Eve - Iris Johansen [47]
Except for Bonnie. She had always been there between them.
And John Gallo was Bonnie’s father.
“You’re going to tell Joe about Gallo?” Catherine asked.
“Of course I am. How could I do anything else? Joe has been searching for Bonnie as long as I have.”
“Just inquiring.” Catherine paused. “Would you like me to tell Joe? After all, I’m the one who opened this can of worms.”
“I’ll do it.”
“But you don’t want to do it.” Catherine’s shrewd gaze was fixed on Eve’s expression. “I’m going to go and break the news to him. You’ll have enough aftershocks from that quarter to deal with once you pull yourself together.”
“I’m okay now.”
“You’re angry at the moment. That’s keeping all the other emotions at bay.” She headed for the door. “You can’t stay mad forever.”
“Yes, I can. If I find out that Gallo had anything to do with Bonnie’s death.”
She smiled. “I know how you feel. Hold on to it. You may need it.” She opened the door. “I’ll check with Venable and see if he’s heard anything, then go and talk to Joe.”
The door closed behind her.
Hold on to it. Hold on to the anger. She would have no problem doing that. She had thought she was done with John Gallo, but he had erupted back in her life in the most painful way possible.
All right, sit here and think back. Try to find any reason why John would commit such a terrible crime.
How could she do that when she didn’t really know him?
She had to know something that would make this madness clear. Catherine had said that there were precedents for a father killing his child. Eve knew that to be true from her own professional experiences.
Start at that point and analyze.
* * *
JOE WAS STANDING ON THE TOP step of the porch, gazing out at the lake, when Catherine went in search of him.
“Hello, Catherine.” He turned to face her. “Venable wants you to call him. He couldn’t reach you.”
“I’ll call him back later.”
“Do that.” He met her eyes. “Now what’s the story with Eve?”
Catherine should have known that Joe would sense something. Joe Quinn had the sharpest instincts and the keenest intelligence of anyone she had ever met. She had worked with any number of CIA agents over the years, and she would have jettisoned them in a heartbeat for a partner like Joe.
And perhaps not only in the field.
She remembered the first time she had become aware that she was attracted to Joe. They had been down by the lake, and a storm had been coming up. The wind had been blowing his brown hair, and his tea-colored eyes were glittering recklessly. She had looked at him and thought he was like the storm, full of danger and power and yet with the maturity to be able to leash his lightning. She had not been conscious of being physically aware of a man since her husband had died, and it had come as a shock.
But she had rejected the thought immediately. Eve was her friend, and she wouldn’t violate that trust. Besides, she had known from the instant she had met him here at the cottage weeks ago that there was only one partner he would accept in his life.
Eve was his center. Catherine would be content to be his friend as well as Eve’s, and she had already started to lay the foundation.
“Why do you think there’s a story?” She came over and stood beside him at the rail. “What a suspicious man you are, Joe.”
“Body language. I saw the two of you standing here on the porch over an hour ago. Pure tension. I was tempted to come and interrupt you, but I decided Eve wouldn’t like me barging in if I wasn’t invited to begin with. So I’ve been waiting. I don’t have to tell you that I wasn’t waiting patiently. It’s not one of my virtues.” He smiled recklessly. “Hell, I’m much better at the barging part, followed immediately by investigation and disposal.”
“I remember.” And her latest memory was