“Don’t count on that,” Caleb said softly. “I don’t like the idea of your juggling and pitting Trevor against me to get what you want.” He held up his hand as she started to speak. “And you went after Quinn to get around Jane’s objections. You’re very wily, Margaret. All that sunny charm may cover something darker.”
She shook her head. “I’m a survivor,” she said simply. “I’ve had to be, Caleb. And I’m not some Pollyanna phony. I try to stay away from darkness. It’s always out there, but the only way I can get through it is to let in a little light now and then. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Sounds pretty saccharine to me.” He shrugged. “However, no one can say I’m full of sweetness and light.”
“You can say that again,” Jane said. “Now stop being cynical and give her a break.” She opened the door. “The bathroom is down the hall and to your left, Margaret. When you’ve washed the travel and dog smell off, come out, and we’ll talk.” She met her gaze. “But no matter what Joe says, I don’t know if I’m going to let you—”
“I know. I know. But you respect Joe Quinn. That’s half the battle.” She was walking quickly down the hall. “And I have to have information if I’m going to help at all. He’s a detective and razor-sharp. If he thinks I’ll be useful, he’ll share. You might ration info to keep me safe.”
Very canny, Jane thought. “You might get more than you bargain for. Joe is frantic, and he’ll do anything to get Eve back.” Her lips twisted. “Don’t trust me, either. I’m trying to remember to be civilized, but I’ll probably fold at the first hint that Doane’s going to hurt her. You’d be much safer if you got the hell away from both of us.”
Margaret’s head swiftly turned. “Doane? You have a name?” Her eyes were suddenly glittering. “See, information. It can be magic. How did you find out that—”
“Go take your shower. I may tell you later. Or I may not.”
“I’ll hurry.” Margaret disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door.
“Are you softening?” Caleb asked.
“If I were softening, then I’d run her away from here. The word is hardening.” She wearily rubbed her temple. “I wish she hadn’t come. It makes it too easy to take advantage of her.”
“She wouldn’t consider it taking advantage. You heard her, payback.” He shrugged. “I would probably take advantage, but then I’m a callous bastard. Your decision.” He glanced at the kitchen bar. “Now I believe you said you were going to give me a cup of coffee. You’re the one who looks like you need one. Sit down. I’ll make it for us.”
“I can do it.”
“I’m sure you can, but I didn’t take a bullet a couple days ago.” He was already around the bar. “It’s more reasonable to let—”
“For God’s sake, stop arguing with him, Jane,” Joe said roughly as he came out of the bedroom. “Keep what strength you have. The last thing we need is for you to collapse and have to go back in the hospital.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m—” Jane stopped, and her heart skipped a beat. “You’re upset. What’s wrong? Did you hear something about Eve?”
“No, I got a report on Blick’s overseas years from Army personnel. It was absolutely clear and uneventful until he reached Turkey. Then there were three instances of fights in bars and a few run-ins with the locals.”
“That wasn’t in the report that Venable gave us.”
“And therefore very suspect. The bar episodes were very violent but not lethal. Nothing that got him thrown in jail, but the incidents were written up. The Turkish complaints were because Blick was found in a private residential area where foreign soldiers were discouraged from going. He was with another man, who ran away and left Blick to take the blame when he and Blick were spotted near a Muslim girls’ school.” Joe added, “Blick wouldn’t reveal his identity when questioned by the Turks. Nor when he was released to the U.S. military police. He claimed he was alone, and the Turks were crazy. He said he was drunk and was wandering aimlessly when they picked him up.”
“He never revealed the name of the man who was with him?”
Joe shook his head. “And the charges against him were dropped the next day. Blick was shipped back to the States a month later.”
“A cover-up? Venable?”
“Maybe. But covering up what? And why?”
“Blick seems fairly ordinary up to the time when he teamed up with that man in Turkey. And he was willing to risk being thrown into a Turkish jail to protect him. From what we’ve learned about Blick’s background, that’s unusual.”
“And maybe the reason that Blick only got a slap on the wrist and was shipped back to the U.S. was to protect Blick’s buddy, too,” Caleb said. “It’s a game of maybes and ifs, isn’t it? Anything else, Quinn? The connection with Venable?”
Joe shook his head. “Only that I’m doing a scan of the newspapers of those months Blick was in Turkey. I’ll keep on looking, but nothing of international importance occurred as far as I can see.”
“But Venable seldom operates on the surface,” Jane said.
Joe grimaced. “Almost never.” He paused. “There were two Muslim clerics who were killed in rather suspicious accidents in Istanbul. They were reputedly responsible for arranging for a suicide bomber to kill four U.S. Army border guards in Iraq.”
“A revenge killing.” Jane frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Venable. He wouldn’t let emotion rule. He’d have a reason before he’d turn loose a team that might spark an international incident.”
Joe nodded. “And there was also a story about the disappearance of a young student on her way from Istanbul to her parents’ home in Delhi. Take your pick.”
“That wouldn’t involve the CIA either.”
“Who the hell knows what he’d do?” Joe said. “But we’re going to find out. I’m tired of making guesses.” He checked his watch. “Time’s up. I’m going after him.” He turned to Caleb. “Stay with Jane. Don’t let her out—” His cell phone rang, and he stiffened as he read the ID. “Venable.”
He punched the volume and access. “Where the hell are you, Venable?”
“Not there obviously. I gather by your tone that you’re frustrated. You didn’t get very far with checking out Relling?”
“You knew I wouldn’t. No Doane. No Relling. You were very careful about erasing his records.”
“Yes, but sometimes there’s a slip,” Venable said. “I’m glad to know they did a good job.”
“So good I may break your neck if I find out that what you did made Eve a target.”
“I can understand that. I never meant it to happen, but I should have been more careful.” Venable added, “But you can tell me all that in person in a couple hours. I just called to let you know that I’m at General John Tarther’s house in Virginia to break the news to him about Doane, but I have a plane waiting, and I’ll be on my way back as soon as it’s done.”
“Tarther? Another hint to dangle? That won’t cut it.”
“I wouldn’t have mentioned his name if I hadn’t intended to take you into my confidence.”
“Everything, Venable.”
Venable paused, then finally said, “Everything.” He hung up.
“Who is Tarther?”
Jane turned to see Margaret standing at the bathroom door, fully dressed in jeans and shirt but her hair wrapped in a towel. Her eyes were sparkling with curiosity as she came forward. “General Tarther? I’ve never heard of him.”
“I’ve heard of him,” Jane said. “He was famous. But it was a long time ago. Iraq, Joe?”
Joe nodded as he hung up the phone. “And Afghanistan. He retired years ago.”
“What’s happening?” Margaret asked, removing the towel from her head. “I only got to hear the last few words. And why would this Tarther—”
“We don’t know,” Joe interrupted. “But it seems that we’re going to find out.”
“But am I going to find out? Are you going to let me help find Eve?” Margaret asked shrewdly.
“Why not?” Joe was suddenly smiling recklessly. “If you can prove you’re able to do it.” He took her arm and pulled her toward the door. “We have a couple hours before Venable gets here, and I don’t want to twiddle my thumbs waiting. Jane said that you have a talent that the rest of us don’t possess. Even if I believed her, I’m not sure that communing with forest creatures would be of any worth in tracking down Doane.”