Chill iced through her. Had the growing bond been that obvious? "He won’t see her with me."
"Then that’s okay." Mark left the room.
It wasn’t okay. If Mark had made the connection so easily, maybe anyone would be able to see it also. She wouldn’t let it happen. She would never take Jane from the house. Still she felt shaken and scared and a little sick. She needed warmth and life and—
Joe.
No, she couldn’t go running to Joe.
Jane and Sarah were in the kitchen. She’d go there and sit down at the table and listen to them talk and laugh. She’d pet Monty and then maybe she’d call her mother. She’d keep busy and try not to think of the photograph or Dom or anything but the precious things in life.
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And soon the chill would go away.
The red-haired doll stared up at Eve with glassy brown eyes. Its porcelain throat was cut from ear to ear.
"It was in the driveway. Someone must have tossed it through the gate," Herb Booker said quietly. "The video camera at the gate went out and Juan found the doll when he went to check it. The camera lens had been shattered. Probably a shot from a long-range weapon, since the camera didn’t pick up anything. I was going to call Mr. Logan, but I thought you should see this first."
"Yes," she said numbly.
"It wasn’t there when Mr. Quinn or Mr. Grunard left earlier. I checked the gate myself." He hesitated. "It’s a little girl doll."
"I can see that."
Bonnie.
Jane.
"It’s nasty. I think we should call someone.”
“I’ll take care of it."
"No offense, ma’am, but it could mean the little girl is—"
"I’ll take care of it, Herb." Her hand tightened on the doll. "Thank you for your concern."
"I think you should reconsider—"
"Go away" She stopped and tempered the sharpness of her tone. "I’m sorry. I’m upset. I need to be alone to think about this. I don’t want you to call anyone, not even Mr. Logan. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
But he didn’t say he wouldn’t do it. Why should he? Logan paid his salary. "Not even Mr.
Logan," she repeated, and then gave him an out. "At least, not until tomorrow. Okay?"
He shrugged. "I guess so. Juan and I will both patrol the grounds tonight. You don’t have to worry."
"Thank you."
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doorstep.
Booker still didn’t move.
"Good-bye, Herb." She went into the living room and a moment later heard the front door close behind him.
She sat down on the couch, took out her digital phone, and laid it on the coffee table in front of her.
And waited for him to call her.
It was almost midnight when the phone rang. "Just a reminder," Dom said.
"What’s wrong? Did you get tired of sending me bones?" There was a surprised silence. "You’re angry.”
“You bet I am."
"What an interesting development."
“Did you expect me to sit shivering in the dark, you son of a bitch?”
“I didn’t really think about it. As I said, I only meant it to remind you of what was important in your life. I believe you may be forgetting."
"Important? You?"
"Yes. Right now there’s no one more important to you than I am.”
“Screw you." She hung up.
The phone rang again five minutes later. She ignored it.
It rang four times more in the next hour. She didn’t answer.
It was after two in the morning when Joe came home.
She was still sitting on the couch, holding the doll, when he walked into the living room.
He took one look at the doll and then at her expression. "Shit. What the hell happened?"
"Dom tossed it onto the driveway. Herb didn’t tell you?"
He shook his head. "I was wondering why they were both at the gate when I drove in. Did he call?"
"Yes."
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He fell to his knees before her. "Bad?"
"The bastard’s always bad. It’s what he does." Her voice was shaking. "He thought I wasn’t paying enough attention to him. He wanted to remind me that he was still around."
He gently stroked her hair back from her face. "You could hardly forget.”
“That isn’t enough for him. He wants to dominate my life. He wants to be my life."
She looked down at the doll. "He tossed this ugliness at me so I’d remember Bonnie and Jane and all those other—‘
"Shh."
"Don’t shush me. I won’t have it." She jumped to her feet. "You’re treating me like the victim he wants me to be. I won’t be a victim. I won’t let him run my life."
"Easy." He rose to his feet. "I’m not the enemy here, Eve."
"I know." She took a step closer and buried her head in his shoulder. "Hold me." He carefully slid his arms around her.
"No, dammit." She pressed against him. "Hold me." He went still. "Are we talking about what I think we are?”
“I won’t think of him. I won’t think of death. That’s what he wants me to do. I want to live."
"And you’re equating sex with life?"
"Aren’t they the same thing? If not, I don’t know what the hell all the shouting is about."
"Sex can be a big part of life."
"I won’t let him do this to me. I’m not going to sit around and wait for him to come knocking on the door or dictate to me. I’ll do what I damn well please."
"Your declaration of tenderness is amazing."
"Do you think I don’t know it’s not fair to you? But you want it. You told me you wanted it. Have you changed your mind?"
"Hell, no." His lips firmed. "But this isn’t what I had in mind.”
“It’s not what I had in mind either. But I won’t have him—" Christ what was she doing? This was Joe. Where were all her good intentions? Tears were suddenly running down her cheeks. "I’m sorry. Forget it. I don’t know what I was thinking. Hell, I wasn’t thinking. I was only feeling. Try to forgive me. I must have gone a little crazy. He made me so damn—"
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The digital phone rang.
"Don’t answer it. It’s him. I hung up on him and he keeps calling back.”
“Turn off the phone."
"Then he’d know he’d won.”
“Are you sure it’s him?"
"It’s Dom. I upset him. He wasn’t getting what he wanted from me." She picked up the ringing phone and stuffed it in her purse. "He expected more of a payoff from that doll." She handed it to him. "You might as well give it to Spiro, see if he can get anything from it or trace it."
"I’ll do that." His gaze narrowed on her face. "Are you okay?”
“Other than going temporarily insane, I’m in great shape," she said jerkily. She turned on her heel. "I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning."
"Yes."
The phone had stopped ringing by the time she had showered and gotten into bed. Maybe he’d given up. Thank God he didn’t know the damage he’d almost done.
No, that she’d almost done. She had to accept responsibility for her own actions. Anger and frustration were only excuses.
She reached over and turned out the light. "You shouldn’t have done that. I wanted to see you."
Joe was standing in the doorway, a dark figure silhouetted by the light in the hall. An unmistakably naked figure.
"No," she whispered.
"Too late." He came toward her. "I’ve been invited.”
“I told you I’d made a mistake. I said I was sorry."
"I’m not. You caught me off guard down there and hurt my ego. But once I had time to sort things out, I realized that opportunity was knocking."
"I didn’t want to hurt your ego," she said unevenly. "I don’t want to hurt you at all, Joe. That’s why this can’t happen."