Silencing Eve

“How did you find out about the journal?”
    “I had a visit from Jane MacGuire. She was asking about it.”
    “What? Did she mention me?”
    “Don’t panic. She didn’t say anything to indicate that she thought you or Eve Duncan were still alive. She was very emotional about Duncan’s death, and I got the impression it was a personal mission to try to keep any more deaths from happening. She seemed focused on this journal and the damage it could do. At one point, I asked her if she worked for Venable. She said she didn’t, and I believed her. But she was damned determined.”
    He muttered a curse. “Why would she come to you?”
    “I have no idea. Obviously, Kevin didn’t go into deep detail about the location of the nukes in this journal since you still have no idea where they are.”
    “No, but I know that he must have mentioned them somewhere in it. He told me that he had to make sure that his secrets were secure if the journal fell into the wrong hands. He gave me his journal before he went back to Pakistan because he knew I’d keep it safe. After he was killed, I read the journal cover to cover and couldn’t find a hint.” He said in frustration. “But they’ve got to be there.”
    “Keep it safe? And instead you let those bastards who killed him take the journal away from you.” She barely managed to keep the contempt from her tone. “Perhaps you shouldn’t worry too much. There was probably nothing of importance in that journal. He might just have wanted to make you feel happier and part of the operation. He knew that you were jealous of how much he let me be involved in his affairs.” She added, “But perhaps you should let me read it to be sure. I assume you have a copy?”
    “Of course.”
    “But you’re not going to let me read it.”
    “No, Kevin gave me the journal. I won’t share it with you.”
    “I believe you’re lying to me. You don’t have another copy.” She suddenly laughed. “Or it could be that you won’t let me read it because he said nice things about me.”
    “He barely mentioned you.”
    “But when he did, it was complimentary.”
    “He was always besotted with you.”
    “So were you at one time.” Before Kevin had been born, and she had focused all her attention on her son. Why not? James had always been just someone to use. She had created this child, and he had seemed totally her own from the moment she had looked at him in the hospital. She had concentrated on charming and making him love her with his whole heart, closing out everyone else around her. And James had accepted the rejection because he, too, had fallen under Kevin’s spell. “But I won’t insist on seeing the journal if you assure me there’s nothing in it that would appear suspicious.”
    “He talks a lot about the little girls.”
    James had only said that because he’d known it would annoy her. “That’s nothing. It won’t affect the current operation.”
    “Where are those nukes hidden, Harriet? I want the location and the code to set them off. Answer me, dammit.”
    “You’ll not get an answer until I’m ready to give it. Tell Cartland I want him to fly here and meet me in front of the Lakeside Marriott at ten tomorrow morning. He’s to have my documents and the bank line of credit. The moment I have them in my hands, I’ll take him on a little trip downtown to show him why he should cooperate with me.”
    “Cooperate with us.” He paused. “Is it the detonator? You’ve never told me if Kevin gave you the detonator.”
    “You didn’t need to know. You still don’t need to know.”
    “He should have given it to me. Do you have it, dammit?”
    “I know where to get it.”
    “Is that what you’re going to show Cartland tomorrow? Are you going to give him the detonator?”
    “No, I’m going to offer him something he may find almost as persuasive. And when I do retrieve the detonator, I have no intention of turning it over to either you or Cartland. I won’t give up control. Besides, I may require an act of good faith from him. I haven’t decided yet.” She paused. “You should be happy that I want everything to move quickly. I want this over within the next two days. I don’t like the idea that Jane MacGuire had the nerve to confront me.” She added harshly, “I won’t let them destroy me as they did my Kevin. I’ve waited years for you to locate his killer and make all your fine plans. So far, I’ve seen nothing but failure. I’m not waiting