Quinn - Iris Johansen [45]
“He?” He paused. “Zeus?”
“Yes. Get someone out there fast.” He hung up and turned to McVey. “None of this gets into print. Do you understand?”
“Not unless we get lucky and catch the bastard,” McVey said. “I can wait for the big story.” His eyes were shining with excitement. “But we’re close. I could hardly breathe while Eve was talking to him. She did a good job, didn’t she?”
“He tore her apart,” he said savagely. “Couldn’t you tell?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. He was striding down the hall to the living room.
Eve’s was sitting frozen, her face paper white. “Did we … get a location?”
“Yes, a convenience store on Cobb Parkway.”
“So he could jump in his car and get away. So it was all for nothing.”
“We could get a description.”
She reached up a shaking hand to her forehead. “And there’s something else … I’m having trouble thinking. He hates me. I think he was telling the truth about shadowing me until he finds a way to kill me. We’ve got that advantage.”
The desire to reach out, to comfort, was an ache inside him. But he couldn’t touch her right now. He didn’t have the control, and she would realize the truth.
And that realization would rob her of what little comfort he could give her.
“Some advantage,” he said tersely. “Did it occur to you that your logic is a little twisted?”
She nodded. “I guess it is. It’s all I’ve got.” She looked up at him. “You heard what he said about Bonnie?”
“Yes.”
“I’m trying to remember what you told me. That he’d probably say anything to hurt me. He could be lying.”
“Yes, he could.”
“But what if he’s not?” she whispered. “What if she’s … gone?” She swallowed. “What if he did the same things to her that he did to Janey Bristol? I can’t stand the thought of…” She stopped to steady her voice. “But I don’t know that, and I can’t let him break me and keep me from going after him. I have to hold on, don’t I?”
He nodded. “You have to hold on with all your strength.”
She got to her feet. “Then I can’t just sit here. I want to go to that convenience store and talk to the clerk. I want to know what a monster looks like.”
“Slindak will be taking care of that. And don’t expect Zeus to look like a monster. Most of the serial killers I’ve seen have looked like your next-door neighbor.”
“I still want to go. I need to go.”
He hesitated. “Why not? Stay here a minute and let me look around outside.” He grabbed his flashlight, left the house, made a quick tour of the perimeter, then came back. “Let’s go.”
“I told McVey what we were doing. He wants to stay here and transcribe his notes from the phone call.”
“Good. He’s not invited. I can take only small doses of McVey.” He held the door for her, and his hand cupped her elbow as they walked down the driveway to the car. “And he probably couldn’t resist getting in the way while we’re questioning the clerk.”
“You’re too hard on him. McVey is just doing his job.”
“It surprises me that you defend him considering what a beating you took from the media. He’d probably be after you like a vulture if he—”
“What’s that?” Eve was standing next to the car, staring at the windshield wipers.
Joe froze, his gaze following hers. A piece of paper was folded beneath one windshield wiper. “I don’t know. I didn’t notice it when I came by the car when I was out checking the perimeter. But then I wasn’t looking for it. I was hunting bigger—” Eve was reaching for the piece of paper. “No, let me get it.”
She already had it and was cautiously unfolding it. “Give me some light, Joe.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his flashlight.
She inhaled sharply as the beam illuminated the message on the paper. It was printed in large letters with a black pencil.
Stupid Bitch.
Do you think anyone can keep you safe?
“He was here,” she said. “He was outside all the time.”
“He was here. But not all the time. He wasn’t here the last time I checked the perimeter before you got the phone call. I don’t make mistakes like that. But he came very soon after, checked out