“And your pride is hurt?” She studied him. “I wouldn’t think that your ego was that fragile.”

He finished searching her. “You don’t know anything about me, Margaret Douglas.”

“No, but I think I’d like to. You’re very interesting. But you can see I’m not much of a danger to you. That patdown was very intimate, and you have to know I don’t have any weapons.”

“Not while I have you down and under control. You could have stashed them somewhere in the woods. You might look like the girl next door, but that doesn’t mean anything. When I was in Afghanistan, a young woman not much older than you came running toward my unit screaming for us to save her. When she was close enough to do damage, she pressed a button and blew herself to pieces, together with four of my buddies.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “That must have been terrible for you. No wonder you frisked me down so thoroughly.” She sighed. “Now why don’t you call Eve and tell her that you’ve captured and cuffed me and see what she says. If you don’t trust me, you’ll trust her. Everyone always trusts Eve.”

“Because she’s not a flighty kid wandering around the woods and sniffing the soil around graves.”

“She would if it was part of her job. I imagine she does lots of things that would scare most people off. Call her. I could use that cup of coffee.”

He hesitated. “She’s not going to appreciate a call in the middle of the night. She probably just checked into her hotel.” He started dialing. “What the hell. She’s the one who sent you and started all of us spinning in circles.”

“Spinning? That’s a good word. Yes, she did, didn’t she?” She crossed her legs Indian fashion. “Tell her that I would have called her, but I wanted to have something to tell her before I made contact.”

“Tell her yourself.” He spoke into the phone as Eve answered. “John Nalchek. I apprehended a young woman in the woods tonight at the crime scene. She identified herself as Margaret Douglas. I assume you’re familiar with her?”

“Margaret?” Eve repeated. “I didn’t know she was on her way. Apprehended? That sounds … is she okay?”

“Do you mean did I hurt her? No, but it could have happened when I caught her snooping around that grave.” He added deliberately, “She had no business there.”

“Where is she now?”

“We’re still in the woods.”

“Tell her to bring coffee,” Margaret said, “I’m freezing.”

“She wants coffee,” Nalchek said sarcastically. “I guess she expects you to provide it.”

“I’ll be right there.” Eve hung up.

“She verified your identity,” Nalchek said as he hung up. “So now we sit and wait.”

“You could take me to your car. It would be warmer.”

“No, I think that we’re fine here. You shouldn’t be trekking through the woods in nothing but that hoodie if you’re worried about the cold.”

“Punishment?” She shrugged. “Fine. But I thought that I’d be moving around and be able to keep warm.” She got to her knees. “Will you take off the cuffs and let me do that? I’m not going to run away.”

“How do I know—” He muttered a curse and reached behind her and unlocked the cuffs. “Stay close. I’ll be with you every step.”

“Okay.” She moved toward the grave and fell to her knees. “Just keep out of my way.” She picked up the soil and began to sniff it. She put out her tongue and delicately tasted it.

“What are—”

“Hush.” Then she got to her feet and moved into the surrounding brush. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to escape the unfriendly arms of the law. You can come along.”

“Thank you.” His eyes were narrowed on her. “But I can’t ask questions?”

“You’re not ready. And you disturb my concentration.” She finally stopped beside a huge oak tree. “Here. He likes it here.”

“Who?” Nalchek snapped.

“I don’t know his name or if he has one.” She sat down beneath the tree. “If you’ll be quiet, maybe I can find out.”

Nalchek opened his lips to speak, then closed them again.

Watch.

Listen.

Collate all information.

She might be a screwball. She might be some kind of con artist. But he wouldn’t know if he didn’t stop protesting and start analyzing.

He dropped down beside her and focused on her every move.

CHAPTER

6

“Margaret!”

“That’s Eve.” Margaret got to her feet. “It’s only been thirty minutes. Her hotel must have been close.” She moved out of the forest toward the grave. “Here, Eve. Did you bring my coffee?”

“Yes.” She handed her the paper cup. In the process, she touched her hand and gave a low whistle. “You’re ice-cold. Why didn’t you wait in Nalchek’s car?”

Margaret gave Nalchek a glance. “I was so busy, I didn’t notice the chill. Neither did the sheriff, or I’m sure he would have offered to bring me out of the cold.” She chuckled. “Or is that an espionage term?” She took a sip of coffee. “That’s so good. I’ve spent so much time in the islands that my body temperature tends to plummet. I was fine as long as I was in Southern California.”

“I didn’t offer because I was pissed off,” Nalchek said bluntly. “And I don’t need you to make excuses for me. You shouldn’t have been here if you object to facing the consequences.”

“I’m not objecting,” she said quietly. “I believe in consequences. It’s nature’s way of balancing the order of things.”

“When your friends don’t take a hand.” He turned to Eve. “This isn’t how I expected to meet you. I don’t like your coming here anyway, and I certainly don’t appreciate your sending this weird kid into my woods.”

Eve’s brows rose. “Your woods?”

“My jurisdiction.” He paused. “My hometown. My county.”

“You’re waving all your credentials at us,” she said shrewdly. “You must really not want us here.”

He was silent. “You’ll get in my way.”

“No, I won’t.” She met his gaze. “And I’ll vouch for Margaret.”

“Not good enough,” Margaret said soberly. “He thinks that I might be trouble. He had a bad experience with a woman in Afghanistan who blew up a couple of his buddies and herself along with them.”

“Really?” Eve shook her head. “Just look at her, Nalchek. Anyone could see Margaret is no threat.”

“Because she looks like a college kid? The woman in Afghanistan had a baby in her arms when she blew herself up.” He gestured dismissively. “And I don’t need to make any judgment about her if I don’t accept her value to my investigation.”

“She will have value.” Eve turned to Margaret. “I’m sure you haven’t had much time, but can you help me?”

“Maybe. He let me look around a little after he called you.” She suddenly smiled. “I don’t know if it was because he was curious or that he wanted me to have enough rope to hang myself. Maybe a little of both?”

“I’d say you managed to give me plenty of ammunition. As a woods expert, you leave much to be desired,” Nalchek said dryly. “Did you know she eats dirt, Eve?”

“No, I don’t recall hearing that,” Eve said. “But I’m sure she has a good reason.” She glanced at Margaret. “Do you?”

“Not what he’d consider good.” She took another drink of coffee. “It’s just my way of analyzing trace evidence. And I didn’t eat it, I merely tasted it.”

“That makes all the difference,” Eve said solemnly.

“Yes, it does.” She chuckled. “Though I would have eaten it if it had been necessary. It turned out that it wasn’t.”

“I’m through here,” Nalchek said shortly. “And so is she. I might have accepted your expert if you could have proved she would contribute but I’m not wasting my time.”

“Proof.” Margaret’s smile faded. “That’s difficult for Eve. She has no firsthand information about me or what I can do. She has to trust her daughter, Jane, and a few other friends who have put their trust in me.”

“But I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I hadn’t believed in you,” Eve said. “Jane told me that your knowledge of those wolves in the forests of Colorado helped to save me.”