Quinn - Iris Johansen [2]
Catherine added quietly, “And Joe was getting tired, weary of worrying about her, wanting her to come to terms.”
Jane looked back at her. “Yes, how do you know? Joe wouldn’t complain.”
“Joe and I are a lot alike,” Catherine said. “And I had to examine all facets of Eve’s problem before I made a move to ask her to help me find my son, Luke. I didn’t want to make a mistake.”
“Mistake?”
“I promised her I’d pay her back for helping return my son to me,” Catherine said. “She wouldn’t accept anything, but I couldn’t let it go. I knew the only gift she would think worthwhile would be for me to find her daughter’s killer.” Her lips twisted. “So that was what I had to give her. Whether or not it might destroy the life she had with Joe.”
“You found him?” Jane’s eyes widened. “You actually found Bonnie’s killer?”
“I found two possibilities. Paul Black, who was already on Eve’s search list.”
“She told me about him.”
“But I was betting on a new stallion in the race. One that would be much more troublesome. Naturally, I had to pull him front and center.”
“Who?”
Catherine’s eyes were fixed on the towers of St. Joseph’s Hospital, which had come into view. “John Gallo. He was Bonnie’s father.”
Jane stiffened. “What? But Eve told me he was dead.”
Catherine shook her head. “A cover-up by the military. Eve will explain everything later. I’m just giving you the bare bones. But there was evidence Gallo was in Atlanta the month Bonnie was kidnapped. So I gave Eve all my information and threw in my opinion.”
“And she went after John Gallo,” Jane whispered.
“And Paul Black,” Catherine said. “But she felt terribly guilty about risking Joe again. So she tried to leave him out of it.”
“She should have known that wouldn’t work,” Jane said. She knew how guilty Eve felt about involving Joe, but she could no more stop hunting for Bonnie’s killer than Joe could abandon Eve and stop protecting her. Both were facts of life. “Gallo hurt Joe?”
Catherine shook her head. “Paul Black. And Gallo killed Black.”
“Good.”
“Not so good. Before he died, Black told Eve that Gallo had killed Bonnie.”
“And she actually believed the bastard?”
“She told me that she would swear Black was telling the truth. And Gallo took off and disappeared. Neither the police nor I have been able to find him.”
“But what would make him kill his own little girl?”
“He was suffering from bouts of schizophrenia and violent delusions caused by years of mistreatment in a prison in North Korea.”
“My God.” Jane shook her head. “That must have been a terrible nightmare for Eve. How can you imagine a man who gave you a child could kill it?”
Catherine’s lips tightened. “Well, I handed Gallo to her and made her imagine it.” She pulled into a parking spot in the lot of St. Joseph’s Hospital. “And then I helped Joe try to find him whether Eve wanted him along or not.” She turned off the ignition. “Are you still blaming Joe and not me?”
Jane gazed at her a moment. “You’re blaming yourself enough. You don’t need any help.” She got out of the car. “Where can I find her?”
“ICU. The visiting hours are very short, but Eve can watch him through the glass. If she’s not in the waiting room, she’ll probably be in the hall at ICU.”
“Are you coming with me?”
Catherine shook her head. “Eve needs family. I’ll check you in at the Hyatt and take your suitcase up to your room. Give me a call when you’re ready to leave the hospital.”
“Thanks.” Jane turned to walk away.
“How did you feel about Bonnie?” Catherine asked suddenly. “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m curious. You said that the search for her killer ruled your lives. That must have been difficult for an adopted kid to accept.”
Jane shook her head. “I knew what was important to Eve when I came to her. I wasn’t her child, I was her friend. That was enough for me. How could I ask for more?”
“Some kids would have been more demanding.”
Jane lifted her brows. “You?”
Catherine shook her head. “But then I probably wouldn’t have accepted any relationship when