Chasing the Night

by Iris Johansen

“I won’t bother you.” Catherine was once more gazing down at Cindy’s bones. “If I can do anything more to—”

  “I’ll let you know.” Eve was staring at the lower part of Luke’s face. Such an enchanting child, full of life and mischief. Some of the magic of early childhood would fade when she added years to his picture.

  Catherine had missed that magic, she thought suddenly. How she must have loved this child. She would have regretted every year that passed and cheated her of those beloved changes. Eve had had Bonnie for seven years, and she had memories of every single one. Catherine had nothing past that second birthday.

  Time to get to work.

  Eleven. She had to clear her mind of that wonderfully engaging two-year-old and think eleven…

  It was close to five when Joe walked into the cottage. Eve had called him back and explained briefly what had occurred since he had left, and he had been royally pissed. Now she took one look at his expression and murmured to Catherine, “You said you were ready to face responsibility for your actions? Here it comes.”

  Catherine sat up straighter on her stool, her gaze on Joe Quinn. “Will it upset you? I can handle him alone.”

  “Indeed?” Joe asked silkily.

  “It won’t upset me,” Eve said. “It will interest me.”

  Catherine slipped from the stool and moved across the room to stand before Joe. “You’re angry. I had to do it, you know. I had to get Eve alone to talk to her. You had to be removed.”

  “You’re damn right I’m angry. You interfered with my life and my job. You broke into my home. You somehow managed to brainwash Eve into doing your job. Get the hell out of here.”

  “If that’s what you want. But Eve is going to help me. We both know she always keeps her word. And I’m helping her, too. It will be easier for her if I stay here until it’s done.” She moistened her lips. “It won’t be long. Eve says that two or three days, and she’ll have the progression completed. I won’t get in your way. I’ve brought a tent and sleeping bag. I’ll camp out in the woods until she’s finished. The minute she stops for the day, I’m out of your house and won’t come back until the morning.”

  He stared at her without speaking.

  “I’ve heard that she cares about you. She’s stayed with you a long time, so that must be true. I always knew that you could be the one who would get in my way. You might be able to persuade her to not help me.” She looked him in the eye. “But I don’t think you will. She hasn’t had any luck finding her own child. She has a chance to help find mine. That would have to make her feel a sort of healing. I’d think that you’d want that.” Her voice lowered. “I don’t care how you feel about me. Yes, I’m selfish and self-serving, but I’m not hurting her. Just let me stay for a little while.”

  Joe didn’t speak for a moment, and his gaze never left Catherine’s face. “Eve?”

  “Her son was only two when he was ripped away from her. He deserves to come home.” She paused. “And he could be alive, Joe. Maybe for once the bad guy hasn’t triumphed. She’s right, I need this.”

  Joe muttered a curse and turned on his heel. “Okay, you’ve got it. Just don’t let her pull you into anything else.” He headed for the bedroom. “And you will sleep in your tent and stay out of my hair, Catherine. I won’t have you insinuating your way into my house. Once the progression is over, you’re out.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Once I know what my son looks like, I’ll be out of here and on the hunt.” She turned back to the worktable. “Thank you, Detective Quinn.”

  Her only answer was the slamming of the bedroom door.

  “When he cools down, I could ask him to let you sleep on the couch,” Eve offered.

  Catherine shook her head. “I’m lucky that he’s being as generous as he is. I won’t push my luck.” She sat back down on her stool. “I’ve found three pieces that I think fit together.” She picked up a tiny sliver of bone. “And I believe this one may be part of the nasal area….” She looked up at Eve across the table. “Is it too early for me to ask how you’re doing on the progression?”

  “Much too early.”

  “May I ask about the procedure?”

  Eve shrugged. “I work differently from most other forensic artists. Particularly when children are involved. I can’t just dive in and combine all the changes that happen year by year and go to the final product. I have to do a complete progression at several growth stages and gradually build them to the present age. It’s more work, and Venable’s techs would probably say it’s unnecessary. But maybe it’s because I’m not as experienced as they are. It’s necessary for me.” She met Catherine’s gaze. “So if you have any objections, voice them now, and we’ll stop.”

  “No objections. Only one request.”

  “What request?”

  “Will you save every stage progression you do of Luke for me?” She tried to smile, but her lips were trembling. “I want to see how he grew, how he changed. It will be like having a collection of school photos of him.” Her smile faded. “School photos. Such an ordinary thing. It wouldn’t have been ordinary to me, Eve.”

  “No, I can see it wouldn’t,” Eve said gently. “I’ll save them and print them out for you. I won’t be doing every year, but you’ll be able to grasp the changes.”

  “Thank you.” She looked down at the bones again. “I was just curious. I’ll let you work now.”

  Curious and desperately reaching out for memories of which she’d been cheated, Eve thought.

  Catherine changed the subject. “You know, this Cindy puzzle is every bit as difficult as I thought it was going to be.” She grimaced as she looked back at the skull on her screen. “And I don’t think it would help if I’d worked with skulls and bones for years as you have. It’s just hit-or-miss.”

  Eve nodded. “Which is why I agreed to let you try your luck. You have the same determination and motivation that I have. It’s not based on the same foundation, but the result could be identical. I hope it will be.”

  Catherine was frowning, her tongue touching her upper lip as she tried another fragment of bone. “I hope so, too…”

  Eve knew that Joe was not asleep when she took off her terry robe and slipped into bed.

  “It’s almost two in the morning,” he said gruffly. “She’s a demanding bitch, isn’t she?”

  “You know better than that.” She cuddled closer to him. She loved the feel of him. Everything about Joe was warm and strong and hard. “No one pushes me but me. I wanted to get through the first transition to age three.”

  “Did you do it?”

  “Yes. Actually, it was easier for me than for Catherine. She’s going to have severe eyestrain from working on Cindy tonight. But she managed to get the shards of the upper-right cheekbone in place.”

  “I can’t say I feel sorry for her.”

  “I know. I don’t blame you. What she did was arrogant and done with all the finesse of a bulldozer.”

  “I won’t say she was without finesse. It takes a certain amount of cleverness to be able to manage all the details of pulling the right strings at the precinct not only to set up a false crime scene, but arrange for me specifically to be called in for it.”

  “She’s experienced. After all, she’s CIA.”

  “And if there weren’t a kid involved, you’d have kicked her out.”

  “Yes. I found I couldn’t do it.”

  “Because she made you bleed, then gave you a bandage of hope to soothe the wound. I told you she was clever.” He pulled her closer. “But there wasn’t any way I could take that hope away from either of you. That’s why I didn’t toss her ass in the lake.” His lips brushed her temple. “But it’s still an option I’m leaving open.”

  “Me, too.” But that option was gradually fading into the shadows the more she worked with Catherine Ling. “But I think she’d swim to the surface and be back on our porch an hour later. She’s going to do anything she has to do to get her son back.” She whispered, “I
have to help her, Joe. I’ll show you the photo of Luke tomorrow. I’ve never seen a sweeter, more beautiful child. So full of life. The more I work on the progression, the closer I feel to him.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about.”

  She knew what he meant. It was a valid concern. She had told Catherine that she would only do the progression, and then go back to her own work. But she was being pulled deeper into Catherine’s emotions, Catherine’s obsession.

  “She only asked me to show her what Luke looks like now. That’s not so much.”

  “And I’ll be right here to make sure that she doesn’t try to persuade you to do anything else.” He kissed her hard. “Don’t close me away from you. I felt like an outsider when I came in tonight and saw the two of you working together. I could almost see the bond that was meshing, forming between you. I was jealous. And it scared the hell out of me. Because I can’t fight it. I haven’t lost a child. I can sympathize, but not empathize. I’m already working my way through your feelings for Bonnie. I’m not ready to deal with another lost child, whether he’s dead or alive.”

  “I’m not asking you to deal with Luke.”

  “No, but it will happen if you become involved. I can’t do anything else. After all these years, you should know that by now.”

  Yes, she knew it. They had been together since the week that her Bonnie was kidnapped, and he had been her salvation, pushing back the darkness. Since that nightmare period, they’d had a relationship as stormy as it was loving. At times she hadn’t been sure it would survive. “Joe, if you—”

  He kissed her again, smothering the words she had been about to speak. “No, I don’t want to argue. I’ve had my say. I just want you to know how I feel.”

  “Duly noted.” Her hands slid around him, and her nails bit teasingly into the back of his neck. “I like the way you feel. Emotionally…” She ran her tongue over his lower lip. “Physically.” She pushed him over and climbed on top of him. “Sexually. Oh, yes, most definitely sexually.”

  He inhaled sharply as her hands moved over him. “Are you trying to distract me?”

  “Hell, yes. You’re being too intense. I’m dealing with enough intensity. Am I succeeding?”

  He smiled as his hands closed on her breasts. “Without a shadow of a doubt.”

  Venable called Eve just after noon the following afternoon. “How is your collaboration with my pet she-wolf coming along?”

  “Very well. And I don’t have time to talk to you unless you have something to contribute.” She gazed at Catherine. “Would you like to speak to Catherine?”

  “No, I’d just like you to give her a message. Tell her that I kept my word. The Rakovac file should be on her e-mail.”

  “Tell her yourself. You may be fond of secrets and playing people against each other, but I like things out in the open. I’m putting you on speaker.” She turned to Catherine as she pressed the button. “Venable says you have a document on your e-mail.”

  Catherine tensed. “The file, Venable?”

  “I told you I’d get it for you,” Venable said sourly. “And I put my ass on the line with the director to keep my word. He was having second thoughts.”

  “The entire file?”

  “Surveillance on Rakovac from the week that your son was taken.” He paused. “You’re not going to be pleased. I told you at the time that we had no visual confirmation on Luke. I didn’t lie to you.”

  “But he had to have some contact with him. I heard him crying on that first call. Rakovac mentioned things that he did in other calls.”

  “And we both know the bastard could have been stringing you along,” Venable said bluntly. “Luke could have been killed right after that first call.”

  “No question. But if he wasn’t, and Luke is alive, there might be something in those surveillance records that will give me some direction.”

  “Well, go damn carefully. I don’t want you blowing our relationship with him until we’re ready to pounce. You owe me that much.”

  “Screw you. I don’t owe you anything.”

  “I kept your son alive. I was always a presence reminding Rakovac how dangerous it would be to go too far. It had to have had an effect.”

  “Maybe. Neither of us knows whether that’s true.”

  “But you’re being positive. That’s what this is all about.” His voice harshened. “Look, you’ll see by the info on the last section of that file that it’s not only the Company that is working at parting ways. Rakovac is going down a path that’s dangerous for all of us. He’s left his apartment in Moscow and dropped off our radar. We’re trying to find him, too. We’re going to have to handle him very delicately until we get to a point where we can get rid of him.”

  Catherine’s eyes widened. “You’re going to kill him.”

  “It’s quite likely it will be necessary. If we can’t work it any other way.”

  “You can’t do that. Not yet.”

  “It’s not going to happen tomorrow. All I’m asking is that you keep it slow and easy and not cause us to have to move prematurely.”

  Catherine drew a deep breath. “I’ll think about it. I can’t promise. I’ve waited too long.”

  “Then I may have to work at slowing you down myself,” he murmured. “I’ll have to see what roadblocks I can toss in your path. I know you may not believe it, but I’m on your side, Catherine. I’ve always wanted the best for you.”

  “Listen to me.” Catherine’s voice was shaking. “You’re telling me that there’s going to be an explosion between you and Rakovac, and it might be soon. I know him. If Luke is alive and has even a tiny bit of security now, that will vanish in a heartbeat the minute Rakovac breaks with Washington. I have to get him away before that happens.”

  “But what if you’re the one who causes it to happen?” Venable asked softly. “If you’re clumsy, you might push Rakovac into making the break before any of us are ready. Slowly and delicately, Catherine.”

  “I can’t—” She stopped. “I’ll try to not rupture your precious alliance with Rakovac before you’re ready. Hell, I may even act as a diversion. But you can’t kill Rakovac until I’ve found Luke. Do you understand? My son could be lost forever.”

  “We’ve always tried to keep Luke safe for you,” he said. “Eve, you can see that the situation is very difficult. I repeat, it would be wise of you and Joe to stay out of it.” He added wearily, “No one is trying to victimize Catherine. We’re just trying to do our jobs.” He hung up.

  “Slow and easy,” Catherine repeated bitterly, as Eve pressed the disconnect. “When that’s what I’ve been doing for nine years. And now he wants me to stand by while they kill Rakovac. Do you know how long I’ve wanted Rakovac dead? I would have found a way to kill him myself if I hadn’t been afraid I’d lose my link to my son. It’s not going to happen. I won’t permit it.”

  “You’re upset,” Eve said quietly. “Why don’t you go out on the porch and relax for a while.”

  “No.” Catherine turned back to the worktable. “I have work to do. I promised you. We have an agreement.”

  “It won’t hurt to take a break. Don’t you want to read that file?”

  “I’ll do it after we finish for the day.” She smiled grimly. “That phone call may have been one of the roadblocks Venable was talking about putting in my way. He knew it would upset me.”

  “And slow you down.”

  She nodded. “You heard more than you wanted to hear, didn’t you? You may not like secrets, but it’s sometimes safer to not be privy to them.”

  Eve shook her head. “I don’t like cocoons. I’ll take honesty every time.”

  Catherine stared at her for a moment. “I’m grateful, you know. Ask me anything. I’ll do it.”

  Eve smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

  Catherine nodded. “In the meantime, no secrets. I promise. It will be difficult for me. I’ve lived with secrets and deceptions all my life.”

  “Catherine, I don’t want t
o invade your privacy.”

  She shrugged. “It’s the only gift I can give you right now.” She turned back to the worktable. “I’m better now. My hands aren’t shaking any longer. I can go back to work.”

  But Catherine was still in an emotional tailspin. She needed a major distraction. “I’m not ready yet.” Eve got up and headed for the kitchenette. “I want a cup of coffee. What about you?”

  “I don’t need it.”

  No, Catherine wouldn’t admit to any weakness. “But do you want it?” Eve asked.

  Catherine hesitated, then slowly nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  Eve nodded as she pressed the coffee button. “Drag your stool around to my computer. I might as well go over the transitions I’ve completed while we take a break.”

  Catherine’s eyes lit with eagerness. “Are you that close?”

  “I have two more transitions before I reach the final stage.” She filled Catherine’s cup. “But I’m far enough along that you may find it interesting.”

  “Oh, yes. I’ll definitely find it interesting.” She smiled ruefully. “I’m like a kid waiting for the gates of Disney World to open.”

  Eve crossed the room and handed Catherine her coffee before sitting down on her stool. “I only hope my work isn’t as fantasy-based as Disney. I did the best I could.”

  “Show me.”

  “I was going to skip age three, but a lot happens in that year.” She pulled up the first transition of Luke at age three. “Do you see that the eyes are slightly more elongated and less rounded? The interorbital distance is almost established. The cranium had expanded to accommodate the growing brain. Look at the teeth. The maxilla and mandible have become larger and widened to allow room for his deciduous teeth.”

  “Deciduous?”

  “Baby teeth. The changes are subtle but important.”

  “He already looks different. Beautiful…but different.”

  “Your Luke was a baby. That doesn’t last long.”

  “No.”

  Eve saved the transition and brought up the second one. “Luke, age five.”

  “Dear God.”