"I know. But you’re leaning more toward the living now. That’s the way it should be." Eve was silent a moment. "He tried to tell me Jane was you reincarnated. Wasn’t that stupid?"
"I think it is. How could I be reincarnated when I’m here talking to you?" She smiled. "And you The Killing Game – Eve Duncan 02
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know she’s nothing like me."
"Yes, I know."
"You wouldn’t want her to be like me, Mama. We all have our very own souls. That’s what makes every one of us so special and wonderful.”
“Dom isn’t wonderful."
"No. He’s twisted and ugly." Bonnie frowned. "I’m frightened for you. He keeps coming nearer and nearer…"
"Let him come, I’m waiting for him."
"Shh, don’t get upset. We won’t think any more about Dom tonight. Will you tell me about Monty? I love dogs."
"I know. I was going to get you a puppy for Christmas the year that you—”
“And you’ve been regretting ever since that you didn’t get me one sooner. Stop it. I was happy.
But you should learn something from that. Live every moment. Don’t put off anything until tomorrow."
"Stop preaching at me, dammit."
Bonnie giggled. "Sorry. Then tell me about Monty."
"I don’t really know much about him. He belongs to Sarah and he’s a rescue and cadaver dog.
Jane loves him and trails after him every chance she…"
Mark Grunard was waiting in the lobby of Charlie Cather’s hotel when Joe walked in. "Ah, back from the mountains?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Cather’s promised to have a drink with me. He should be down soon. Any luck in Dillard?"
"No school records there, so we’re checking a nearby town. It turns out the father was a traveling evangelist."
"Damn, I was hoping there would be school photos to compare with Mrs. Harding’s snapshot."
"So were we." Joe sat down. "Spiro’s not pleased you’re sticking so close to Cather."
"Tough. I didn’t get anything from him, so I had to zero in on Cather. He’s a hell of an easier mark."
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"He’s tougher than you’d think."
"But he doesn’t have Spiro’s experience and just may let something slip." He added shrewdly,
"Has he told you anything about the photograph? Is that why you’re here?"
Why was he there? He’d gone to the precinct earlier about the picture and was told the duplicates weren’t ready. That stone wall again. Spiro had said, The truth is, they’re mad as hell that I won’t tell them who tipped me off about Debby Jordan’s grave. So they’re paying me back. A little tit for tat.
Even if Joe could persuade Charlie to describe the photo, he doubted it would help. Face it, he was there because he’d needed to distance himself from Eve. His impulse had been to move quickly, push hard instead of waiting patiently. It would have been a stupid move. She had been close to Logan, and Joe should be grateful she hadn’t been more upset. But he wasn’t grateful, and he was tired as hell of waiting patiently. He’d come too close to her to take a step back.
"Why not? Have you seen him since he picked up the photo?”
“Yesterday evening at the precinct." He paused. "Something’s bothering him.
He’s trying to hide it, but he’s not good enough."
"Maybe Spiro raked him over the coals for talking to you.”
“Maybe." He shrugged. "But I didn’t notice it until he came back from the Hardings with that picture. I’m glad you’re here. We’ll gang up on the kid and try to find out what’s making him so uneasy." He got to his feet. "Here he comes." Cather was smiling as he walked toward them from the elevators. "I wasn’t expecting you, Joe. Spiro said you just got back from Dillard. What is this? A conspiracy?"
Screw ganging up on Cather. If Charlie dropped something, he’d pick it up. But he wouldn’t pressure him. Joe rose to his feet. "Yep, and you’re the target."
Cather’s smile faded. "I can’t talk about the photo until I get clearance from Spiro. No way am I stepping on his toes again."
Grunard was right, something was bothering Charlie. But maybe he was just feeling the pressure. "If you can’t, you can’t. Then I guess if we can’t bribe you, you’ll just have to buy the drinks." He headed for the bar. "How’s your wife?"
Eve was sleeping when Dom called her very early in the morning. The sound of his voice was hideously jarring, piercing the serenity she usually felt after dreams of Bonnie.
"You’ve been busy. How did you like the scenes of my childhood.”
“How do you know I was there?"
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"I listen. I watch. Don’t you feel me watching you, Eve?”
“No, I ignore you… Kevin."
He chuckled. "I prefer Dom. Kevin doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve gone through so many transformations since then. And I’ve noticed you’ve been trying to close me out. It made me angry at the time. But I got over it. It only whetted my appetite."
"Kevin must have been a nasty little bastard. What happened to your parents?”
“What do you think happened."
"You killed them."
"It was inevitable. My father saw Satan in me from the time I was a small child. He’d make me stand and hold a black candle in each hand and then he’d beat me until I fell to my knees. When the beating was over, he’d rub salt into the wounds. Maybe he was right about seeing evil in me. Do you think we’re born with the seeds of evil?"
"I think you were."
"But you also think I’m insane. My father was insane and they called him a saint. The line is so thin, isn’t it?"
"Did Ezekiel and Jacob think he was insane?"
"No, they were as frightened and fooled by him as all the rest. But I tried to make them see. I took them with me when I ran away. I was lonely then and needed people."
"And you brought them here to Phoenix."
"We were going to California. I’d talked the Harding kids into going with us. But then Ezekiel and Jacob got scared. They packed up one night and ran back to my father. I went into a rage."
"And killed the Hardings."
"It was beyond anything. The ultimate experience of my life. And I knew what I was and what I was meant to do. I went back to that tent on the hill and I butchered all of them."
"Your mother too?"
"She stood by and watched him punish me. Is cruelty less painful because it’s passive?"
"And your brothers?"
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“Where are the bodies?"
"You won’t find them. I scattered their parts over half of Arizona and New Mexico and enjoyed every moment of it."
"And sowed that campground with salt."
“A melodramatic piece of symbolism, but I was only a boy at the time.”
“Like leaving a candle with your victims? You’re not a boy now.”
“It’s difficult to erase the teachings of childhood. Or perhaps part of my satisfaction is showing my father that I use his precious candles in my own way."
"Your father is dead."
"He was sure he was going to heaven, so he must be looking down on me. Or do you think his soul was chopped up with his body? I’ve often wondered." He paused. "Do you believe Bonnie’s soul was destroyed?"
She bit hard on her lower lip. "No."
"Well, you’ll know soon. I haven’t decided what candle I’ll use for you. It’s a terrible decision.
White for Jane, of course, but your color must reflect—"
She hung up. He was in a mood for confidences, and perhaps she should have held on, but she couldn’t take any more. He was dragging her down into the darkness that surrounded him. It was worse because it followed the wonderful dream of Bonnie. At this moment the evil seemed to be overpowering and she was helpless to fight it. It kept coming and coming…