“Why?”

“That’s all he’d say. I thought maybe it was a Cabal meeting, but there aren’t any scheduled events that would give them an excuse to be in Boca at that time. So maybe it has something to do with Bently.” Nathan grimaced. “It’s all guesswork. I was frustrated as hell. He told me they were going to bring the skeleton here, but not when or why. He said he’d call me again after the skeleton was in place at the church.” He paused. “He didn’t call me.”

“There was no skeleton,” Eve said. “Only a skull.”

“Really?” Nathan frowned. “He said skeleton. I wonder what happened to—”

“A skeleton has infinitely more possibilities for DNA,” Galen said. “The skull had no teeth, either. Etienne’s work?”

“Maybe,” Nathan said. “If it was, then I imagine Jules was a tad upset. I warned Etienne to be careful. Stealing a skeleton isn’t exactly the most cautious act.”

“But you didn’t try to stop him.”

“I’m a reporter, and this had all the earmarks of a great story. I won’t feel guilty about doing my job. Etienne was hardly as pure as the driven snow.” He smiled grimly. “But, unfortunately, I do have a conscience where innocent lives are at stake.

That’s why I’m here.”

“It took you long enough to decide to come to warn us,” Galen said.

“I had to think about it.” He scowled as Galen lifted a brow. “It’s the truth.” His glance shifted to Eve. “Then I read about Marie Letaux’s death, and the article indicated you were struck by the same food poisoning. I tried to tell myself it could be an accident. Hell, it could have been. But when Pierre Letaux died… Too much coincidence, considering what Etienne had told me. I chewed on it for awhile, and then decided I couldn’t wait until you finished. I’d have to risk my story. So pack up your bags and get the hell out of here.”

Galen looked at Eve. “Not a bad idea.”

“You believe him?”

“Enough. The evidence is growing, and I don’t like it. Added to what Quinn told us tonight, I think we’d be prudent to fold our tents and flit away.” She didn’t like it, either. Nathan’s story of secret societies with that much control over people’s day-to-day lives was both frightening and outlandish. And so was the fact that she’d been lured to this job by Melton, who could be in cahoots with the man who had used her daughter’s death as a tool. The thought brought a bolt of pure rage surging through her.

“Eve?”

“I’m thinking.” Galen was right. Whether or not the Cabal existed, the evidence for some sort of conspiracy was mounting. Capel’s and the Letauxs’ deaths should have been enough for her in themselves. It was only her obsession with finishing Victor that had kept her from admitting it.

Victor.

“We’re getting out of here,” she said. “But I’m not leaving the skull. Victor comes with us.”

“What?” Nathan asked. “Why?”

“Because she wants to do it,” Galen said. “And I’m beginning to want her to do anything she can to thumb her nose at those bastards. Eve, we can’t trust anything Nathan says until I check him out, but if you’re not going to be a cat’s paw, then you have to be on your own turf.”

“And take Victor with us,” Eve said flatly. “I’m not giving him up until I make up my mind what we’re going to do.”

Nathan shook his head. “You’re actually stealing him?”

“Just borrowing his skull for a little while. Until I make a decision, he’s mine. It’s my choice what happens to Victor. Not Hebert’s or Melton’s or any half-baked secret society. Let them all run around and kill each other. They’re not going to use Victor in their plans.” She glanced at Galen. “The church may be locked at this time of night, Galen.”

“Are you hinting I should get out of here and do a little breaking and entering?”

“You seemed to do well enough at Marie Letaux’s house. Will the church be a problem?”

Galen shook his head. “What do you need from your workroom?”

“Victor. My tools, the leather skull case, the box with the glass eyeballs. Rick is always at the church when I get there in the morning, Galen. If he’s there, I don’t want him hurt.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, but he may be part of this, you know.” She didn’t want to believe that of Rick. “And maybe he’s not. Maybe he doesn’t know anything about this. Until we’re sure any of this is true, I don’t want him hurt.”

“Are you going to leave it to me where we’re going?”

“You said that your job was to provide what was needed. Provide.”

“Taking the skull is a mistake.” Nathan’s voice was harsh with intensity. “If you go away and hide, they may abandon the search eventually. Take the skull, and they’ll come after you. They’ll suspect you know something and they’ll never give up. Why won’t you listen to me?”

“Because we don’t have any proof you’re anyone more than a second-story man with a glass jaw,” Galen said.

But Nathan’s desperation was very convincing, and Eve felt a sudden frantic surge of urgency. “We are listening to you… within limits. That’s why we’re leaving Baton Rouge. I’ll pack our bags and be ready to leave when you get back, Galen.” Nathan sighed. “If you won’t do the sensible thing, then I may as well help you pack.”

“No, you’re coming with me,” Galen said. “I’m not leaving you alone in the house with Eve.”

“For God’s sake, after all I’ve told you, I think I deserve a little trust.”

“Words aren’t worth anything. Trust is earned. You’ll have to prove yourself.”

“By risking my neck at that church?”

“Good a way as any.” Galen glanced back over his shoulder at Eve. “Do you know how to handle a gun?”

“Yes.”

“There’s one in my duffel. Get it. I don’t like leaving you in the house alone.”

“Then let me stay, dammit,” Nathan said.

Galen ignored him. “Scoot, Eve. Get moving. We may be in a hurry when I get back. I need to get a couple items from the kitchen cabinet, and then Nathan and I will be on the road.”

Chapter 9

« ^ »

WHERE WERE THEY?

Eve’s gaze anxiously searched the darkness, but she could see nothing but the shadowy outline of the church.

It had been over thirty minutes. Surely they should be back by now.

Unless something had happened to them.

She wouldn’t let herself think that. Galen was too smart to have let himself be caught, and she had heard no sound of conflict while she had been standing here on the balcony.

“Let’s go.”

She whirled to see Galen coming toward her. At least she thought it was Galen.

He was covered in mud and slime, and his wet clothes clung to his body. “What happened to you?”

“Not a tenth of what should have happened to him,” Nathan said bitterly as he entered the room. He was also wet and covered in slime. “He’s the craziest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. He made me swim that damn bayou.”

“What?”

“We would have been spotted as we crossed the bridge,” Galen said. “It seemed the easiest way around the problem.”

“Easy?” Nathan sputtered. “He pushed me in the water. What if I didn’t know how to swim?”

“The water was almost shallow enough to wade across.”

“It was not,” Nathan said, outraged. “And what about water moccasins, alligators… Anything could have been lurking in that foul mess.”

“Stop complaining. You didn’t get bitten by anything more dangerous than mosquitoes. You should be glad I let you stay on the bank instead of going into the church with me.” He went to the bathroom and got two towels and tossed one to Nathan. “Dry off. We don’t have time to shower.”

“Did you get Victor?” Eve asked.

He looked at her in surprise. “Of course. Everything you asked me to get is downstairs by the back door. He’s fine. I put him in a big Ziploc bag for the swim back, with a couple of inflated trash bags as floats. I took care of him, and I loaded Nathan down with the other stuff you wanted.”

“No trouble?”

He shook his head.