“You’re the one who had a dream that led MacDuff to think that Cira’s gold might be near that lake. You’re entirely to blame for MacDuff’s being so obsessed.”
“MacDuff’s been obsessed about finding the treasure for years. He didn’t need an excuse. He’s been searching all over the world for light systems that could pierce that mist on the north bank, but he hasn’t found any yet. The only reason that I was able to come here and spend the last three weeks was that he was going to Perth, Australia, to some lab that’s supposed to have had a breakthrough.”
“And did it?”
“I’ll know when I get back. I figured that it was time that I let you and Joe have Michael to yourselves.” She smiled. “I get too comfortable here and I have to remind myself that I have a life and career of my own.”
“That’s crazy.” Eve frowned. “Every moment you spend with us enriches us. We need you.”
“You also need your space. In a way, you and Joe have started a new life for yourselves. You have Michael and you also took Cara Delaney into your home. I know she’s here as often as she can manage to escape from her classes at Juilliard.”
“Which isn’t that often,” Eve said ruefully. “The trouble with bringing a violin prodigy into your life is that everyone wants a piece of her, including her music teachers. We get her for holidays and some weekends when they don’t have her doing special concerts. But Cara calls us every other night and that’s good.”
“Juilliard is in New York. She couldn’t study closer to home?”
“She could; she wanted to do that.” She shrugged. “But I couldn’t let her. It’s all about the music with Cara. She had to have the best. You can understand that, Jane. You’ve heard her play.”
“Yes. She’s magnificent. I wonder what she’ll be like when she’s a little older.”
“Time flies. She’s almost fourteen.” Eve made an impatient gesture. “But that has nothing to do with the fact that you’ve mentally set me up with a family that doesn’t include you. Not going to happen. We’re all family and that’s the way we’re going to stay.”
“I wouldn’t do that. I’m not that much of a masochist. You’re stuck with me. But I will give you space, whether you like it or not.” She gave Eve a hug and then started down the steps. “I’ll call you when I reach Gaelkar. I’ll let you know if I have any more dreams about Lisa.”
“Lisa?”
“Lisa.” Jane glanced over her shoulder. “It seemed right.”
“Then it probably is.” Changing the subject, Eve said, “You mentioned MacDuff and Jock Gavin several times since you’ve been here, but not a word about Seth Caleb. Has he dropped by Gaelkar since you went back there after Michael was born?”
“I’ve seen him once.” She tried to make her tone casual. “He and Jock have become good friends. Jock wanted him to look into something for him and he flew in for the day to talk about it.” She saw Eve’s expression and answered the unspoken question, “Not for me, Eve. He barely spoke to me. Caleb is very cool to me these days.”
“Caleb is never cool. Particularly not to you,” Eve said drily. “I can see him simmering. I can see him burning. I can see him plotting. I can see him waiting for his chance. Never, never cold. You must have really pissed him off.”
Yes, she had, but she didn’t want to talk about it with Eve right now. “You might say that.”
“And he might have deserved it. But I’m having trouble condemning him for anything these days. Not since the night he saved Michael’s life.” She added quietly, “I’ll always be grateful to him for that, Jane.”
“So will I.” Her lips twisted. “But you have to be careful about being grateful to Caleb. He’s fairly ruthless about collecting on his debts.”
“I haven’t found that to be true so far. I just thank God that Caleb has that weird ability to control the flow of blood in everyone around him. It saved Michael.” She met Jane’s eyes. “It even saved you once, Jane. That’s two people I love he gave back to me. So until he proves me wrong, I’m going to consider I owe Seth Caleb big-time.” She smiled. “Now go get on that plane. I can see Joe is beginning to fret. You’ll be lucky if you don’t miss it.”
“Right.” She ran the rest of the way down the steps. “I’ll try to get back here for Michael’s birthday.”
“Oh, I think I might see you before that,” Eve said. “You heard Michael. He said he’d see you soon. Michael is usually fairly accurate.”
“From the mouths of babes?”
“I’ve never thought of Michael as a baby except for maybe that first week. He’s just … Michael.” Eve called to Joe as Jane opened the car door. “Stop and bring home Chinese for lunch, Joe.”
“Right,” Joe said. “And Jane may join us if she doesn’t get in the damn car. Stop talking to her, Eve.”
”Sorry,” Eve said. “She said it was Michael’s fault she was late and then I had to ask about—”
“Bye, Eve.” Jane was in the car and swinging the door shut. “Love you.”
Eve nodded and waved as the car pulled out of the driveway.
Jane watched her as long as she could see her. “She’s so happy, Joe. She glows. I’ve never seen her like this before.”
“Neither have I. I believe it’s her turn. I just pray it lasts. Because then it’s everyone’s turn who loves her.” He covered her hand with his own and changed the subject. “Dreams, Jane?”
She grimaced. “Yeah, but I’d rather think about Eve. I don’t believe that woman I’ve been dreaming about is anywhere near as happy. I don’t even know if she’s a real person. Eve thinks I have to treat her as if she is.” She handed him the sketch she’d put into a large envelope. “Thanks for the help, Joe.”
“What’s family for? Now sit back, relax, and take a deep breath. I’ll get you to the airport on time. I just want to take one quick look at the mystery woman.” He took the sketch out of the envelope and glanced at it. “Very pretty, but I’m not seeing—” He broke off, his eyes narrowing. “What the hell? Maybe you’re right. Familiar. Damn familiar…”
CHAPTER
2
DELTA FLIGHT 1037
It was no use.
Jane rubbed her eyes and then impatiently shut down her computer. She’d been combing through search engines and sites for the last four hours since boarding her flight and had come up with zilch. What had she expected? That formal garden could have belonged to any house on the planet. The steepness of the mountains reminded her vaguely of the Alps, but she could be wrong. Even if she was right, the Alps were close to seven hundred miles long and it would be almost impossible to locate a house near them without some kind of clue.
She leaned back in her seat.
I tried, Lisa. I’ll keep trying. Maybe Joe will be able to help.
Help me do what? she thought ruefully. She didn’t even know why she was having these blasted dreams.
Sometimes people are chosen.
Eve had said that and believed it. It was clear that she thought Jane might have been the one chosen to help this time. Heaven knows how or why. So stop being impatient with yourself and frustrated with Lisa and try to figure it out. Banish the doubts and try to accept that somehow you have a job to do.
Okay, assume that Lisa is trying to get in touch with you for some reason of her own. It would be logical to believe that she is doing it because she can’t get help from anyone near her. She has to reach out to a stranger. She is terribly alone.
And both Jane and Eve had received the impression of the danger surrounding her.
Why had Lisa been able to reach out to her? Jane knew psychic power was rare, but she believed it existed. She had known people who possessed it. But why Jane when the only unusual thing about her were the dreams she’d had of Cira? She had told Eve that Lisa was vaguely familiar. Had there been some kind of connection between them that had made it possible for Lisa to contact her?
She opened her sketchbook and studied Lisa’s face. It was the eyes, she decided. Slightly tilted, maybe a little exotic … She flipped open the computer again and accessed a search engine that would allow her to check her yearbooks from both high school and the university.