"What’s not wrong?" Sarah said. "Son of a bitch. Dirty son of a bitch. I want to kill him."
"Dom?"
"Who else? No one else—"
Fear suddenly surged through Eve. "Sarah, where’s Monty?”
“Dirty son of a bitch."
"Sarah."
"He tried to kill him." Tears were running down her face. "He tried to kill Monty."
"Tried?"
"He scared me to death. I thought he—”
“Sarah, what happened?"
"He threw a slab of beef next to Monty’s water bowl. It was poisoned.”
“You’re sure?"
"A coyote got hold of it. He was dead when I found him.”
“Thank God Monty didn’t eat it."
"I didn’t think he would. I’ve taught him not to eat anything I don’t give him. But I didn’t know— and then he wouldn’t answer me." She wiped her damp cheeks with the backs of her hands. "Shit."
Eve nodded. "I know." She opened the door. "Come in.” The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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“Just a minute. I’ve got to get Monty out of the back." She couldn’t see the dog. "Where is he?”
“On the floor."
"Why? Did he eat any poison at all?"
"No." She knelt beside the Jeep and her tone became soft and loving. "Come on, baby. Time to go."
Monty whined.
"I know. But we have to get out of the Jeep and go inside." She put the leash on him. "Come on, Monty."
He finally got to his feet and jumped down from the Jeep. His tail tucked between his legs, he moved slowly toward the front door.
"Are you sure he didn’t get any poison?”
“I’m sure."
"Then what’s wrong with him?"
"What do you think’s wrong? He’s sad. I had a devil of a time getting him away from that dead coyote. It must have been alive when Monty found it. Monty has trouble dealing with death."
She shrugged. "Don’t we all?"
"You’re saying he has psychological problems?" Sarah glared at her. "What’s odd about that?"
Eve held up a hand. "Not a thing." Looking at Monty, she could tell something was drastically wrong. His ears were pressed to the sides of his head, and his expression was terribly woebegone. "What can we do?"
“He’ll be okay. He just needs a little time." She led Monty to the hall. "Is it okay if I take him to Jane’s room?"
"She’s asleep."
"He won’t wake her."
"But what good would that do?"
"There’s no one more alive than a child. It will help Monty to be near her.”
“Therapy?"
Sarah stuck out her chin. "Jane won’t mind. She’s crazy about Monty." Who wouldn’t be crazy The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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about Monty? Eve thought. Those big, soft eyes were so sad, it almost broke her heart. "Up the stairs. First door."
"Thanks."
Eve watched her lead Monty up the stairs, then went to the kitchen and started brewing a pot of coffee.
The coffee was almost done when Sarah appeared in the doorway. "Get him settled?"
She nodded. "Sorry. Jane woke up.”
“She’ll go back to sleep."
Sarah said hesitantly, "He’s in bed with her. But he’s clean. I washed him off after I brought him home tonight."
"Do you take cream or sugar?" Sarah shook her head.
Eve handed her a cup of coffee. "Stop looking so guilty. It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. Monty and I don’t like to depend on other people.”
“I don’t think Monty minds as much as you do."
"You’re right." She made a face. "He’s probably better adjusted than I am.”
“Why did you come here, Sarah? I don’t think it’s because Monty needed therapy."
"I was mad." Her lips tightened. "I wanted to kill the bastard. I still do.”
“You’re sure it was Dom?"
"Aren’t you? I’ve no near neighbors who could be annoyed by Monty. He always stays close to me. No one ever tried to hurt him before he started to look for Debby Jordan. Someone wants to stop you from finding her."
Eve shook her head. "Just slow me down. Dom’s having too much fun to stop me cold. He didn’t realize that you’d refused to help me any longer."
"So he tried to kill Monty."
Eve nodded.
Sarah’s grip on her cup tightened. "I won’t stand for it. I’m going to get the bastard and hang him out to dry."
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"I thought you were through?"
"Don’t be stupid. He tried to kill my dog. He might try again. The only way to protect Monty is to catch that son of a bitch." She took one more sip of coffee and set the cup down. "Time to get to bed. We have only a few hours to sleep. We’ll set out at dawn."
"We will?"
"I’m staying here. It’s safer for Monty. I’ll need a room. Or if that’s not possible, I can go get my sleeping bag. I’m used to roughing it."
"I can give you the bedroom across the hall from me."
"Thanks. I’ll get my bag and Monty’s things out of the Jeep." Sarah left the kitchen. "You go on to bed. I’ll lock up."
Eve stared after her. An angry, protective Sarah Patrick was clearly a power to be reckoned with.
She turned out the light and started up the stairs. Well, this was what she’d wanted. She’d asked Sarah to continue to help. But she hadn’t imagined the woman would barge in and take over.
She stopped at Jane’s door and opened it. Jane was asleep again. Monty was in bed with her and she had an arm flung over the big dog.
What the hell. She could hold her own with Sarah Patrick. The dog was good for Jane, and the attack on him pointed out how close Dom was. He was getting tired of staying in the background and watching and waiting.
She shivered as she closed the door of Jane’s room. It might not be bad having Sarah and Monty in the same house. She was feeling very much alone right now. "Get to bed." It was Sarah passing her in the hall.
"Go to hell."
Sarah stopped at her bedroom door. "Sorry. I’m used to running things and I’ve been feeling pretty helpless lately. I’ll try to watch it."
Eve smiled faintly. "Do that."
It was going to be all right. She and Sarah would adjust to each other. After all, they had a common goal now.
You made a mistake, Dom. You’re not perfect. If you’d left it alone, Sarah would have stopped helping me. Now I have an ally.
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Did you make another mistake with Debby Jordan?
"Nothing?" Eve asked, disappointed.
Sarah shook her head. "Not a sign." She gestured to Monty, and he jumped into the car. "He thought there was something beneath that fallen tree, but then he changed his mind."
"Should we go back? Monty must be as tired as we are. Maybe he made a mistake."
"He doesn’t make mistakes. He’ll know it when he runs across it.”
“It’s been three days."
"She’s not there." Sarah paused and then tempered her tone. "Sorry. It’s been a long day."
They had all been long days. From dawn to midnight and sometimes later. Sarah had a right to be annoyed. While she had sat in the car or stood watching, Sarah and Monty had hunted. It was a wonder they kept pushing.
Sarah was silent until they were almost back at the house. "How many sites are left?"
"Four."
"That’s not many. Could he have lied to you?"
"He’s capable of anything. But if we aren’t on the right track, why did he try to kill Monty?"
"To make the scenario more believable?"
"It’s possible," she said. "Maybe he likes seeing me run in circles.”
“But you don’t believe it."
"No, I think there has to be a payoff. He likes the excitement, the ups and downs. Hope and then disappointment. Tension and then release. If we found Debby Jordan, it would be a tremendous release for him."
"You sound like you know the bastard."
Sometimes Eve felt as if she did know him. He was always on her mind. And there were moments when she felt that if she turned around quickly, she would catch sight of him.