Caleb was already there, fully dressed, his hair wet from the shower. “Fresh coffee.” He handed her a cup. “But I wasn’t about to cook you breakfast. You can eat later. I wanted to talk to you before Jock and MacDuff surface. You’ve kept me waiting long enough, dammit. I saw your light go on at four.” He took the sketchbook from her and flipped it open to the new sketch. “Punishment escalating,” he said grimly. “They’re getting impatient. She’s probably not only refusing to do what they want but giving them a bit of verbal abuse. Lisa is never shy about making her thoughts known.”
“So I’ve noticed.” Her lips tightened. “And it makes me sick to see her like this. Is there any chance I can convince her to keep her mouth shut until I can find a way to help her escape?”
“Probably not.” He lifted his eyes from the sketch to meet her own. “But I could do it. If you give me the chance.”
“Don’t be too confident. Your influence might be waning. She’s not at all certain that your advice is either smart or desirable.”
“Indeed?” He shrugged. “I’m sure you’re going to elaborate.”
“You bet I am.” She quickly and concisely went over her recent communication with Lisa and ended by saying, “And the word wrong was used very emphatically when connected with you, Caleb.”
“And you enjoyed it enormously.”
“I enjoyed the chance to prick your ego, but I’m not enjoying anything else about this,” she said wearily. “And if I could turn you loose on Lisa to work your magic, I’d do it. But I could tell I was skating on very thin ice when she found out that you’d already become involved on even this limited basis.”
“I could convince her.”
“I won’t take the risk.” She paused. “What promise did she make you, Caleb?”
“You probably have a good idea. I worked with her on initiating her talents when she was a youngster. But I made her promise she would never free them until I judged the time was right and gave her permission.”
“And reinforced it with that mojo you use on occasion.”
“It was necessary,” he said through set teeth. “Look, as long as no one knew she wasn’t normal, she wouldn’t be treated as a freak by anyone in her circle. She had a chance of what they call ‘living a happy life.’ What was more important as she grew older and the talent grew, is that it protected everyone around her from a minor temper tantrum that could prove deadly.” He paused. “And Lisa from being victimized or used by anyone who might want to employ that talent.”
“Like her sister, Maria?”
He nodded. “And Maria had no talent.”
“And you, Caleb. Did anyone try to make a victim out of you?”
“Of course. But thanks to my dear parents, who made me suspicious of who and what I was, I grew up to be wary of everyone around me.” His lips twisted. “I assure you, I was such a son of a bitch that no one ever had the slightest chance of victimizing me.”
“But according to what Lisa said, this Santara told her that the reason they wanted to reach you was because they needed you to do something for them.”
“Which could have been a complete lie. I have a lot of enemies.”
“That’s what Lisa thought. But why go to all the bother of kidnapping her just to get hold of you? Why not go for you directly if they want to kill you?”
“And your point?”
“I don’t know. Only that they’ve asked for no ransom. They want Lisa to get you in a position where you see how helpless she is. That’s very persuasive if you want to barter something. Perhaps Santara wasn’t lying.”
“Possibly,” he said. “Or maybe he was.” He finished his coffee. “Either way, we have to find out where they’re keeping her. I’m starting with the Romanos, who conveniently left Lisa alone on the estate for two days before Santara went after her. They supposedly went to Rome, but I couldn’t find any trace of them when I was looking for Lisa. If the estate was closed up within a couple days of the time when Lisa was taken, they would have had to sign contracts or give verbal orders to get it done. I’ll track it down.” He added grimly, “Or track them down.”
“You think they may be involved?”
“It’s looking that way. I told you that the Romanos had no liking for me. If they’re using Lisa to get to me, then they certainly know what they’d get for their money. Maybe they’re earning a little extra cash setting me up for one of my more than plentiful enemies.” His smile was reckless. “Or perhaps they found a use for the freak that they considered so disgusting. We do have uses, don’t we, Jane?”
He was no longer talking about Lisa, and Jane wasn’t going to let him go there. “Back off. I made a mistake. But this isn’t about anyone but your sister. You saved Eve and Michael and I’m going to do my damnedest to help Lisa. Neither has anything to do with the other.” She turned away. “I’m going to make breakfast for everyone and then I’m going to call Eve and Joe and tell them what’s happening. Are you going to help Jock and MacDuff today?”
“Until noon. Then I’ll be on the phone checking out Santara.” He was silent. “And I really need to link with Lisa. It sounds as if she’s ready to—”
“No. I think she’s stronger than you think, stronger than she thinks. But we do have to get her away from that bastard who’s abusing her.” She paused. “I don’t want to have to wait for her to use those sketches to bond with me. Can you find another way to make it happen? Can I go to her?”
He raised his brows. “If you let me come along.”
“No.”
“It’s the only way. You’d be satisfied because it would be visual, as well. Actually, you’d be coming along with me.” He smiled. “You’ve been down that road before with me, but it would be a little different. No mind games. Just a clean link with Lisa.”
“And risk her breaking with both of us.”
“Trust me.”
She shook her head. “I’d have to be desperate.”
His smile faded. “It may come to that. Don’t wait too long. I’m trying to go along with you on this, but there are ways that I can—” He stopped as he saw Jock coming toward them. “Don’t wait too long.…”
*
“Caleb…” Eve said thoughtfully when Jane had finished. “Yes, I can see the resemblance there, now that you bring it to my attention. It was just that none of us was expecting it.”
“I’ll second that,” Jane said curtly. “We didn’t know Lisa existed. He lied to us.”
“Yes, he did. But I imagine that Caleb has had to lie a lot in his life just to survive.”
“You’re defending him.”
“No, but I’m trying to understand him. I think you’re getting a new view on Caleb, too.”
Jane couldn’t deny it. “But it doesn’t alter the fact that all of us still have to find ways to survive Caleb. And he doesn’t allow anyone close enough to understand what drives him. Certainly not me.”
“He let you know that he cares about Lisa. That may be a breakthrough for him.”
“Look, Eve, this isn’t about Caleb. It’s about Lisa. Caleb is only important because he can help us to help her.”
“But from what you said, getting her away may depend on giving Caleb to this Santara.”
“I didn’t say that.” The idea sent panic through her. “Not that Caleb wouldn’t be able to take care— But we’ll find some other way to—”
“Shh, I know that’s not on the agenda. I’m just trying to clarify the problem.”
“I didn’t phone to dump all this on you. I just wanted to let you know what was happening and update Joe on what we have to be on the lookout for.” She changed the subject. “How’s Michael doing?”
“Magnificently. Right now he’s discovering the intricacies of building a skyscraper from his blocks. Nothing simple for Michael. But he’s missing you.”
“I miss him.” She added lightly, “And his parents. I have to go now and see if I can lend a hand with those lights down in the mist. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Do that.” She paused. “Be careful, Jane. I know this situation is driving you crazy, that you have to stand by and not be able to help that girl. Just don’t make a move without letting us help.”
“Right now, I can’t make any move. I don’t know where she is, dammit.” She added grimly, “But I’ll find out. Bye, Eve.” She hit the button to end the call.
Try not to think about Lisa for the next few hours, she told herself.
She was terribly frustrated and there was a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted desperately to reach out and find a way to do more for Lisa.
Before it was too late.