“Tell me now,” Nalchek said fiercely. “I’ve played your game. Now you play mine. Talk to me.”
Eve could understand his anger and frustration, and it wasn’t fair not to concede. He had certainly gone beyond the limits with Margaret. But it would have to be in a way that he would accept. Okay, dive in and go for it. “I’m not arguing. You’re right, it’s time that you know everything that we know. We found a confidential informant who gave us certain additional information regarding the name of Jenny’s possible killer…”
CHAPTER
7
“Walsh,” Nalchek repeated after Eve had stopped speaking. “The whole thing sounds flimsy as hell to me. What’s the name of your informant?”
“Confidential,” Joe said. “But reliable, very reliable. Very close to Walsh.”
“Then let’s go pick him up and question him.”
“And put my source in danger?” Joe asked. “Not likely. But I’m checking with both Interpol and the FBI and gathering other information.”
“I want the name of your informant.”
“No way. Will you trust me when I tell you that there’s nothing you could find out from the informant that we haven’t already learned?”
“I’m not big on trust.”
“It’s true, Nalchek,” Eve said. “I promise you.”
He gazed at her. She could see his frustration. “You’ll tell me if you learn anything else?”
She nodded.
He turned away. “Then I’m going to start a search in local records for anyone of that name. He may be a British citizen, but we may still have something. Right now, I’ve had enough, and I’m going back to my office.” He looked back at Margaret. “I only half believe you, and I’m not going to tell you to keep me informed. Coyotes aren’t my idea of confidential informants, either.”
She smiled. “I believe we won’t hear anything from Sajan unless Walsh comes back here. I’ll keep tuned in to him for you.”
He grunted, and the next moment, he’d disappeared around the bend.
“Poor guy. It’s very difficult for him.” Margaret jumped to her feet. “Too bad. I like him.” She looked at Eve. “I told him the truth. There’s nothing much I can do right now with Jenny’s coyote. What else do you want me to do?”
“Stay close. You’d know if Walsh returned to these woods?”
“Sajan would know, then I’d know.”
“Then stay at the hotel and monitor him while Joe and I go to Sacramento and see if we can find out anything about Walsh.”
“And that’s all I can do?” she asked, disappointed.
“That’s more than enough. You’ve done your job. You’ve told us that it wasn’t over for Walsh when he’d made the kill. That he was on guard and worried that she might be found. Or that something else might be found to tell us her identity.”
“Evidently you knew that already.”
“You confirmed it. Now we have to find out why that was so important to him. We’ll drop you off at the hotel on our way out of town.” She turned to Joe. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll be with you in a minute,” Margaret said as she sat down again and reached for her tennis shoes. “I have to dry my feet and put on my shoes…”
*
Margaret tied her tennis shoes and got to her feet.
She stared thoughtfully after Eve and Joe as she tucked her shirt back into her jeans.
Pity.
Eve had obviously written off her help in anything but a minor manner. She thought Margaret had done her part and didn’t want to jeopardize her any more than she had already. Eve was protective and independent and wanted to do everything herself. Margaret understood that concept but couldn’t accept the application where she was concerned. She couldn’t see herself lazing beside the pool at that pretty little hotel waiting for something to happen.
She turned and stared at the dense trees on the other side of the stream.
Are you there, Sajan?