Silencing Eve

a man of his description had been sighted during the search on the other side of the lake by one of his agents. That means we have to assume Doane knows who was here at the cottage.” She tapped her chest. “I was brought here to investigate Eve’s disappearance. No one tried to hide it. It couldn’t have been more clear. Blick knew I was at Goldfork. Again, it was very clear why I was there.”
    “What are you trying to say?”
    “I’m not trying to say anything. I’m saying it. I think I’m being exceptionally lucid,” Kendra said. “That’s why I’ve been sitting up here trying to talk myself out of being so damn logical. I don’t want to be right this time.” She paused. “But I am right, Jane.” She put her cup down on the coffee table. “And that means I’m no longer an asset to the hunt, I’m a liability.” She got to her feet. “If we believe Doane and Eve are dead, then there would be no use for me to still be here. The fact that I remain after the memorial service would automatically set off alarm bells if we’re still being watched.”
    “But Blick is dead, and he was the one doing surveillance. We don’t need to be quite as careful now.”
    “Don’t we? I’m not so certain.” She moved over to her duffel that was sitting by the front door. “There are too many unknowns in the equation. Doane may have been playing a different game than the one we were told by Venable. Different games have different board pieces. If Doane took out one piece, that might mean he made room for another.” She unzipped her duffel and drew out a tattered journal. “And this might be the prize for winning the game.”
    Jane sat up straight on the couch. “What’s that supposed to be?”
    “It’s Kevin’s journal, which Margaret and I found in a hiding place in Doane’s house in Goldfork, Colorado. We were trying to find some clue to where Doane might have taken Eve or, at least, anything to do with that disk that his son might have given him to use as blackmail to get the CIA to give him witness protection. No disk. Just this journal. I’ve gone through it several times, and I couldn’t find anything that was more dangerous than the sick ravings of a mad pervert. But it was hidden, and that alone must mean that it has value to Doane.” She paused. “And we were told that everyone was looking for the disk that had revealed names of embedded CIA agents in Pakistan. As I said, no one found that disk. Which makes me wonder if it actually existed.”
    “Venable said that it existed. He should know.”
    “Yes, he should.” She moved back across the room. “Venable has been our source for most of Kevin’s past history and what went on during that period in Pakistan.”
    Jane’s gaze was focused on the journal in Kendra’s hand. “You haven’t told Venable about this, have you? You told me before that you have some doubts about him.”
    “Do I think that he’s one of the bad guys in this scenario? No, I’d never have let Quinn tell him that Eve and Doane were still alive if I’d thought that was a possibility. It was safe to turn him loose to try to locate Eve and Doane. We needed someone with his power and connections who could move discreetly behind the scenes. But I think that Venable’s one of those people who balance what he considers the good of many against the good of one. I’ve run into agents like him before.”
    “I’ve always trusted Venable. But it scared me when I saw Venable’s attack team swarming down the mountain and firing on that saloon. He swears none of his team’s bullets caused that explosion.”
    “I believe him. I think that Doane staged it and blew it himself. But that doesn’t mean that Venable couldn’t have been responsible. He took a risk.” She added deliberately, “And I don’t think he did it for Eve’s sake. He wanted to get Doane. It would be interesting to know what orders he gave his men. Kill or capture?”
    “So are you going to confront him with that question?”
    “No, he’d only sidestep.” She shrugged. “Besides, I’m out of it.” She thrust the journal at Jane. “It’s your decision now.”
    Jane’s eyes widened. “What?”
    “You heard me. I’m a liability. I was deliberately brought in to find Eve. I can’t stay here. I’m going home to San Diego. I’m going back to my teaching job.”
    “You’re giving up trying to find—”
    “No, dammit.” She drew a deep breath. “But it’s got to look that way. I