Quinn - Iris Johansen [37]
Yet she had pushed him away, and he hadn’t been able to persuade her otherwise. She would know that he wouldn’t let her harm herself.
He didn’t wait for the elevator, but ran down the stairs. The newsboy was cutting the cord on the pile of newspapers that had just been delivered. Joe snatched up the top newspaper.
Son of a bitch.
“What the hell is she doing?” Slindak had come up behind him. His expression was tense as he grabbed another newspaper. “The captain just called me from a meeting at the mayor’s office. He wants to know if we had anything to do with this. Did we?”
“Hell, no.”
There was a photo of Eve on the front page. She looked sober, but her chin was lifted defiantly. That gesture was the theme for the entire story below the photo.
The story was written by Brian McVey.
“I’m going to murder him,” Joe muttered as his gaze scanned the interview.
It led off with an emotional introduction to Eve Duncan, who had lost her child. Then it went to the Q&A directly following.
Q. “You’ve heard about the death of Janey Bristol. Do you believe that your daughter was taken by the same killer?”
A. “It’s possible. The man who killed Janey Bristol was obviously a coward who only has the nerve to prey on children. Adult interaction obviously terrifies him. He was so stupid he didn’t even hide the child’s body but left it in that cave to be discovered.”
Q. “Stupid? He’s allegedly killed at least nine children without being apprehended.”
A. “Children. He’s a moron who is only capable of attacking and overcoming little children like Janey. That’s why he concentrates only on them. It takes logic and intelligence to attack adults. Someone told me that killers like him are into power. Since he’d be defeated by anyone other than a five-year-old, he’ll probably continue to kill helpless children. He won’t attempt to attack anyone who might challenge him.”
The article continued for another two columns, but it was all in the same insulting vein.
Slindak gave a low whistle. “Ugly. She couldn’t be more insulting. Is she trying to get herself killed?”
“Don’t ask me,” he said through his teeth. “She didn’t consult me about this insanity.”
“And I thought you were so close,” Slindak murmured.
“Not now,” Joe said curtly. “I’m very near to blowing, Slindak.”
“I can see that.” He added, “But I told you that there was the danger of not being able to control her. Now she’s going to cause us a hell of—”
“I know what she’s doing.” He strode over to the lobby telephone booth. “And she would have done this if I’d never shown up here in Atlanta. She’d have found a way to reach out to the bastard.”
“Reach out? She bludgeoned him. Are you calling her?”
He was trying. But she wasn’t picking up on her home phone. She could be there, but not answering. He hung up. “I’m going to her place and talk to her.”
“You may have to stand in line. She could have made Zeus mad enough to want to have his own discussion with her.” Slindak added, “The captain isn’t going to be happy if Eve Duncan ends up in a cave with her skull on a shelf. We’re getting enough heat without that maniac expanding his chosen field.”
“Dammit, it won’t happen. She won’t be killed.” He tore out of the precinct and down the steps.
Thirty minutes later, he was at the house on Morningside. No answer when he rang. The front door was locked. He went around to the back porch. No answer there.
What the hell? He jimmied the window and climbed into the kitchen.
Five minutes later, he’d searched every room in the house, and Eve was not to be found.
But there was an envelope on the kitchen table.
Joe
He tore it open.
You’ll be angry, but I had to do this. It’s my chance. You told me that this monster is all ego, and I thought this way I could draw him closer to me.
You wouldn’t let me do that, but McVey has no qualms about it. As you said, he’s hungry. He doesn’t care about anything but getting his story.
Isn’t that lucky for me?
Thank you, Joe.
Eve
His hand clenched on the paper.
Lucky.
Yeah, lucky enough to have that bastard zero