“Very good. As usual, you’re very efficient, and it seems a prudent addition.”
“I’m glad you’re both in agreement,” Catherine said sarcastically. “May I say that I’m still terrified that one bomb could take care of all of Santos’s targets?”
“But no bombs will be permitted to be tossed thanks to Cameron’s detectors,” Hu Chan said. “Hence the magnificent security.”
Erin smiled. “Hu Chan is right, Catherine. Give it up. I’m here for the duration.”
She gazed at her helplessly. “It appears you are.”
“Then how can I help?”
“Stay inside. Don’t let anyone see you.” She paused. “Santos said that I’d think that I had everyone safe, then someone would do something careless, and he’d have them. You want to help? You can keep Luke and Kelly from being careless. They’re both supersmart kids, but they have the arrogance of the young. Sam can keep them busy with educational projects, but that can only last so long. You’re a prizewinning journalist, you have stories to tell. Don’t let Luke and Kelly become bored and get careless.”
“I can do that.” Her eyes were narrowed on Catherine’s face. “But it sounds like you’re not going to be around to help with that.”
“Not if I can find a lead to Santos. I can’t just wait for him to start killing again.” She shook her head. “And you’re not qualified to go after him with me. You’re not warrior stock, Erin. We all have our own talents. You’re brave, you have endurance galore, but you’d get in my way.”
“I know that. Everyone has their own strengths.” She glanced at Cameron. “But you won’t get in her way, Cameron. Keep her safe.” She turned and started back up the stairs. “And now I’ll go back upstairs and start doing my own job. Take care, Catherine.”
“I will.” She watched Erin disappear at the top of the stairs before she turned to Hu Chang. “It would have helped if you could have persuaded her to—” She stopped. “I know. Why blame you when I just failed?”
“It’s a natural reaction. You’re tired and afraid and sick at heart.” He stood aside and gestured toward the library. “Come and rest, and I will make you tea and sandwiches.”
“I’ll do that.” Sam turned to Cameron. “You’re staying?”
“No, I have to follow up on some information I just received this morning.” His lips twisted. “We all appear to have our duties, don’t we? Mine is to find that lead for Catherine.”
“That doctor in Guatemala?” Catherine asked.
“Actually, he’s an Argentinean citizen. It’s the only lead we have. So I’ll gather leads and prepare myself for battle.” He moved toward the front door. “Since I’ve already failed in the comfort department. You found me completely unworthy, and Hu Chang will be much better received by you.” He opened the door. “I’ll let you know when I’ve found out something.”
“Interesting.” Hu Chang smiled as the door closed behind Cameron. “I can’t decide if that was mockery or annoyance. Would you care to enlighten me?”
“How would I know? He’s an enigma.”
“Growing up as he did with having to cope with all those mental talents, it’s natural that he would have developed certain barriers.” He tilted his head. “Aren’t you tempted to try to breach them?”
“No.” She headed for the library. “I have enough problems without attempting to decipher all the complicated triggers that make Cameron respond.”
“Oh, I believe that he responds to you in a very straightforward manner,” he murmured. “Which is the reason that he was angry with you for shutting him out when Santos first struck.”
“I don’t want to talk about Cameron,” she said as she dropped down in the huge burgundy easy chair by the window. “He takes entirely too much time and effort.”
“And I promised you food, tea, and rest.” He sat down across from her. “Because your pain is great. Would you like to tell me about Jane MacGuire?”
“I have to call Eve later and check on what the specialist told her. She wasn’t hopeful.” She paused, thinking. “And what can I tell you about Jane? I didn’t know her as well as I’d like to. I’ve heard Eve talk about her, and I think she must be extraordinary. I only reached out to her because I knew that she was devastated about Trevor’s death. I wouldn’t have dreamed Santos would target her. I can see Erin or Luke or even Kelly. But Jane should have been safe from him.” Her lips tightened. “It was those damn e-mails.”
“And the warm heart that made you send them.”
“A mistake.” She shook her head. “I can’t keep blaming myself. The mistake’s been made, now I have to do damage control.”
“No, now you have to relax and heal.” He met her eyes. “We will sit here in silence for a while. Then we will talk of Chen Lu and her beautiful gardens, and that glorious, ridiculous hat that Luke made you wear, and Erin’s good work with the villagers on that mountain in Tibet. Nothing hurtful, nothing disturbing. Understood?”
His eyes were almost hypnotic and his voice smooth and yet forceful. She felt surrounded, enveloped by the sheer presence of him. Warmth that was always his gift to her. Friendship that had been founded on shared experiences and years of exploring the depths of that bond. She could feel the tight knot inside her breast begin to loosen.
She leaned her head back on the chair and smiled. “It doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Where do we start?”
CHAPTER
7
It was going well, Santos thought with satisfaction as he leaned back in the deck chair and let the warm sun seep into his skin. Catherine Ling had tried to be defiant and scornful, but he had been able to tell that she was in pain. He had been right to let Jane MacGuire linger for a while. It had served to draw out the agony for Ling.