“We will. We found two bus passes that led up and around Carmel. Could that be near where she is?”
“I told you, I don’t know. I have to—” She stopped and drew a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put this on you. I always knew that I was the one who had to stop Walsh. Maybe the reason I was sent to you was that I had to learn to be strong enough to do it. Remember, you told me that I had to reach down and get the strength to fight him? Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. Well, I have to do it now.” Her lips were trembling, but her voice was steady. “I hope you can help me, but if you can’t, then I have to do it myself. It’s all wrong. It shouldn’t happen again. I can’t let it happen.”
“No, and it won’t. We’ll work it out together. It will be—”
*
But Jenny was gone.
Eve could feel her own eyes sting. “I wish you wouldn’t do that, Jenny. It’s hard enough without you wafting off to never-never land after you upset me.”
She pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and turned off the car. She buried her face in her hands and tried to get control of herself.
Think.
Try to put it together.
If she was to believe Jenny, Cara was somewhere alone and on the run.
Elena Delaney? Eve was afraid to make a guess. She leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath.
Wherever Elena was, she must be in danger … or worse. She had to be found. How?
“Car … it’s the car.”
She took out her phone and dialed Nalchek. “I need your help.”
“In the middle of the night?” A pause followed immediately by, “Have you found Walsh?”
“Not yet. I’m worried about Elena Delaney. I’m afraid that Walsh may have located her.”
“Not the kid?”
“No, I think Cara and her aunt may have split up.”
“Why do you think that?”
Awkwardness again. “I had a tip.”
“Another anonymous source?”
“Yes.”
“That you’re not going to divulge.”
“Sorry.”
“So am I,” he said dryly. “And how am I supposed to help?”
“You were going to try to locate Elena’s car. Have you done it?”
“Yes. I’ve been on the phone twice with the local police.”
“Could you call them now and go up the chain of command to try to get someone to find her car right away?”
“I could ask them, but I have no proof to show real grounds for the pressure.”
“Kidnapping. Tell them that you suspect that she kidnapped Cara, and you’re trying to verify.”
“She’s supposed to be the kid’s aunt.”
“Which you can say was based on forged documents.”
“And they’ll have my ass when they find out I’m lying.”
“It could be true. We don’t know why she was with Cara. We don’t know anything.”
“Your mysterious source didn’t tell you?” he asked sarcastically.
She didn’t answer. “Will you do it?”
“You haven’t given me a good reason.”
“Walsh is after Elena. She’s going to die if we don’t find her before Walsh does.”
He was silent. “So Walsh is directly involved and on the move? That has a certain substance. I’ll give Carmel PD a call and phone you. Are you still at the hotel in San Francisco?”
“I won’t be by the time you get back to me. I’ll be on my way to Carmel.”
“Then I’ll see you there. I’m staying at the Radisson.”
“In Carmel?” she asked, startled.
“I started driving down there after the last time you called me. Things were happening, and I figured that was the place to be. You were getting close.”
“Not close enough. Cara Delaney slipped away.”
“Closer than I’ve been before. This time I’ll get him,” he said grimly. “Is Margaret still with you?”
“Yes.”
“Leave her in San Francisco. She’ll get in the way.”