Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [8]
“You don’t want me either,” Kelly said in a low voice. “Why should you? I’ll just get in your way.”
That was exactly what Catherine feared. “You might,” she said with blunt honesty. “And I might get in yours. You can’t judge me from the little time we’ve had together. You have a mother, you probably have other relations. You’d be better off with them.”
“I understand,” Kelly said dully. “Whatever you say.”
Dammit. “We’ll have to see what happens. As soon as we land in Bogotá, I’ll turn you over to Agent Venable. He’s my superior, and he’ll have to make a decision about what’s best for you.”
“You’re best for me.” Kelly pushed her away and sat up. “Even if you don’t want me. I wouldn’t have to pretend that I—” She leaned back against the wall of the helicopter and closed her eyes. “I’d try not to get in your way.”
“Kelly, I have something to do.” She paused. “I have something I have to do.”
“I could help you.”
Catherine shook her head. “No.”
“I could, you know,” she said. “You said I was strong. I have to be strong, or I’ll break apart. I won’t let Munoz do that to me. I’ll have to think about it…”
Bogotá, Colombia
“You have my phone number.” Catherine leaned into the limousine where Kelly was sitting with the social worker. “I told you what to expect at the hospital. Just do what they tell you, and the exam will be over soon. Remember that everything bad eventually passes. Go blank, and it’s over.”
Kelly nodded without speaking.
“Call me if you need someone to talk to.”
“I will.” Kelly leaned back in the seat and gave her a pale smile. “And I’ll do what you said. I’ll let them pity me about losing Daddy, but never about Munoz.”
“Good.” She stepped back and slammed the door.
“Poor kid.” Venable watched the limousine with the social worker and Kelly Winters drive slowly from the private airport. “She looks shell-shocked.”
“Considering what she’s gone through, I think she looks damn good,” Catherine said. “She’s got guts. She’ll be okay if they let her heal and come to terms with what happened.” Kelly had turned and was looking back at her. Catherine nodded and waved her hand. The girl didn’t smile, didn’t wave. “Look, she doesn’t get along with her mother. Make sure those social worker Goody Two-shoeses don’t toss her back to her without supervision.”
“I can see why her mother might have difficulty. Lisa Winters is a Denver socialite who likes everything smooth and commonplace. Kelly is too brilliant to be commonplace and too inquisitive not to be disturbing.”
“You seem very familiar with Kelly.”
“You might say I had an occasion to study her once. I found her exceedingly…promising.”
“Promising? Interesting word. I believe you once found me promising. But she’s just a kid, Venable. And, I don’t give a damn if her mother doesn’t like having a smart daughter. She should step up to the plate. Kelly needs help.”
“You obviously gave it to her.” Venable smiled faintly. “And I’ll follow through.”
“You’d better. Or I’ll come looking for you.” She turned to face him. “Payoff time. You owe me, Venable.”
“You’ll have the Rakovac file on your e-mail by day after tomorrow.”
“Good.” She paused. “You’re not mentioning Eve Duncan. I regard that as a serious omission.”
“You rescued the girl, not Winters himself. I figure that’s only fifty percent of the deal. I only owe you for Kelly Winters.” He tilted his head, considering. “And you killed Munoz. I’m not sure of the ramifications of that. We used him occasionally, and we’ll have to find another information source.”
“You’re quibbling. You know anyone who went into that camp would have had to deal with Munoz. You couldn’t have used him again with all this media attention focused on him. You said you were having trouble getting me Eve Duncan.”
“Maybe.” He turned and headed for his car parked by the hangar. “At any rate, I’m washing my hands of the problem. Deal with Eve Duncan yourself. I’ve thought it over and decided