Shadow Play by Iris Johansen Page A

expertise. I don’t even know if it’s Margaret’s.”
    â€œI’m willing to take a chance.” Eve paused. “It may lead me to a killer, and there’s a child’s life on the line. I don’t know where else to start.”
    â€œStart with me. Okay, okay, I know you’re not going to budge. Let me get off the phone and see if I can find Margaret.” She hung up.
    Typical Kendra. Eve found herself smiling as she hung up. Sharp, honest, and beneath that brusqueness was a treasure trove of warmth and loyalty. If Margaret could be found, Kendra would locate her.
    â€œYou couldn’t reach her?” Joe asked as he came in from the porch. “Then why are you smiling?”
    â€œKendra.” She shrugged. “She’s being … Kendra. And I’ll bet she’ll find Margaret for me.”
    â€œNo bet,” Joe said grimly. “But whether you manage to get hold of Margaret or not, you’re not going to go into those woods without me. I’m pretty woods savvy myself.”
    â€œYes, you are. But eight years is a long time and you—” She stopped. How could she tell him that it wasn’t his competence but her own fear that she’d be responsible for something happening to him? Joe was like a force of nature when he was on the hunt. “I know this is a long shot, Joe. But Walsh was keeping an eye on Nalchek while he was searching those woods, a deputy died while Walsh was lurking there like some kind of ghoul. Whatever he’s looking for is making him desperate. I’m just reaching out and trying to find something, anything, that I can grab hold of before Walsh gets his hands on another victim. Those woods where Jenny was buried may be a way to do it.” She shook her head. “Or point me in the right direction.”
    â€œYou’ve been thinking about this. Anything else?”
    â€œIf we find out who Jenny was, we may be able to make a connection that will help us find Walsh. I’ve been going over the things Jenny has said to me since I started the reconstruction. I’ll check with Nalchek and see if I get anywhere with them.” She got to her feet. “And then I’ll pack a bag for both of us and make reservations for San Francisco while you’re checking out Walsh in those databases. I’ll call you to tell you when to meet me at the airport.”
    Joe’s brows rose. “We’re in that much of a hurry? You’re not giving me much time to process all those databases. I may have to go international, too. Let’s leave tomorrow morning.”
    She shook her head. “Suppose I leave today and check into a hotel and do the preliminary work with Nalchek. That would save some time. You can fly in tomorrow.”
    He frowned. “I don’t like your going alone.”
    â€œJoe, it’s one night, and I promise I won’t do anything that doesn’t concern Nalchek.”
    He was silent. “Okay, but I still don’t see why you’re in such a hurry.”
    â€œI don’t know, either.” She reached for her phone again. “I’m just not sure how much time we have.”
    Or how much time that little girl in Carmel had.

 
    CHAPTER
    5

    COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST
    ARIZONA

    Get rid of her. He had to get rid of her.
    Walsh could feel the hatred sear through him as he stared at the FedEx box on the seat beside him. He’d built a huge campfire in the woods and was tempted just to throw the damn box into the flames. But he couldn’t do that, he had to be sure. He had to know that Eve Duncan wasn’t just playing Nalchek for a fool.
    He had to look at that bitch, Jenny’s skull.
    Get it over with.
    He reluctantly took the box and slowly opened it.
    He couldn’t see anything, dammit. The skull was secured to the box. He started to undo the fastenings.
    His fingers were tingling, burning.
    Imagination.
    There, he was finished. He’d