The Search (35 page)

"Fine. I miss her. I call her every day, but it's not the same. She's taking our son to the Bahamas for a vacation this week. We went there on our honeymoon. I wish I were going with them. Do you know the scuba diving is fantastic off-- I'm babbling, aren't I?"

"Well, you can babble all you please as soon as I get Monty his water. Neither one of us is a talker, but we're both good listeners."

"You say that as if your dog is human." Then he nodded. "Why not? He's part of your work and your work is your passion too."

"He's more than that. He's my friend."

"Lucky Monty," he said wistfully. "I haven't had much time for friends. I've barely had time to be a decent husband and father."

"You're young. You've got plenty of time." She motioned for Monty to precede her into the kitchen, then added grimly, "If you don't let Logan bulldoze you into another project like this one."

"Logan never bulldozes me. It's not his way."

"Not unless he thinks it's necessary." But she knew what he meant. Logan's usual way was charm and subtle maneuvering, which invariably got him what he wanted. Who should know better than she how powerful that spell could be? She had been caught and was still held fast by Logan.

"You're still angry with him? I hoped you'd realize what a great guy he is."

"I'm not angry." But she wanted to be. It would be so much easier if she didn't know Logan so well. But she'd seen his vulnerability, his humor and determination. Walking away from him would be difficult. What was she thinking? He would probably be the one to walk away from her. Their sleeping together meant nothing. Even now he was with a woman he'd had a relationship with not even a year ago. Who would be next year's woman?

"And I do admire him," she told Bassett. "I just don't think he's a hundred percent right a hundred percent of the time." She followed Monty into the kitchen. "I'll be back in a minute. I'll give Monty his drink and then we can get Margaret."

"If I didn't know you better, I'd swear you have no conscience, Logan," Eve said sternly. "You shouldn't have involved Sarah."

"You're preaching to the choir." Logan parked the car next to the cabin and turned off the ignition. "But it's too late now. I just have to do what I can to protect her."

"As long as you can also protect this Dodsworth. I wouldn't want that responsibility."

"Neither do I." His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "You know I'm no saint, Eve. I'm arrogant and selfish and more bullheaded than any man has a right to be. Years ago I made a mistake and let Rudzak live, and now I have to correct it. Dodsworth is the bait, and I have to run with it."

"If Sarah lets you."

"She'll let me. I'll make sure that security is so tight, she won't believe Rudzak has a chance."

She was silent a moment. "You said that Rudzak would target anyone close to you. Does that include me and my family?"

"I don't think that's likely. I've had two security guards watching your cottage since Rudzak surfaced, but it was only a precaution." His lips twisted in a wry smile. "He's not interested in past history."

"You'll always be my friend, Logan."

"I know, and that's enough for me." He paused. "Call Quinn and tell him to come. Sarah will feel better about it."

"What about you?"

"You'd probably all be safer here. You're under surveillance from the foothills and it's a clear view to the cabin. It's hard to guard that cottage in the woods. You found that out when you were dealing with that murderer who stalked you."

She shivered. "Rudzak couldn't be as clever as Dom."

"Don't bet on it. He fooled Sarah, and she's pretty canny."

"Yes." She frowned. "I'll think about it." She got out of the jeep and reached for her suitcase. "Don't get out. I'll introduce myself to Galen. I know you want to get back to Sarah. You seem worried about her."

"I am. All the time."

"But the guards at the Phoenix house are very--" She stopped, her gaze on his face. "My God."

He nodded. "No possibility that she's not a target." He said, mockingly, "Quinn would laugh. He always told me I didn't love you enough, that it had to be an obsession. I didn't understand then, but he was right, you know. It's an obsession."

"If anything happens to those people at Dodsworth, she'll hate you, Logan."

"I'll hate myself." He started the jeep. "Call her and tell her you're going to ask Quinn to come. She's worried enough about Dodsworth. She doesn't need to worry about you."

Logan's phone rang on the drive back to Phoenix.

"I met your Sarah," Rudzak said. "Did she tell you what an entertaining time we had together? She's an interesting woman. Not nearly as fascinating as Chen Li, but then, you never had the sophistication to appreciate her. It doesn't surprise me that you've formed an attachment to someone as blunt and straightforward as Sarah Patrick."

"She did a job for me. There's no attachment."

"It's too late to lie to me. I saw you together and I read you so well."

"You don't know jack. You haven't been around me for a long time. I'm not the man you knew all those years ago."

"You've matured, you're sharper, but the basics are still there. You become involved and you're pitifully sentimental when your sympathies are aroused. Look how unreasonable you became when I did what was best for Chen Li."

"I agree. It would have been far more reasonable to have broken your neck then. I'll have to do it now."

He laughed. "Then come and get me, Logan. Find me. I'm waiting for you. Oh, by the way, the comb wasn't for Sarah or anyone at Apache Lake. That was just a mere exercise, not worthy of Chen Li."

Logan stiffened. "Then why throw the comb in her jeep?"

"It wasn't for Sarah, Logan." He hung up.

Chapter 15.

"Where's Jane?" Eve fired the question at Logan as soon as he picked up the ringing phone the next morning. "You said they'd be safe. Damn you, where's Jane?"

"What?" Panic spiked through him. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Jane. Joe just called me and told me that Jane's missing."

"Missing from where?"

"My mother's house in Atlanta. Joe dropped her off there last night when I asked him to fly out here today. When my mother went into Jane's room to call her for breakfast, she was gone. Goddammit, you said they'd be safe."

"Was there any sign of forced entry?"

"No, I don't think so. Joe's on his way over there to talk to my mom and check out the house."

"Could she have run away? She's been upset lately."

"Not enough to run away."

That was Logan's impression too, but he'd been reaching. Any other explanation scared him shitless.

The comb wasn't for Sarah.

Rudzak's words had been clawing at him since the previous night.

Had it been for little Jane MacGuire?

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Eve demanded.

"I was thinking. Let me get off the phone and call Galen. He wouldn't have let Jane be dropped off without putting a guard on your mother's house."

"Then phone him and call me back." Eve's voice was uneven. "You get my Jane back, Logan. I won't lose another daughter." She hung up.

"What's wrong?" Sarah had come into the living room. "What about Jane?"

"She's disappeared from her grandmother's house." Logan was punching in Galen's number. "Eve's nearly frantic."

"Of course she is," Sarah said. "It must bring back Bonnie's kidnapping and all the horror that--"

"Galen, who the hell do you have in Atlanta? Jane MacGuire's missing."

"The kid? No way. I stationed two good men at her grandmother's last night. They would have reported anything wrong."

"Well, your two good men fouled up. She's missing. Call them and see what the hell they know." He hung up. "Galen didn't know anything about it. He said the house was guarded."

"Rudzak," Sarah whispered.

"I don't know."

"She's only a little girl, Logan." She shuddered. "But those kids at Apache Lake were just children, too, weren't they? He doesn't care."

"No, he doesn't care." His lips tightened. "But we shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Why not? With that monster out there?" She reached for the phone. "I've got to call Eve."

"Not now."

"I brought her here. If she'd stayed with Jane, this might not have happened."

"And what are you going to say? That you're sorry? Is that going to make her feel better? Keep her line open in case someone needs to reach her."

"Like the police," she said dully. "Isn't that what they say when a child is missing?"

"Quinn is on the job, trying to find Jane. He'll be calling Eve as soon as he hears even a whisper." He paused. "It doesn't have to be Rudzak, Sarah."

"And this is just a coincidence? Isn't that what you told yourself about Kai Chi?"

He couldn't deny it. "Don't jump to conclusions."

She headed for the door. "Not until we find one of Chen Li's artifacts beside Jane's body?"

He was glad that she had left the room. He wasn't about to tell her what Rudzak had said, but she might have read something in his expression.

The comb wasn't for Sarah.

"Any news of the kid?" Margaret asked as she walked beside Sarah to the front door.

Sarah shook her head. "Galen's men swear they didn't see anyone near the house."

"That's good news."

"It only means Rudzak's smart. I can't wait any longer. I'm going to drive out to the cabin to see Eve."

"You can't do any good there."

"I can be there for her. For God's sake, it's almost dark and they found out she was gone this morning. I was hoping we'd hear something right away."

"Wait a little longer," Margaret coaxed. "We'll go for a stroll with Bassett, and if Logan hasn't found out anything by the time we return, you can scoot out of here and I'll cover for you with Logan."

"I don't need anyone to cover for me."

"Then you can cover for me for not doing my job and keeping your mind off Jane."

"Is that what Logan told you to do?"

Margaret shook her head as she opened the door. "Some jobs are implied. There's Bassett waiting already."

Sarah shrugged. Another fifteen minutes would do no harm. "Okay, once around the grounds."

"Super." Margaret passed Bassett at a fast clip and started for the back of the house. "Get the load off, Bassett. Get that circulation moving."

"Yes, ma'am." Bassett winked at Sarah as he followed Margaret. "Here I go again. The woman's the bane of my life." He sobered. "Logan told me about the little girl. Have you heard anything?"

Sarah shook her head as she fell into step with him. "Galen flew to Atlanta this afternoon." And he and Joe should be meeting by now.