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Eisley called back in less than a minute. But it took ten minutes for Joe to persuade her to give him the address.
Rage and fear were building inside him with every second. He wanted to strangle Eve. She had closed him out again. All the years of being together, and she had turned her back on him. He wished he’d never met the bitch. Who needed to have that kind of torment in their lives? Half the time he wanted to shake her and the other half he wanted to cradle her and take away her pain. She thought she was strong enough to take on anything, but she was no match for Dom.
Don’t run toward him, Eve.
Wait for me.
She was running.
The alley smelled of grease and garbage. Darkness.
A sound to the left.
Her heart leaped to her throat. Dom?
No, only a cat. Where was Jane?
"Jane? Do you see her, Mark?”
“Here," Jane called out.
The big cardboard refrigerator box against the brick wall.
"Mike’s okay." Jane crawled out of the box, dragging a small boy with her. "He’s just scared. He said he kept hearing scratching tonight. Probably rats. He’s hungry.
You got anything in your purse?"
"I’m afraid not."
"Who are they?" Mike was staring at Eve and Mark warily. "Welfare?"
"I wouldn’t do that to you," Jane said. "But you can’t stay here any longer. There’s some bad people hanging around.”
“I’m okay."
"You’ll be better where Eve will take you. Get your stuff." Mike hesitated. "There will be plenty of food."
"Okay." Mike ducked back into the box.
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"Where are you going to take him?" Jane asked. "He’s going to want to know." So did Eve. "I’ve got to think about it."
"Not welfare."
"No."
"Not back to his father.”
“Okay, Jane, I get the point.”
“You promised."
She inhaled sharply. Something was gleaming wetly on the cardboard box. "I’ll keep my promise."
Mike came out of the box carrying a duffel bag. "What kind of food? I like french fries."
"I’ll see what I can do." She turned to Mark. "Take them back to the car, will you?"
Jane looked at her.
Mark raised his brows. "You’re not coming?”
“In a minute."
He nodded and began to shepherd the children up the alley. She reached out and gingerly touched the dark stain on the box. Not as wet as she’d thought, only a little came off on her fingertips. Her hand was trembling as she reached into her handbag and drew out a small flashlight.
The stain on her fingers was dark red, almost rusty. Blood.
He kept hearing scratching tonight. She shone the light on the box. You’ve done well, Eve. A small reward…
She felt sick as she realized how close Dom had been to the little boy. Reward?
Mike’s life was her reward? No.
The dots at the end of the sentence were leading downward. Something white lay on the ground.
She slowly knelt down and shone the light on the small object. A bone. Tiny, delicate. A child’s finger bone.
Bonnie?
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She felt faint and held on to the cardboard box to keep from falling to the ground. Hold on. He wants you to hurt.
Oh, God, Bonnie…
Don’t touch it. Don’t touch anything. Maybe he’s made a mistake this time. See, she was getting better. She hadn’t been able to leave the rib he’d left for her on the porch.
She could do it now. She could leave that fragile bone lying in the alley if it meant a chance at catching the bastard.
She struggled to her feet and turned off the flashlight.
Fight the pain. Walk.
Don’t think of the bone. Don’t think of Bonnie.
She couldn’t save her daughter, but she might be able to save Jane and Mike. Are you there, Dom? Go ahead, show me blood. Show me my daughter’s bones.
Everything you do is making me stronger.
I won’t let you win this time.
NINE
The man’s throat had been slashed.
"Son of a bitch."
Joe looked up to see Barbara Eisley standing a few feet away. She took a step closer and looked down at the body that had been rolled into the bushes bordering the house. "The security guard?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Why shouldn’t I be here? You wake me up in the middle of the night and tell me that you’re coming out here to disturb my people and you expect me to just go back to sleep?" She glanced back at the halfway house in which every light was blazing. "This is my responsibility. Where’s Jane MacGuire?"
"I don’t know."
"The house mother says she’s not in her room. The guard’s dead. Could she be dead too?"
"She could be." When Eisley flinched, he added, "But I don’t believe so. There was a knotted The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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sheet hanging from her window."
"So she climbed down— and dropped right into a murderer’s hands.”
“Maybe not."
Eisley’s gaze raked his face. "Eve Duncan." She swore beneath her breath. "I told her to stay away from the kid."
"And she told you Jane was in danger. You wouldn’t listen. You’d better pray Eve got to her before the man who killed your security guard did." He rose to his feet. "Don’t let anyone touch anything or track around this area before the forensics team get here."
"Where are you going?”
“To find Jane MacGuire."
"If Eve Duncan took her, it’s kidnapping." She paused. "But since there are mitigating circumstances, if she returns the child within twenty-four hours, I might persuade the department not to press charges."
"I’ll convey your generous offer to her. Providing she ever makes contact with me."
"You have to know where she is. That child has to be found." There was a hint of panic in her voice. "You’re friends, aren’t you?"
"I thought we were."
He could feel her gaze on him as he walked toward his car at the curb. You’re friends, aren’t you?
Friends. Through all the years he’d forced himself to accept that relationship, and now she was edging away from it.
At the worst possible time.
Screw friendship. Screw hope. I don’t give a damn.
Just call and let me know that bastard hasn’t gotten to you.
Mark parked the car in front of the Peachtree apartment building. "Who lives here?"
"My mother and her fiancé," Eve answered. "She’s the only one I could think of who’d be willing to take care of Mike."
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“Maybe."
Eve sighed with exasperation. Not only would she have to persuade Sandra to help, but her mother also had to win Jane’s seal of approval.
"He’ll be safe here, Jane. The building has security, and my friend, Joe, arranged additional protection for my mother. He’ll be fed and protected. What else can you ask for?"
Jane didn’t answer as she headed for the front entrance with Mike trailing at her heels.
Eve looked at Mark. "Coming?"
"I don’t think so. It’s after one in the morning. I’d much rather face our serial killer than wake your mother and her boyfriend from a sound sleep and try to convince them to be instant parents. I’ll wait here."
"Coward."
He smiled. "Yep."
She started after the children. She wasn’t eager to face the task at hand either. She scarcely knew Ron. She’d met him only once before she’d left for Tahiti. He’d seemed pleasant, smart, and genuinely devoted to her mother. But he owed Eve nothing.
Then, she would tackle him first. Even though she hated imposing on Sandra, she didn’t doubt her mother would help. She just didn’t want to do anything that would mess up a relationship her mother obviously treasured. She’d ask her mother to take the kids into the kitchen and fix them something to eat, then explain the situation to Ron and appeal for his help.