Countdown - Iris Johansen [58]
Venable called on the land line.” Bartlett was coming out of the library when Jane and Trevor came in the front door. “He said he couldn’t reach you on your cell. Neither could I.”
“I turned it off. I figured I could give myself an hour of peace,” Trevor said. “Important?”
“He wouldn’t confide in me. But I’d say we can assume he considers everything he does important.” He turned to Jane. “You didn’t eat any supper. Would you like me to fix you a sandwich?”
“No, I’m not hungry.” She started up the stairs. “I’m going to bed. Unless one of you would like to tell me who Venable is?”
“A man who shares our fears about Grozak,” Trevor said. “Unfortunately, he’s uncertain what to do about it.”
“And you’re not uncertain?”
“Not in the least.” He headed down the hall. “But it’s a problem when the Venables of the world get in the way.”
“Yet you’re evidently allowing him access to you.” She stopped on the third step. “I’m not going to be shut out any longer, Trevor. I’m tired of it. You’ve used Cira as a red herring to keep me from focusing on Grozak, and I let you do it because she meant so much to me. I said a few days. It’s over.”
“Cira wasn’t exactly a red herring.” He studied her expression. “But you’re right, it’s gone on too long. You’ve got to start to trust me. I’ll work on it.” He smiled. “Tomorrow.” He disappeared into the library.
It was just as well he hadn’t picked up the challenge she’d issued, she thought wearily. Her emotions were raw and she was confused and, yes, frustrated. The night had been too intense and had sent her spiraling through a tornado of sexual tension. She’d barely been able to keep her composure on the way back from the Run. She’d been aware of every movement of his body as he walked beside her. It was idiotic to respond like this. Jesus, it wasn’t as if she was the inexperienced kid she’d been when she first met him.
“You can trust him, you know,” Bartlett said gravely. “He’s a bit erratic, but Trevor’s never let me down when it counted.”
“Really? But then, your relationship is a good deal different, isn’t it? Good night, Bartlett.”
“Good night.” He started down the hall toward the library. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Yes, tomorrow. She’d go to Mario’s study first thing and stay there a few hours to get ready to confront Trevor. Those hours with Mario had been tranquil, and she needed that peace. Tonight she’d sleep and block out Trevor, try not to think how much she’d wanted to touch him. Hell, touch him? She’d wanted to pull him into bed and rut like a damn nymphomaniac. She couldn’t think of a bigger mistake. She had to keep a clear head and she didn’t know if she could if she became sexually involved with Trevor. She’d never had this kind of intense response to any man, and the bond between them was as strong now as it had been four years ago. She couldn’t afford for it to gain any more power.
Then don’t remember how it felt sitting beside him on that boulder at the Run. Concentrate on this Venable.
Trevor had just hung up when Bartlett came into the library.
Bartlett raised his brows. “That was quick. I take it Venable was overreacting?”
“Maybe.” Trevor was frowning thoughtfully. “But I’d rather he overreact than sit on his ass and live in la-la land like Sabot.”
“What was the problem?”
“Quinn’s been trying to access the CIA records on Grozak. It made Venable nervous.” He shrugged. “It was bound to happen. Quinn’s an ex-FBI man and he has contacts. He’ll find a way to get the info he wants. I’ll deal with it when it happens.”
“And that’s all Venable wanted?”
Trevor shook his head. “He said that he had an informant in Switzerland who said something important was going down in Lucerne.”
“What? Grozak?”
“Vague. But a possibility.”
Bartlett tilted his head. “It’s bothering you.”
“Grozak always bothers me if I’m not sure where he’s going to jump next.”
“Maybe Venable’s informant got it wrong.”
“And maybe he got it right.” He leaned back in the chair, his mind trying to process those possibilities.