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  “Oh, do I?” He chuckled, his hand caressing her cheek. “I believe I made my decision the instant I gave you that seed. In case you haven’t noticed, I have a thing about responsibility.”

  “It has to be more than that, Joe. When Bonnie was born, I would have given anything to have someone beside me sharing responsibility. But now I can handle it.” Her lips were trembling. “I have to handle it, or I won’t deserve to have this child. But you’ll have to learn to love—you have to feel the miracle—it has to be more.”

  “It will be more.” He drew her close and cradled her in the hollow of his shoulder. “Just give me some time. I’m going to have a few problems refocusing some of the emotion I give you somewhere else. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she said huskily. She could feel the tears sting as she nestled her cheek against him. He felt warm and strong, and the musk and spice scent of him surrounded her. “I don’t know any woman who would object to a request like that. We’ll make it through this, Joe.”

  “I don’t have any doubt. We just have a few obstacles in our path.”

  “Like murder and drug dealers and keeping that little girl alive,” she said. “I’ll probably be worried tomorrow but I’m not right now.”

  Right now, she was close to Joe, with his love surrounding her, the knowledge of the miracle to come, and the faint sound of the music of Cara’s violin drifting to them.

  It was enough. Tomorrow could wait.

  * * *

  It was after eight when Eve woke.

  No Joe.

  No sound of the violin.

  She jumped up, slipped on her robe and left the bedroom.

  “Good morning.” Cara was in the kitchen and looked up as Eve came into the room. “I was just going to call you.” She gestured to the bacon simmering in the pan. “This is about done. How do you like your eggs?”

  “Scrambled.” She shook her head. “But you didn’t have to do this. I thought we had a discussion about—”

  “We did.” She made a face as she put bread in the toaster. “But maybe I was feeling guilty about playing my violin so late last night. I didn’t even ask permission.” Her brilliant smile lit her face. “Thank you, Eve.”

  “Thank Joe. He’s the one who ran out of here to get it for you.”

  “I’ve already thanked him. Before he left to check out the woods again.” Her smile faded. “He told me that boy at the hospital was one of Salazar’s men. Ramon Franco. He said he was very bad.” She turned back to beat eggs in a small bowl. “He wanted to make sure I wouldn’t trust him again. But that wouldn’t happen.”

  “No, I don’t think it would.” She sat down at the breakfast bar. “But Joe never takes chances.”

  She nodded. “I like that. It makes me feel safe about you.”

  “About us.”

  She smiled as she transferred the eggs to the frying pan. “But he doesn’t really know me. I can tell how he feels about you.”

  “Feeling takes time to build.” Joe had said something like that last night. “But you can trust him.”

  She nodded. “And he doesn’t mind me playing my violin.”

  “Which evidently means more to you than all his protective instincts.”

  “Yes. I have to learn to take care of myself now, but if I couldn’t play my violin…”

  “I don’t imagine you have any problem with anyone’s objecting to your playing.”

  “You’d be surprised. Not everyone likes the violin. Not everyone likes music.”

  “Then I pity them.”

  “So do I.” She scooped the eggs on a plate and added bacon and toast. “I think they must be empty inside.” She put the plate in front of Eve. “But that’s just me. And I have to be polite if I run across someone like that. Elena said it’s rude to intrude on someone’s space. Do you want some orange juice?”

  “I can get—”

  “I’m right here.” Cara headed for the refrigerator. “Anything else?”

  Eve’s lips turned up at the corners. “No, you’ve met all my desires.”

  “I hope so.” That brilliant smile was back. “Because you’ve met mine.” She poured the orange juice. “And I cheated you out of dinner last night after Joe came in with my violin. Joe and I were starved this morning, so we ate before he went out hunting for any bad guys wandering around.”

  “I’m a little hungry myself.” She started to eat. “Good heavens, these eggs are delicious. What did you do to them?”

  “Mushrooms and a dash of chili powder. And I crumbled up a little bacon, too.”

  “They’re absolutely wonderful.” She supposed she should start thinking more about diet. “And healthy, too. Lots of protein. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll just wash up these dishes and…”

  “Just toss them in the dishwasher,” Eve said. “But you might go and clean up. When I went back to the bedroom last night, I looked up the nearest church. It’s St. Michael’s, and they have an eleven o’clock Mass. Do you think you can make it?”

  “I can make it.” She was putting dishes into the dishwasher with the speed of light. “I have to go take a shower. And I don’t have a dress I can wear. I guess I’ll just have to wear my jeans. Elena always liked me to dress up a little when we went to church. She said that it showed respect to God, and it was a kind of celebration.”

  “We’ll go shopping and make sure you have one next time,” Eve said. “And I think both Elena and God will forgive you for a lack of respect this time.”

  “I do, too.” Cara was flying down the hall. “I’ll be out in thirty minutes, okay?”

  “Very much okay.” She watched the door slam behind Cara.

  Slamming doors, excitement, and the wonder of the young. So much better than the intensity, the sadness, the wariness that she had seen in Cara before. A foreshadowing of the Cara who could be. It warmed the heart.

  But that sadness was still with Cara, and going to pray for her Elena would help. Thirty minutes, Cara had said, and Eve wasn’t dressed either. She hurriedly finished her breakfast and started back toward her bedroom.

  * * *

  Joe still wasn’t back when Eve and Cara got into the Toyota forty minutes later. She called him as she was backing out of the driveway. “Everything all right?”

  “Yes. Just being thorough. The clock is ticking. They’ve had over a day to start moving. I should be back at the cottage in ten minutes.”

  “We’re not there. I just got on the road. I’m taking Cara to St. Michael’s for Mass.”

  “St. Michael’s,” he repeated sharply. “I don’t like that.”

  “Special request. She wanted to pray for Elena.”

  “I still don’t like it. Do you have your gun?”

  “In the glove box.” She felt a ripple of shocked distaste at the thought of having to take a gun to church in order to protect a child. “I’ll take it in with me. But I doubt if even Salazar’s pet killer would risk a public attempt in a church. Too many people around.”

  “Franco tried to lure Cara into that elevator at the hospital. We don’t know what he’d risk. He’s an unknown quantity.”

  Yes, that was true. The entire situation was unknown and fraught with risk. “You think I should turn around and go back?”

  Joe was silent. “No sign of any surveillance. It may be safe. The alternative is keeping Cara locked up like a prisoner. Hell, and it may end up that way. But if this means that much to her, we’ll try to give it to her. Go straight to the church. I’ll follow you and wait outside.” He hung up.

  “He didn’t like us going?” Cara asked quietly, her gaze fixed on Eve’s face. “Is something wrong?”

  “Not as far as we know. Joe is just careful.”

  She nodded. “But I don’t want to be a bother to either one of you. If he doesn’t want us to—”

  “It’s okay … this time.” She reached out and took Cara’s hand. “It may change.”

  “Whatever you say.” Her hand tightened ar
ound Eve’s. “I have to keep you safe.”

  “Because Jenny said you had to do it? I’m sure that she’d be equally concerned about you, Cara. We’ll just concentrate on keeping each other safe.” She squeezed her hand and released it. “Now stop worrying and just do what you told me you wanted to do. Think about your Elena and pray for her soul. We should be at the church in ten minutes.”

  CHAPTER

  4

  Cara was very quiet as they left the church and walked toward the parking lot after the service.

  “Okay?” Eve asked gently.

  “No.” Cara’s eyes were glittering with tears. “She shouldn’t have died.”

  The eternal protest, Eve thought. There was nothing to say, so she just gave her arm a comforting squeeze. “I’m sorry, Cara. She was a good woman.”

  She nodded jerkily. “And God would be smart if he gave her some kind of special place or job to do. I told him so when I was praying for Elena.”

  “And I’m sure he’ll pay attention.”

  “I don’t know. He took Jenny and Elena. If he was paying attention, he’d know that was too much.” She shook her head. “Elena would say that’s not respectful. But … I loved them, Eve.”

  “I know. But their memory will be with you forever. You’ll never lose that.”

  “No, I’ll never lose that.” She moistened her lips. “I was kneeling there and trying just to think of Elena and pray for her. But I kept thinking of Walsh and what he did to Elena and Jenny, and that Franco, who smiled at me and wanted to kill me. Elena believed in Satan as well as God. They had to be sent by Satan. There’s so much evil in the world, and maybe God can’t keep up with it. Maybe we should help him.”

  “Joe’s a detective, he goes after the bad guys every day. We all have to try in our own way.” She added gently, “But you have a few years before you have to find your way, Cara.” She had stopped beside her Toyota. “Give it time.”

  “Things happen. Sometimes there is no time.” She got into the car. “So I’ll hope and I’ll pray, but, just in case, I’ll fight, not run. I won’t let anyone else be taken from me.”

  “Do me a favor? Run to Joe or me before you decide to take on the devil?” She was negotiating her way toward the exit. “A little help doesn’t hurt.”

  Cara suddenly smiled. “No, it doesn’t. Did I sound silly?”

  “No, you sounded like someone who has been hurt and didn’t want to be hurt again. And we have to concentrate on doing that.” They had reached the exit and she waved at Joe, who was parked in a spot near the street. “And there’s Joe waiting to make sure that doesn’t happen. Now let’s go home and talk about how we’re going to go forward…”

  “Wait!” Cara’s hand suddenly gripped Eve’s arm. “I think … Near the steps to the sanctuary…” Her gaze was on someone striding down the street. “No, he’s gone.”

  Eve tensed, her eyes flying to the steps. “Who?”

  “I think…” She was breathing hard. “I only had a glimpse, but I think it was the man you told me was Ramon Franco. No, I know it was.” Her voice was fierce. “I told you I’d know him if I saw him again. It wasn’t only his face. He had a way of moving, of cocking his head to the side.”

  “All of that in a few seconds? No mistake? You were talking about him and Walsh only a minute before. You’re sure that it wasn’t—”

  “It was him.” Her gaze was frantically searching the street. “He was in a hurry. He went down that side street. Believe me, Eve.”

  She did believe her, and a chill was running through her. “I was just making certain.” She reached for her phone and dialed Joe. “Cara is sure that she caught sight of Ramon Franco a few minutes ago. What should I do?”

  “Where was he?” Joe fired.

  “He was coming from the church or maybe the parking lot. He went down a side street on the other side of the church.”

  Joe cursed. “He’ll be gone by the time I get back there and chase him down. It might be what he wants me to do anyway. I’m not leaving you alone. Turn left and park on the street. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Eve hung up and turned left on Danforth Avenue, and a block later, she found a place to park. A moment later, Joe parked and jumped out of the jeep.

  He was beside the Toyota in seconds. “Get out. Go get in my Jeep. Keep off the street.”

  Eve settled Cara in the Jeep, then ran back to him. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m checking the car. Franco was on foot when Cara saw him. He didn’t attack. He wasn’t positioned for a shot. He had business to do. And after he completed the business, he took off.” He carefully lifted the hood. “Nothing here. I didn’t think there would be. It wouldn’t be easy to rig anything in the engine without someone’s seeing him. I would have noticed him myself. I was watching everything going on while you were in the church. I just had to be sure.” He closed the hood. “But I didn’t see Franco, and there had to be a reason.”

  “Rig?” Eve repeated. “Are you talking about a bomb?”

  “It would make sense. It’s a pretty common method of disposal among the gangs in Mexico City. Manez mentioned Franco was good at all kinds of methods for putting down Salazar’s enemies. And a bomb would blow both of you to Kingdom Come with no trace evidence. Salazar would have been pleased with Franco.”

  “Shit.”

  “I didn’t see him.” He started for the rear of the car. “He would have had to stay low and out of my line of vision. Back of the car…” He knelt on his hands and knees and looked at the undercarriage beneath the car. “Nothing here.” He crawled to the side. “I don’t see— There it is!”

  “What?” She knelt beside him. “I don’t see—” Then she saw it. Near the left rear wheel, small, fastened with duct tape, with a blinking light. She gasped. “We should call the bomb squad.”

  “Maybe.” He was wriggling beneath the car. “Give me a minute.”

  “Joe.” Her throat was so tight, she could barely speak. She knew he’d been trained to both set and deactivate bombs when he was in the SEALs, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t blow himself up. “Get out of there. You are not going to disarm that bomb yourself.”

  “I’m only looking at it. Very powerful but basic design. No remote-control switch. Just a timer.” His hands were on the bomb, doing something to it.

  “Joe, you’ll set the damn thing off.”

  “No, I told you, it’s basic. No problem. If I’d been worried, I would have made you go back in the Jeep with Cara when I first caught sight of it.”

  “Well, I’m worried. Get out of there.”

  He crawled from beneath the car. There was a streak of oil on his cheek and on the collar of his shirt. “It was set to go off in thirty minutes, about the time you’d get back to the house.”

  “You turned it off?”

  “No, I reset it to allow for the time I spent here examining it.”

  “What?”

  “We’re going to let the bomb go off,” Joe said. He handed her the keys to the Jeep. “You drive the Jeep. I’ll meet you when you get off the freeway. I’ll need you and Cara to be seen driving the Toyota as far as the property. Don’t worry, the bomb’s set for fifteen minutes leeway.”

  “What are you up to?”

  “I’ll explain later. No time now.” He got into the driver’s seat of the Toyota. “Trust me.”

  Trust him to drive home with a ticking bomb on the undercarriage of that car?

  Trust his word that she and Cara would be safe for that last stretch in the Toyota?

  No question.

  But she was going to kill him later for scaring her like this.

  She turned and jumped into the Jeep beside Cara.

  “Don’t ask. I don’t know all the answers yet.”

  * * *

  The Toyota was parked in a layby off Quinn Road a mile from the freeway when Eve exited and stopped beside it.

  Joe rolled out from beneath it. “Get in. Quick. We lost five minu
tes.”

  “What were you doing?” Eve asked as she gestured for Cara to get into the Toyota. “Something wrong?”

  What was she asking? The whole situation of a ticking bomb was wrong.

  “No, I just wanted to check the undercarriage for any other explosive I might have missed before I let you drive it.” He ran to the Jeep and jumped into the driver’s seat. “Get out of the Toyota the minute you’re on our property and the road is surrounded by trees. Jump out, and you and Cara hit the closest ditch. Don’t wait until you get to the house.”

  “Why?”

  “The house and driveway are open and can be viewed easily by a telescope. That’s where the bomb was set to go off, and Franco will want to see it. The road in the woods when you first enter the property can’t be clearly viewed or accessed. When the bomb blows, he’ll think he just miscalculated by a few minutes.”

  “A few minutes?”

  “Three, tops. Move!”

  She moved. Her foot stomped on the accelerator, and the Toyota jumped forward.

  She could see Joe in the Jeep in the rearview mirror. She was passing cars and houses as she drove through the neighborhoods bordering the lake property.

  Three minutes.

  “Eve?” Cara said softly.

  “It’s okay.” She didn’t take her eyes from the road. “We’re handling it. Just move when I say move.”

  Cara nodded and fell silent.

  Trees.

  In a minute, they’d be on the lake property.

  It was a long, long minute.

  Trees. Shadows. Lake in the distance.

  She braked, hard. A screech of metal. The Toyota turned sideways as it halted.

  “Out, Cara!” She threw open the door. “Run for that ditch on the other side of the road.”

  Cara didn’t question. She was already running. She was at the deep ditch before Eve, sliding down the muddy side.

  Eve followed her.

  One more minute.

  “Crawl.” Joe was in the ditch beside them. “Get as far away from the car as possible.”