"Should we go back? Monty must be as tired as we are. Maybe he made a mistake."

"He doesn't make mistakes. He'll know it when he runs across it."

"It's been three days."

"She's not there." Sarah paused and then tempered her tone. "Sorry. It's been a long day."

They had all been long days. From dawn to midnight and sometimes later. Sarah had a right to be annoyed. While she had sat in the car or stood watching, Sarah and Monty had hunted. It was a wonder they kept pushing.

Sarah was silent until they were almost back at the house. "How many sites are left?"

"Four."

"That's not many. Could he have lied to you?"

"He's capable of anything. But if we aren't on the right track, why did he try to kill Monty?"

"To make the scenario more believable?"

"It's possible," she said. "Maybe he likes seeing me run in circles."

"But you don't believe it."

"No, I think there has to be a payoff. He likes the excitement, the ups and downs. Hope and then disappointment. Tension and then release. If we found Debby Jordan, it would be a tremendous release for him."

"You sound like you know the bastard."

Sometimes Eve felt as if she did know him. He was always on her mind. And there were moments when she felt that if she turned around quickly, she would catch sight of him.

Imagination. Since that night he'd phoned her in the car, Juan Lopez and Herb Booker had been very much on guard and had assured her no one had been following her.

Maybe.

She turned the corner and saw the familiar gates of home. "We'll find her tomorrow," she told Sarah. "He didn't lie to me. I know that--"

"Watch out!"

Eve stomped on the brakes when she saw the man in the street. "Christ."

Lopez had stopped his car behind her and was running toward the man, gun drawn.

"No!"

Then Lopez was down, lying in the middle of the street.

My God, he was going to kill Lopez.

She jumped out of the car.

"Eve, are you crazy?" Sarah shouted.

"Stop it. Do you hear me? Dammit, stop it. You'll hurt him."

"I feel like hurting someone." Joe released his hold on Lopez's neck and stood up. "He was stupid to run at me."

"He was trying to protect me."

"He didn't do a good job. Logan's wasting his money."

"He does a very good job."

The gates were swinging open and Herb Booker was running out into the street.

Joe whirled, immediately on the offensive.

Eve stepped in front of him. "No, it's okay. I know him, Herb."

Herb looked at his partner, who was on the ground, slowly sitting up, and then at Joe. "It's not okay to me."

"He's a police detective."

"Since when do cops use Rambo tactics?"

"Joe's a little different." She turned to Joe. "Go on up to the house."

He smiled sardonically. "You're actually letting me in?"

"Shut up. I'm mad as hell at you. There was no call for hurting Juan."

"He had a gun."

"And you nearly killed him."

He shrugged. "Like I said, I was annoyed."

"Well, so am I." She got back in the car. "No one invited you here."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that." He turned and strode through the gates.

"Who is that?" Sarah asked Eve. "Herb was right. He reminded me of Rambo too."

"Joe Quinn." She drove up the driveway. "An old friend."

"Are you sure? The vibes he's giving off are more explosive than friendly."

"He's upset with me." Her lips tightened. "But no more upset than I am with him."

"He was at Fay's," Jane said from the backseat. "He jumped on me."

"You jumped on him first. With a baseball bat."

"You're defending him," Sarah noticed.

"It's habit." She parked and got out of the car. "You all go on to bed. I'll deal with him."

"He'll take some dealing," Sarah murmured. "But Monty and I are too tired to volunteer, and Jane doesn't have her baseball bat."

Jane chuckled. "Can Monty sleep with me tonight, Sarah?"

"Not tonight. You know that's only on special occasions." Sarah nodded at Joe, who was waiting by the door. "Be nice to Eve, or I'll sic my dog on you."

She didn't wait for an answer as she ushered Jane and Monty inside.

"Who is she?" Joe asked Eve.

"Sarah Patrick. Monty is her dog. If you knew where I was staying, I'm surprised you didn't know about Sarah. Didn't Logan tell you what was going on?"