Hunting Eve

by Iris Johansen

  “Why not?”

  “Are you expecting some maudlin emotional statement? You won’t get it. If Doane kills Eve, it will be a victory for him. I’m not allowing any victories.”

  “Just get me there, and I’ll go around back and see if I find a way to—” He broke off as the wood sidewalk in front of the saloon was spiked with rifle bullets from the ridge road. He glanced up and saw men swarming down the mountainside toward the town. “What the hell is Venable trying to do?” He dialed Venable. “Get your guys out of there. Are you trying to get her killed?”

  “Intimidation,” Venable said. “He’s got to know that we’re on top of him, and he can’t—”

  “Get out of there!”

  But Venable had hung up.

  Joe drew a deep breath, trying to smother the rage. “What do you know about that saloon, Zander? Can I get in from the rear?”

  “I didn’t do a thorough scan when I was here. I knew that Doane wasn’t using the place to hold Eve, and I wanted to get on with the hunt. I remember a door and a staircase leading to the upper floor. The staircase was in lousy shape and missing four or five steps.” He glanced at Joe. “You could swing up it, but it will take a bit of effort.”

  “Then take me around back.” The gunfire had resumed, and Joe’s hands clenched. “How long?”

  “A minute, no more,” Zander said quietly. “I’ll drop you off, then dodge around front and draw Doane out and distract him.” He turned to Stang. “When I jump out, you get in the driver’s seat and get out of here. And stay out of the line of Venable’s fire.”

  “I can handle that,” Stang said. “But I should remind you that you’re walking wounded.”

  “No, you should not remind me. I can’t think of it right now.” He glanced up the mountain. “Venable’s men are nearly down to the foothills near the town. Once they get there, they’ll head for the saloon, and there will be hell to pay.”

  “For Venable,” Joe said grimly. “If he causes Doane to go crazier than he is right now, I’ll take him down.”

  “Not Venable’s usual pattern of behavior to go off like this…” Zander murmured. “He’s usually cool, very cool.” He swung the car wide as they entered the town and headed toward the rear of the saloon. “The ground is one giant mud hole. Get ready to jump out and run for it if I get stuck.”

  * * *

  “STOP THEM!” JANE GRABBED Venable’s arm and whirled him to face her. “Are you nuts? You saw what he did to Eve a few minutes ago. He wants to hurt her. Now you’re trying to panic him into killing her?”

  “It’s Doane who’s nuts,” Venable said grimly. He threw his arm toward the burning brush and the flaming wreckage of Kendra’s car. “And that should prove it to you. We have to get him under control.”

  “Then let Joe do it. Give him backup, but don’t try to take Doane out by yourself. Stop that shooting.”

  “I’ve given orders that my men not fire directly at the building itself but at the sidewalk and steps. Just enough to let Doane know he’s pinned down and can’t escape.” His voice was soothing. “Trust me, Jane. It’s the best psychological—”

  “And what if a few of those bullets go astray?” Kendra had come up to stand beside them. “Those are hundred-clip assault weapons, not sniper rifles. Doane’s not going to tolerate the front of that saloon being shot apart. If he feels threatened, Eve may be the one who suffers for it.”

  “You should approve of my taking action,” Venable said. “You were within seconds of being blown up by that booby trap Doane set.”

  “It scared the hell out of Margaret and me,” Kendra said. “But it didn’t kill off any brain cells. The threat to us is over, and Eve is right in the crosshairs, where she’s been all along. We don’t need to make it any worse for her.”

  “I’m not making it worse. I’m trying to—Where the hell are they going?” His attention had switched to Trevor and Caleb, who were heading down the mountain toward the town. He started to curse. “They’re not part of the operation. They have no business there. What are they doing?”

  “Well, they won’t be shooting up the town,” Jane said. “They have too much sense. I’d guess they’ll be trying to help Joe.” She could see the car that must be Joe’s enter the town and head for the rear of the saloon. “I don’t want to guess. I want to be there.” She went to the edge of the road and stood there, with hands clenched, her eyes straining to see any motion at the front door of the saloon. “I’m not as good at mountain climbing as Trevor and Caleb, so you find me a fast way to get down there, Venable. Or I’ll be following them down this mountain. Either that, or you call off your attack dogs. Your choice. I’ll give you three minutes.”

  “I’m not going to be—” His gaze was suddenly cool. “I’ve done what I thought best. You’ll have to do the same.”

  “Right.” Jane took off down the mountain. “And I’ll be going straight to that street in front of the saloon, and any bullets from the gunfire you order will have to go through me.”

  “Come back, dammit. I’m warning you. I’ll be on the phone giving orders you’re to be stopped before you get near that saloon, Jane.”

  “Go ahead.” She heard him calling behind her, but she ignored it. The time was over for anything but action. She had to get down there.

  “Let me go first.” Margaret was suddenly beside her. “I grew up outdoors in the woods and hill country like this. I’m as steady as a mountain goat. Just step where I step.”

  “Okay.” She tried to steady her voice. “If it will get me down there faster. Thanks, Margaret.”

  Margaret nodded. “I’ll take you to her.” She didn’t speak for a moment as they made their way swiftly down the mountain. “She’ll survive, Jane. I know you told me that she was strong, that she’d fight, but I never knew her, never saw her until a moment ago.” Her voice was quiet. “And she stood there in the street, taking punishment and enduring, and I thought that maybe she was stronger than even you dreamed. Perhaps more than she knows. I watched her, and I wanted to hold her, help her. I came here for you, Jane. But now it’s for her, for your Eve.”

  “That’s all I ever asked. I’m so scared, Margaret,” she whispered. “It’s all going wrong.”

  “Maybe not. Joe Quinn is down there. All that love surrounding her has to mean something is right.”

  The gunfire had started again, and Jane felt rage and desperation choking her. She’d swear one of those bullets had struck the wooden bench beneath the saloon window. Too close. How near must a bullet come before Doane panicked? “Dammit, why don’t they stop?”

  Margaret says you’ll survive, Eve. God, let her be right. Fight him. Fight all the stupidity that might destroy you. She’s right, we all love you so much. We can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.

  ‘We’re in the foothills now,” Margaret said. “Not long, Jane.”

  But where was Joe, and what was he doing? She hadn’t seen him since he’d driven around to the rear of the saloon. He could even be inside the saloon by now. Stay safe, Joe. Don’t let anything—

  She saw the wall of flame first, reaching for the sky.

  Then she heard the explosion, rocking the earth, rocking the mountain, rocking the world.

  The saloon blew apart, shredding into pieces. One blast following the next, feeding on fire and smoke … and agony.

  Jane screamed.

  “Dear God,” Margaret whispered. “No. No. No.”

  “Eve.” Jane fell to her knees, her gaze on that inferno. No one could live through a blast of that magnitude. There was nothing left of walls or structure. The saloon was nothing but pure flame. The houses and shops around it were knocked flat, and the fire was licking, devouring the wood sidewalks. “Eve!”

  Margaret was kneeling in front of her, wrapping her arms around her. “Hold on to me. You’re not alone. I’m here.”

  But Eve wasn’t here. Eve would never be here again.

  It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true.

&nbs
p; She jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to go to her. I’ve got to help her.”

  “Jane…”

  But she was running down toward the town, her gaze on that conflagration from hell.

  She fell, jumped up again, and ran.

  Joe. Where was Joe? Maybe he’d gotten Eve out before the explosion. That could happen, couldn’t it?

  Or perhaps Joe was lost in those flames, too.

  Agony tore through her at the thought.

  Nightmare. Loneliness. Pain.

  There were people around her, Venable’s team milling around in front of the saloon.

  Caleb was coming toward her.

  “Joe Quinn is alive,” he said. “He was behind the saloon, and the blast blew him ten or fifteen feet away against a shop building. I think he’ll be okay. Trevor is checking him out now.”

  “Thank God.” She swallowed. “Now tell me Eve is okay.”

  Caleb didn’t answer.

  “Tell me. She has to be alive. She has to be okay.”

  Caleb’s gaze went back to the fire. “Eve went into that saloon and never came out. Dozens of witnesses, Jane, all focused in hopes that Eve would walk out of there. There must have been enough explosives in there to blow up a mountain. We’ll see a hole big as a crater when we manage to get in there.”

  “Don’t tell me that.”

  “I have to tell you exactly that,” he said fiercely. “Do you think I want to do it? I hate it. I can’t stand seeing you like this. I want to stop it. But I can’t stop it. All I can do is cut you, and hurt you, and hope that you heal soon.”

  “She’s not dead. She can’t be dead.”

  “I hope you’re right. But don’t expect me to tell you that you are. I’ll leave that to Trevor or Quinn. They’ll comfort you and maybe even make you feel better.” He stepped back. “Go on. Go to them. They’re still behind the saloon.” He turned away. “Or what used to be the saloon. I’m going to go talk to Venable and see if he has a way to find out … if there’s a way of definitely ascertaining if there were any victims in that hellhole of a blast. I’ll let you know.”

  Joe was struggling to get to his feet when Jane reached him a few minutes later. His face was cut and bleeding, and his eyes were wild.

  “No.” His voice was hoarse. “No, Jane. It doesn’t make sense. We can’t lose her.”

  “I know.” She went into his arms. Caleb had said there would be comfort, but that was not true. There was love but not comfort. The world was still barren. She had the horrible feeling it would always be barren. “I’ve always told people that I’d know if anything ever happened to Eve, that I’d feel it. But now I’m not sure. Maybe that’s what I’m feeling now.” The tears were running down her cheeks. “Is it, Joe?”

  “No, because it’s not true. I won’t let it be true.”

  “Jane.” Trevor was beside her. Warm, kind, loving. “There’s a chance. Don’t lose hope yet.”

  “That’s what Caleb said you’d tell me. He said go to Trevor, and he’ll comfort you.” She said, “He’s getting to know you very well, Trevor.”

  “Because I won’t give up until we get an ID.” He said gently, “And, give me the opportunity, and I’ll wrap you in all the comfort that this world provides. It would be my privilege.” He turned away. “I’ll leave you two alone. You don’t need anyone else right now. I just talked to a Howard Stang, who said he could get a doctor here right away. I think we need to get you looked at, Quinn. You may have some cracked ribs.”

  Joe wasn’t listening, Jane realized. He was staring—stunned, numb—at the blazing firestorm that seemed to be growing in intensity by the moment, feeding on itself.

  Devouring air, devouring life, devouring hope.

  Eve went into that saloon and never came out. Dozens of witnesses. Jane, all focused in hopes that Eve would walk out of there.

  Dozens of witnesses …

  Give me a miracle, Eve. All my life with you you’ve made every day a miracle. I need a miracle now.

  But the panic was starting, piercing the numbness, and desperation as she stared into the searing depths of that fire.

  Oh, God, no miracle this time, Eve?

  * * *

  “I’M SORRY, JANE.”

  She looked up to see Venable standing a few feet away.

  He looked genuinely sorry, she thought dully. Too late. Everything was too late.

  “That’s nothing to how sorry you’ll be if Joe finds out that it was one of your damn bullets that caused the saloon to blow.” She gazed at Joe, sitting beneath the trees several yards away and being bandaged by the doctor that Stang had somehow managed to get down here. “He’s in shock right now, but he’ll go crazy once it hits home that Eve is dead.” She moistened her lips. Joe wasn’t the only one who would go insane. She was barely holding herself together now. “Caleb said he was going to go talk to you. Did you see him?”

  “Yes.”

  She didn’t want to ask the question. Her glance shifted to the flames. The fire had spread, jumping from house to house. Soon, the entire town would be ablaze. The final death of a ghost town, she thought.

  As if in response, she heard the mournful wail of a wolf somewhere in the foothills. Mourning the end of a town. Mourning the end of Eve …

  She braced herself, then looked back at Venable. “What did you tell Caleb?”

  “That I wouldn’t stage any attack without attempting to determine the location of the people in the house. Standard operating procedure. We had infrared scopes trained on the building.” He was standing very straight, looking her directly in the eye. “There were two people inside that saloon when it exploded.”

  She couldn’t breathe. She felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach.

  “Jane.” He stepped forward with hand outstretched. “I can’t tell—”

  “Don’t touch me.” She jerked back from him. “I don’t want anyone to touch me.” No one but Eve. But Eve was somewhere in that hideous firestorm that was taking over the town.

  Or maybe not. It could be that her Bonnie was beside her, taking away that horror. I never believed that she came to you, Eve. I wish I could believe it now. God, I want to believe it.

  But Joe believed that Bonnie was always with Eve. Maybe if Jane went to him, touched him, stayed with him, he would make her feel it, too.

  She got to her feet. “You’ve told me what you had to say. I don’t want to talk to you any longer, Venable.”

  “I realize we had a disagreement about the way to free Eve, but it wasn’t any of my men who set off that explosion. I want you to know that. It’s going down in my report as a probable murder-suicide.”

  “Very tidy.” She shook her head. “But I’m wondering how anything as chaotic as what went on here could be that tidy. Are you covering your ass, Venable?”

  “I’m just doing my job. It’s the truth and—”

  “I don’t want to hear any more,” she interrupted. “Not now.” She started across the distance to Joe. “I’ve got to tell Joe what you just told me, and I’m not looking forward to it.”

  Put one foot in front of the other. Look straight at Joe. He was staring at her. Did you see me talking to Venable? Are you hoping against hope?

  There’s no hope, Joe.

  Except perhaps the hope that there’s a little girl somewhere who will love and take care of our Eve when we cannot.

  She reached Joe and sank down on the ground beside him. “Hi.” Hold on. Don’t cry. Then he’d feel as if he had to comfort her. She leaned against his shoulder, touching, trying to give warmth when there was no warmth. “I have something to tell you, Joe.”

  * * *

  “YOU TOLD HER?”

  Venable turned to see Zander standing in the shadows behind him. “Hello, Zander. Why are you lurking around here? Doane is dead. Your hunt is over.”

  “You told Jane MacGuire about the infrared?”

  “Yes. How did you know about that?”

  “I was up the mountain talki
ng to your tech guy five minutes after the saloon blew. I had him show me the recording. I needed to know.”

  “Because you had to confirm the kill?”

  He smiled faintly. “Of course, why else? You know what a stickler I am.”

  “But you’re still here.”

  “Because I have a feeling things aren’t quite right. You’re not quite right, Venable.” He glanced at Jane and Joe Quinn. “And I’m … disturbed. So I believe I’ll stick around for a while.” His glance shifted to the burning wreckage of the town. “She managed to create quite a stir, didn’t she?”

  “Eve?”

  “Yes, who else is this about? She’s the one who appears to reach out and touch everyone. Even you, Venable. Which is why I’m surprised that you’d risk her like that.” He added softly, “Perhaps she even reached out and touched me the faintest bit because I find I’m angry that you’d do that to her.”

  Venable stiffened warily. “Is that a threat?”

  “I don’t threaten. You wouldn’t even see it coming.” Zander turned away. “But my curiosity is flaring as high as this bonfire of a town. You’ll have to satisfy it, Venable. Or I’ll do it myself.”

  The next moment he had faded once more into the shadows.

  * * *

  THE WOLF WAS HOWLING again.

  Margaret lifted her head and looked away from the blazing fire to the foothills.

  At first, she had thought that the cry sounded mournful, but that was not the case. There was distress and anger and something else in that lonely howl.

  And why was the wolf sticking so close to this hellish firestorm? she wondered curiously.

  She glanced at Jane, sitting with Joe and trying to hold away the horror that was already upon them. Jane did not need her right now. She probably wouldn’t even know that Margaret was gone.

  The wolf howled again.

  I’m coming. I’m not the one you want, but I have to know …

  She started to walk toward the trees.

  By the time she reached the foothills, she realized the wolf was a male, and he was not alone.

  Careful. Go slowly. A wolf pack was very dangerous. She could sometimes reason or soothe a single wolf if he proved intelligent. She had also even dealt effectively with packs. But the pack mentality often overcame everything else … and left only carnage.