Blind Alley by Iris Johansen Page A

took time, but I came to ... like you. I knew you'd never let me down."
    "Then why didn't you come to me when you knew what that bastard was doing to Toby?"
    "He was my responsibility. I had to make the decision."
    "You're seventeen years old."
    She nodded. "But don't you think some people are born old?"
    "You mean old souls?"
    She shrugged. "I don't know about that. That sounds a little wacky. I just never remember feeling like a kid."
    And he couldn't remember a time when she'd acted like a kid. The closest she'd come was when she was tearing across the hills with Toby. "That's pretty sad."
    "No, it's not. It's just the way things are. I bet Eve feels the same way."
    He smiled slightly. "Ah, your role model."
    "I couldn't have a better one."
    His smile faded. "No, you couldn't." He covered her hand that still lay on his arm. "But both of you could be a little more trusting."
    "I'll work on it." She squeezed his hand. "But you're on your own with Eve. It should help that you know she's in your corner."
    "With a hell of a lot of reservations."
    She shook her head. "Did you ever wonder why you stayed with Eve all these years?"
    "No, I love her."
    "But it must have been very difficult to love someone like Eve. She'll tell you herself how scarred she is."
    His gaze narrowed on her face. "What are you getting at?"
    "I just think you hate anything easy. It bores you silly."
    "You're crazy."
    "You love Eve. You like me. I rest my case." She stood up. "I'm sorry I lied to you. I'll try not to do it again. Good night, Joe."
    "Good night."
    She stopped at the door. "Have you heard anything about Trevor?"
    "I don't know if I should discuss him with you. I'm still pissed." He scowled. "No word about his apprehension. Christy told me this morning that there may be a report coming in soon from Johannesburg. Something popped up on their computer database."
    "Will you let me see it?"
    "Maybe."
    "Ignorance is dangerous, Joe. Isn't that what you've always told me?"
    "You should have thought about that when you kept us in the dark."
    "Joe."
    He was silent a moment. "Okay." He got up and moved down the stairs. "I'm going for a walk. I need to release some nervous energy. Tell Eve I won't be long."
    Her gaze went to the woods. "Be careful."
    "I'm not the one who has to be careful. That's the pot calling the kettle black." He paused. "The woods are crawling with officers, Jane. No one is going to try to get to you right now."
    "You're probably right." She pulled her gaze from the line of trees. But as she turned and opened the screen door she repeated, "Be careful."

Chapter Seven
    Jackpot," Christy said when Joe answered the phone the next morning. "We've got a fix on Trevor."
    "Talk to me."
    "He was born in Johannesburg thirty years ago and his name is Trevor Montel, not Mark Trevor. His parents were planters who were killed by guerrillas when he was ten. He was placed in an orphanage and was in and out of trouble until he ran away at sixteen. The reports of the teachers were definitely mixed. Some wanted to toss him into jail and throw away the key. Others wanted to give him a scholarship and send him to Oxford."
    "Why?"
    "He's brilliant. He was something of a phenomenon. One of the finest minds his teachers had ever run across. Mathematics, chemistry, literature. You name it, he aced it. His test scores went off the charts. Genius territory."
    "Hence the card counting."
    "That's his most well-known profession. You know about his years as a mercenary and there were several years after that when we have no info on him. Then he started to do the casino circuit and he's also been known to do a little smuggling and deal in ancient artifacts. He was picked up in Singapore once for trying to remove a valuable Tang Dynasty vase from the country. He talked his way out of it but not before they booked him on suspicion. We seem to have a lot of suspicion and no convictions connected with Trevor. He's either been treading very cautiously or he's as smart