San — saint.
Her hands were shaking as she thumbed through the pages once more. Luz - light.
Yes.
Light.
She drew a deep breath.
I’ve got it, you bastard. I’ve got it. Now give me a little more time and I’ll find Debby Jordan.
She leaned forward and accessed the Internet search engine. Then she typed in one word.
Cadaver.
"Where are we going?" Jane asked as she looked out the car window at the cactusdotted terrain. "We’re out in the desert."
"We’ll be there soon."
"Where?"
"I told you I need help to find Debby Jordan. There’s someone out here who may be able to give me that help."
Jane glanced over her shoulder. "There’s someone following us.”
“I know. It’s one of Logan’s security people."
"Oh." Jane looked back out the window. "It’s ugly out here. Flat and brown. I like it better at home."
"Me too. But it’s getting greener the closer we come to the mountains.”
“A little."
The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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Where was the turnoff? The directions in the Internet ad had been precise, but all she’d seen had been— There it was!
A wooden sign with an arrow and a single name painted on it. Patrick.
She turned left onto a bumpy dirt road. One more mile should bring her to the ranch.
"Patrick?"
"That’s the name of the person who’s going to help us. Sarah Patrick. She trains dogs for a living."
Jane’s face lit with a smile. "Dogs?"
It was the first time she smiled since she’d left her friend Mike. "These are working dogs, Jane.
Not pets."
"What kind of work?"
"Obedience training. But I researched and found a few stories about her in the local newspapers. She also does search and rescue work. She and her dog were at the Oklahoma City bombing a few years ago, in Tegucigalpa after Hurricane Mitch, and in Iran after the earthquake last year."
"What did they do there?"
"They tried to find survivors buried in the rubble." She paused. "And later they searched for the bodies of the dead. Evidently Ms. Patrick’s dog has a very good nose."
"He smelled the bodies?"
"That’s what cadaver dogs are trained to do. They’re pretty smart. The Atlanta PD uses them occasionally."
"And that’s what you want him to do? Find that woman Dom killed?" Eve nodded. "Look, there’s the ranch."
If it could be called a ranch. A log cabin, several spacious wire pen enclosures, and a large corral that was equipped with apparatus that could have belonged in a child’s playground. An old Jeep with faded, chipped green paint was parked on one side of the cabin.
"No dogs." Jane said, disappointed. "The pens are empty. She must not be a very good trainer if nobody wants to hire her."
Eve parked in front of the cabin. "Don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe this is a slow time for her.
Every business has its—"
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The door swung open and a woman dressed in tan shorts and a plaid shirt came out of the cabin. "You lost?"
"Sarah Patrick?"
The woman nodded. "Don’t tell me. You’re from Publishers Clearing House. Where are my flowers and the six-foot check?"
Eve blinked.
"I guess you’re not." Sarah Patrick sighed. "Too bad. The cash would probably have corrupted me, but I could have used the flowers. I can’t grow anything out here. The soil’s too sandy."
Smiling, she stepped closer and looked in the window at Jane. "But kids are as good as flowers.
My name’s Sarah, what’s yours?"
"Jane."
"It’s a hot day. Come inside and have some lemonade, Jane." Her glance shifted to Eve. "You, too, I suppose. Unless you’re from the IRS. Then I’ll set my dog on you."
Eve smiled. "I’m Eve Duncan. You’re safe. I came to offer you a job.”
“No one’s safe from the IRS. I make barely enough money to support myself and Monty, but I’m self-employed, so my tax returns always get noticed. They never understand when I claim Monty as a dependent."
Eve followed Sarah Patrick into the house. "Monty?”
“That’s Monty." The woman nodded toward the fireplace. A golden retriever lying full-length on the floor lifted his head, yawned, and wagged his tail.
"Lazy beast." Sarah went to the refrigerator. "We just came back from a five-mile run and I’m not in a state of collapse."
"You don’t have all that hair," Jane said indignantly as she went down to her knees beside the dog. "He got hot."
Monty looked up at her with mournful eyes and then licked her hand. Jane was melting, Eve saw in surprise. She turned to Sarah. "He’s beautiful, but I can see how you’d have trouble with the IRS."
Sarah smiled. "It amused me to see if I could get away with it. Everything was fine until they audited me." She poured lemonade into two glasses. "I don’t think Jane wants to be interrupted yet. Sit down." She went over to the sink and leaned against it. "I’ll take pity and stay downwind of you. I haven’t had a chance to shower yet."
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She did have a gleam of perspiration on her tanned face and legs. Sarah Patrick was possibly in her late twenties, of medium height with short dark brown hair and a wiry, slim body. She wasn’t a pretty woman, but her large, sparkling brown eyes and well-shaped mouth were appealing. What made her arresting was the forceful energy she exuded.
"She your kid?" Sarah’s gaze was on Jane. "She’s very loving. Loving’s good." Jane was being loving, Eve noticed. Who would have guessed that Jane would succumb to a retriever. "No, she’s not mine."
"I like kids."
"You don’t have any of your own?"
She shook her head. "I don’t even have a husband." Her eyes twinkled. "Thank God. I have enough trouble."
"You’re alone here?" Eve frowned. "You shouldn’t advertise where you live.”
“I get lonely. I can take care of myself." She looked at the retriever. "And I have a great guard dog. Didn’t you notice?"
The guard dog had rolled over on his back in the most submissive position and caught Jane’s hand playfully between his front paws. He made a woo-woo sound and stretched his neck to nibble at Jane’s wrist.
"Yeah, sure," Eve said doubtfully.
Sarah chuckled. "I can see you aren’t confident about my training program. Monty isn’t a very good example. He has a few psychological problems. He’s not sure which one of us is the dog."
"He’s adorable."
Sarah’s face softened. "You know it." She set the glass down on the sink. "Who recommended me as a trainer?"
"I found you on the Internet."
"I’d forgotten I’d posted an ad. That was years ago, and no one’s ever answered it. I guess the directions out here are kind of discouraging." Her gaze narrowed on Eve’s face. "Why weren’t you discouraged?"
"I need you."
"There must be a dog trainer closer to where you live.”
“I need a cadaver dog."
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Sarah stiffened. "I should have known. Who are you with? ATF? Did Madden send you?"
"No ATF. No IRS. I don’t know any Madden."
"I wish I didn’t. That’s one plus on your side." She shook her head. "I’m not interested. Are you with a police department? I can give you the names of several handlers who work with the police."
"I want you. According to the newspapers, you’re the best in the business.”
“I’m not the best. Monty’s the best."
"Well, I don’t believe he’ll make a deal with me.”
“Neither will I."
"Please. It should take only a few days." Sarah shook her head.
"You don’t appear too busy. I’ll pay you more than your usual fee.”