Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [124]
“I didn’t want this to happen to you and Kelly. I thought I was going to keep him away from you.”
“It didn’t happen. You couldn’t know. Don’t think about it right now.”
“How is she?” Joe stood in the doorway.
“Good enough.” Eve nodded at Rakovac. “He’s dead.”
Venable pushed Joe aside and strode into the room. “I checked the car out front. There was a computer, but I didn’t see—” He was searching Rakovac’s pockets. He pulled out a keychain. “Thumb drive! This has got to be it. I’ll go to the study and check it out on his computer.” He jumped to his feet and ran out of the room and down the stairs.
“You didn’t find what you needed at Rakovac’s house?” Catherine asked.
“It was purged. Venable says we can get it eventually, but we need it now.” Joe crossed to look down at Rakovac. “You got him. How?”
She smiled faintly. “I struck him with my fangs. Mamba venom.”
“A fitting end. I thought you’d have made preparations. You wouldn’t have just gone in without a plan.” His glance shifted to her face. He reached out and took both her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Did it feel good, Catherine?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Then forget about the bastard.” He squeezed her hands and turned away. “I’ve got to go down and check with Venable on that thumb drive. Eve, why don’t you take her down to see her son?”
“I was planning on it,” Eve said. “As soon as I get the blood off her. Neither of you appear to have noticed it.”
“From what I saw of Luke out there, he wouldn’t have noticed either,” Joe said as he left the room.
“Luke…” Catherine said. “I didn’t think I’d feel like this. I’m scared, Eve. All the things I meant to say to him have flown out of my head.”
“They were probably the wrong things anyway. You can’t comprehend what Luke has become.”
Her eyes widened in alarm. “What’s wrong? Why do you say that?”
“Calm down. I didn’t mean anything is wrong.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth. Catherine had been looking forward to this reunion for nine years. How to warn her, without dashing that hope? “You’ll have to decide that for yourself. I didn’t have enough time with him to judge. Luke is going to be difficult. You may have a long way to go. There’s no way around that.” She paused, feeling her way. “But he’s like you, Catherine. That’s a very good start.”
She smiled shakily. “Then heaven help him. I was always so glad that my baby wasn’t like me.”
“But he’s no longer a baby, and he has many of your qualities.”
“You’re being so gentle,” Catherine said. “That’s scaring me even more.”
“Then it’s time I shut up and took you down to see him.” She took Catherine’s hand. “Come on. He’s with Kelly, and she’s not always patient with him. I don’t want him walking out on her.”
“They don’t get along?”
“I didn’t say that. They may be good for each other. They’re just…young.”
Catherine pulled her hand away from Eve’s as they reached the stairs. “You don’t have to treat me like a child. I’ll be fine.” She started down the steps, her gaze searching the foyer below. “Where is—” Her breath left her as she saw Luke standing beside Kelly by the door. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. “He is beautiful, isn’t he, Eve? Just like that progression you did.”
“Yes, I did a good job. But I only did the computer rendering; you’re responsible for the actual creation.” She watched Catherine go slowly down the steps. She was so vulnerable right now. Please don’t let him hurt her.
As if he felt her gaze on him, Luke suddenly looked up with that wary instinct that seemed such a part of him.
He tensed as he saw Catherine on the stairs.
His expression closed, became even more shuttered.
“Catherine!” Kelly pushed past him and ran up the steps to her. “I’ve been scared to death. Are you okay?”
Catherine gave Kelly a hug, her gaze still on Luke over the girl’s head. “I’m fine.”
Kelly stepped back and gazed at her a moment. “Come on, I’ll go down with you.” She slipped her arm protectively around Catherine’s waist and started back down the stairs. She said softly, “He’s not so bad. You just have to take him down when he gets