” She leaned back in the chair. “Has Joe Quinn called you with any more information about Eve Duncan?”