steadied her voice. "How could it happen?
You said there were so many deputies out there."
"You saw his history. He's trained to kill."
"And those deputies are like sitting ducks."
"I'll get him, Eve."
"Before he kills another man for me?"
"I'll get him," he repeated. "I'm tied up at the scene now, but if you need me, I'll come back right away."
She did need him. Another death . . . Who was the man who'd died in her name? Did he have a family?
"Eve, answer me. Do you need me?"
"I'm all right." What was she supposed to do? Take him away from the search because she was shocked and sad and felt helpless and weak? "Stay. Call me if you find out anything."
"Go to bed and try to sleep. It may take hours. These local forensic boys are doing their best, but they aren't exactly high-tech. I'll let you know if there's anything unexpected." He hung up.
She huddled on the couch and stared at the portfolio Montalvo had brought them this morning. Joe was right, Kistle was trained for guerrilla killing, and ordinary law enforcement officers had little chance in that forest. Even if they had even greater numbers, they could be picked off.
And there would be another killing. Kistle was enjoying proving how superior he was, how he could taunt her. There would be another stake through the heart, another note. For you, Eve .
No!
She jerked upright and began to dial.
Montalvo answered on the second ring.
"Another officer was killed," she said. "Joe just called me."
"I know, I heard. I'm on my way there now."
"All those deputies and he's managed to kill three of them. For me, Montalvo. For me."
"No, you know better. He killed because he liked it. You're the excuse."
"I won't be an excuse for murder. It's got to stop. I have to do something." He didn't speak for a moment. "Why did you call? What do you want from me?"
"I want that forest crawling with experienced men who aren't fodder for Kistle. I want the FBI back on the job. I don't want three agents. I want an army. I want them to bring in trackers and forest rangers and men like you and Joe. I want Kistle caught before he kills another man."
"That's a tall order. You know that Quinn doesn't believe we need the FBI."
"I won't see another man killed."
"Quinn is right, the FBI might not be the answer."
"Why are you arguing? You're the one who arranged for them in the first place."
"I'm not arguing. I want them on the job. I just want to be honest. I'm telling you that I'd bet on either Quinn or me getting Kistle. The FBI is just an ace in the hole." For you, Eve .
"I want that ace in the hole."
"Then I'll get them for you. It has to be through Venable. You'll come with me tomorrow morning to the riverbank?"
She stiffened. "That psychic? No way."
"Venable set it up. If we go through his nice, safe scenario and come up with nothing, then maybe I can pressure him to forget about his jurisdictional red tape and help us."
"Why do I have to go?"
"You've been through this kind of charade before. Venable will listen to you if you tell him about your experiences and give him comparisons."
Her hand clenched in frustration on the phone. "Damnation, Venable's a smart man. I can't believe he's been taken in like this."
"Will you go?"
She didn't want to go. It would bring back too many hideous memories.
For you, Eve .
"I'll go." She drew a deep breath. "Pick me up at five. What's this psychic's name?"
"Let me check." He came back on the phone. "Her name is Megan Blair."
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, MEGAN , tell him to go to hell," Phillip Blair said. "You don't know what it will do to you."
"I can't tell Venable to go to hell." Megan threw her computer into her duffel and fastened it shut. "He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, Phillip." Should she take her medical bag? She shouldn't be gone more than overnight, but she seldom traveled without it. Why not? She could never tell when it would be needed. Even though she wasn't practicing medicine at the moment, she felt a sense of
You said there were so many deputies out there."
"You saw his history. He's trained to kill."
"And those deputies are like sitting ducks."
"I'll get him, Eve."
"Before he kills another man for me?"
"I'll get him," he repeated. "I'm tied up at the scene now, but if you need me, I'll come back right away."
She did need him. Another death . . . Who was the man who'd died in her name? Did he have a family?
"Eve, answer me. Do you need me?"
"I'm all right." What was she supposed to do? Take him away from the search because she was shocked and sad and felt helpless and weak? "Stay. Call me if you find out anything."
"Go to bed and try to sleep. It may take hours. These local forensic boys are doing their best, but they aren't exactly high-tech. I'll let you know if there's anything unexpected." He hung up.
She huddled on the couch and stared at the portfolio Montalvo had brought them this morning. Joe was right, Kistle was trained for guerrilla killing, and ordinary law enforcement officers had little chance in that forest. Even if they had even greater numbers, they could be picked off.
And there would be another killing. Kistle was enjoying proving how superior he was, how he could taunt her. There would be another stake through the heart, another note. For you, Eve .
No!
She jerked upright and began to dial.
Montalvo answered on the second ring.
"Another officer was killed," she said. "Joe just called me."
"I know, I heard. I'm on my way there now."
"All those deputies and he's managed to kill three of them. For me, Montalvo. For me."
"No, you know better. He killed because he liked it. You're the excuse."
"I won't be an excuse for murder. It's got to stop. I have to do something." He didn't speak for a moment. "Why did you call? What do you want from me?"
"I want that forest crawling with experienced men who aren't fodder for Kistle. I want the FBI back on the job. I don't want three agents. I want an army. I want them to bring in trackers and forest rangers and men like you and Joe. I want Kistle caught before he kills another man."
"That's a tall order. You know that Quinn doesn't believe we need the FBI."
"I won't see another man killed."
"Quinn is right, the FBI might not be the answer."
"Why are you arguing? You're the one who arranged for them in the first place."
"I'm not arguing. I want them on the job. I just want to be honest. I'm telling you that I'd bet on either Quinn or me getting Kistle. The FBI is just an ace in the hole." For you, Eve .
"I want that ace in the hole."
"Then I'll get them for you. It has to be through Venable. You'll come with me tomorrow morning to the riverbank?"
She stiffened. "That psychic? No way."
"Venable set it up. If we go through his nice, safe scenario and come up with nothing, then maybe I can pressure him to forget about his jurisdictional red tape and help us."
"Why do I have to go?"
"You've been through this kind of charade before. Venable will listen to you if you tell him about your experiences and give him comparisons."
Her hand clenched in frustration on the phone. "Damnation, Venable's a smart man. I can't believe he's been taken in like this."
"Will you go?"
She didn't want to go. It would bring back too many hideous memories.
For you, Eve .
"I'll go." She drew a deep breath. "Pick me up at five. What's this psychic's name?"
"Let me check." He came back on the phone. "Her name is Megan Blair."
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, MEGAN , tell him to go to hell," Phillip Blair said. "You don't know what it will do to you."
"I can't tell Venable to go to hell." Megan threw her computer into her duffel and fastened it shut. "He made me an offer I couldn't refuse, Phillip." Should she take her medical bag? She shouldn't be gone more than overnight, but she seldom traveled without it. Why not? She could never tell when it would be needed. Even though she wasn't practicing medicine at the moment, she felt a sense of
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