Night and Day (3 page)

“Yes, I'm aware of everything about Ms. MacGuire,” Toller said curtly. “Including the fact that she's friends with John MacDuff, Lord of MacDuff's Run, who organized a hunt for a lost family treasure that included her and a few other intimate friends of the earl. Let's see, they were Jock Gavin and a Seth Caleb … It's very convenient that you suddenly felt the urge for a family reunion and joined them. Particularly since the hunt was to take place in the wilds of the Highlands.” He looked at the surrounding rugged hills that plunged down to the large crystal blue lake. “A very good hiding place, wouldn't you say? I might have to have a talk with MacDuff.”

“You will
not
,” Eve said. “MacDuff is presently in the hospital, as you probably know. He was injured during the hunt and had to be airlifted out of here. You won't bother him or Jane or anyone else to try to get information from Joe or me.” She turned to Jane. “Will you excuse us, Jane?”

“Are you sure?” Jane was gazing at Toller. “Stop worrying about me, Eve. If he's trying to intimidate me, he's not succeeding.”

“I know that. I just don't like for you to have to fight my fight.”

Jane smiled. “It's always my pleasure.” She turned and walked toward the lake. “If you need me, call.”

“Very loyal,” Toller said. “But she should be intimidated. She's involved herself in a tangle that's of concern to our government.”

“Back off,” Eve said. “You'd have a hell of a time proving Jane was doing anything but being a good daughter and extending hospitality to me and Cara. As far as questioning MacDuff, you're in his country, and he has more influence here and in London than you'd ever dream. He's a war hero and something of a folk hero, too. You'd find yourself very unwelcome if you push him.” She added, “But that was probably a bluff. Joe said you were smart and efficient and wanted to avoid international incidents. You wouldn't go up against MacDuff.”

He was silent, staring at her. He shrugged. “No, I wouldn't.”

“Then why did you try to bluff me?”

“Because I'm pissed off that Quinn made a fool of my agents and skipped out of the country. By doing it, he also made a fool of me. I warned him against that. I could tolerate his hiding you and the kid away. I knew we'd find you eventually. But I warned him that I'd toss him into jail if he made a move that would hurt my investigation. He did it anyway.”

“To save Cara's life, to save my life.”

“I have no proof of that. And he made me scramble to find him. But not too hard, he wasn't covering his tracks when he decided to go to you. He was just in a hurry. Which let me piece together a little of what was happening with you.” His lips tightened. “Very little. There are too many blanks. MacDuff is in the hospital with broken bones, but they examined him for internal injuries that might have occurred from a blast. Would you like to tell me what happened to him?”

“Not unless you prove to me that it would help Cara.”

“And those local policemen on the road up there brought in an explosives expert to disarm IEDs. Same answer?”

“Same answer.” She paused. “But aren't you curious why someone would be so determined to kill an eleven-year-old girl that they'd plant IEDs to keep her from escaping?”

“All the more reason why you should turn her over to us to keep her safe.”

“And you'd turn her over to Child Services and start negotiating with the Mexican government to return her to her loving parents. Isn't that right?”

“That's the law.”

“And someone would be worried that she knew too much, had seen too much, and she could end up dead. Joe and I aren't going to risk that.”

“You have no choice unless you intend to stay on the run.”

“We'll find a way.”

“Look, I told Quinn that, good as his intentions were, Cara Castino is a Mexican citizen who could cause us boundless red tape and years of diplomatic problems if we let her stay in the U.S. She'd be the focus of all kinds of activists on both sides of the border.”

“He told me,” Eve said coldly. “Screw your red tape. We're not sending her back to Mexico. She'd be surrounded by the worst elements if we did. The Mexican citizen who was her loving father was Juan Castino, a drug dealer who was high up on the Mexican government's list of killers and criminal kingpins. You'll notice I say ‘was.' We were informed that Castino was killed early this morning. I assume you heard the same thing?”

“I did. But I'd be curious to know your source. The story hasn't been released to the press yet. I've been told the coalition of cartels down there is in a turmoil. The word is that Salazar, one of his rivals in the drug trade, took out Castino because he was afraid Castino had found out that he was responsible for his children's kidnapping eight years ago.” His gaze narrowed on her face. “You wouldn't know anything about that?”

“I know that with Castino dead, Cara is safer, and your red tape has dwindled enormously.”

“Not necessarily.” Toller smiled. “Castino's wife, Natalie, is still alive, and I'm sure that the members of his cartel will support her claim for her lost child. On the other hand, Salazar will probably be denying any knowledge of either the kidnapping or the killing of Castino.”

“I don't agree,” Eve said. “I don't think you have to worry about Salazar.”

Toller's gaze narrowed on her face. “And why is that?”

Eve had a fleeting memory of Salazar's dead body torn and broken by the blast Joe had set at the top of the hill not more than an hour's walking distance from here. She forced herself to keep her gaze on Toller and not glance at that hill. “You told me yourself, the cartels are in turmoil. If Salazar is guilty of Castino's assassination, then it would be smart of him to keep a low profile.” She paused. “But I would look closer to home than Salazar, Toller.”

He stiffened. “What are you talking about?”

She shouldn't say this. It wouldn't do any good until they could gather evidence. She should let it go right now.

To hell with letting it go.

Tell him and let it simmer.

“Natalie Castino.”

“What?” He shook his head in disbelief. “I know you're reaching because you don't want Cara to return to Mexico, but there's no suspicion that Natalie Castino is involved in her husband's murder.”

“There's suspicion,” she said grimly. “Joe, me, and Detective Manez with the Mexican police. Don't believe Joe and me, but check with Manez.”

“And does Manez have proof?”

“No one has proof. Natalie Castino is very careful about leaving evidence about. She pays attention, and she makes sure that she dots every i.”

“I understand she isn't even in Mexico at the present time. She's visiting her father in Moscow.”

“That's the story.” She couldn't risk telling him much more. The situation was too volatile, and anything, even a call from this agent from the Justice Department might cause repercussions with Natalie that involved Cara. “Or it might be a fairy tale. Why don't you find out?”

He was silent a moment, gazing at her. “Because my job isn't to investigate Castino's death. It's to keep our government out of a knock-down drag-out fight for custody of a child that would be bad politically no matter how it turned out.”

“Why do you think that she'd arouse such a hullabaloo? She's just a kid.”

“This kid.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a wallet and flipped it open to the photo section. “A kid with that face. Big trouble.”

She glanced down at the photo. Cara. Winged brows, pointed chin, hazel eyes looking out of the picture with the intensity and wistfulness Eve knew so well. A face to touch the heart.

“And I hear the kid plays the violin, too,” Toller said as he took back the wallet and put it back in his pocket. “Her teachers reported that she's a phenomenal talent. Put it all together, and she's an activist's dream.”

“Put it all together, and she's a sweet, remarkable child who deserves the good life she's never had,” Eve said. “Don't try to take it away from her, Toller.”

“I'm just doing my job.” He shrugged. “And the lifestyle she'll be exposed to in Mexico City may not be pristine, but she'll have a mother to care for her.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips to protest. “Which she hasn't had for the last eight years. And I'm not buying that Natalie Castino killed her husband. They seem to have had an ideal marriage. What's the motive?”

“What's the motive everyone is laying at Salazar's door?”

He went still. “My God. Her own kids? You expect me to believe she was the one who—No way.”

“I don't expect you to believe anything. I'm just throwing the truth out there and hoping it will take root.” She looked him in the eye. “And hoping that you'll let Joe and me keep trying to save Cara. Because if you don't, if you interfere, you may be responsible for getting Cara killed. You have that photo. How are you going to feel when you pull it out and look at it on the day you hear Cara has been murdered?”

He was silent for a moment, then gave a low whistle. “You're a very passionate woman. And very convincing, Ms. Duncan.”

“And did I convince you?”

“You've convinced me that I'd better stop listening to you and do my job.” His gaze was still on her face. “No hard feelings. I had great respect for you before I came here. I have even more respect for you now.” His glance shifted away from her to the lake, then to the road. “Would you care to tell me what the hell has been going on here?”

What would he say if she told him that Salazar and Natalie had tracked Cara and her down, and they'd had to fight for their lives in the last twenty-four hours? That MacDuff had been injured in a blast that could have killed him. That they were all still fighting to survive since Natalie had taken Cara. She was tempted to do it. She was tired of fighting, and maybe he would believe her.

Too much risk.

“No, I wouldn't. You're an investigator, so investigate. If you can manage to get clearance from MacDuff, who owns this property. Which I very much doubt.”

His expression hardened. “I see. Then are you going to tell me where I can find Joe Quinn, or do I start looking for him?”

“You start looking for him.” She went over to the campfire and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Would you like a cup of coffee, first? This mist that hovers over the lake may be chock-full of atmosphere, but it can be chilly.”

“No, thank you. It's kind of like eating in the house of the enemy.”

“What a medieval thought. I wouldn't hold it against you.” She took a sip of coffee. “Until you actually prove yourself an enemy.”

“And then you'd remember?”

She nodded. “Just as you'd remember. Every single time you look at that photo.”

He smiled. “I shouldn't have shown you that photo. You're going to use it against me, aren't you?”

“Of course. I'm fighting for a life, you're fighting for red tape.” She threw the rest of her coffee into the fire. It hissed as the liquid hit the burning wood. “I'll use everything I can against you. So will Joe.” She glanced at him. “Where are you going to look for him?”

He tilted his head, thinking about it. “I'm not quite sure,” he murmured. His gaze went to the fog-covered lake. “That entire north bank seems completely impenetrable. Interesting. I heard stories about it from my driver, who grew up in this area. Is it true that the mist never vanishes from it? That there are all kinds of legends that the mist hides either the beginning or the end of the world?”

“It's true enough.”

“Pure nonsense, of course. Still, it would be an excellent place for a man to hide, wouldn't it?”

“If you think so.” She wasn't going to discourage him from searching for Joe in that mist. He'd find out soon enough how futile it was, but it would give Joe more time. “Is that where you're going to look for him?”

He shook his head.

“Then where?”

He smiled. “The place where you came from when I first saw you. I'll go back up to that road.”

Shit. She tried to keep her face expressionless. “Really? Why?”

“Because it's close. If I had a woman like you, I'd stay as close to her as possible. I have an idea Quinn feels the same way.”

“Really? Yet he's been in Atlanta, and I've been here since I've had to hide Cara away.”

“Then it must have been driving him crazy.” He turned and headed back across the bank. “I'll have to ask him about that…”

Eve's fists clenched as she watched him stride up the slope. Had she given Joe enough time? It would take Toller only minutes to question the police on the road and determine that Joe had taken a car and left the property. After that, he would have to decide where Joe had gone. If Toller had traced him here, he must know that he'd rented a helicopter. The next step would be to go after him and try to reach him before he boarded the aircraft.

She didn't doubt he'd work it out. Toller was very sharp. She just hoped Joe wouldn't be there when Toller located the helicopter.

She just hoped she'd given him enough time.

 

CHAPTER

2

“Did you hear me, Cara?” The woman who had called herself Natalie Castino was no longer smiling as she looked down at Cara. “I'm your mother. Why don't you say something?”

Cara couldn't say anything. Her throat was tight, and her heart was beating so hard that she was having trouble breathing. And she didn't know what to say, she was too confused to think. Mother? What was happening?

“Talk to me,” the woman demanded. “That damn drug should be wearing off by now. You were able to crawl across the helicopter to this tool chest.”