Her jaw went slack. She could tell he was telling the truth. No wonder Michael had been so serene when he’d said goodbye. “Sometimes Michael gets an idea in his head and just won’t let go. You should have told him that you couldn’t do it.”
“But I could do it. Why would I lie to him? I was almost here by that time anyway.” He gestured to the Range Rover. “Give me twenty minutes to let me talk you into keeping my promise to Michael. Then I’ll bring you back and I can tell him I did my best. Because he will call and check, Jane.”
“I know he will,” she said grimly. “And I want to talk to him when he does.” She hesitated. This was the last thing she wanted to do, but it was only twenty minutes, and Caleb always kept his word. Get it over with. She strode over to the Range Rover. “Twenty minutes. But it’s a waste of time. I don’t know why he’s so concerned about me being alone today. It’s not as if I’m not accustomed to it.”
“I don’t know why, either.” He closed her door and then went around to the driver’s seat. “But we both know that the boy is a little fey, and I’d just as soon not go against him in this. I didn’t argue with him.”
“Well, you should have. And he’s not fey. I always think of an elf living in a hollow tree when I hear that word. Michael just has certain strong…instincts.”
“Very strong. And closer to the psychic category than instinct.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips to speak. “I know you like to hide his talents under a bushel. It’s safer for him. But when I’m with you, I’ll use any word I choose. I’m not insulting him. On the contrary, I consider him a brother. We share both a gift and the risk of being ousted because of it at any given moment.”
“Michael would never have to worry about being ousted by anybody.”
“Yes, he would, if he didn’t have his family to protect him.” Caleb’s tone was matter-of-fact. “Then he’d be on his own.”
As Caleb had been alone when he was growing up with parents who didn’t understand either his gifts or that he wasn’t a monster just because he was different. Lisa had been furious when she’d told Jane about that time, but when Caleb did it was without a hint of self-pity. Still, it hurt Jane to think of it.
“Look at you.” He was gazing quizzically at her. “Have I depressed you? The chances of your Michael having to face anything like that are practically infinitesimal considering everyone he has in his corner.” He added lightly, “And if you all fall by the wayside, I’ll swoop down and teach him all he needs to know about surviving. The two of us would do fine together.”
Yes, they would. She had seen the love and care he’d given his sister Lisa when she was in need. Caleb could be ruthless, but he could also display an incredible understanding when you were forced to face tremendous odds.
And now she was remembering all the things she had learned about him that were good and splendid and completely sympathetic. Not about the manipulations, the dominance, the times she had felt more like an erotic harem girl than an independent woman. Not about that swirling whirlpool that never let her get really close to him.
Stop it. Push it away. It would be far too easy to let her slip back into that sensuous haze. “That wouldn’t happen. I have no intention of falling by the wayside. Michael will definitely be okay.” She added grimly, “As long as we all can keep him from trying to run our lives.” She looked at her watch. “You now have fifteen minutes. Start talking, Caleb.”
“Pressure. Pressure.” He pulled over to the side of the road. Then he turned off the car and reached for his phone. “But the pressure is genuine and so should the reason be for letting me stay and take care of you tonight.” He dialed up a photo, enlarged it, and handed the phone to Jane. “This was the picture I received early this morning from MacDuff together with a short message. I was on the road to his place three minutes later.”
“MacDuff?” She slowly took the phone and gazed down at the photo. At first, she couldn’t understand what she was looking at. Then her gaze narrowed on the photograph in the center of the bloody wall.
She inhaled sharply. “What the hell is it?”
“You.” He paused. “Blood.”
Her gaze flew to his face. “And MacDuff’s message?”
His words came fast and brief. “The painting of Fiona MacDuff was stolen. A guard was murdered and his blood used to form the cross. Your photo was substituted for the painting.”
She felt a chill. “Incredible.”
“Not incredible. It happened,” Caleb said curtly. “And it told its own message.”
She was trying to think through the shock. “But perhaps not necessarily aimed at me just because of the photo. It all happened at MacDuff’s Run. MacDuff’s estate. MacDuff’s portrait of one of his ancestresses. The guard was an employee of MacDuff’s. I don’t really have anything to do with MacDuff’s Run. MacDuff is just my friend. All this madness really could be focused solely on MacDuff. We should be worrying about him.”
“And how are you going to explain the photo?” Caleb said. “Or the fact that it was dripping blood?”
“I’ll have to think about that.” She tried to smile but found her lips were shaking. “It does seem macabre.”
“A threat,” he corrected. “Ask MacDuff. He didn’t think the threat was toward him. It was clear he was concerned about you. The first comment he made when I went into the gallery was about what an expert I am in blood. The next was about the cult that killed my sister. And I was the first one he called when he saw your photo in his gallery. He was definitely making a connection between the blood and you…and me.”
She stared at him, shocked. “But he knows you. He wouldn’t think you’d hurt me.”
“Wouldn’t he?” His eyes were glittering in his taut face. “I don’t think he would, but what do I know?” He was smiling recklessly. “A choice between someone he knows and respects, who helped him retrieve a family treasure? And a weird freak whom everybody knows might do anything to anyone if he takes the notion.”
“He’s smart. He’d know better. So stop accusing him.”
“Because he’s your friend.”
“Yes, and because you’re being idiotic. You’re in a nasty mood.”
“That I am.” Then he shook his head and made a face. “It’s been a bad day for me. I didn’t like seeing that damn photo. It shook me.”
“Nothing shakes you.” She paused. “But I don’t like it, either. Why would MacDuff think that the cult would have anything to do with it?”
“He’s jumping at conclusions and hoping to hit it right.” His lips twisted. “If he hadn’t put me on the defensive, I would have done the same thing. But he had the advantage of having me standing there in front of him, and you’d already told him about the cult. The connection was irresistible. He could probably smell the blood.”
“I told him because he was my friend. I wanted him to get to know you, to reach out to you. You never talk to anyone about yourself.” She made an impatient gesture. “And now you’ve put me on the defensive. Could the cult actually have anything to do with all this?”
“I don’t think so. I had a list of all the cult members responsible for selling my sister to Kevin Jelak, that psycho who murdered her. I was very careful about hunting every one of them down. I assure you it was none of the members in the main cult,” he said grimly. “And I’ve had the village of Fiero monitored by my people ever since to make sure there weren’t any new players on the horizon. But you can bet I’m going to find out.”
“Kevin Jelak,” she repeated slowly. “I haven’t thought of that name for years. The first time I met you was at the lake cottage when you were hunting for him. I was sorry for you that you’d lost your sister, but I had no idea what a horror he would be to my own family. He almost killed Joe.” Her gaze flew to his face. “But Jelak could have nothing to do with this, right? Eve told me she’d seen you kill him.”
“Jelak is dead,” he said flatly. “Whoever is responsible for what happened at MacDuff’s Ru
n, it’s not Jelak. And Eve gave me no problem about it. She was too glad to have Joe back.”
“That photo.” She moistened her lips. “If it was the cult, would MacDuff have been right about why they put it there?” She looked at him. “Because it was some kind of weird message to you?”
“I don’t know why else.” He made a face. “I’m the obvious connection. I’m always the obvious connection. I’m used to it. But there’s no proof yet that a cult had anything to do with the theft. Maybe someone just knew how much MacDuff loved that painting and wants to ransom it back to him. So stop worrying about it.”
“I’m not worrying about it. I just think that I have to find out. I need to know if it’s me or MacDuff who is the target.” She grimaced. “Then I’ll worry about it.”
He was silent. “Shit.” Then he suddenly chuckled. “I’d suggest you start worrying a little ahead of that. Let’s make it a team effort of finding out who the target is and combine it with keeping you alive.”
“Whatever.” She was frowning thoughtfully. “But I think I have to go to MacDuff’s Run and see that photo on the wall.”
“And MacDuff and I both want you to stay away from it. That’s why MacDuff didn’t tell you about the theft when he called you. A man died last night. As far as we know, the estate might still be watched.”
“And why would they do that? They’ve got what they want. You sound paranoid.”
“I’m not certain they did get what they wanted. Not with that damn bloody cross that would draw anyone to look and see your photo right in the middle of it. Not with taking the portrait that looks just like you. It’s more like an invitation.” He drew a deep breath as he saw her expression. “You’re going to go to see it, aren’t you?”
“It’s not real to me.” She shook her head. “I have to talk to MacDuff. I need to see it.”
He was silent. “Okay,” he finally said. “You want to go? Then I’ll take you.” He started the car. “Right now.”
“Now?” She was gazing at him, startled.
“No better time. Why not? If I don’t show you what you want to see, then you’ll find a way to go without me.”
“Exactly. There’s no reason for you to come along. You’re not involved in this, Caleb.”
“I couldn’t be more involved.” He shrugged and said wryly, “After all, I’m the major suspect.”
“That’s totally ridiculous.” She added, “And if it wasn’t, that would be another reason why I shouldn’t let you go with me.”
“But you said it’s ridiculous, which means you trust me not to indulge in mayhem on the way.” He leaned toward her. “Look, you’re going to fight letting me spend the night on the castle grounds as Michael wanted me to do.” His lip turned up at the corner. “He even generously offered to lend me his sleeping bag so that I could share your tent.”
“What?”
He started to laugh. “You can see why I wouldn’t give up easily, and you’d be very upset by the time you found a way to toss me out. So instead, let me take you to MacDuff’s Run and you’ll get something accomplished that you do want to do. You can talk to MacDuff and look at that damn bloody cross.” His smile ebbed as he added grimly, “And let anyone on watch get a good look at you and show them you came when you were summoned.”
She thought about it. “It’s not a bad idea. Except that it’s already almost five in the afternoon.”
“But you’re tempted.” His eyes were narrowed on her face. “Now, what can I do to seal the deal…” He thought for an instant, then said, “I’ll call and have a helicopter waiting at the private airport about twenty minutes from here. That would almost assure you that we’d arrive at MacDuff’s Run by sundown. Then, after you’re satisfied, I’ll fly you to London to be with your family. You’ll probably not get there before midnight, but it will make them happy that you’re going to be there earlier than expected. Michael said that you were planning on arriving at noon tomorrow.”
“Michael evidently managed to confide quite a bit about my plans,” she said dryly. “How much did he contribute and how much did you ask?”
“It was about even this time, as all conversations tend to be.” He paused. “I admit it’s not always like that. He’s an excellent source and I have to know what you’re doing.”
“You used him?”
He shook his head. “Michael knows that we have problems. But he likes me and he believes that I can take care of you. He’s amazingly protective for a youngster. That appears to outweigh his respect for your privacy.”
“Well, it doesn’t outweigh mine. How long have you been ‘chatting’ with him?”
“Whenever it was necessary or whenever I wanted to touch base with my friend.” He met her eyes. “Or whenever I felt as if I needed to have someone tell me what you were saying and doing, so that I’d feel closer to you.”
She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t look away from him. She could feel her heart begin to pound again. She couldn’t tell whether it was from sheer sexual readying or if he was making the effort to create that sensation. She knew the slightest adjustment of her blood flow could do that, too. “Don’t do this to me, Caleb. Or I’ll make you pull over to the side of the road and let me out.”
“O ye of little faith,” he said softly. “It’s not me, it’s you. I admit I have a tendency to fall from grace on occasion. It’s natural, since I’ve had this passion for you for much too long to claim it’s anything but an obsession. But you can’t blame me for everything, Jane.”
“Yes, I can.” But she couldn’t blame him for her own weakness; she could only try to stay away from him until she could banish it. “And you and Michael shouldn’t have had this…this…collusion.”
“You’re changing the subject. Are you going to let me take you to MacDuff’s Run?” he asked. “Suppose I throw in the offer that I’ll be incredibly nonthreatening until I hand you over to Eve?” His lips quirked at the corners. “But I won’t make the same offer if I have to take Michael’s place in your tent.”
“For someone who didn’t want me to go to the Run, you’re being very proactive about it.”
“I don’t want you going there without me.” He took out his phone. “The helicopter?”
So much for staying away from him, she thought wearily. But since she was being forced to face this bewildering and frightening puzzle, she would have to deal with it any way she could. Who knew? It might actually prove to be a way to cut down the contact with Caleb as much as possible after she let him have his way in this.
Which seemed totally illogical. Everyone knew going cold turkey was always best.
Screw it. She’d do what she could. She needed to go to MacDuff’s Run. She turned away from him and looked straight ahead. “The helicopter.”
* * *
MacDuff’s Run
The setting sun was casting silver-blue lights over the crashing surf as Caleb landed the helicopter in the courtyard of MacDuff’s Run.
Beautiful, Jane thought. She’d have to remember to paint that particular view the next time she was here. She’d already painted the castle many times, but there was always something different to discover and beguile her here. She’d grown to love everything about MacDuff’s Run when she’d first visited all those years ago. The place was full of mystique and atmosphere and seemed to breathe of the Highlands and the generations of Scots who had built their castle on this craggy coast.
“Spectacular.” Caleb was looking at her expression as he set the helicopter down. “It’s no wonder you like to visit here. I hate to think that the memory of last night’s murder might mar the thought of it for you.”
“It won’t.” Jane saw MacDuff coming across the courtyard and opened her door. “I first came here because I was tracking the history of Cira, who created the dynasty of the MacDuff family. But I learned a good deal more by the time I left. This place has seen centuries of battles and death and mayhem. It’s all woven into the fabric of what it is. You just have to accept
it, avenge it, and start all over again.” She jumped out of the helicopter. “Memories should be kept alive only if they’re happy or they teach you something.”
“Oh, I agree.” Caleb grinned. “I just didn’t think you’d be quite so willing to embrace that philosophy. You’re usually a bit more gentle. Perhaps you are Fiona’s descendant.”
She shook her head adamantly. “Don’t get MacDuff started on that.” She was walking toward MacDuff as she spoke. “Eve and Joe are all I’ll ever need.” But she was smiling at MacDuff, and the next moment he was enveloping her in a warm hug. “You should have told me about this, MacDuff,” she said when she broke free. “It might be weird and scary as hell, but I had a right to know.”
“Not weird enough to keep you away from here,” he said dryly. “I thought Caleb might have the sense not to tell you about it. I gave him too much credit.”
“I wanted to see it,” Jane said soberly. “It’s crazy, MacDuff. Why would anyone…” She trailed off. “But we’ll have to find that out.” She turned and headed for the front door. “No one was able to identify the people who did this?”
He shook his head. “Two sets of footprints and the treads of a van in the dirt outside the gate. We’re checking out the rest. Inspector Tovarth said the theft was very well planned, the timing impeccable, very professional, so he’s researching similar thefts worldwide. He’s also looking into the possibility of bribery to the staff. Though I told him that’s hardly likely with my staff.” He followed her into the hall. “But no one appears to have seen the thieves, and there’s no hint of the real reason why the Fiona was taken and not one of the two Sargents in my collection.”
“Except that they wanted you to believe it had something to do with me.” She smiled. “And you promptly attacked Caleb.”
“He survived it.” He shrugged. “Caleb always survives. It seemed a possible direction. That blood was…disturbing.”
The Persuasion Page 5
