Bonnie

by Iris Johansen

  “And leave me out?”

  She smiled faintly. “Are you kidding? A two-prong attack is always more effective. You know that, too, or you wouldn’t be heading for the cathedral when you want to go directly after Danner and grab Eve from him.” Her smile faded. “But I’ll have Danner’s affection for Gallo to use against him, and I’d do it, Joe.”

  “If Gallo will let you.”

  She shook her head. “I’d do it. That bastard had no right to take Eve. We have to get her back.” She met Joe’s eyes. “Alive. We’ll get her back alive, Joe.”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Joe?”

  “I’m not sure, Catherine,” he said thickly. “I’m not sure how this is going to end. I just know I’m scared shitless.”

  And so was Catherine, but she couldn’t admit it right now. Keep busy. She reached for her phone. “I’ll call Venable and get him working on that GPS. If that doesn’t work, I know Eve will find a way to let us know where she’s located or where she’s going.”

  “You have a lot of faith in her.”

  “Of course, and so do you. Eve can do anything she wants to do.”

  He didn’t speak for a moment. “You’re right, and that’s what’s scaring me.” He added somberly, “Anything she wants to do.”

  * * *

  “WE’VE BEEN DRIVING IN circles.” Eve broke the tense silence that had stretched between her and Danner for the past two hours. She was gazing out of the window of the truck. “Just where are we going, Danner?”

  “I have to be sure we’re not followed. A diversionary tactic,” Danner said. “I’m not afraid of the police. I can handle them. But you came to the church with John. He mustn’t be part of this.”

  “Because you don’t want him to know what you are?”

  He looked at her. “Are you trying to make me angry? You can’t do it by throwing John in my face. He’s always been the best part of my life.”

  “I know you loved him.”

  “Not past tense. I do love him.”

  “He loved you, too.” She paused and then said deliberately, “Of course, he didn’t know you were a murderer.”

  “Yes, he did. I killed in the military, and I never tried to hide it from him. I served my country, and he was proud of me.”

  “But were you proud?”

  “I served my country.”

  “You didn’t answer me.”

  “I don’t have to answer you. Why should I? I won’t make excuses. I don’t have to talk to you at all.”

  She ignored the reply, and went on, “You might have felt like a patriot for a while but that changed, didn’t it? Your psychiatrist who first examined you after you came back from Syria said that something happened that tipped the scales and sent you off the track. What was it?”

  “Why are you asking me all these questions? What do you care? That has nothing to do with what’s happening now. Do you think that we’re going to form some kind of bond? You’ll be disappointed. I can’t afford to do that.”

  She nodded. “I could have formed a bond with the man who came to see me and Bonnie when she was just a baby. I felt sorry for you. I wanted to help you. All I saw in you was sorrow, not rage. What happened, Danner?”

  “Shut up. I don’t need your help. I didn’t then, I don’t now. You’re the one who needs help.”

  Her gaze searched his face. “Why, Danner?”

  “Can’t you see? Are you stupid? You’re sitting there, with your hands tied, and you know what I am.” His gaze searched her face. “And you keep asking me questions. Why aren’t you afraid?”

  “Do you want me to be afraid?”

  “I want you to stop asking me questions.”

  “You don’t have to answer them.” She looked down at the ropes binding her wrists in front of her. “No, I’m not afraid. But being tied does make me feel helpless. I suppose that increases your sense of power.”

  “Yeah, it does.”

  She smiled faintly. “I think you’re lying. I believe it makes you uneasy to see me like this.”

  “Believe what you like.” He was silent a moment. “Why aren’t you afraid? I did kill Jacobs, you know.”

  “I know. And you would have killed my friend, Catherine. Why?”

  “Demon. The moment I saw her, I knew she was a Delilah.”

  “I don’t know about Jacobs, but Catherine is no demon. I’m not sure there are demons.”

  “Then you’re a fool,” he said harshly. “They’re all around us. Look away from them, and they’ll have you.” He tore his gaze away from her. “You have to fight them all the time.”

  “And what would they do if they caught you?”

  “They’d devour my soul,” he said simply.

  “And is my Bonnie a demon?”

  He stiffened. “I don’t want to talk about the little girl.”

  “Father Barnabas said you’ve never spoken of her by name, that you only talk about a little girl. That little girl is Bonnie, isn’t she?”

  “I won’t talk about the little girl.”

  “Why not?”

  “Be quiet.”

  She was disturbing him. His hands were clenched on the steering wheel, and there was a flush burnishing his cheeks. The mere mention of “the little girl” had done this to him.

  “I’ll be quiet for now.” She looked away from him. “But you’ll have to answer me sometime, Danner.”

  “No, I won’t. I’ll shut you up.”

  “By killing me?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Change the subject. “Where are you taking me, Danner?”

  “To the place.”

  “What place?”

  “Her place.”

  She inhaled sharply. Dear God, was he speaking of the place where he’d hidden Bonnie’s body? Her heart was starting to pound. After all the years of searching, was she this close? “I don’t understand. Explain. Please.”

  He shook his head. “You’ll know later. She’ll tell you.”

  She was so frustrated she wanted to shout at him. So damn close.

  Control. Patience. She drew a steadying breath. “Okay, I’ll let it go. But I have to come back to it. I have to know everything, Danner. If I make it easy for you. If I go with you, if I don’t fight you, will you tell me what I need to know?”

  He didn’t speak for a moment. “You won’t fight me?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t want you to fight me. I’d hurt you, and John wouldn’t like it.”

  Danner’s reasoning was complex and bewildering. She was almost sure he intended to end her life. Evidently, killing her was all right, but not inflicting pain. “No, John does care about me. He would be angry if you hurt me.”

  “I don’t know why it should matter to me,” he said jerkily. “It’s just a drop in the ocean. He’ll never feel the way he did about me before. But I have to do the best I can. I know it would matter to me. I’ve never wanted to cause anyone pain.” His eyes were glittering with moisture. “You make it easy for me and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” He added hoarsely, “And I’ll promise to make … it easy for you.”

  He meant her death, she realized. She had been almost sure that was to be the final act, but it still gave her a tiny shock.

  “Now you’re afraid?” His gaze was narrowed on her face.

  “No.” Shock, not fear. He was taking her to Bonnie. What was there to fear? One way or the other they’d be together. “I’m … eager.”

  “You think you’re going to get out of it, that you’ll be able to get what you want, then get away from me.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “You won’t be able to do it.” He suddenly turned the wheel, and the truck was bouncing along a rutted dirt road into the forest that bordered the highway. “But I still think you’ll keep your promise. From the moment I met you I knew you were a straight shooter. I thought that John was lucky to have met you, before he went into basic training. I never h
ad much luck with women. I got so I couldn’t trust them. But you were different. Honest…”

  She was being jounced from side to side on the seat, and tree branches were striking the windshield. “Does this road lead somewhere?”

  “Yes.” They suddenly came out of the trees into a small clearing. “Here.” He braked and stopped the truck. “Time to ditch the truck and start out on foot.” He jumped out of the truck and came around to the passenger seat. He jerked her out and quickly ran his hands over her body. He pulled her phone out of the pocket of her slacks. He muttered a curse. “Dammit, I should have searched you before you got in the truck.” He threw the phone on the ground and smashed it under his foot. “That damn GPS signal.”

  And there went her only way of being tracked. “The curse of modern technology.” She added sarcastically, “You mustn’t blame yourself. You were in a bit of a hurry kidnapping me at the time. You were so concerned about roping me like a calf to be branded.”

  “Shut up.” He turned toward a tarp canvas structure stretched between two pine trees. He grabbed a backpack and slipped it on. “We have to get out of here. They’ll be able to trace that phone.”

  “Probably.” She was looking at the tarp. “This is a surprise. A home away from home. Maybe I should have expected it. Father Barnabas mentioned that you lived off the land on occasion. Why, Danner?”

  “It keeps me away from the demons. There are animals here, but the demons don’t take over their souls. I’m safe here.” He picked up a Magnum pistol and gestured to her to go ahead of him. “Stop asking questions and start out. We’ve got a long way to go.”

  “But you said you’d answer my questions.” She moved forward in the direction he’d indicated. “How far, Danner?”

  “It should take us maybe two days if you don’t hold me up. We have to travel through the woods and avoid the roads. It’s rough country.”

  “I won’t hold you up, Danner.”

  “I’m not so sure. You’re not the tough sixteen-year-old kid you were when we met all those years ago. I would have bet on her. These days, I hear you spend your life messing around with clay and stuff.”

  “You evidently have kept track of me.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Then you must know my purpose in ‘messing around’ with that clay.”

  “Yeah.” His glance shifted away from her. “Skulls. But I don’t like to think about it. You shouldn’t mess with the dead.”

  “I don’t agree.” And Danner’s statement had put her on edge. It didn’t bode well for his telling the truth about taking her to Bonnie. “And neither would the parents of those children I managed to identify.”

  “I don’t like to think about it,” he repeated.

  Don’t argue. She had to balance very precariously on this fragile thread that bound them together. The priest had said that Danner could shift from sanity to madness in the space of moments. Right now, he appeared to be almost normal, but she didn’t want to throw him into that other sphere. She had to analyze every word, every thought that he expressed, sift it for truth or fantasy, and perhaps go back to it later. She had to keep herself from going on the attack so that the words would flow and tell her what she needed to know.

  Not an easy task.

  There were moments when the possibility that this man had killed her Bonnie stabbed into her, and she wanted to turn and rend him.

  But she had to be sure.

  And nothing must stop him from leading her to Bonnie.

  “No, I’m not sixteen any longer.” She turned and started down the path. “But you’ll find those years haven’t made me less tough. Strength comes from inside. I don’t quit, Danner. I won’t hold you up.”

  * * *

  GALLO WAS STANDING BY his car in the parking lot of the Shoney’s Restaurant in Calhoun, where they’d agreed to meet, when Joe pulled into the space beside him.

  Gallo straightened, his gaze fixed warily on Joe.

  He should be wary, Catherine thought, as she got out of the car and pulled out her duffel. Joe was scared and feeling helpless, and that made him ready to explode. The best thing to do was get Gallo away as soon as possible.

  “Let’s get out of here. Joe wants to get to that church and question Father Barnabas.” She threw her duffel in Gallo’s car. “I called Venable, and he said he’d get cracking on the GPS fix. I also told him to find a way to get a look at those sealed court records of Kevin Donnelly’s trial. That will take some time, but we’ve got to see who we’re dealing with in our Father Barnabas. He should be calling me back anytime now on the GPS fix.” She turned back to Joe. “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything. It’s going to be okay, Joe. We’ll get her back. Come on, Gallo.”

  “Wait a minute.” Gallo was still braced and wasn’t moving, his gaze on Joe. “It shouldn’t have happened. You want to say anything? Do anything? I’ll take it.”

  Joe looked at him without speaking. Catherine could almost feel the explosive anger vibrating from him. She instinctively stepped forward, readying.

  Joe didn’t even glance at her. “Yeah, I want to say something, Gallo. I’d take you out in a heartbeat if I didn’t think that I might need you. Do you know why you let it happen? You’ve been a professional, you’re sharp, and you’re not careless. So why make that mistake? Because even now you can’t believe that son of a bitch, Danner, is a killer. Subconsciously, you didn’t believe he was a threat to Eve. Well, you’re wrong, and I’m going to tell you how you’re going to make it right. The next time you have to choose, it’s going to be for Eve. If someone is going to die, it’s going to be Danner … or you. At the moment, I don’t give a damn which one.”

  Gallo’s lips were tight, and his eyes were glittering. “It will be for Eve.” He whirled and got in his car. “I promise, Quinn.”

  Close. Very close.

  Catherine quickly slipped into the passenger seat. “I’ll be in touch, Joe.”

  But Joe was already pulling out of the parking space and didn’t reply.

  Gallo didn’t move. He was gazing straight before him. “He’s right, you know. I made a choice, and I didn’t even realize it. I decided not to believe what everyone said about him. And Eve is the one who is paying for it.” His lips twisted. “And I can’t even say that I believe it now. It hurts too much. All I can say is that I have to be sure that whoever gets hurt, it won’t be Eve.”

  He was hurting. She wanted to reach out and touch him, comfort him. It was hard for him to admit that pain to anyone.

  “It would kill me if anything happened to Eve.” He glanced at Catherine and forced a smile. “I love her, you know. Oh, not in the usual romantic way, we’re past that. But we’ve shared too much not to feel something for each other, and that will go on. Can you understand that?”

  “Yes. I’m not blind, Gallo. You should love her. She’s worth loving. I love her, too. Now let’s stop talking about how we’d feel if anything happened to her and set about keeping that from happening.”

  “Rebuke accepted.” His smile was no longer forced as he started the car. “I can always count on you to blow away any sentiment that’s clouding the clarity of perception. I apologize.”

  “You have a right to be a little less than clearheaded. But only a little, Gallo. We have to—” Her phone rang, and she glanced down. “Venable. I’ll put it on speaker.” She spoke into the phone. “What have you got, Venable?”

  “The GPS signal led to a location about forty miles outside the town of Caryville, Georgia. Not in the town itself, but somewhere in the woods surrounding it.” Venable paused. “Then it disappeared entirely. We lost it. Do you want me to send a man from Atlanta to check it out?”

  “No, we’ll cover it. Give me the exact coordinates.” She scrawled down the directions as he gave them to her. “Thanks, Venable.”

  “No problem.” Silence. “I like Eve Duncan. If you need me, I’ll come.”

  “If we need you, I’ll call. Danner isn’t stable. We have to be careful about
spooking him with too much manpower.” She hung up. “Caryville, Gallo.”

  He nodded. “I checked the GPS while you were talking. It’s about an hour south of here.” His foot pressed hard on the accelerator. “Or less.”

  They arrived at the Caryville city limits in forty-five minutes.

  Catherine glanced at the coordinates. “There!” She pointed at the lay-by with a strip of road leading off it. “He must have entered the woods there.” She braced herself against the impact as he drove down the rough road. “What the hell…”

  “The trees are thinning up ahead.” He drove into the glade and screeched to a stop as he saw the truck parked by a tarp. “Down!” He drew his gun as he dove out of the car.

  Catherine was already on the ground on the other side of the car.

  No sound but the soft whir of birds and insects.

  No shots.

  “Danner!” she called.

  No answer.

  Gallo was on his knees on the ground behind the rear wheels of the truck. “I’ll check under the tarp. You look in the cab of the truck.”

  “I think it’s okay. I don’t think he’s here.” But she was still tense as she pulled herself up to glance inside the truck. Danner might not be here, but that didn’t mean he might not have left Eve dead in the vehicle. She expelled a sigh of relief as she saw that neither Danner nor Eve were in the cab. “Empty.” She turned toward the tarp. “Anything?”

  “No.” He was standing under the tarp and gazing at the neat stack of canned goods piled in one corner. “Supplies enough for a few days’ stay. He wouldn’t need more. He’s woods savvy.” He opened a metal box set against the tree. “Ammunition.”

  “Weapons?”

  “No, he must have taken them with him.” He was examining the cartridges. “A Magnum and an M16. The rifle is still here.”

  “Taken them with him where?” Catherine asked. “And why take Eve? If he was going to get rid of her, this would be the place to do it.” She was examining the tire tracks. “He didn’t change cars and double back. He left the truck here and must have set out on foot.” She glanced at the woods surrounding the glade. “We just have to find his prints and track him.”