Hide Away (16 page)

“I refuse to ask Jane. She won't want to commit herself.”

Eve looked back at Cara, who was sitting beside Jane. “Do you like it, Cara?”

She nodded, her eyes fixed dreamily on the mountains. “So much music … And did you see the eagles?”

“I'm afraid I didn't notice either of those things. I was just taking in the general impact.” She turned back to MacDuff. “How long before we get to the castle?”

“It's just around the curve up ahead. It may disappoint you.”

“It's ruins, for goodness sake. Low expectations.”

But she still found herself eager to see that castle built so long ago at the dawn of this land.

“There it is.” MacDuff pulled to the side of the road and got out of the Land Rover. He looked up the hill at the ruins of the castle while they waited for Caleb and Jock, who had opted to come in Caleb's car. “It's not very large, but it's in better shape than you would imagine for the lack of repair. That one wall of the battlements is as strong as when they built it. The dungeons are still entirely intact. Once the family left, they abandoned it. They were moving up in the world and concentrated all their energies on building their new home on the coast.”

“MacDuff's Run, the castle where you grew up?” Eve asked, as she and Cara got out to stand beside him. “I'm certain that anyone would agree it's much more impressive than this one.”

“I like it.” Cara's gaze was fastened on the broken walls and tumbled stone of the castle. “It's … nice.”

MacDuff chuckled. “You constantly amaze me. You criticize my humble hunting lodge, which granted is not in wonderful condition, but you're besotted with this ruin.”

“I just think it feels like home,” Cara said simply.

“Providing your home has a dungeon.” He turned to Jane. “What do you think? Does it feel like home?”

“That's a leading question.” She smiled at Cara. “But a castle can be a home as well as a fortress. When I was still trying to find out everything about Cira, I went on archaeological digs in Herculaneum. We had to be very careful not to destroy anything that would indicate how the people lived or died. We worked with spoons, carefully sifting.”

“Is that what you're going to do here?” Cara asked eagerly.

Jane glanced at MacDuff. “It's how I'd prefer to do it. It's surprising what secrets can be revealed by using a spoon instead of a shovel. Since we have no idea where we're going with this, it might be a good idea to see if we can get a clue.” She added, “But then, I'm not in charge.”

“And you think I'm going to use a battering ram because I'm too impatient?”

“I know about impatience,” Jane said. “I've been there. Ask Eve. It's your show, MacDuff.”

He nodded. “And maybe we'll try a spoon … for a little while.”

“Good.” Jane turned to Cara. “Then would you like to grovel in the dirt with me? Warning. You'll have an aching back and bruised knees unless we can find someplace that sells knee pads.”

“Could I do that?” Cara's face was lit with excitement. “I saw a show on
National Geo
that had one of those college digs. It looked like fun.”

“Like I said, sore knees. But I found it worth it. There's no guarantee that we'll find anything, but there's always a chance.” She looked at Eve. “You're invited, too.”

“I didn't expect you'd leave me out. It will give me something to do. I'm not accustomed to sitting around twiddling my thumbs.” Eve stood looking up at the hill. “Those people who built that castle didn't know the meaning of twiddling their thumbs. You can almost sense the energy and determination. I wonder how much was done by hand.”

“It was Cira's home,” Jane said. “Her first taste of real freedom and power after being born a slave. She would have gotten down on her knees and laid those tiles herself. She would have rigged a pulley like the Egyptians to drag those stones in place. She probably loved this castle.”

“Then why would she have left it?” Eve asked.

“She didn't, it was her descendants who finally decided they needed to take the next step. She built this place as a kingdom, but I'm sure that she instilled that thirst for power in those who came after her. She grew up in Herculaneum realizing how weak a woman could be if she didn't have wealth and influence. She did the best she was able, became a famous actress, and gathered what wealth she could. Then, when the volcano erupted, she fled with everything she owned.” Jane smiled. “And some things she didn't own. She probably hid out in the Highlands for a long time after she first arrived here until she thought she was safe. Then she decided it was time to start to build.”

“Well, after her descendants decided to abandon this place, they apparently never looked back on what she'd built,” MacDuff said dryly. “We have no record of any of her family returning here after they reached the coast, where they built MacDuff's Run.”

“They might have looked back,” Jane said. “They liked money; you say the family earned their title by raiding and robbing along the border. If they didn't take those coins with them, then I can see them going back to get them. Unless there was a reason not to do it.”

“Can we find out?” Cara asked.

“Maybe,” Jane said. “If they left us a clue one way or the other.”

“The spoon?” Cara grinned.

“The spoon,” Jane said solemnly. She turned back to the Land Rover. “Let's start unloading our bags and supplies and get them up to the castle. I assume you didn't arrange for help here either, MacDuff?”

He nodded. “Jock and I will come back for the tents and camping supplies. Privacy appeared to be everything when Quinn called and asked me to take you. And it's a good rule to follow when you're going after a treasure trove, too.”

“I can see that,” Eve said. “But that hill looks like a climb.” She was grabbing for her backpack. “Let's get to it.”

“I'll do it.” Cara was already helping Jane with her backpack. She was moving with alacrity, and her expression was eager. Eve was glad to see it. There was nothing better than purpose to make time pass quickly and give one a sense of worth.

“There's Caleb,” Jane said as she watched his car come down the road toward them.

Eve was aware that Jane's easy casualness was abruptly gone. All she needed was to have Caleb show up on the scene, and she was charged, wary.

Jane looked at Eve and shrugged. “What can I say?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking that tutoring Cara in the art of the dig might be good for you, too.” She started up the road, letting the barren beauty and austerity of the hills around her reach out and touch her, take her into the misty earth and blue sky. For this instant she could almost believe she belonged here.

Work.

Distraction.

It could be a solution for all of them.

*   *   *

Son of a bitch!

“It's not possible,” Franco said through his teeth. “It's not true.” He hung up, breathing hard as the fury tore through him. But it was true and he knew it. Jessup, that greedy bastard in Forensics, wouldn't lie to him. He knew what would happen to him if he did.

So what did he do now?

No choice.

He dialed Salazar. “We have a problem. Forensics found no body parts in the Toyota.”

Silence. Then Salazar began to swear.

“You fool. How could you make a mistake like that?”

“I'm not a fool.”

“You're worse, you stupid prick. You're worse than Walsh ever was. Quinn played you. You lost the kid
and
Duncan.”

He had no defense. He was humiliated. But he was going to kill Salazar for talking to him like that. “Not for long. I'll go after Quinn and find out where he sent them. I won't let him do this to me.”

“He's already done it.” Salazar's voice was harsh. “You've been keeping track of Quinn?”

“Of course, you wanted him dead.”

“It's good that you didn't kill him yet. He's the only one who knows where the kid is. Is he at the Lake Cottage?”

“He left there to go to the precinct where he works. I followed him, but he didn't come out. He'll probably be back this evening.”

“Probably? Find out for sure. I'll cut your heart out if you lose him, too.” He hung up.

He meant it, Franco knew. This last mistake had made his position impossible. Salazar might cut his heart out anyway no matter what he did. He would try to make amends by butchering Quinn, but he had to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Salazar would more than likely send one of his primo killers to make sure that everyone knew he was a failure and what was done with a man who failed him.

Get ahead of the game. He was smart. He could find out where Quinn had sent Duncan and the girl for safety. Then he could either tell Salazar or go ahead and take care of them himself.

Then he would dispose of Quinn in the most brutal way possible, a true
rematar,
a bloodbath.

And then he would start planning how he would rid himself of Salazar without having to contend with the other members of the cartel. He was in a better position to do that than ever before.

He had an ace in the hole.

It would all come together. He just had to move fast. First, find Eve Duncan and Castino's brat.

*   *   *

“I need to talk to you,” Salazar said. “Tonight at ten.” He hung up.

He hadn't wanted to do this. This meeting was a risk when he didn't need any more risks.

He had no choice. Franco's failure had put him in a corner. He might need help, and he wasn't going to go through this alone.

It would be all right, they'd work it out.

All this hell would be worth it.

He got to his feet and moved out onto the patio where his children were swimming in the pool. Beautiful children, he thought with satisfaction as he watched his son, Carlos, race across the pool. Three fine sons.

Castino had never been able to produce sons, just those two puny daughters, who had caused him such a headache during these last years.

But one child was dead and the other would soon be totally out of the picture, too. And then he would have his reward.

Yes, and the meeting tonight would be worth the risk.

MEXICO CITY

One forty-five El Camino Road was an elegant creamy-tan stucco hacienda surrounded by trees behind a tall wrought-iron fence.

And the fence wasn't electrified, thank God, Joe realized, as he pulled himself up and over. He jumped to the ground, then darted behind the trees and made his way toward the house.

A soft glow issued from the windows at the rear of the house. Salazar?

There was no telling if Salazar would come to this house tonight, but, if what Manez said was true, there would never be a more likely time for him to show up. That was why Joe had jumped on a plane to fly down here when he'd been told the results from the Forensics Department.

He crouched behind a bank of large shrubs near the driveway, every sense alert.

Be patient, he told himself.

When you're playing a hunch, you have to be prepared for it not to pan out.

But that hunch was strong and burning bright. He needed a break, and this might be the one.

No one seemed to be moving around inside. There were no cars in the driveway.

But they could be parked in the back. The trees were so thick that any vehicles wouldn't be seen unless you were right on top of them.

So stake out the house.

And wait for lightning to strike.

*   *   *

Headlights from the sleek black Mercedes entering the gates, not surreptitiously as Joe would have thought, but boldly, recklessly.

The car was coming fast and was approaching the driveway in seconds.

A screech of brakes as the car stopped, and the driver's door flew open.

Come on, Joe thought, let me see you. Is it true?

Then the driver jumped out of the car and was striding toward the front door, every step emotion-charged and full of explosive anger.

Joe stiffened. Oh yes, it was true.

Moonlight fell on sleek dark hair.

And the beautiful face and winged brows that were so very like her daughter, Cara's.

Natalie Castino.

 

CHAPTER

7

Salazar flinched as the door slammed after Natalie came into the house.

“I see you're in fine temper,” he said as he strolled out of the bedroom. “And you drove right up to the house instead of parking in the trees. Not smart, Natalie. The only way we've survived so far is to be careful. Do you want to get us killed?”

“I'd see that I wasn't the one killed.” Natalie threw her handbag on the couch. “I'd just tell everyone that you lured me here to offer me information about the kidnapping of my little girls. A mother is always desperate and willing to take chances when it concerns a child. Of course, I'd have to shoot you so that it would make the story stick.” Her eyes were glittering with anger as she strode toward him. “But I'm not desperate, I'm furious, because I think that you're going to tell me that you've made another mistake. Isn't that right?”

“Duncan and Cara weren't in the car. Franco doesn't know where they are.”

“I knew it,” she said through clenched teeth. “I could see it coming when you told me that Duncan had taken Cara to Atlanta. What are you doing about it? You're not relying on that stupid prick to find them?”

“I haven't taken him out of the action. I may be able to use him.”

“What are you doing?” she asked again.

“I've tapped Jose Domingo, my distributor in Atlanta and told him to check out airline manifests on commercial airlines for the last two days. He's checking out train and bus, too. But I'd think that Quinn would want Duncan and the kid to go far and fast to get them to safety. So far, no records of them have surfaced. So Domingo is checking private and charter flights.”