Eve - Iris Johansen [108]
“Judy has been with me for three years. I like her. I didn’t think that she’d be hurt if I gave her a job. I should have been more careful.”
“How could you know that Black would target her? You said that you had been chasing Black for years. There was no way you could know that he would appear in your life with no warning. Queen had to have been the one who triggered all of this. Stop kicking yourself and put the blame where it belongs.”
“Oh, I’m willing to share the blame.” He turned around to face her. His face was still pale; but the wildness was only a shadow, not a living presence. “It’s time I put an end to Queen. He’s not going to be of use to me any longer. He’s brought me Paul Black and all the ugliness that means. He had to have given the info about Judy’s mother to Black. I’m going to have to pull Queen into the circle.”
Total ruthlessness and ferocity.
“Ugly.” He was reading her expression. “Yes, I am. I tried to tell you. I’ve worked through some of it, but I’ll never get rid of all the hate. I’m twisted, Eve.”
She smiled sadly. “So am I.” She added, “And I’ll have no problem with your hating Black or anyone protecting him. Not if Paul Black killed Bonnie. Now stop all these melodramatics and tell me why we’re moving.”
A slight smile touched his lips, and suddenly the last trace of menace vanished. “Trust you to deflate me.”
“I told you that I wasn’t afraid of you, John. Though I can see why you might intimidate. It’s a civilized world, and you apparently forget that occasionally.”
“I’ll try to remember around you.” His smile disappeared. “It’s no use our staying here and trying to trap Black. He’s not going to spring it. He’s going to set a trap of his own.”
“With Judy’s daughter, Cara.” Eve nodded. “And that bloody carnage in St. Louis was to prove he was serious.” She felt sick as she thought of the monstrous brutality that Black had committed just to prove there were no limits to what he would do. That little girl … “He’ll contact you.”
“Without the shadow of a doubt.” He turned and picked up his duffel and put it on the bed. “Get your things together. We’re not going to wait around for Black to move on us. We’re out of here. Then we’ll work on turning the situation around.”
“Right.” Eve had already unzipped her carryall. “Can we get out of here without being seen? You said I was followed.”
He nodded curtly. “Service elevator. End of the hall. It leads to the kitchen, and we can go out the employees’ entrance.”
He had thought of every contingency, Eve thought. But he hadn’t thought of Black ignoring the obvious trap and going his own way. The realization sent a chill through her.
“We’ll get him, Eve.” John was reading her expression. “He’s smart, but he’s not invulnerable.”
Yet he had killed her little girl years ago and had since killed and killed again and no one had been able to stop him. “He seems to be—” She broke off and picked up her case. “Of course he’s not invulnerable.”
She headed for the door. “Let’s go. I’ll have to call Catherine soon and tell her that we’ve left the hotel. I suppose you do know where we’re going?”
“Yes.” He opened the door for her. “We’re going back to my childhood, Eve.”
* * *
“SON OF A BITCH.” QUEEN’S hand tightened on the phone. “Did you have to cause such a stir, Black? Taking that kid was a bad move. People get upset about children. Do what you like on your own, but this is my job you’re doing.”
“Then find a way to take the heat off me,” Black said mockingly. “Why are you so upset? You’ve done it before. Plant some evidence, find a convenient witness to give a false description. Judy Clark will probably die anyway, and that will make it safer. I decided I needed the little girl.”
“Don’t kill her. There’s too much publicity already.”
“Don’t tell me what to do. You want your ledger. I’m going to get it for you.” He added softly, “Cover me just like you’ve always done, and everything will be fine.” He hung up.
Queen cursed beneath his breath. Cover the homicidal son of a bitch? How was he supposed to do that when Black was becoming more reckless