Silencing Eve

known.” She reached for her phone. “And I can find out if she’s still alive. Catherine Ling.” She accessed her directory and dialed. Catherine picked up in three rings. “I need help. Venable’s never mentioned Kevin’s mother. Is she still alive? What do you know about her?”
    “Nothing. Why do you want to know?”
    “It’s a question of exploring every avenue at the moment. Can you find out about her from Venable?”
    “Probably. He’s trying to keep me from rocking his boat, so he’s being very cooperative. If not, I’ll access CIA records. Give me twenty minutes.” She hung up.
    “Twenty minutes,” Jane repeated as she hung up her phone. “Catherine is nothing if not efficient.”
    Catherine called back in fifteen minutes and Jane put her on speaker. “Harriet Relling is still alive. She divorced her husband when Kevin was only fifteen. Then she changed her name and moved to Muncie, Indiana. She teaches English Literature at Ferry Road High School.”
    “Any contact with Doane since the divorce?”
    “No. The divorce papers said irreconcilable differences, but according to Venable’s reports, she’s very bitter. He did a thorough investigation on her five years ago when he put Doane under protective custody. As of that time, she’d never had another relationship after the divorce and was reputed to be something of a man-hater. Has a few friends but is pretty much a loner. She’s an advocate for better schools and gives talks around the state. She has a doctorate in English Literature and has been offered positions at several universities but has always refused. She organized the local autism walk three years ago. And, as I said, she changed her name. She’s now Harriet Weber and told everyone in Muncie that she was a widow.” Catherine paused. “Venable says that she was not put under the same surveillance as Doane because the chances seemed miniscule that she had anything to do with either of them since the divorce.”
    “And Doane’s surveillance was not as tight as it should have been,” Jane said. “Or he’d have never been able to take Eve.”
    “I’m not arguing. Venable’s judgment is usually fairly good, but he’s failed miserably in this. Do you think it’s worthwhile going to question Doane’s wife?”
    “From what you say, probably not,” Jane said slowly. “But I think I’m going to do it anyway. There was something in the journal that was very curious. It won’t hurt to go check her out.”
    “Then I’ll forward you the file that Venable sent me on her,” Catherine said. “If you need anything else, call me.”
    “I will. What are you working on?”
    “Zander. Who else? He seems to be the center of the storm.”
    “You’re going to Vancouver?”
    She was silent. “No, I’m taking another route. I’m leaving right away. I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.” She paused. “Good luck with Kevin’s mother. I can’t imagine what kind of woman could give birth to a monster. Yet there are quite a few monsters in the world, and they all had to come from someplace. Personally, I don’t believe in heredity. I believe everyone is born with a soul, and that dictates his character. It was one philosophy upon which Eve and I agreed.”
    “What about Doane? It appears that he’s also a monster. You’re saying he didn’t pass those traits on to his son?”
    “Maybe Doane’s soul was always tarnished, and it just became visible when his son revealed his own malignance.” Catherine added impatiently, “I don’t know. I don’t sit around thinking about theories about good and evil. Everyone has gut instincts, and that’s what I go by. My gut instinct tells me that Doane is a terrible man and growing worse with every passing day. I’ll let God decide how Doane got that way … after I kill him.” She hung up.
    Caleb was chuckling. “I do like her.” He got to his feet. “I, too, believe in gut instinct. But I don’t entirely agree about heredity not having a part in what we are. I’m the living proof that certain traits are passed down through generations.”
    “Physical traits,” Jane said. “Not necessarily souls. You told me that your ancestors back in medieval times were said by the villagers to be offspring of the devil. You don’t have to be what your ancestors were.” She added deliberately, “That’s all bullshit.”
    Caleb glanced at Trevor. “What do you think, Trevor?” he asked mockingly. “Do I have a