“You’ve been thinking about this. Anything else?”
“If we find out who Jenny was, we may be able to make a connection that will help us find Walsh. I’ve been going over the things Jenny has said to me since I started the reconstruction. I’ll check with Nalchek and see if I get anywhere with them.” She got to her feet. “And then I’ll pack a bag for both of us and make reservations for San Francisco while you’re checking out Walsh in those databases. I’ll call you to tell you when to meet me at the airport.”
Joe’s brows rose. “We’re in that much of a hurry? You’re not giving me much time to process all those databases. I may have to go international, too. Let’s leave tomorrow morning.”
She shook her head. “Suppose I leave today and check into a hotel and do the preliminary work with Nalchek. That would save some time. You can fly in tomorrow.”
He frowned. “I don’t like your going alone.”
“Joe, it’s one night, and I promise I won’t do anything that doesn’t concern Nalchek.”
He was silent. “Okay, but I still don’t see why you’re in such a hurry.”
“I don’t know, either.” She reached for her phone again. “I’m just not sure how much time we have.”
Or how much time that little girl in Carmel had.
CHAPTER
5
COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST
ARIZONA
Get rid of her. He had to get rid of her.
Walsh could feel the hatred sear through him as he stared at the FedEx box on the seat beside him. He’d built a huge campfire in the woods and was tempted just to throw the damn box into the flames. But he couldn’t do that, he had to be sure. He had to know that Eve Duncan wasn’t just playing Nalchek for a fool.
He had to look at that bitch, Jenny’s skull.
Get it over with.
He reluctantly took the box and slowly opened it.
He couldn’t see anything, dammit. The skull was secured to the box. He started to undo the fastenings.
His fingers were tingling, burning.
Imagination.
There, he was finished. He’d take the skull out to the fire and get ready to toss it.
He grabbed the box, got out of the car, and strode over to the fire.
The flames were leaping high, the fiery shadows reflecting off the leaves of the surrounding trees.
One more minute and you burn, bitch.
He grabbed the skull and pulled it out of the box and held it high so that he could look at it.
Only it wasn’t a skull.
It was her.
He felt as if he’d been kicked in the stomach.
Same pointed chin, same winged eyebrows.
And those green eyes, blazing at him, as bold as they had been the night he had put her in that grave. She had been afraid, he’d known she was afraid, and yet she wouldn’t admit it to him. That night was suddenly right here before him.
*
“You’re going to die, little girl.” He cradled his bleeding hand where the little viper had bitten him. “Die, then I’m going to throw you in the ground where no one will ever find you.”
“They’ll find me.” Her eyes were glittering in her pale face. “Because you’re stupid and cruel, and they’ll want to take you and throw you in a jail where they put people like you.”
“Stupid?” He lifted his hand and struck her in the face. Her head jerked back from the blow, but when she lifted it, there was still no fear in her eyes. It filled him with rage. “You bit my hand. Let’s see how you like to have your hands hurt.”
Fear. For the first time he saw fear in her. “Not my hands. I can’t let you—” She lifted her chin defiantly, and the fear was gone. “It won’t matter. They’ll fix them.”
“They won’t bother. You’ll be dead.” He took her hand and bent back the first finger. “Tell me what I want to know. Tell me where they are. If you do, I’ll stop the pain.” He pressed the finger back until he knew it was agony. “Tell me.”
She whimpered.
Why didn’t she scream?
She had never screamed.
Not even when he’d lost his temper and taken the crowbar and struck her on the temple.