“I’m surprised he left you alone with me for the great confrontation.”

“He didn’t know about the confrontation. He thought I was just going to play along with you until the Secret Service came.”

Bently smiled. “But you wanted some other recordings to give to the law, besides those of the Cabal. You’ve been getting our little conversation on tape, haven’t you?”

“If you guessed, why did you talk to me?”

“Because I don’t care. It’s not going to matter. I have a boat waiting at a dock near here. I’ll be on it and heading to a lab I have set up in the Caribbean. I watched Simmons every minute while he was creating the fuel cell. I can re-create his invention. Besides, you deserved to have some answers after all your hard work.”

“Christ, I’m pointing this gun at you. It will matter. You’d have to be nuts not to—

”

“Eve.” The door had swung open and Joe stood in the doorway of the van. He resignedly shook his head as he stared at the gun in her hand. “I was a little worried about this happening.”

“So you rushed back to safeguard the lady,” Bently said. “And is the Secret Service on its way?”

Joe nodded. “Ten minutes, tops.”

“Do you really think those Secret Service agents will do anything about the Cabal?

No way. Hell, the Cabal will say they’re having a private memorial for Copeland, and the authorities will question them very respectfully and then go away with apologies.”

“But they’ll know who was there. We’ll have tapes and videos. They’ll all be marked men. The Secret Society will no longer be secret. It’s hard to organize the kind of power plays they’ve been doing when everybody suspects them. That bright light will push them out into the open.”

“Spotlights don’t last forever.”

“Nothing lasts forever,” Eve said.

“You’re wrong. One thing is very permanent indeed.” Bently looked back at the concrete building. “I became very skilled with explosives during my recuperation period. Etienne was an excellent teacher. He’d learned from a master. He knew how to rig bombs and place them where they’d go undetected. Do you know there are even ways to mask the scent from dogs? He was very proud of his knowledge.” Eve tensed as she realized he wasn’t talking about the explosive in the skull.

“You’re bluffing. There was no way you could get near that building with all the guards.”

“But the guards weren’t here three weeks ago.”

God, all the half-lies, half-truths. “Etienne told you exactly where the meeting was being held.”

Bently nodded. “Did I forget to mention that? When you figured everything else out, I would have thought you’d guess.”

She headed for the door. “For God’s sake, you’re going to—” The tech van rocked as the night exploded.

The gun flew out of Eve’s hand as she was hurled against the wall and the van lurched drunkenly. Joe was thrown backward from the door to the ground, stunning him.

Bently was already at the door as Eve straightened. He glanced back over his shoulder, his face alight with fierce satisfaction. “Death is forever, Eve. Nothing is more permanent. No more Cabal.”

Then he was gone.

She grabbed up the gun, tore across the van and out the door.

“Stay here.” Joe was shaking his head to clear it as he got to his feet. “I’ll get him.”

“Dear God.” Eve stopped in shock as she saw the remains of the concrete building. What was left of the concrete was spread in huge chunks about the grounds; the remainder of the structure was enveloped in flames.

She tore her gaze away. Bently.

He was racing toward the drainage ditch. She started after him.

Joe was ahead of her, closing on Bently at a dead run.

Bently waded through the ditch. He was out and plunging into the brush.

Joe glanced over his shoulder at her. “Dammit, I told you to stay in the van. He could have set another—”

The earth heaved as another explosion rocked the concrete building. Concrete flew in all directions like deadly shrapnel.

“Down,” Joe yelled.

Eve dropped to the ground as concrete missiles speared the air. Jesus, it was like being in the middle of an erupting volcano. She lifted her head, and her skin stung as a barrage of small rocks hit her face. “Joe, are you—”

“Joe!”

Chapter 21

« ^ »

JOE WAS LYING CRUMPLED ON THE DIRT. HE WASN’T MOVING.

She raced across the intervening ground and dropped to her knees beside him.

“Joe.”

Pale. Eyes closed. A cut bleeding at his temple. Was he breathing? He had to be breathing.

“Joe. You talk to me. Do you hear? You talk to me.” He didn’t open his eyes.

Oh, God, don’t let him die.

She reached into her pocket to get her cell phone. 911. Call 911.

Headlights.

A line of cars were pulling up in front of the burning naval air station. Secret Service.

Forget them.

Call 911 for Joe.

Joe’s eyes opened. “Hi. You… okay?”

Eve nodded. “And so are you. Concussion.” She tried to smile. “You scared me.

You wouldn’t wake up. It’s been two days.”

He reached out and took her hand. “Sorry.”

“You should be.”

“Won’t happen again.” His eyes started to close. “Sleepy…”

“Then go to sleep.”

“You going to stay here?”

“You bet.”

“Bently?” His eyes were open again. “Did he get away?”

“He got to his boat and out on the ocean. After I told the Secret Service he planned to escape that way, they called in the Coast Guard. They intercepted him later that night.”

Joe searched Eve’s expression. “And?”

“The boat blew up before they could board it.”

“Suicide?”

She nodded. “It’s just as well the Secret Service didn’t have to deal with him.

They’re having enough trouble trying to explain the deaths of all those power brokers.”

“All dead?”

“They didn’t have a chance. The authorities are even having trouble identifying most of them.”

“Did it cause you any trouble?”

“Are you kidding? This thing is massive. Secret Service questioned me for a solid five hours. The FBI for another three. You’ll be on the carpet, too. Thank God, we had the surveillance tapes.”

Joe yawned. “As soon as I wake up I’ll talk to them, make sure they don’t bother you anymore.”

“Joe, I’m handling it.”

“A little help won’t hurt…”

“Go back to sleep.”

“Something’s wrong.” His gaze was searching her face. “You’re not telling me everything.”

“I told you everything that’s been happening.”

“No, I mean with you. You’re worrying about something. What’s bothering you?”

“I’m not worrying about— ” Eve met his gaze. “It’s what Bently said. He wondered why we hadn’t figured out that he’d lie about Etienne not telling him the location of the meeting. I was wondering if somewhere in my subconscious I did figure it out, and just ignored it.” She looked down at their joined hands. “The Cabal deserved to be destroyed, and we couldn’t be sure that exposing them would be enough. Did I close my eyes and let Bently blow them up?”

“Bullshit.”

“Did I, Joe?”

“No, you didn’t.” His answer was absolutely certain. “I know you. There were so many lies, red herrings, and half-truths floating around that this one got lost in the shuffle for you. As much as you might have wanted the Cabal to disappear, you couldn’t do it. Death is the enemy for you. You fight it every single day.” He lifted her hand and kissed the palm. “So forget it, okay?” Eve moistened her lips. “Okay.”

“Good.” Joe’s eyes closed. “Then let me go to sleep so I can get enough strength to tackle those Secret Service assholes…”

“They’re not assholes. They’re just doing their—” He was already asleep.

Eve sat there, holding his hand, staring at his face.

She was at peace again. Another gift from Joe.

But he had spoken only of her own lack of guilt, she realized suddenly. He didn’t say that he hadn’t figured out that Bently might have known enough to set a death trap. Joe was one of the smartest men she had ever known, and he had a memory like a steel trap. Had he known there was a possibility the Cabal would not survive the night?