Quinn - Iris Johansen [62]
“Me, too.” She lifted her cup to her lips. “Catherine’s at the Hyatt getting me settled.”
“You don’t have to get settled. You can go back to London if you like. Everything is going to be okay here.”
“Stop trying to get rid of me. Do you mind if I stay and be with you? I’ll go when Joe is better.”
Eve nodded. “I just wanted to give you the option.”
“You’re rushing me out of here, and you haven’t even heard that he’s definitely on the mend.”
“I’ve heard.” Eve took another sip of coffee. “Joe told me.”
“And no one with more authority.”
“Well, Bonnie told him, and who has more authority than that?”
“Impossible.” Jane chuckled. “But I’m so glad that you’re this happy and giddy that I don’t give a damn. It was the last thing that I was expecting. You’re absolutely certain, aren’t you?”
“Yep.” Eve leaned back in her chair and felt the happiness flowing through her. She did feel giddy. After the tension of the last days, the relief was overwhelming. “And you will be, too. We’ll just sit here and give those doctors time to congratulate themselves, then come out and tell us how clever they are.” She lifted her cup in a mock toast to Jane. “And then we’ll call Catherine and tell her to come and celebrate with us.”
* * *
“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.” Catherine’s face was luminous as she came into the waiting room. “The doctors confirmed it? Joe’s going to be okay?”
“Believe it,” Eve said. “It’s true.”
“No danger of his slipping back?”
“Oh, they tried to tell me that we had to be cautious. That there was a possibility of a relapse.” She shrugged. “That’s what they always say when they’re confused. But I’m not confused. It’s not going to happen.”
“She has it on the highest authority,” Jane said with a grin.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Catherine said. “Next question. How long before Joe is on his feet again?”
“It depends on his progress. Joe usually heals quickly.”
“Months?”
“Weeks,” Eve said. “But I don’t know how many weeks. It will take as long as it takes. I don’t want him to hurry and injure himself.”
“Once he starts to recover, it’s going to be hard to keep him down.” Catherine frowned. “You know that, Eve.”
Eve’s smile vanished. “I’ll keep him down even if I have to tie him to the bed.”
“That may have to be the solution,” Catherine said grimly. “Once he finds out that you believed Paul Black when he said it was Gallo who killed Bonnie.”
Eve’s smile faded. “Black believed what he was saying. I could see it.” She paused. “And so did John Gallo. That’s why he ran away.”
“And Joe will be right after him.”
“No.” Eve could feel the fear tighten her chest. “We can’t let him do that.”
“No, we can’t,” Catherine said. “Which means I have to find Gallo first.”
“You’ve been trying. Everyone’s been trying.”
“Then I’ll try harder. I haven’t had a chance to concentrate yet. I’ve split my time between searching those woods and running back here and checking on Joe.” Her lips tightened. “I’ll find him.”
“He may not even be in those woods,” Eve said. “If he got clear of them, he could be anywhere in the world. He has plenty of money, and he worked for Army Intelligence for years as a troubleshooter and assassin. It’s not as if he won’t know how to slip in and out of the country.”
“I know that,” Catherine said. “But it wouldn’t have been easy for him to escape the sheriff and deputies we called in when Joe was hurt. They had him on the run. He was sighted at least twice.”
“And then they lost him, and he hasn’t been seen since,” Eve said. “You told me yourself that it was as if he dropped off the face of the Earth.”
“I think he’s still in those woods. He owns the property. He knows it better than anyone hunting him,” Catherine said. “I have a feeling.”
“Instinct,” Jane murmured. “I believe in instinct.”
“So do I,” Catherine said. “And it’s saved my ass too many times for me to ignore it.” She met Jane’s eyes. “I don’t like leaving Eve here alone. Are you staying?”
“I’m staying,” Jane said. “I wouldn’t leave her.”
“Good.” She turned back