The Killing Game (14 page)

Jane glared up at him.

“Police. Detective Quinn.” He reached into his pocket and showed her his badge. He repeated, “We're here to help.”

The child relaxed a little.

“Where are you hurt?” Eve asked.

Jane was still glaring at Joe. “Get off me.”

“Get off her, Joe.”

“This could be a mistake.” Joe stood up and grabbed the bat.

Jane slowly sat up. “Lousy cop. Why weren't you here before?” Tears were running down her cheeks again. “Never here when anyone needs you. Lousy cop. Lousy cop . . .”

“I'm here now. Where are you hurt?”

“Not hurt.
She's
hurt.”

Eve stiffened. “Ms. Sugarton?”

“Fay.” Jane looked toward the kitchen. “Fay.”

“Jesus.” Eve jumped to her feet and ran toward the kitchen.

BLOOD.

And more blood.

On the Formica table.

On the overturned kitchen chair.

On the tile floor where Fay Sugarton lay slumped, eyes staring at them across the room, throat gaping where it had been slashed.

“Don't move.” Joe was standing beside her. “There could be tracks. We don't want to disturb them.”

“She's dead,” Eve said dully.

“Yes.” He turned her around and gave her a push toward the living room. “Go back and take care of the kid while I call this in. See if she saw anyone.”

She couldn't tear her gaze from those staring dead eyes. “Dom,” she whispered. “It has to be Dom.”

“Go.”

She nodded and moved slowly from the kitchen.

Jane was sitting huddled against a wall, her knees drawn up to her chest. “She's dead, isn't she?”

“Yes.” She dropped down on the floor beside her. “Did you see anyone?”

“I tried to help her. She was bleeding. I tried to stop the bleeding . . . but I couldn't. I couldn't stop it. My health teacher said if we ever have an accident, we should always stop the bleeding first. I couldn't do it. I couldn't stop it.”

Eve wanted to reach out and draw Jane close, but she could almost see the wall the child had built around herself. “It wasn't your fault. I'm sure she was already dead.”

“Maybe not. Maybe I could have helped her if I'd been smarter. I didn't pay much attention to what my teacher said. I didn't think—I didn't know—”

Eve couldn't stand it. She reached out and tentatively touched the child's shoulder.

Jane jerked away. “Who are you?” she said fiercely. “Are you a cop too? Why weren't you here? Why did you let this happen?”

“I'm not police, but I have to know what happened. Did you see—” To hell with it. The child was in no shape to answer questions. “What do you say we go on the porch and wait for the police to get here?”

At first she didn't think the girl would agree, but then Jane rose to her feet and strode out of the house. She sat down on the top porch step.

Eve sat down beside her. “My name is Eve Duncan. The detective inside is Joe Quinn.”

The girl stared straight ahead.

“You're Jane MacGuire?”

The girl didn't answer.

“If you don't want to talk, that's fine. I know you must have cared very much for Ms. Sugarton.”

“I didn't care anything about her. I just lived with her.”

“I don't think that's true, but we won't talk about it now. We won't talk at all. I just thought it would make you feel better if we weren't strangers.”

“Talking doesn't mean anything. You're still a stranger.”

And the child was going to make sure she stayed that way, Eve thought. The tears were gone, but her back was straight and rigid and the wall of distrust was higher than ever. Who could blame her? Any other child would have been in hysterics. It might have been a healthier reaction than withdrawal. “I don't feel much like talking either. We'll just sit here and wait. Okay?”

Jane didn't look at her. “Okay.”

The child was still covered with blood, Eve realized suddenly. She should do something about it.

Not now. Neither of them was in any shape to do anything but sit there. She leaned her head against the newel post next to her. She couldn't get the memory of dead eyes out of her mind. Fay Sugarton had been a good woman, trying to do her best. She didn't deserve—

“I lied.” Jane was still looking straight ahead. “I think . . . I liked her.”

“So did I.”

Jane fell silent again.

BARBARA EISLEY PULLED
up at the curb at the same time as the first police squad car.

The officers poured into the house, but Barbara Eisley stopped before Jane. Her expression was amazingly gentle as she spoke to the child. “Do you remember me, Jane? I'm Ms. Eisley.”

Jane stared at her without expression. “I remember you.”

“You can't stay here any longer.”

“I know.”

“I've come to take you away. Where are Chang and Raoul?”

“School. Basketball practice.”

“I'll send someone for them.” She held out her hand. “Come with me. We'll get you cleaned up and then we'll talk.”

“I don't want to talk.” Jane stood and walked to the car at the curb.

“Where are you taking her?” Eve asked.

“The Child and Family Services holding facility.”

“How safe is it?”

“It has security and she'll be surrounded by other children.”

“I think you should let us take—”

“Bullshit.” Barbara Eisley whirled on her, her tone as hard now as it had been gentle before. “She's my responsibility and none of you are going to touch her. I should never have become involved in this mess. The newspapers and politicians are going to come down on me like a ton of bricks.”

“We have to keep her safe. Ms. Sugarton wasn't the target. She probably just got in the way.”

“And you weren't able to help her, were you?” Barbara Eisley's eyes bored into her. “Fay Sugarton was a decent woman, an extraordinary woman who helped dozens of kids. She shouldn't have died. She might be alive now if I hadn't given you that—”

“And Jane might be dead.”

“I should have kept out of it and that's what I'm doing from now on. Stay clear of me and stay away from Jane MacGuire.” She turned on her heel and walked to the car.

Eve watched helplessly as it pulled away from the curb. Jane was sitting up straight in the passenger seat, but she looked terribly small and fragile.

“It was the only thing to do.”

She turned to see Joe standing in the doorway. “I was hoping we could get her away before anyone showed up from Family Services.”

He shook his head. “I called Eisley.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“Child and Family Services always has to be involved in cases like this. They serve to protect the children from the media and police interrogation. They'll take the heat off Jane.”

“We could have protected her.”

“Would she have let us? We're strangers to her. At the welfare facility she'll be surrounded by kids and staff. She'll be much safer, and we can still keep an eye on her.”

Eve was still uneasy. “I wish you hadn't . . .”

“She may be a material witness in a murder case, Eve. Did she talk to you?”

Eve shook her head.

“Then I'll have to see her later tonight.”

“Can't you leave her—” Of course he couldn't leave Jane alone. She might have seen something. “Barbara Eisley may not let you talk to her. She's not pleased with us.”

“Sometimes it helps to have a badge.” He pulled her to her feet. “Come on. I'll drive you home. Forensics will be here any minute. I'll have to come back, but you don't need to be here.”

“I'll wait for you.”

“No, you won't. I may be here hours and the media will be right behind the forensic team.” He nudged her down the steps. “I called Charlie. He's at the lobby of my apartment building now and will keep an eye on you until I get there.” He opened the car door for her. “As soon as you're inside the apartment, call Spiro and Mark and tell them what happened.”

She nodded. “And maybe I'll call Barbara Eisley and see if I can talk her into seeing me again.”

“Give it a rest, Eve. Let her cool off.”

She shook her head. She couldn't forget her last glimpse of Jane MacGuire, sitting ramrod straight, afraid she'd break if she lowered her defenses.

Dom could break her and butcher her. How close had Jane come to Dom in the kitchen?

Panic rose inside Eve at the thought. Smother it. The immediate danger to Jane was over.

The hell it was. “I'm calling Barbara Eisley as soon as I get to the apartment.”

“
NO,
”
BARBARA EISLEY
said coldly. “Don't make me repeat myself again, Ms. Duncan. Jane stays in our custody. Come near her and I'll have you tossed in jail.”

“You don't understand. Dom killed Fay Sugarton in broad daylight. He managed to get inside her house and then he cut her throat right in her own kitchen. What's to stop him from doing the same thing to Jane at the welfare house?”

“The fact that every day we deal with abusive parents and mothers on crack and heroin who want their children back. We know what we're doing. The location of the holding facility is confidential. And even if he found out where it is, no one's going to get past our security.”

“You've never had to deal with—”

“Good-bye, Ms. Duncan.”

“Wait. How is she?”

“Not good. But she'll get better. I'll send her to the therapist tomorrow morning.” She hung up.

Eve remembered those therapists. Sitting there probing with their questions and then trying to hide their resentment when they couldn't get through to her. Jane would chew them up and spit them out just as Eve had when she was a child.

“No luck?”

She turned to Charlie, who was sitting across the room. “No luck. I'll try again tomorrow morning.”

“You're persistent.”

“Persistence is the only weapon I have with Eisley. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.” Dear God, she hoped it worked this time. “Have you heard anything from the agent Spiro sent to Phoenix?”

“Not much, only that their PD is cooperating. I wish Spiro had let me go.” He smiled. “Not that I'm not enjoying the company. It's just that I joined the FBI for more challenging work than guard duty. Although the subject does have me running all over Georgia to keep her under surveillance.”

“Sorry. Coffee? I'm afraid there's no food in the refrigerator.”

“I saw a Thai restaurant around the corner that delivers.” Charlie pulled out his phone. “What do you want?”

She wasn't hungry, but she supposed she should eat something. “Anything with noodles, I guess. And get something to put in the refrigerator for Joe. He never stops to eat.”

“Okay.”

She picked up her purse and headed for the bedroom. “I need to call Spiro.”

“No, you don't. I already did that after Joe phoned me. He swore like a trooper and said he's on his way.”

She closed the bedroom door and leaned back against it.

She should call Mark, but she needed a little time to recover. She still felt sick about Fay Sugarton. Barbara Eisley couldn't be blamed for being angry.

She went to the window and looked down at the park across the street. It was dark now and the street lamps cast pools of light on the trees. The night shadows seemed threatening.

Are you down there, Dom? Are you watching, you bastard?

Her digital phone rang.

Joe? Spiro?

Her phone rang again.

She pulled it out of her purse. “Hello.”

“How are you getting along with little Janie?”

“You son of a bitch.”

“I was sorry I couldn't stay around to see your meeting, but the timing was a little tight. I didn't even get a chance to see the kid at close quarters.”

“So you killed Fay Sugarton instead.”

“You make me sound like a blunderer. There was no ‘instead' about it. I had no intention of killing the child yet. Fay Sugarton was the target.”

“For God's sake, why?”

“You and Jane couldn't bond while Sugarton was around. So she had to be taken out of the way. How do you like our little girl?”

“I don't. She tried to brain me with a baseball bat.”

“That wouldn't deter you. You probably admire her spirit. I don't think I could have chosen better.”

“You made a lousy choice. She's nothing like Bonnie.”

“She'll begin to grow on you.”

“She won't have the chance. It won't work. She's not with me.”

“I know. We'll have to take care of that, won't we? It's not what I had in mind at all. Go get her from welfare, Eve.”

“It's impossible.”

“She has to be with you. You'll have to find a way to make that happen.”

“You're not listening. They'll toss me in jail if I even go near her.”

A silence. “Perhaps I'm not making myself clear. Either get her out of that welfare house or I'll go in after her. I'll give you twenty-four hours.”

Panic soared through Eve. “I don't even know where she is.”

“Find out. Think about it. You have contacts. There's always a way. I'd find a way.”

“There's security. You'd never get near her. They'd catch you.”

“I'd get near her. All it would take is one careless moment, one bored or disgruntled employee.”

“I don't care anything about that child. I could never feel the slightest affection for—”

“Yes, you could. You just have to get to know her. You've spent years trying to protect and find children you never knew. Now I've given you one of your own. The potential is mind-boggling.”

“I'm calling the police as soon as I hang up.”

“And seal Jane's fate? It would, you know. I'd never stop trying. If I can't find a way to do it right now, I'll wait. A week, a month, a year. It's amazing how the passing of time makes everything easier for me. People forget, people lower their guard . . . and you wouldn't be close enough to her to stop me. Twenty-four hours, Eve.” He hung up.

He was crazy, Eve thought. Eisley had said no one could get into that welfare facility.

But Eve herself had doubted it.

All it would take is one careless moment, one bored or disgruntled employee.

Wasn't that what Eve had been afraid of all along? Wasn't that why she had been urging Eisley to let her take Jane?