Sleep No More

CHAPTER

12

BETH STRAIGHTENED UP IN HER CHAIR as Joe came into the library. “What happened to you?”

“Drogan.” He limped toward the TV and turned on the news station. “It’s the second time I screwed up and let him get away. What the hell is wrong with me?”

“You’re not perfect?” She glanced at the TV. “What are you trying to watch?”

“Drogan made off with a red Lamborghini. There’s bound to be a pursuit by the local police.” He began channel flipping. “With all these twenty-four/seven news stations, one of them should be covering it.” He leaned closer to the set. “There!”

He was looking at the shot of a red Lamborghini parked in the driveway of a substantial brick home. There was a crowd of police and media personnel swarming around it.

“Abandoned?” Beth asked.

“Yes, and it was out of Seventeen Mile Drive. That may be good for us.”

“How?”

“The search won’t be as extensive in this area.”

“There will be a search?”

“You bet your life. This area is pure money and political pull. They take care of their own.” He glanced at the location where the sports car had been found and typed it into his phone. “But they’ll grab the rental car that he left a few houses around the bend and check this area, too. Which means that we can’t move too soon. There will be an alert out and probably media on every corner for a night or two.”

“Will they search this house?”

“Not unless they think they have a reason. This house is supposed to be vacant and has a security guard checking it periodically. If we stay inside and keep a low profile, we’ll probably be okay until it’s safe to leave. In the meantime, I’ll locate another safe house for you.” He added grimly, “And do a little more-in-depth study about Drogan and the Averys.”

“Should we wake Eve and Billy?”

“Not until we have to. What good would it do? I ran upstairs and checked on her, and Eve had managed to drift off.”

“I’d want to know what was happening.”

“And so will Eve. But she can find out after she gets a little rest.” He frowned. “But Eve has my computer.”

“There’s one over there on the desk. Can you use it?”

He nodded. “I’d rather have my own, but I have the thumb drive.” He moved across the room and sat down at the desk. “If you’re going to curl up on that couch and go to sleep, do it. I can see by the screen, and I’m turning out the light.”

“Why? I told you that you can’t see through those drapes.”

“I’m not taking a chance. There will be intense, not casual scrutiny.” He took out the thumb drive. “But I want to get as much information as I can while we’re having to wait to get moving. I have an idea that Drogan is going to be moving at full speed from now on. I glimpsed his face after I put a bullet in his hand.”

“A bullet? You didn’t mention you shot him.” She was looking at the red streak on his cheek. “Was that caused by a bullet?”

“Yes.” He inserted the thumb drive. “And I only shot him, I didn’t kill him.”

“So it wasn’t worthwhile telling anyone. It wasn’t important.”

“It was important. It had the same effect as waving a red cape at a bull. And I didn’t follow through and put the bastard down.”

Violence, she thought with a shudder. Bullets and rage and Joe Quinn ready and willing to kill a man because he’d become involved in this hideous nightmare in which she’d become entangled.

“It’s too late, Beth,” Joe said quietly. He had looked up and seen her expression. “The game’s begun, and we all have to play by the rules.”

“I don’t understand games like this. But you like them, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “There’s a certain amount of excitement involved. I admit to having a few savage impulses. In time, you might discover you have a few yourself. You’re intensely competitive, and that’s a likely sign.” He smiled. “And you pulled a gun on Eve and Newell.”

“And it scared me to death.”

“The fear will go away, but the power remains. How do you feel right now? Are you angry with me?”

She was silent a moment. “I have no right to be angry. You could have been killed because of me. I should be grateful.”

“And are you?”

She was silent again. “Yes, but I don’t want you to do it again. I’d feel guilty that—”

“It’s my choice. Remember that, Beth. No guilt. People make choices.”

“Bullshit.”

He chuckled. “I don’t have time to argue with you now. Work it out for yourself.”

“I will.” She curled up on the leather couch and drew the throw over her. “But I’m tired of everyone’s risking their necks and treating me as if I were still sedated and almost comatose in that hospital. I’m going to help myself, Joe.”

“Fine.” He was pulling up records on the computer. “When something comes up, I’ll let you know.”

“You don’t mean that.” She turned on her side on the couch to look at him. “But I do. There’s so much I have to learn. I’m strong, but Drogan almost killed me that night at the hospital. You know all kinds of ways to fight people. Will you teach me?”

“If I have time,” he said, his gaze on the computer screen.

“Make time,” she said firmly. “I bet you taught Eve to protect herself. Well, she’s like you, she’s going to stay beside me and run risks no matter what I say. Wouldn’t it be better if I knew how to protect both of us?”

He lifted his gaze. “You’re very clever. You know exactly where to strike.”

“It’s easy. You love her. I don’t know much about feelings like that, but I know that you want her safe. You wouldn’t want me to die, but I don’t really matter to you. Not compared to what you feel for her. Will you teach me so that she has a better chance of surviving if she stays with me?”

He smiled. “As I said, clever. Yes, I’d do that if we didn’t have to move so fast.”

“It wouldn’t take much of your time to show me basics. I’ve always been a fast learner. And I’ll have to learn even faster now. I have so much time to make up.” She added quickly, “Don’t answer me now. I know you’ll do it if I pick the right time. I just thought I’d prepare you.”

“Thank you.”

“And I’ll let you tell me about Eve later, too.”

“Beth, go to sleep and let me work.”

She was silent a moment. “I’m annoying you.”

“Yes.”

“Why? Tell me, and I’ll stop.”

“Because you’re half-child, half-sage, and you have the drive of a bulldozer. It’s a difficult combination for me to handle right now.”

“But I think you like me, don’t you?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “And I’ve decided that I couldn’t go to bed with you after all even if Eve didn’t mind. Because I like you, too, and it would bother me if I thought I wasn’t measuring up to what you’d want me to be.”

“Well, I’m glad we’ve finally settled that problem,” Joe said solemnly. “Though I thought that subject was already closed.”

“You’re laughing at me. That’s all right. It might have been closed for you and Eve, but I have trouble letting go of anything.” She changed the subject. “I’m not going to be able to sleep. How can I help you? Don’t tell me no. Think about it.”

He thought about it. “Keep the TV low so that it won’t disturb me and monitor anything that might have to do with the theft of the Lamborghini or any police action in the area. Okay?”

“Okay.” She reached for the remote and propped herself up on the couch. “I won’t bother you any longer unless I see something you should know about.”

“Excellent.”

She didn’t speak for a few minutes, then whispered, “I’m sorry he hurt you, Joe.”

Joe didn’t answer. He was frowning intently, and she didn’t know if he heard her. And he might not care how she felt. Everything he did for Beth was because Eve wanted it to be done. What would it be like to have someone love you that much? She felt a sudden pang of loneliness that she instantly dismissed as soon as she identified it. She had been alone all her life, and she wasn’t going to whine about it. Now that she was free, she was going to have a wonderful life and love and friendship might even be a part of it. She was difficult and obstinate, and it was hard for her to reach out. But maybe that could be overcome.

If she was lucky, if she didn’t annoy everyone as much as she did Joe …

* * *

THE GREEN NEON SIGN of the Immediate Care Medical Clinic blazed in the darkness.

TWENTY-FOUR HOUR SERVICE.

There were only two cars in the parking lot, Drogan noticed. That was good. They probably belonged to staff, and he wouldn’t be forced to push ahead of any other patients and cause a disturbance. He had to be very unobtrusive until he got this damn wound treated.

“It’s okay, pull in,” he told the woman driving the car. What was her name? Hester something. Kippling, that was it. “Do you remember what you’re supposed to do?”

Hester Kippling nodded jerkily. “I’ll do whatever you say. Anything. Please don’t hurt me.” She parked the car in front of the building and shut off the engine. Her voice was strained as she tried to control herself. “I won’t tell the police anything. Just let me go home to my granddaughter. Tiffany’s only four years old. You can’t be sure that she can breathe through that gag you stuffed in her mouth.”

“Then you’d better get home to her right away before she suffocates. But it’s more likely that you’ll end up dead than the kid if you don’t do exactly as I say. You wouldn’t want her to end up an orphan.” He tucked his gun back into his jacket and got out of the car. “I’ll be watching you. One glance, one twitch of an eyebrow that tips off that doctor, and you’re dead. Now get out and act like a loving wife who’s so worried about me that you’re shaking and about to collapse.” He laughed. “It shouldn’t be difficult. All you need to do is think about this gun in my pocket and the fact that if you cause trouble, I’ll go back to your house and blow the kid’s head off.”

Hester Kippling. “No trouble. I promise.” She hurried toward the front entrance. “Just don’t hurt me or Tiffany. We didn’t do anything to you.”

No, and he probably wouldn’t do anything to Tiffany Kippling. He didn’t have time to go back and deal with the woman’s granddaughter. He didn’t like leaving witnesses, but a child wasn’t really believable in a court of law. He had made sure she was terrified before he’d bound and gagged her. She wouldn’t be able to even look at him without becoming hysterical. It was marginally safe leaving her alive.

And not at all safe permitting Hester Kippling to survive this night.

“Would I hurt that sweet little girl?” He opened the heavy glass doors and added softly, “Only if you force me, Hester, and I know you wouldn’t do that.”

* * *

IT WAS OVER FOUR HOURS LATER that Beth suddenly straightened on the couch. “I think this may be what you were talking about, Joe. It all connects.”

Joe turned to look at her. “What connects?”

“Drogan.” She pointed to the TV screen that showed an EMT van and several policemen milling around an Immediate Care Medical Clinic parking lot. “Triple murder. A middle-aged woman, Hester Kippling, a Dr. Dan Thomas, and Lynn Smith his nurse. Thomas and the nurse were on duty at this clinic about forty miles from here. Hester Kippling accompanied her supposed husband into the facility and insisted on staying with him through the treatment.” She glanced at Joe. “He had a hand injury. His entire right hand was bandaged.”

He nodded. “Drogan.”

“Dr. Thomas evidently performed the necessary surgery. But the doctor, nurse, and Hester Kippling were found dead a few hours later by another nurse who had come in at a shift change. Shot to death. There were video cameras in the reception area but none in the examining room. No clear photos of the killer. He managed to stay out of view.” She looked at Joe. “But it has to be Drogan, doesn’t it?”

He nodded. “Otherwise, it’s entirely too coincidental.” He smiled. “Good job, Beth.”

She shivered. “Nothing good about it. Three people dead because of me. It could have been even worse. They found a little girl tied up but alive at the Kippling house.” Her lips firmed. “But I won’t think like that. I have to keep telling myself that I’m not guilty. It’s Drogan. It’s all because of Drogan.”

“That’s right.”

“But he has to be stopped, Joe. Did you find anything else about him?”

“His photo.” He pulled up Drogan’s photo on his phone to reveal dark hair, olive skin, and large brown eyes set in a narrow face. “He may not look quite the same. This was taken years ago. And I found out a few other things. I tapped the FBI database and found out that Drogan is the pseudonym of an ex–Army Ranger who was kicked out of the service after a friendly-fire incident that killed his commanding officer and was suspected of being far from friendly. His name is Carl Saglet, age forty-three, born in New Orleans. His mother, Zela Saglet, was a prostitute who was heavily into drugs and belonged to a voodoo cult that had monthly ceremonies at an abandoned plantation outside the city. There’s no doubt that Drogan attended those ceremonies. He bragged about it at his school, and the welfare workers tried three times to take him away from his mother for child endangerment. But the police couldn’t prove that there was anything criminal taking place at the ceremonies.” He shook his head. “But years later they discovered a small graveyard near the swamp, in which seven bodies were buried. They couldn’t identify all of them, but they were able to trace two who were known homeless vagrants on Bourbon Street.” He paused. “And Drogan’s mother, Zela. She was found in a makeshift coffin with the skeleton of a large water moccasin wrapped around her throat.”

“Drogan?” Beth whispered.

“Probably. The FBI had records of three suspected kills years later with the same M.O.”

“Suspected? Why haven’t they been able to arrest him?”

“He’s very careful, very smart. He became a contract killer a few years after he got out of the service, and he’s been moving around the world and gaining a reputation for himself. He worked for the Italian Mafia for a while, then moved to Mexico. But he didn’t do well down there; the drug cartels don’t have any use for either caution or subtlety. They just hang their victim’s heads on bridges as warnings. So the last word on him was that he’d moved to somewhere outside L.A. and was taking lucrative assignments from his base there.”

“And Pierce found someone who put him in touch with Drogan?”

“It’s logical. If he didn’t want to get his hands dirty killing you himself.”

“Why, dammit?” Beth asked. “Was I just in his way?”

“Not in his way,” Joe said. “I imagine that Pierce would have been happy to continue with the arrangement for the foreseeable future. Why not? He was being paid a handsome fee, and you were no trouble.”

“No trouble,” Beth repeated bitterly. “I was like one of the zombies at Drogan’s voodoo ceremonies. No wonder Pierce felt comfortable hiring him. It was entirely fitting, wasn’t it?”

“Until you woke up. No one could call you a zombie now.”

“No, I’m not,” she said fiercely. “And I’ll never be that way again. I won’t let Drogan kill me or Pierce put me back in that stupor. I’ll kill them first.”

“Easy,” Joe said. “There’s no question of that’s happening. We just have to work on catching Drogan so that we can get him to testify against Pierce.” He paused. “And anyone else who’s involved.”

“Not Rick. It wasn’t Rick. And I never met my grandmother or grandfather Avery but there’s no reason for them to want to hurt me. Why would they do that?”

“Maybe they don’t want to hurt you. But they paid the bills for your stay at the hospital. Now, since we suspect that you should never have been there in the first place, wouldn’t it be smart to dig a little deeper?”

She reached up and touched the golden key at her throat. “Maybe Pierce lied to them and said that I had an injury that was incurable. Maybe it wasn’t their fault at all.”

“And you’d rather believe Pierce was the villain than anyone else. I don’t blame you. He’s a bastard and should burn in hell.” He met her gaze. “But unless we get to the bottom of this and prove he hired Drogan to kill you, there’s a chance he’ll be able to manipulate the system and put you back in that hospital.”

“No!”

“You’ve been studying what’s been going on in this wicked old world since you got out of the hospital. Truth can be twisted, and the good don’t always come out on top.”

She tried to smile. “But I’ve got you and Eve to help me.”

“And your friend, Newell.”

Her smile faded. “Billy’s been hurt enough. I want you to find a way to send him somewhere where he’ll be safe. Can you do that?”

“Possibly. If he’ll agree to leave you.”

“Make him do it.” She moistened her lips. “I know neither you nor Eve will be persuaded to go away. I have to accept that you feel it your duty to help me because Eve is my sister. That’s crazy, too, since I’ve been nothing but trouble. But Billy has no reason to run the risk.”

“He thinks he has a reason.” He shrugged. “I’ll try to send him out of the line of fire. I can’t guarantee anything.” He got to his feet. “And now I’m going upstairs to tell Eve what’s been going on.” He glanced at the TV newscaster, who was repeating the story of Drogan’s triple homicide. “Not a pleasant way to wake up.”

“Ugly. I’ve known her for such a short time and yet brought so much ugliness into her life.”

“She can handle ugliness. She can handle anything that comes along.” He turned and headed toward the door. “I never got around to telling you about her. Sometime, check her out on the Net. It won’t tell you about the steel inside her, but it will give you an idea why she had to develop it.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost five in the morning. Why don’t you try to take a nap? You were up all night staring at that TV.”

She watched the door shut behind him and felt suddenly lonely. The hours of shared effort aimed at a common goal had been interesting and a little exciting. But now he was going to Eve, and Beth was alone again.

They would be together in that closeness and bonding that even Beth could recognize as being both rare and special. She felt a pang of envy. Oh, not of Joe or Eve but the relationship, the love itself, that she had never known.

And she might never know it. So just take life and drink every pleasure. She wouldn’t behave like a hungry beggar at the gates. She’d make herself valuable to herself and become Eve’s equal and maybe it would work out.

And maybe it wouldn’t.

If it didn’t, then she’d move on and open herself to other people, other experiences. But not now, when she could explore this tentative bond that was forging with Eve.

She tossed off the throw covering her and moved over to sit at the desk. She turned the computer back on and brought up the Net.

Find the steel and the reason behind it.

She typed in the name.

Eve Duncan.

* * *

JOE …

Eve rolled over in bed and went into his arms. Warmth, strength, love without end …

Then her lids flew open as she felt the cotton of his shirt press against her. He was still dressed.

Of course he was!

She lifted herself on one elbow and looked down at him. “Dammit, I fell asleep. One minute I was awake, then— Did you see anything that—” She stopped as she saw the red streak on his cheek. She reached out to touch it. “Joe?”

“It’s nothing.” He took her fingers and brought them to his lips. “And, yes, I did see something.”

“That’s pretty obvious. It’s almost dawn. You said that you were only going to do a preliminary scouting trip to the house next door, then come right back.”

“I saw his footprints. One thing led to another. But I didn’t get him, dammit.”

“I knew I should have gone with you.” She got out of bed and turned on the lamp. “What else did he do to you?” She shook her head as she saw the dirt on his shirt and pants. “You’re a mess.”

“A couple bruises on my hip. He tried to run me over with a Lamborghini.” He smiled. “At least if he’d taken me out, it would have been done with class.”

“That’s not funny. If you weren’t going to come right back, you should have let me go with you.”

“No, it’s not funny. But to be fair, I wasn’t gone for more than an hour, and I did come upstairs to check in with you. I decided not to wake you.”

“Bad decision.”

He was silent a moment. “Not as bad as the one you made when you and Kendra went to get those records at the hospital and shut me out of the action.” He held up his hand. “No, I didn’t do it as some kind of revenge. I’m over that now … Well, almost.”

She opened her mouth to argue, then shut it without speaking. He was right. She had opened herself to this action on his part. He would not have purposely lied to her. When you were dealing with a monster like Drogan, things happened that changed the situation minute by minute.

And she would not want Joe’s self-will and independence threatened, even by her. It would be the quickest way to destroy what was between them. “Okay, but you should still have woken me when you came back. And why didn’t you come to bed right away?”

He smiled slyly, “I was down in the library with Beth.”

“What? Is she okay?”

He sighed. “That’s not the response I was hoping for. I was enjoying the idea that you were a little possessive. I think you’re taking me too much for granted.”

“No, I’m not. And you’d be mad as hell if I didn’t trust you. Now why were you with Beth?”

“I was using the computer in the library to see if I could check out background info on Drogan. I need to get to know everything I can about him.” He met her gaze. “Because I believe that Beth isn’t going to be his only target from now on. I made him very, very angry.”

She slowly sat back down on the bed. “Why? Talk to me, Joe. Everything.”

“I was about to do that. But I thought I’d take a shower and change first.”

“No way.”

“Whatever you say. But it will take a while. There have been developments.” He leaned back on the headboard. “And then we’re going to have to make a few decisions.”

* * *

“NASTY.” WHEN JOE HAD FINISHED speaking, Eve got to her feet and went over to the window to look down at the surf pounding against the beach. “Three innocent people, Joe?” She shook her head. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised after what he did to Beth and Newell, but I am. He’s even worse than I imagined.” She turned to look at him. “What decisions?”

“One, we have to leave here and find somewhere safe for Beth. We probably won’t be able to leave the area safely until evening. It’s a break that the Lamborghini was ditched outside the drive, but they’ll still do a cursory search since his rental car was found down the street. I’ll have time to make some calls to contacts I have in Los Angeles and set up a safe house.” He made a face. “But I guarantee it won’t be as luxurious as this one Newell arranged for her.”

“What else?”

“Dr. Hans Gelber.”

She nodded. “The psychiatrist Pierce brought in to do the hypnosis on Beth when she first arrived at the hospital. But that was years ago. He may not even still be alive.”

“He’s alive. After I checked out Drogan, I went on the Net and verified Gelber. He moved from Germany the same year he was involved with Beth’s therapy. Evidently he earned a nice fat fee from Pierce and was able to set up offices in Beverly Hills. We won’t be able to squeeze any information out of Pierce, but Gelber may cave if we put some pressure on him. He’s the only one besides Pierce who knows the story behind why Beth was supposedly so traumatized. If his job was to make her forget that episode, he must have known exactly what happened.”

“That fat fee was probably supposed to guarantee Gelber’s silence. And, if there was anything criminal behind it, he’s not going to incriminate himself.”

“Unless we can scare him. And I’m willing to do my damnedest.” His lips tightened. “I hate the idea of anyone’s circumventing a person’s will, and for anyone to deliberately twist Beth’s psyche pisses me off royally.”

And she had no doubt Joe would be able to do it. He could be extraordinarily intimidating when he chose. And seeing his expression at that moment, she knew that he would choose. She wasn’t going to try to dissuade him when she felt the same way. Pierce might have been the guiding hand behind his tool, Gelber, but the doctor had let himself be used and kept his silence for many years. Years when Beth was being held prisoner. “Do you have his address?”

“Oh, yes. I figured I’d pay him a visit once I got you and Beth settled again.”

She shook her head. “Not this time. I’m going with you. Newell can stay with Beth.”

He lifted his shoulders. “I thought that would be the way it would go.” He was silent. “Shall we tell Beth?”

“Of course; it’s her right to know what we’re doing. She was that bastard’s victim. Hell, she’ll probably want to go with us.”

“If she believes that he actually hypnotized her. It’s all a blur to her. I think she’s having trouble believing that there was any plot against her by the Averys. She’d rather think that Pierce was the sole guilty one who kept her at the hospital so he could milk the family for money.”

“It’s easier than having to believe Rick Avery had anything to do with it.” She wrinkled her nose. “She clearly adores the man. I don’t see how she could— Yes, I could. She didn’t have anyone else. Everyone needs someone to love, and he evidently has a certain charisma.” She added, “She can ignore the truth if she wishes, but we’ve still got to give her the opportunity to face her demons. Maybe she’ll remember something from the therapy sessions if she sees him again.”

“Perhaps.” Joe got up from the bed and moved toward the bathroom. “And maybe she’ll close her mind and refuse to see anything. I’m heading for the shower. I left Beth in the library. If you want to discuss this with her, I’m sure that she’ll still be awake. I suggested that she take a nap, but I dangled the possibility of finding out more about you by tapping the Internet. Considering that she has a boundless curiosity about the world in general and you in particular, which suggestion do you think she’d choose?”

“You’ve learned a good deal about her.”

“I like her. She’s very human. And I can see similarities with you. That automatically puts me on her side.”

“We’re nothing alike.”

“Wrong. You’re both mentally and physically tough but have a certain vulnerability. Physically, there’s little resemblance, but every now and then, I see her tilt her head in a certain way…” He smiled. “And I can see Bonnie in her.”

She stiffened. “Her hair … it’s curly like Bonnie’s.”

“No, that’s not it. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s there.” The door of the bathroom shut behind him.

Crazy. Beth was really nothing like Bonnie. Beth was stubborn and wonderfully vital and as changeable as quicksilver.

But would there have been a character resemblance if Bonnie had grown up in the same environment as Beth? Bonnie had been taken from Eve when she was only seven, and she had been so special. But she had always been surrounded by love. Beth had not had that advantage and had grown wary. Would the years have changed Bonnie if she’d had to live a life like Beth’s?

No, not Bonnie. Eve could not imagine Bonnie wary or afraid to give love.

And it was ridiculous standing there and mentally trying to compare them just because Joe had made that comment. She was already feeling the start of a fierce protectiveness toward Beth. Which was completely ridiculous. The woman had threatened to shoot her, been completely rude, then suggested that she would like to sleep with Joe.

Yet Beth had managed to touch her in a way that was completely mystifying.

They were approaching each other tentatively, half-afraid to commit, unsure of what they would find. Beth was surrounded by lies and terror and death, and Eve was beginning to feel as if she had entered into that suffocating cocoon with her.

Forget it. All this emotional fretting was getting her nowhere. Do what Joe suggested and go downstairs and discuss Hans Gelber with Beth and give her the chance to say yea or nay.

She threw on a robe and ran a comb through her hair. She’d shower later, when Joe was finished, but she wanted to get this talk over and done with. She ran down the stairs and down the hall to the library and threw open the door.

Joe was wrong.

Beth was not still awake.

But she was not curled up on the couch. She was sitting in front of the computer, her head cradled on her arm on the desk. Eve moved quietly across the room and looked at the computer screen.

A newspaper photo of a skull and Eve herself in her old blue work shirt, her hands caked with clay as she worked on a reconstruction. The skull had been that of little Marty Brodwin, Eve remembered. She didn’t like to give interviews, but the reporter had promised that if Eve cooperated, she’d see that photos of the completed reconstruction would be circulated throughout Ohio, where his body had been found in a shallow grave. It had been worth having her privacy invaded. Marty had been identified within a month after Eve had completed the reconstruction, and his murderer arrested six months later.

She looked down at the pad beside the computer. Web sites. Four of them crossed off, ones that Beth must have accessed before she dropped off to sleep.

But she’d be stiff as a board if she remained huddled in that office chair for much longer.

She reached out and touched Beth’s hair. She received a tiny shock as she felt the soft texture of Beth’s riot of curls against her palm. She remembered that last night before Bonnie had been taken from her, when her daughter had curled up in her lap while they sang together. The softness of Bonnie’s hair against Eve’s cheek had felt the same as Beth’s curls did now beneath Eve’s hand.

“Hey,” she said softly as she gently stroked Beth’s hair. “You can’t sleep here. Go lie down.”

“Eve?” Beth stirred drowsily, then went rigid. She sat bolt upright in her chair and hurriedly pushed her hair back from her face. “I thought I was dreaming.” She grimaced as she glanced at the monitor. “Dreams? What you do is the stuff of nightmares.” She added quickly, “I don’t mean to offend you, I’m sure that it’s all very worthwhile. But I’d never be able to do it.”

“It’s all in the mind-set and getting used to it. My job isn’t as morbid as you might think, and you’ll be surprised at what you’ll find you can do.” She smiled. “My nightmare would be going through what you’ve suffered all these years.” She gestured to the couch. “Now go curl up and get some sleep.” She turned off the computer. “Joe said you’d been up all night with him.”

“I wanted to help.” Beth got to her feet and moved toward the couch. “He told you all about Drogan?”

“Of course.” She waited until Beth lay down before tucking her under the throw. “That’s why I came down.”

“Are you mad because I was looking you up on the Net? Joe thought it would be all right.”

“Why should I be angry? Everything on the Net is out there for all to see.”

“But it’s a violation of your privacy.”

“Beth, I don’t give a damn about my so-called privacy. I’d fight to the death if someone tried to invade my personal space, but if you’re not ashamed of your past, there’s no reason to try to hide it.”

“That’s good. I was afraid you’d resent my being curious.”

Her lips quirked. “But you did it anyway.”

“I decided I didn’t have time to worry about whether you resented it or not.” She yawned. “There’s just no time, Eve…”

Because Beth had lost so much time already. “There’s time for you to sleep.” Eve turned off the desk lamp, and the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. “It’s after five, but you have a few hours before you need to worry about anything else.” She turned to leave. “I’ll wake you by ten.”

“Eve?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you come down to the library? You said Joe told you about Drogan, and that was why you came down to see me.”

“It can wait.”

“No, tell me now. I won’t sleep if you don’t.”

“We’ve decided we have to go after Hans Gelber. I wondered if you’d want to go with us.”

Beth didn’t speak for a moment. “I’m a little afraid.”

“Why? If Pierce is the only one involved, we still have to know what happened. If someone else was behind it, we have find out the details. You won’t be safe until we do.”

“It was Pierce. I know it was Pierce.”

“Then why are you afraid?”

“What if Gelber was brought in because I really did have a trauma? What if I was being treated for some authentic mental disease? What if I still have it? Sometimes, I think I must be crazy.” Her voice was shaking. “I get so scared, then I’m angry. I want to strike out and hurt someone. Maybe I belong in that room on the third floor.”

“Bullshit,” Eve said flatly. “Wanting to knock someone down and trample on them is the most normal response you could have after what you’ve been through. But I don’t like that talk from you. I told Joe that I was going to give you a choice, but I’m not going to do it. You’re going with us to see Gelber, and he’s going tell us everything he knows. I’m going to let you see the weasel try to wriggle out of telling the truth; and then you’ll know it’s one big lie.”

“You truly believe that?”

“Yes, and so would you if you were thinking straight. All this uncertainty is crap. Newell wouldn’t have helped you if he hadn’t been sure that you were a victim. Joe and I wouldn’t waste our time. So it’s up to you to straighten up, stop hiding, and start going after the bad guys. This is your life, and you have a right to live it.”

Beth was silent, then suddenly chuckled. “I’m really not thinking straight, am I? You’re damn right, I’m going to live my life. You want me to go with you to see Gelber? No problem. And if I think he’s lying, I’ll slap him around.”

“Let’s not get carried away.” Eve headed for the door. “You may not need violence. Joe can usually accomplish the same effect just by being Joe.”

“Yes, I’ve never known anyone like him. He’s … larger-than-life.”

“He just twists it to suit himself.” She headed for the door. “I’ll see you at ten.”

“Eve, what’s my…” She stopped. “What’s my mother like?”

She turned to look back at Beth, but she was only a shadow in the darkness. Perhaps that was why she had waited until Eve had turned out the light. “I thought you weren’t interested.”

“I’ve changed my mind. I want to know. Is she like you?”

“No, Sandra is small and pretty and likes everything pretty around her.”

“You call her Sandra?”

“From the time I was a child. She prefers it. It makes her feel younger.”

“And that’s important to her?”

“It’s important, it’s part of how she sees herself. She’s really hard to describe. You should wait and judge yourself when you meet her.”

“You don’t want to talk about her. Don’t you like her?”

“I love her.”

“But do you like her?”

“She’s … difficult for me. We’re at different ends of the spectrum. She’s never been able to understand the way I think. There have been times when we got along very well. She loved my daughter, Bonnie.”

“But you still came out here to find me when she asked you.”

“She loves you. I don’t care what the Averys told you about her. She does love you, Beth. She loved my Bonnie, and she loves you. I couldn’t say no to her.”

“How can you say that she loved me? She gave me up.”

“You can believe me or not. That’s your choice. But if she could have, I think she would have kept you. She was a kid herself, and life was against her.”

“Did she love me as much as she loved you?”

Eve was silent. “Some people don’t have the capacity to … Love is rare for them. Maybe only a few people in a lifetime.”

“You’re saying she didn’t love you.”

“I think she tried. But she didn’t have to try with you, Beth.”

Beth was silent, then burst out, “She should have loved you. Look who you are. You deserve to—”

“Are you defending me, Beth?”

“Yes, why not? You came here to defend me. I don’t want to talk about our mother any longer.”

“Then we won’t, but don’t blame Sandra for something she couldn’t help. Just accept her affection as a gift. When this is all over, I know she’d like to meet you.”

“But I don’t want to—”

“Don’t make any hasty decisions.” Eve opened the door. “Think about it. None of us can afford to reject love in any form. There’s not enough of it around. Sleep well, Beth.”