That hadn’t been her intention. She’d just been delaying touching the clay until she braced herself. She reached out, and her hands started moving, molding the clay.

Tingling. Shortness of breath. Nausea.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to go on.

Evidently, Kevin didn’t care how difficult he made it for her. Maybe it was only his father who wanted Kevin’s image re-created. It was a good thing that she’d already decided that this couldn’t go on much longer. She had to escape quickly no matter what the risk. The situation was too volatile. It was dangerous not only for her but all the people she loved. Jane, Joe … and Bonnie. Perhaps Bonnie most of all. Could an eternal soul be lost or destroyed?

Block it out. Block him out.

Smooth, carve.

Stop, measure.

Show me the way, Kevin. Innocence or wickedness? Were you like your father and able to fool everyone around you? Or did you look like the monster you are?

CHAPTER

13

Leesburg, Virginia

THE OLD MAN LOOKED MORE frail than he had the last time Venable had seen him, the CIA agent thought as he walked down the path toward the small garden at the rear of the house. He should not have aged this quickly. It had been a steady downhill path since he had been robbed of years and vigor by one tragic blow. Yet there was no question the general was thinner, his shoulders a little more bowed.

And he looked … tired.

He glanced up from the strawberry bed he was weeding and stiffened when he saw Venable coming toward him. He sat back on his heels. “Hello, Venable.” He forced a smile. “I won’t say it’s good to see you. Do we have a problem?”

Venable nodded. “I’m afraid so, General Tarther.”

The general got slowly to his feet. “And it must be a considerable problem if it rates a personal visit.” He grimaced as he moved toward the striped canvas chair a few feet away. “It’s hell to get old. I hate all the aches and pains.” He sat down. “And it’s even worse when I remember how young and strong I was only yesterday. I do a lot of remembering.” He gestured to the other chair. “Sit down, Venable. Don’t stand there hovering like a vulture.”

Venable sat down. “I was being respectful.” He smiled. “As is due a general of your caliber and stature. How are you doing, sir?”

“Health-wise, a few issues. Emotionally, more than a few. I get ambushed more frequently all the time.”

“Ambushed?”

“Memories. Things that have been, things that could have been. I find the older I get, the less likely I am to keep a stiff backbone and deny that against those ambushes I’m completely helpless. Very chastening for a military man.” He smiled at Venable. “I’m even admitting them to you, Venable.”

“You’ve fought your battles, sir. You’ve won a hell of a lot of them. You don’t have to win that battle.”

“That’s good, because I’m not.” He looked away. “Why are you here? What’s the bad news?”

“Doane has left the safe house.”

“And?”

“He’s abducted a woman, and she may be in danger.”

“You told me that Doane wasn’t like his son.”

“I told you as far as I could tell there was a good possibility,” Venable said. “I believe I was wrong. Even if not as bad, he certainly is very dangerous. He killed one of my agents, who was protecting Eve Duncan.”

“More killing.” Tarther was silent. “If he’s like his son, did he help Kevin Relling kill my Dany?”

“No, he wasn’t in Europe at that time. We know that for certain. I told you so when we arranged protection for Doane. You wouldn’t have asked me to give Doane protection if there had been any hint that was true.”

“Things seem to be changing. I had to make sure that had not changed.” His gaze swung back to Venable. “Did you get the disk?”

It was the question he had known was coming and one he did not want to answer. “No, sir, I did not.”

“Then we have to assume he will use it. Have you protected my men?”

“I’m in the process now, sir.” He paused. “My bet is that Doane is going to be occupied in the immediate future and won’t make an attempt to release any information. There’s still an opportunity to get the disk back. But I had to tell you that I’ll have to pull out all the stops when I go after Doane. I can’t have any more lives lost.”

“I know. But my men’s lives are at stake, too. Why do you think I sent you to shelter that monster’s father? All I wanted to do was forget that he existed and brought Kevin Relling into the world. Instead, I woke every day with the knowledge we had no proof that the apple had not fallen far from the tree. I don’t want it to be for nothing, Venable.”

“I’ll try to take him alive,” Venable said grimly. “And if I do, I guarantee you’ll have that disk.”

“Just save my men.”

“I’ll do everything I can, sir.”

“I know you will,” Tarther leaned back and wearily closed his eyes. “You’re a good man, Venable.”

“If I were that good, Doane wouldn’t have slipped away.”

Tarther’s eyes opened, and he smiled faintly. “Now you’re doing it. Another ambush, Venable. What might have been? That’s the cruelest ambush of all.” His gaze went to the strawberry patch he’d been weeding. “Every year I put in strawberries. My Dany loved strawberries. They would make her mouth red, and she’d rub it against my cheek and laugh. I loved her, Venable.”

“I know you did, General.”

“She appeared in my life when I was near the end of my career and cynical and discouraged beyond belief. I never wanted a child. I was going to pay off her mother and send them both away. What would I do with a little girl? I was nearing sixty, and it would be foolish to take on that kind of responsibility. I was a hard-bitten military man who had done his duty all his life and had no wish to be anything else.” He shook his head. “Yet I could see the world around me going to hell, and I couldn’t seem to stop it. The last thing I wanted was for my Dany to come into that world. But when she came, she changed everything.”

“I understand that children have a habit of doing that.”

“You don’t have any children do you, Venable?”

“No, sir. I’ve never seemed to have the time to think about a family.”

“Take the time. Nothing else is worth thinking about. Not a career, or ideology, or saving the world. I never realized what an empty life I had before Dany. She was a miracle.” He shook his head. “But I didn’t recognize how fragile a miracle could be. I should have spent more time with her. I was always too busy. I thought I’d have more time later. I should have protected her. I never dreamed … but it happened. I thought I’d never forgive myself.” His gaze stayed on the green stems in the rich brown earth. “I pray every day that she’ll forgive me.”

“I’m sure she has, sir.”

“How do you know? I don’t.” His lips tightened. “But lately, I’ve felt that maybe she has forgiven me. I’ve felt her close to me. Sometimes, I imagine I hear her laugh. Or maybe it’s not imagination. What do you think, Venable?”

“I don’t think it matters, General. Not if it’s there for you.”

“You’re probably right. I feel her most when I come out here to this little patch to garden. I find myself hurrying like a young boy down the path because I know maybe she’s waiting.” He nodded slowly. “And I’m waiting, too. We’re just waiting to be together.”

Venable cleared his throat. “Then I’ll go and let you get back to your gardening.” He got to his feet. “I’m sorry to bring you bad news, sir. I’ll let you know of any updates.”

“Do that.” He got up from his chair and moved the few yards to the strawberry patch. “But all I ask is that you protect my men. Find the disk.”

“I’ll find it, General. Oh, and I wanted you to know I’ve assigned an agent to the house to protect you.”