Hide Away (19 page)

“I'm digging in the dirt, too. And right now I'm with Caleb, gazing out at a lake that the Highlanders say might have been created to hide the beginning of the world or maybe the end of it.”

“Caleb? If he showed it to you, then I'd bet on the end.”

“Maybe. I can never tell about him. But Caleb's been more accommodating than usual.” She changed the subject. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to keep Franco and Salazar from tracing you. I got behind when I flew down to Mexico. I'm on my way to Gainesville now to contact Jeff Brandel, the pilot who flew you to Scotland. I'm going to give him enough money to go out of the country for a while. He should have arrived back in Gainesville by now.” He was silent for an instant. “Look, yes, the idea of Natalie Castino's killing her own child is horrible, but look at the good side that we found out about it. How likely is it that Immigration would send Cara back to a mother who's suspected of murdering her sister?”

“But how long would it take to prove that Natalie did that? It's hard to believe, people push it away. She might persuade everyone that she's a victim.”

“The glass half-empty?”

“I want hope for Cara, Joe. I just don't want to take chances. Not with her, not with you. I love you.” She added unsteadily, “Take care of yourself.” She hung up.

She gazed blindly out at the lake that had so intrigued her before. The beginning of the world, the end of the world. Mist and swirling waters and no one knew what was happening beneath that mist.

And no one knew what had happened to twist the heart of Natalie Castino, who should have loved and cared for her children and instead had tried to destroy them.

“Bad news?” Caleb was studying her expression. “Quinn?”

She nodded. “It looks as if Salazar will be on the move soon, if he's not now. I guess that's actually not bad news. We knew it was going to happen.”

He shrugged. “You looked stunned.”

“Joe just found out that Jenny and Cara's mother was probably involved in their kidnapping.” She made a face. “I suppose stunned is the word, and sick, and bewildered. I can't understand it. A child's life is so precious. I can't see how any mother could do that.”

“You're saying kidnapping, do you mean killing?” he asked bluntly.

“I'm having trouble saying the word when connected to Jenny and Cara.” She deliberately said, “Killing. Because that was where it was going to end, and Natalie Castino must have realized that.”

“I'm just being very clear.” Caleb's lips turned up in a half smile. “No one minces words about me, and I generally return the favor.” He tilted his head. “This is really disturbing you.”

“You're damn right it does. I'm a mother. I instinctively want to protect any child.” She added fiercely, “And I want to punish anyone who would try to hurt a child.”

“Back to the primitive. I understand that concept though I generally operate from a different standpoint.” Caleb looked out at the lake. “Have you seen enough? Would you like me to take you anywhere else?”

“No, we should probably go back to the castle.” She started to turn away, and then realized he was studying her again. Why? Had she been too passionate about the idea of Natalie Castino's crime and betrayal? She couldn't have been anything else. Perhaps that wasn't why he was staring at her so curiously. He might not have even noticed how upset she'd been.

Though he probably had noticed and would analyze and bring it up at his leisure. Not that she couldn't just laugh it off. But she seldom laughed at whatever Caleb deduced about anything. He always came too close.

Face it now. She turned to look at him. “What? You're staring at me.”

“I like looking at you. I like
you,
Eve.” He took her arm and led her back toward the car. “I can see why you and Jane are so close. You're both painfully honest … most of the time. I find that infinitely refreshing.” As they reached the car, his hands slipped down and he grasped her hands as he stood looking down at her. “Though it's usually not in the least complimentary to me. But even that's forgiven, I always know where I stand.” He stared directly down into her eyes. “And here's where
you
stand. Don't worry, I'll make sure that you'll be safe. You have Jock and MacDuff, who are the soul of everything bold and noble, but every little while you need someone who's not at all noble. That's me.” He was smiling as he opened the car door for her. “I have an incredible number of dirty tricks at my disposal. And I'm putting them all at your disposal.”

She stared at him in surprise. “What brought this on?”

He shrugged. “Occasionally something touches me, and I have to respond.” He got in the driver's seat. “You seem to have hit it today.” He started the car. “Don't tell Jane, she'll say I'm conning you.”

“No she won't. She knows you better than you think.”

He nodded. “But she'd still put up barriers and have me jump through hoops. She doesn't like the idea that I might do something that's not totally on the dark side. It confuses her.”

“It confuses me, too.” She paused. “What … touched you today, Caleb?”

His smile was mocking. “Now that would be a revelation. There's always a price for a revelation of my unique personality. You wouldn't want to pay it.”

Would Jane want to pay it? Eve wondered.

“In time,” he said as if he had read her thoughts. “If I prepared the way.” He changed the subject. “Now tell me about Cara and that music that was luring me like a Lorelei the other evening. What do you intend to do about her when this is all over?”

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA

Still no answer.

Joe frowned as he hung up the cell.

It was the third attempt to reach Jeff Brandel he'd made since he'd gotten on the road today. Straight to voicemail on the first two calls, this time no connection at all.

He didn't like it.

Fifteen more minutes, and he'd be at the airport.

Nothing might be wrong.

But, dammit, he didn't like it.

 

CHAPTER

8

GAINESVILLE AIRPORT

“I need to see Brandel,” Joe said as he strode into the small terminal that was more like an office. “Where is he?”

“In hangar Twelve E.” A lanky young brunette woman in jeans and a plaid shirt looked up from the paperwork in front of her. “He's been there since this morning working on his plane. Should I call him for you?”

“I've been calling him.” He left the terminal and strode out on the tarmac.

Hangar 12E.

And the metal door was pulled down.

It was a nice day, why the hell pull down the door?

Three minutes later he found out the answer.

Blood.

He stood there gazing at the man tied to the chair, who must be Jeff Brandel. It was impossible to tell because his face was cut and burned, and one eye was gouged out. His mouth was duct-taped shut.

“My God.”

He moved closer and saw the drill beside the chair and the cuts on Brandel's body. The death wound was from the machete piercing his chest, and the blood was still flowing from it. He had gone through hideous torture, and had obviously tried to withstand it. He was a good guy and had probably not wanted to break and endanger Eve and Cara.

But there was no sign of the man who had done this so there was every chance that he had gotten the information he needed before he had killed Brandel.

He felt the anger rise as he looked again at the pilot. Anger and fear.

“Shit.” He took out his phone and dialed Eve. “Brandel is dead. By the look of the body, he probably told them everything he knew.”

“Dear God, no…” She was silent, trying to cope. “He had a wife. He told me he'd just gotten married two months ago. I … liked him.”

“Yeah, so did I.” He turned away from Brandel and walked to the open door. “But that's not important right now. Brandel talked. How much did he know? I only told him where he was to take you. Nothing else. Did you tell him anything?”

“No. He just said something about Cara and how he wanted kids and then about his wife.”

“He couldn't hear anything you talked about with Cara?”

“No. The cockpit door was closed.” She paused. “But he had to have seen Jane pick us up at the hangar. He was still sitting on the runway and hadn't pulled away yet.”

Joe muttered a curse. “Even if he had no idea who she was, they'll be able to dig into our background and make a good guess fairly quickly.”

“But that's all they'll know. MacDuff wouldn't have broadcast info about the hunt because he wouldn't want to have to deal with any other treasure hunters. Jane certainly wouldn't have talked about it. We arrived at the airport here in Scotland, then just vanished. It's not that bad.”

“The hell it's not. They'll still be closer to you than I ever intended.”

“But not closer than you thought might happen. I remember that remark you made about a Special Forces unit to protect us.”

“
Might
happen. It wasn't supposed to happen.” He looked back at Brandel. That wasn't supposed to happen either, a good man had suffered and died. “I'm going to call MacDuff and warn him what's going down. I wanted to tell you first.”

“I can tell him. I'm almost back to the castle.”

“Then go ahead and do it. I'll call him later. I need to phone the precinct and report Brandel's murder.” He paused. “And break the news to his wife.”

“I'm sorry. It's not going to be easy.”

“None of it is easy,” he said roughly. “And I don't want to stay here trying to heal wounds. I want to catch the next flight to you. I can't even do that because it's a sure thing I'm being followed. I can't risk leading anyone to you.”

“Salazar and Franco,” she reminded him. “I know you're feeling frustrated, but you might still be able to find them and take them down. Look how much you've already found out about Natalie Castino. We're safe for now, Joe.”

“For now.” He was gazing down at Brandel's bloody face. “I'll do what I can here. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep from saying to hell with it and just taking off. Watch everything that's going on around you. Take care.” He hung up.

Only he should be the one taking care of her, he thought in frustration. He shouldn't be thousands of miles away. He couldn't stand it.

He had to stand it.

He punched in the number for the precinct. “Joe Quinn. I need a forensic team and the medical examiner out here right away. I'll give you the address…”

*   *   *

“Nasty. Real nasty.” Detective Pete Jalkown shook his head as he gazed at the covered gurney as it was wheeled out of the hangar. “You knew him?”

“Slightly. I hired him for a job.”

“It wouldn't have anything to do with Eve?” Pete asked. “You know, the captain is very curious about that explosion. She was happy that Eve wasn't in that car but definitely curious.”

“She'll have to stay that way,” Joe said. “I'll talk to her as soon as I'm free to do it.”

“If it were anyone but you, Quinn, you'd be in that interrogation room on general principle.” His glance shifted back to the medical examiner's van. “And this isn't going to make it any better. Serial killers are a big headache when the captain has to deal with the press.”

“Serial killer?”

“Possible,” Pete said. “Three hours ago we got a call from Travel-Rite Charter Service. They found one of their pilots, Zeke Dalkway, in the alley behind the terminal building. Worse condition than Brandel.”

“Torture?”

“Four fingers missing and someone spent a long time on him before they killed him.”

Because he hadn't been able to give them the information as Brandel had, Joe thought bitterly.

“The captain is going to jump on those cases with both feet,” Pete said. “Much too visible and gory to ignore. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Not smart.”

Neither smart, nor discreet. Salazar had also jumped in with guns blazing. Nothing subtle about his attack mode. Patient for eight years of searching for Cara, but that patience had vanished overnight. He had gone for the jugular.

After he had spent the night with an angry Natalie Castino. Connection?

Blood and agony.

Two men ruthlessly tortured and dead because Joe had hired a pilot to help Eve and Cara escape. No more patience, no more careful planning to avoid confrontation. A complete change of modus operandi.

Yes, he could see a connection.

*   *   *

“I've got it!” Franco said as soon as Salazar picked up the phone. “You wanted it by tonight, I'm hours ahead of you.”

“Where are they?”

“Scotland. Brandel delivered them to Ardland Airport outside Edinburgh.”

“And where did they go from there?”

“He didn't know. If he'd known, he would have told me.”

“I'm sure he would,” Salazar said. “But I need more than you've told me. You've given me a city and country. I need an address. I need
them
.”

“I have the description of the woman who met them at the hangar. I think it might be Jane MacGuire. She's Duncan's adopted daughter and lives in London. That's pretty close.”

“An address.”

“I'm on it. I'm taking the next flight to Scotland. I'll find them.”

“If I don't find them first. I'll see you in Scotland, Franco.”

Silence. “You're going to Scotland? You don't have to bother. I'll take care of it.”

“That hasn't been my experience so far. I'm allowing you the opportunity to convince me. Don't disappoint me.” He added with a touch of cool menace, “In the meantime, I'll be on the spot and making sure that doesn't happen.”