“No more than if I saw a disease-carrying rat destroyed.”
“Ugly. How ugly you are.”
“And how did you get this Zander’s phone number? If he’s as smart as you say, I’d think he would make it very difficult for you.”
“He did, and I had to bounce off a dozen satellites and false numbers to narrow it down. But I had time and patience and Blick to help me.” He tilted his head, waiting as the phone rang. “And I’ve often wondered if he didn’t actually want to have me hunt him down. The bastard would feel like a caged tiger not to be able to go after a target he was salivating to get his teeth into. I’m sure he detests being frustrated.” He tensed. “He’s picking up. I’ll put him on speaker for you.” He spoke into the phone. “Zander, this is Doane.”
“Not Doane, Relling.” Zander’s deep voice was faintly mocking. “Venable gave you that new name and stowed you away for safekeeping, but you’ll always be the same scum as your son to me. No, worse. Because he had the guts to be a megamonster, and you were only a leech hanging on to him. I’ve been waiting for you to call. Or knock on my door. It took you long enough.”
“I was savoring the moment.”
“No, obsession carries one only so far and brainpower has to kick in somewhere. Anyone who could talk himself into carrying the water for a sloppy, self-indulgent executioner like Kevin Relling doesn’t have much upstairs.”
Doane flushed. “You’re trying to make me angry.”
“No, I wouldn’t bother. You’re not important enough. Why are you calling me? My guess is that you’re trying to whip up enough courage to come after me.”
“I have someone who wants to talk to you. I’ll bet that Venable went running to you and told you that I’ve left Colorado. I’ve enlisted the help of someone who is going to help me bring Kevin back to what he was before you sent him into those hellish fires. I thought you should get to know each other.”
Silence. “You’re speaking of Eve Duncan. I’ve no wish to get to know her. She’s nothing to me. You’re nothing to me.”
“I will be.” He thrust his phone at Eve. “Talk to him, Eve. Tell him how well you’re doing with my son’s reconstruction. Tell him that he couldn’t really kill my boy.”
“I’m not going to tell him that,” Eve said coldly as she took the phone. “Your son is dead. Hallelujah and Amen.” She spoke into the phone. “I don’t want to talk to you either, Zander. I abhor murderers, and I don’t know enough about you to know whether you’re any different than the man you killed. Probably not.”
Silence. “There are a few differences. I don’t kill children, and I have much more talent. I’m a professional who relies on business acumen, not emotion. Kevin Relling was ordinary, and I’m superb. Other than that, you’ll have to decide for yourself. Providing Kevin’s father lets you stay alive long enough to make any judgment. You do know he won’t let you live any longer than he has to to accomplish his purpose? Don’t let him tell you anything else. It will be a lie.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? I’m not one of those children Doane lured into Kevin’s trap. I’ve seen evil before, and Doane is evil. I don’t need you to tell me that I shouldn’t trust him. Any more than I should trust you. I’m on my own, and both of you can go to hell.” She thrust the phone back at Doane. “And may you both burn there until it freezes over. I’m going to bed and let you two play your games and spit your poison at each other.”
She heard Doane laugh as he spoke to Zander. “She’s a delight and so talented. I knew you’d appreciate Eve. Kevin and I have gotten very close to her. I can’t wait until you see her work on his reconstruction.” He paused before adding softly, “I want him there in the room when I cut your heart out.”
“Are you finished?” Zander’s voice was without expression. “I believe you’ve accomplished what you set out to do. You wanted to let me know you can reach out and touch me, if only by phone. You wanted to dangle Eve Duncan … as if I’d care. Now you’re just muttering threats. You’re all puffed up and trying to pretend you’re as mean as your son. You’re beginning to bore me.”
“I wouldn’t want to do that. I just want you to know what’s coming and anticipate it. Kevin, Eve, and I will see you soon, Zander.” He hung up and glanced at Eve, who had stopped at her bedroom door. “I’m sure Zander liked you even though you weren’t kind to him. I find it promising that he decided to warn you against me.”
“Why? He doesn’t give a damn about me. He knows you were using me as a chess piece in this dirty battleground you’re playing on. You wanted him to be sure that Kevin was still alive to you and I was part of some macabre revenge plan.”
“But you’ll notice that Zander said I’d accomplished my aim. Now we’re all on the same page. Isn’t that cozy?”
She didn’t answer as the door closed behind her. Her breath released shakily. She was glad that she hadn’t let Doane see how upset she was after that phone call. It shouldn’t have mattered, but somehow it did. Talking to Kevin’s killer had pulled her deeper into the matrix that Doane had drawn about her, smothering her, making her part of it.
He was smothering her. Not Zander, Kevin.
The memory of Kevin was suddenly before her. She could see the finely shaped lips, the gaping eye cavities, the smooth blankness of the rest of the face.
Waiting. Make me come alive. Bring me back. Punish you. Punish her.
Imagination. Oh, God, but what if it wasn’t?
She had to get out of here. She couldn’t touch that reconstruction again. She had to get away from him.
Don’t panic. Be calm. Think.
Doane had been wired when she had come in here, vibrantly alive, every sense on high alert. He had enjoyed every minute of that call to Zander. It was the wrong time to try to deceive or escape. It would be better to wait and pick a different opportunity.
But she didn’t want to wait. She wanted to break free. She wanted Bonnie to know she was safe, to know that no evil had touched her.
Bonnie …
But Bonnie couldn’t come, he was keeping her away. She looked up at the socket on the ceiling. But perhaps she could bring her near if she tried one more time …
“Don’t do it again, Mama. I was worried about you. It was almost too much.”
Her nails bit into her palms as her hands clenched in frustration. She had told Zander that she knew she was alone, but in this moment, that loneliness was nearly too deep to bear.
Stop whining, she thought in disgust. She would just do what had to be done. She’d stay away from that gas until the minute she tried to escape, then hope that her tolerance was strong enough. The last thing she wanted was to kill herself and let that bastard, Doane, win.
She moved across the room to the bed. Rest. Try to sleep. She had to be strong once she was on the run. She would listen for a while to make sure that Doane was as keen and alert as she thought, but tomorrow was probably the day she’d make her move.
The sound of Doane’s walking on the oak floor. His stride was quick, charged. He was going toward the worktable, stopping, standing in front of Kevin’s reconstruction. She could almost see him, staring eagerly, hungrily, at the half-finished sculpture.
Darkness.
Reaching out from the sculpture to enfold him. He would welcome that darkness, she knew.
But it was reaching past Doane, and she could feel that darkness touching her. She tensed and drew a deep breath, bracing herself.
Nausea.
She pushed it away. No way, you son of a bitch. You don’t have any power over me.
The nausea became stronger, then reluctantly ebbed and dwindled away.
She felt an instant of triumph, which vanished immediately. She had felt that darkness like a living presence. Before it had been less strong and could almost have been mistaken for imagination. But when Doane had stood before his son’s reconstruction just now, that dark wave had grown enormously.