Chasing the Night (3 page)

“Do that.” It must have been something urgent for them to call Joe from his bed. Urgent sometimes meant dangerous. “As soon as you know. Bye…”

A few minutes later, she heard his car start outside and tried to settle down and go back to sleep. She didn’t think it was going to happen. She usually worked late, but her eyes were strained and stinging from trying to put together the shattered puzzle that was Cindy. She should rest her eyes even if she couldn’t doze off again.

Fifteen minutes later she gave it up and sat up in bed. The longer she stayed in bed, the more tense she became. She’d get up, grab a cup of coffee, and go back to work on Cindy. She slipped on her robe and left the bedroom.

Joe had evidently grabbed a cup of coffee to go because there was a light burning in the kitchen. She chose a coffee pod and punched the button on the Keurig.

“That’s interesting. I’ve never seen a coffeemaker like that. But then I haven’t been in a civilized part of the world for a long time. Does it make good coffee?”

A woman’s voice.

Eve whirled toward the shadows of her lab across the room. “What the hell—”

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not here to hurt you.” The woman who spoke was sitting on Eve’s stool in front of the reconstruction of Cindy. “I just have to talk to you.”

“The hell you do.” Her gaze raked the woman from head to toe. Thin, dressed in dark jeans and sweater. No apparent weapons. That was good. Joe had taught Eve how to defend herself in any hand-to-hand battle. “Get out and call me on the phone. How did you get in here anyway? Joe always sets the alarm.”

“He did this time, too. It’s a good alarm. It took me a little while to get past it after he left.” She was gazing wonderingly down at the shards of bone on the tarp. “Are you really going to be able to put this face back together?”

“Yes. Get out.”

“I’m not handling this right.” She looked away from the bones to Eve’s face. “It’s just that when I saw those bones, it blew me away. My name is Catherine Ling. Venable might have mentioned me. I work with him.”

“Venable?” Eve relaxed a little. The invasion was still totally unacceptable, but if she was associated with Venable, there was no physical threat. “No, he didn’t mention you.”

Catherine Ling grimaced. “He didn’t even get that far? The age progression. He did call you about it?”

“Yes, I told him to get someone else. I’m too busy.”

“I want you. I need you.”

“Too bad.” She picked up her cup of coffee. “You and your CIA can go take a flying leap. I don’t work on Venable’s orders.” She went to the front door and opened it. “Now get out.”

Catherine didn’t move. “I don’t want you to work for Venable. I don’t want you to work for the CIA. This has nothing to do with them. It’s my job. I knew you had a relationship with Venable, and I thought if I could get him to offer it to you, that it would be easier to get you to do it.”

“Wrong.” She jerked her head at the open door. “Don’t come back. Next time, I’ll call the police.”

Catherine slowly rose to her feet. “Will you listen to me?”

“I might have listened to you if you hadn’t invaded my home like a cat burglar. Now you don’t have a chance in hell.”

“I was in a hurry. I didn’t want to have to argue with you. I thought if I hit the ground running, the shock would get us down to basics early.”

“Don’t come back.”

Catherine moved toward the door. “I will come back. It’s something I have to do. I’ll come back time and time again until you listen to me.” She passed Eve and went out onto the porch. “And until you do, I’ll sit out here and wait.”

“Not in my house, not on my porch, not on my property.”

“Here. You’ll have to stumble over me.” Catherine sank gracefully down on the floor and crossed her legs tailor fashion. “Until you listen.”

Eve gazed at her in frustration. Early dawn light was now filtering onto the porch and dimly illuminating the woman. Catherine Ling looked to be in her late twenties. She was tall, thin, with small breasts and long legs. Straight, shoulder-length dark hair framed a face that was an interesting mixture of Western and Asian characteristics. High cheekbones and faintly tilted dark eyes contrasted with full lips and a square chin. Her brows were as dark as her hair and slightly winged over those large, intense eyes.

Everything about Catherine spoke of intensity, Eve thought. She was surrounded by it, burning with it. “I’m not about to stumble over you. I’ll either throw you out myself or call the police.”

“Then I’d have to fight. I’m very good at fighting. Someone would get hurt. Wouldn’t it be better just to listen to me?”

Eve slammed the door shut and locked it.

She hadn’t handled the situation well, Catherine thought.

She had been caught off guard. When Eve had come into the room, everything else had flown from her mind. She had waited so long…

Then Eve had been there before her, angry, wary. Her shoulder-length red-brown hair slightly mussed from sleep, her hazel eyes glaring at her in the lamplight. Catherine had seen photos of Eve in magazines, but she was more than she’d expected. Her thin face wasn’t pretty, but it was fascinating and full of character. Everything about her spoke of alertness, vitality, and intelligence.

And there had been no fear. Eve should have been at least a little afraid.

Was it because she dealt with the results of death every day?

Oh, for heaven’s sake, this was no time to try to analyze Eve Duncan’s reactions.

She would just sit here and wait. No matter how long it took.

She would wait until Eve came back to her.

She’d just ignore the woman, Eve thought, after she’d locked the door. Maybe she’d go away.

No, she wouldn’t. Catherine Ling would stay out there until hell froze over. Eve had seen that passionate intensity before.

In her own mirror.

She took a swallow of her coffee and turned and walked toward her worktable, where Catherine had been sitting when Eve had walked into the room. If the woman had disturbed any of her carefully placed bone fragments, she’d murder her.

Somehow, she didn’t believe she would be that slipshod. Catherine Ling didn’t impress her as someone who would be careless about anything.

No, everything was exactly as Eve had left it.

She reached out and gently touched a splinter of bone. “Sorry, Cindy, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. I have to take care of this idiotic problem now.”

And how to do that?

Call the police as she’d threatened?

No, she believed Catherine Ling when she’d told her that she’d fight. This was Eve’s home, and she didn’t want violence to enter it. The outside world was too violent, and this was her haven.

But she
would
get rid of the woman.

She took out her cell phone, checked the number, then dialed.

“Venable, what the hell are you doing?”

“Nothing. I’m out of it. I take it that Catherine has paid you a visit?”

“Right now she’s sitting on my porch looking like a patient Buddha. She won’t go away.”

“Did you talk to her?”

“No, I threw her out. For heaven’s sake, she invaded my house like a thief in the night.”

“She can be impatient. It might be better if you let her talk to you. She won’t go away. You can starve her, you can beat her, and she’ll still be there.”

Her hand clenched on the phone. “Then you tell her to get out. You’re CIA, she’s CIA, there has to be something you can do.”

“She’s obsessed. You can’t deal with obsession in any normal manner.”

“Are you saying she’s nuts?”

“I’m saying that obsession can sometimes make people unbalanced.”

“Unbalanced,” she repeated. “That’s a polite way of saying nuts. And you expect me to deal with her? Oh no, she’s one of your people. You take care of it. My schedule is jam-packed. I have no
time
for this.”

“I told you, I’m out of it. It’s between the two of you now.”

“You said you didn’t want to turn me over to the wolf. You were talking about her, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I should have said she-wolf, shouldn’t I? I was hoping to persuade you to do the job and not have any contact with her. It would have been better for you.”

“I’m not going to have any contact with that woman. As soon as I can, I’m going to send her on her way.”

“I hope you do turn her down. I made a bargain with her, but I’m backpedaling as fast as I can. If she gets what she wants, she’s going to cause me a lot of headaches.”

“I don’t care about your bargains. If you’re not going to help, tell me how to make her leave.”

“Listen to her. Say no. Make her believe it. She’s no real threat. Not to you.”

“Easy words. She’s not easy. I can tell.”

“Oh, you recognized a kindred spirit? I admit I noticed a few similarities myself.”

She ignored those words. “Tell me how to get through to her. I have to know about her if I’m going to find a way to handle her. Tell me about Catherine Ling.”

“How much?”

“Everything.”

“I don’t know everything. I had to depend on Catherine to tell me about her early years. There weren’t any records. She’s illegitimate. Her father was an American soldier based in Saigon. Her mother was a half-Korean, half-Russian prostitute and took Catherine to Hong Kong when she was four. She died two years later, and Catherine was left alone to try to survive on the streets. She survived very well. She was smart, and her instincts were excellent. Some of the things she learned during those years were amazing, and completely illegal and immoral.”

“Considering how she broke into my house that doesn’t surprise me.”

“Anyway, she managed to sort it all out and avoided the worst pitfalls of prostitution and drugs. Probably because she came to realize that the most valuable commodity in Hong Kong was information. She taught herself to be fluent in eight languages and made herself an expert on selling and buying. From the criminal underbelly to high-end political secrets, she became the person to go to. That’s where she first came onto our radar.”

“I can see how she would come to your attention,” Eve said dryly.

“Oh, she did. She was only seventeen and a complete tigress. She did a few contract jobs for us, and I was very impressed. I recruited her. I had her trained by one of our best agents. In the last twelve years I’ve sent her all over the world, and she’s been a remarkable asset. I couldn’t ask for a more competent operative.”

“Until she became ‘unbalanced’?”

“Everyone has a few problems to overcome. Once she works through this patch, she’ll be as valuable to me as ever.”

“You’re incredible.”

“No, I just do my job in the best way I can.” He paused. “Tell her no. Don’t get involved, Eve.” He hung up the phone.

She didn’t understand that last command. She had no intention of getting involved. Considering the circumstances, she didn’t see how Venable could think she was in any danger of giving in to anything that Catherine Ling asked of her.

She jammed her phone back in her pocket. What to do? Venable had been of no real help. He had given her a little insight into the woman’s character, but revealed no vulnerabilities. She had obviously developed scar tissue over all the pain of her childhood if she’d become the power house Venable described.

Listen to her.

She hesitated, thinking.

Oh, what the hell. It was either violence or persuasion.

It might end up either, or both.

She strode toward the door and threw it open.

Catherine Ling didn’t move, but Eve could sense a subtle change, an increased alertness. She was ready to spring or defend herself from attack.

Good Lord, the woman was beautiful. Eve had been in such emotional turmoil, she had only been vaguely aware of Catherine’s appearance.

The sun was shining, surrounding her with light. Her straight dark hair, enormous eyes, and smooth golden complexion seemed to glow.

But it was her vibrant intensity that held and fascinated. Eve had never seen anyone more alive.

“I just talked to Venable,” Eve said curtly. “He’s being a complete ass. He won’t come and get you, and he says you won’t do anything he asks.”

She nodded. “He’s right. He doesn’t really want you to help me. He’s glad that he found an excuse to put a roadblock in my way.”

“I can’t help you. Not as well as some of your CIA computer gurus.”

She shook her head. “It has to be you.”

“Dammit, why?”

She was silent. “Because of your Bonnie. Do you think I haven’t studied and researched you? I know all about you. I know that you have a lover, Joe Quinn. I know you have an adopted daughter, Jane MacGuire, who is an artist and is in London right now.” She paused. “And, most important of all, I know you lost your little girl, Bonnie, when she was seven to a serial killer, and it’s given you a passion and dedication that none of those tech guys will ever have. I need that passion. I have to have that dedication.”

“Then you’ll have to do without. I have another job I have to do.”

“Put it off.”

“No, that little girl’s parents have waited too long already. And why should I? To find out how age has changed some low-life criminal on whom you have some kind of twisted vendetta?”

“No.” She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a photo carefully protected in clear plastic. “So I can find
him.
” Her hand was trembling as she held out the photo to Eve. “Help me. I’ll give you anything, do anything for you. I have to find him.”

Eve slowly took the photo.

It was a picture of a little boy of not more than two years of age wearing a red sweater. Dark hair, enormous dark eyes that were alight with joy and mischief. He was smiling, and Eve had never seen a sweeter expression. It was a smile to melt the heart. “Who is he?”

“Luke. My son.”

Chapter
3

Eve’s gaze flew back to Catherine’s face. “What?”

“Luke. That picture was taken on his second birthday. He was taken from me a week later.”

“Taken? By whom?”

“Sergei Rakovac. Major criminal who was involved with the Russian mafia and manipulating various politicians in Moscow. My husband, Terry, and I were sent in to break up his organization. He was interfering with the current American administration’s attempt at peacekeeping over the Republic of Georgia’s conflict with Russia.”

“What conflict? If there was a conflict, it sure didn’t get much press.”

“Enough. There was a particularly nasty conflict in 2008 between the Republic of Georgia and Russia that killed over a thousand people, but the ethnic infighting has been going on for decades. It involved South Ossetia, a territory belonging to the Republic of Georgia. South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia, and Russia supported them.” She made a face. “While trying to gently pull them under Russian domination. It would probably have been the first move toward annexing Georgia itself. At any rate, the tempers have been flaring on both sides ever since, and it’s still a hot spot. When Russia weighed in on the side of the Ossetians and sent in a ‘peacekeeping’ force is when it became a bloodbath. Guerilla fighting, massacres. Even after the supposed truce, there was spotty guerilla warfare on both sides. The attacks are still going on today. The hatred never stops.”

“And Rakovac was involved?”

“Very much involved. But his involvement started much earlier than the outbursts that occurred later with Russia. As I said, there was hatred and fighting for decades. Rakovac actually was born in the Republic of Georgia and fought with them as a teenager in a guerilla group against the Ossetians. But after he went to Moscow he was supplying arms to both sides and when Russia joined in the conflict he was causing the situation to escalate even more. Our orders were to take him down.” Her lips tightened. “We did it. It took over a year of bribery and undermining of his contacts, but Rakovac was on his way out. He was furious. He dug and dug until he found out who had been behind all his problems. He got our names and he wanted revenge.”

Eve felt sick as she looked down at the photograph of the child. So beautiful. So innocent. “Your Luke?”

“I found out I was pregnant just before we left Russia. I left the Company and settled in Boston. Terry still worked for the CIA, but I thought I could have a normal life. But Rakovac was just biding his time. He worked and schemed and gained back all the power we’d taken from him. Then he was ready to go after us.” She moistened her lips. “One night, I put Luke to bed and went to my room. I received a call in the middle of the night. Rakovac. He had Terry. He shot him to death while I was on the phone. Then he told me to go to my son’s room.”

“And he was gone?”

Catherine Ling nodded jerkily. “I went crazy. Rakovac called back and said the minute I involved the police, he’d kill my son…slowly.” She closed her eyes. “And I knew he’d do it. I’d studied him. I knew what a sadistic bastard he could be.” Her eyes opened, and they were glittering with tears. “I felt so damn helpless. I called Venable and told him he had to help me get my son back. He was very sympathetic but cautious. Very cautious. It seems there had been a wind change in Moscow-Washington relations. Rakovac had made himself invaluable to the CIA and the White House. Washington didn’t want any change in the status quo.”

“Even at the expense of a child’s life?”

Her lips twisted. “You don’t understand it either. You’re a mother. Nothing is as important as keeping a son or daughter alive. I suppose I should have realized that it could happen. I know how things work. But I couldn’t connect any of that knowledge with Luke.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Not with my son.”

“So what did you do?”

“I started after Rakovac on my own. Until I got another phone call. Luke was crying so I knew that he was still alive. I recognized his voice. Rakovac said that the CIA would cause him too much trouble if he killed him, but he wasn’t going to give him up. He wanted me to suffer. I was never going to see him again, and he’d remain alive if I didn’t make waves.” Her voice broke. “But he was crying, and I couldn’t do anything about it. He was
crying.
”

“Dear God.”

“Venable said he’d do everything possible, but it would be safer for Luke if I didn’t disturb Rakovac until he could manage to negotiate a release.” Her voice hoarsened. “Disturb? I wanted to kill him. My baby…”

“And they haven’t negotiated a release yet? How long has it been?”

“Nine years,” she said dully. “It’s been nine years.”

Eve’s eyes widened. “How could that be?”

“Rakovac made sure that he was invaluable enough to keep Venable and the CIA at bay. He kept stalling and offering one more favor if they’d forget about Luke’s release for a little while longer. It stretched on and on.”

“Couldn’t you go in and find him yourself?”

“I tried. I went to Russia at every opportunity and tried to locate him. But Rakovac had hidden him away somewhere, and I couldn’t locate him. He’d been planning Luke’s kidnapping since Terry and I had left Russia.” She shook her head. “And I couldn’t let Rakovac know I was on his own turf searching. He’d warned me that he’d kill Luke if I came after him.” She added bitterly, “And I was making Venable nervous. He had me assigned to the other side of the world, lately in the jungles of Colombia. After that, I was only able to break free every now and then and go back to Moscow.”

“I would have told Venable and his buddies to go to hell. I don’t see how you could keep on working with them.”

“He was my only connection. He might have been the one element that was keeping Luke alive. Rakovac was hesitating to take that final step that might cause the CIA and Washington to have to contend with a public-opinion issue. Just having Venable making occasional inquires about Luke was a reminder that his position wasn’t totally invulnerable.” She took a shaky breath. “But things may be changing. I’ve been noticing that there seems to be a shifting…I can’t put my finger on it. Rakovac’s power may be increasing. It’s scaring me.”

Eve could see that fear. It was reflected in the woman’s face and the slight trembling of her lips. She sensed it as a living force. Who could blame her? How would she have felt if she had gone through those years of searching, never knowing if her Bonnie was alive or dead? But at least there had been hope for Catherine Ling. From the beginning, Eve had known in her heart that Bonnie had been killed.

“You’re thinking about your daughter.” Catherine was studying her face. “You’re making comparisons. I made comparisons, too. That’s why I’m here.”

“Bonnie’s death has nothing to do with your son’s kidnapping. I’m sorry for you, but I can’t help you. Talk to Venable.”

“You
can
help me.” Catherine’s voice breathed intensity. “You’re the only one who can. Why do you think I’m here? I’m not stupid. Do you think I haven’t gone over every way, every person who could bring Luke back to me? I’ve been trying to find a way for over a year to get Venable to persuade you to help. Why do you think I was willing to camp out on your doorstep to make you listen to me?”

Desperation, pain, hope. Eve knew the emotions that were motivating Catherine all too well, and her heart ached for her. “I’ve listened to you.” She turned. “And I want you off my porch. Come into the house, and I’ll give you a cup of coffee. Then we’ll discuss how we can get Venable to help you. I know several qualified professionals at Langley who can do the job.”

Catherine stared at her a moment, then rose to her feet in one graceful, fluid movement. “Coffee would be good.”

But she wasn’t committing to any of Eve’s other suggestions, Eve noticed ruefully as she preceded Catherine into the kitchen. She probably should have closed the door and not invited the woman back into the cottage. But that wasn’t an option, not since she had seen that photo of Luke. She would just have to use persuasion and firmness to ease Catherine Ling out of her life.

“You’re letting me get one foot back in the door. It’s not going to be easy to get rid of me,” Catherine said quietly. “If I were you, I’d have slammed the door and barricaded myself in the house.”

“You’re not me.” Eve pressed the button on the coffeemaker and watched the liquid pour into the cup. “And I don’t need to barricade myself against you. I’m not afraid of you, Catherine Ling. Cream?”

“No. Black. And call me Catherine.” She took the cup Eve handed her. “No, I can see you’re not afraid. You weren’t even afraid when you first saw me and didn’t know whether or not I was a threat.” She sipped the coffee. “And, no, we’re not alike. Venable keeps seeing resemblances, but he’s wrong. We only have one thing in common, and I intend to exploit that to the fullest extent.”

“Go ahead. It won’t get you anywhere.” She gestured for her to sit down on the couch. “I have a job I have to do. Cindy has been lost too long, and I have to bring her home.”

“She’s dead. Bring my son home instead. He’s alive, and there’s no telling how long he’ll stay that way if I don’t get him away from Rakovac. I can’t wait any longer. I have to go after him. But he’s eleven years old, and I don’t even know what he looks like. I haven’t seen him since he was two.” She whispered, “So many years…”

“Age progression isn’t my area of expertise. Even if I wanted to give up work on my reconstruction of Cindy, I couldn’t do as good a job as someone who does it day in, day out.”

“That’s not true. I’ve studied your reconstructions, and they come amazingly close.” She looked down into the coffee in her cup. “You have all that scientific stuff down pat, but that isn’t what happens in the final step, is it? You make a connection.”

“Do I?” she asked warily.

“Oh, I’m not saying that there’s anything weird going on. I’m too practical to think anything like that. But Michelangelo once said something about the figure coming out of the stone. Certain artists have the passion that makes their work come alive.” She raised her gaze to look at Eve. “You have that passion. I can see it. I could feel it when I looked at your reconstructions. I have to have that passion. I’ll do anything you say if you’ll show me a photo of my Luke as he is today.”

“Working on a computer isn’t like doing a sculpting reconstruction,” she said gently. “Perhaps there is a kind of connection when I feel the clay beneath my fingers, but this is different.”

“Try.” Her gaze went to the bones on the dais. “I know you want to finish what you started. I don’t like to leave anything undone either. But can’t you see this is more important?”

“I can see it’s more important to you. I can see that it might be more important to me if I thought I was the best person to do the progression.” She raised her cup to her lips. “So I’d better continue with what I do best and let you go your own way.”

“I don’t care what you think.” Her eyes were suddenly blazing. “I know you’re the best one to find my son. Time’s running out. I’m not going to let him die. You
have
to do it.” She stopped. “I’m doing this all wrong, aren’t I?” She raised her shaking hand to her head. “I’m usually not this clumsy. It means too much to me.”

“I can understand that, Catherine.”

“I know you can.” Her gaze returned to the bones on Eve’s worktable. “I think you want to help me. I just have to give you a reason to do it. And a way to remove any roadblocks in your path.”

Eve raised her brows. “And how are you going to do that?”

“Guilt.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You saw the photo of my son. He touched you. You want to help him.” She stared Eve in the eye. “What if I’m right, and you’re the best one to identify him? What if I went to one of Venable’s techs, and they steered me wrong? Venable doesn’t want me to stir up any trouble. It’s a delicate situation in Moscow, and he knows I won’t give a damn about diplomatic relations if it means rescuing Luke.” She took a deep breath. “What if Rakovac kills him before I can find him? How would that make you feel?”

“Sad. Not guilty, Catherine. I won’t play into your hands that way.”

“Not even a little? Oh, I think you will. You’ll remember that my every instinct was shouting that you were the one who could help me save Luke. I think you’d feel a little guilty. There is always a reaction to an action.” She paused. “Or the lack of an action.”

Eve muttered an oath beneath her breath. “I believe you may be something of a calculating bitch, Catherine Ling.”

“Oh, I am. When I have to be.” Her voice became crisp. “Now for the roadblock. You don’t want to leave your reconstruction of that little girl to do a job that you feel can be done by someone else. Correct?”

Eve slowly nodded. “Yes.”

“Then I won’t ask you to delay your work on her. It shouldn’t take you too long to complete the age progression. It’s going to take a while to put that little girl’s face back together. You can start on Luke’s age progression while the prep work on the little girl is being done.”

“What?” Eve was frowning. “You’re not making sense. I can’t do both at once.”

“No. You’ll need help. I can help you with the little girl.”

“The hell you can.”

“Look, I’m not saying I could do any of the reconstruction. That would be insane. But what you have is a puzzle. I’m good at puzzles.” She made a face. “Though those bones are going to be a nightmare.”

“And I’m supposed to trust you with them? Cindy is my responsibility.”

“Try me. Oh, I know that there’s probably all kinds of training you go through for this kind of thing. But in the end, isn’t it basically just a puzzle you have to solve?”

“Yes,” she said slowly.

“I’ll access the Internet and study bone structure. I’ll consult with you. You can look over my shoulder every minute of the way. I can do it. I can put her back together.” She paused. “And I’ll do it with respect. The same respect you would show her, Eve.”

“No.”

“Please. You’re not losing anything, not even time. Just do this for me, and I’ll owe you for the rest of my life.”