Quicksand (21 page)

"Important for her," he said. "Maybe a problem for you." He shrugged. "I'll make some coffee. Go into the sunroom."

Megan nodded and moved down the hall. "Though there's not much sun in the sunroom at six in the morning." She opened the French doors. "Sit down." She curled up on a shabby greenand-white-print cushioned couch. "And I don't think you'd notice anyway." Eve's gaze went around the small room as she sat down in a rattan chair. As Megan had said, the room was dim and shadowed. "This is nice. Comfortable."

"We like it." She met Eve's gaze. "But you didn't come here to compliment our interior decorating, did you? They haven't caught Kistle yet?"

"No, he's moved out of Clayborne Forest. He's here in this area. You saw the news story about Laura Ann Simmons?"

Megan stiffened. "He's got her?"

"But she's still alive. I talked to her on the phone only a few hours ago. He's using her as bait to draw me into the trap."

"Where?"

"Okefenokee Swamp. He gave me two days, but I've already wasted too much time on a wildgoose chase."

"And why come to me?"

"I think you know."

She nodded slowly. "But I wouldn't be any good to you. Unless he's already killed her."

"You said you hear these voices in places that echo tragedy or high distress. For God's sake, what Laura Ann is feeling must be the highest distress. She must be scared out of her mind." She paused. "And he said I'd find Laura Ann in the same place he'd used as a burial spot. Bonnie must be there."

"He could be lying."

"Yes, but I don't think he is. Not this time." She moistened her lips. "But he'll try to trick us. I know it. We need you."

Megan said nothing. She just looked at her.

"I know what I'm asking. I know what you went through in Bloomburg."

"No, you don't," Megan said curtly. "You don't know anything."

"Maybe not," Eve said. "But I'm asking it anyway. Will you come with us?" She was silent a moment and then said wearily, "Hell, I was going to tell you no when you came to me."

"You knew I'd come? I didn't know myself until this morning."

Megan's lips twisted. "Oh, I don't have any gift for precognition. But I have a friend, Renata, who can judge cause and effect with wonderful accuracy. I don't have her talent, but it didn't take much analyzing to realize what your next step would be." She added, "And you're lying to yourself if you think you weren't planning this all along. If it hadn't been for Laura Ann and Kistle, you'd still have come to get me to help you find Bonnie. You couldn't help yourself." Eve stared at her a moment as her words sank home. Dear God, it was true. It had been there beneath the surface and she had not admitted it to herself. "I was fighting it. I didn't want to do it. I know how it will hurt you."

"When you started to believe me about Bobby Joe, it was only a matter of time before you'd want me to find your Bonnie." Megan shook her head. "It's wrong. I shouldn't do it, Eve. Not only for my sake but for yours. You know she must have died horribly. Do you really want me to bring that all back to you?"

"I want to bring her body home."

"Not like this. Find her in any other way. You don't want to know how she died. You don't want to see me going through it with her."

Eve could feel the blood drain from her face at the thought. "No, I don't want that."

"It will happen. I can't control it."

Eve shuddered. "I have to bring her home, Megan."

Megan gazed at her helplessly. "Eve, find another way."

"It's not only Bonnie, it's Laura Ann now. There's no other way for Laura Ann. And Joe was nearly killed when we walked into one of Kistle's traps last night. I can't let that happen again. Come with us, Megan."

"Leave her alone." Phillip Blair stood in the doorway carrying a tray with a carafe and cups.

"She helped you before. That's enough."

"You don't understand Mr. Blair," Eve said. "It's an emergency. We need—"

"And what about what she needs?" Phillip asked harshly. "She can't go on like this. This damn Listening isn't her only problem and she can't cope with—"

"I can cope with it." Megan got to her feet. "But I don't want to do it if I can think of any other way. Just give me a minute and let me pull myself together. I'll be back in . . ." She left the room.

"Don't
do
this to her," Phillip said to Eve. "You must have seen what finding Bobby Joe did to Megan. When she comes back, I want you to tell her that you've changed your mind. I've heard about your daughter and I'm sorry for you. But she's dead and Megan's alive. I'm not going to let you put her through that hell again."

"I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to hurt anyone. But I don't see how I can—"

"Then work at it, find a solution that doesn't concern—"

"I have to do it, Phillip," Megan said quietly from the doorway. "God knows I don't want to be pulled into this again, but I don't have a choice. Did Eve tell you that Kistle has that little girl we saw on the news?"

Phillip muttered a curse beneath his breath. "Shit."

Eve let out her breath in a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Megan. I was afraid you'd—"

"Wait a minute." Megan held up her hand. "I just want you to know I'm going into that swamp to get Laura Ann Simmons out and that's all. If I hear any other voices, I may or may not tell you about them. I'm the one who is going to be in control. This isn't for you or your Bonnie." She wearily shook her head. "Because I have a feeling that me finding your daughter would be the worst possible thing for you." She got to her feet. "I'll get dressed and pack a bag." She turned to Phillip. "The little girl is alive, Phillip. I have to try to help keep her that way."

"Okay, okay. I know you're caught." He scowled. "Take a cup of coffee into your room and drink it while you're packing." He set the tray on the glass coffee table. "I'll pack my bag and meet you in the hall in ten minutes."

"You're not going, Phillip," Megan said. "I have to go into the swamp and I won't let you go with me."

"Then I'll check into a hotel and wait until you come out." He glanced at Eve. "And you'd better take care of her. I don't want her hurt again." He strode out of the room.

"I'll take my own car and drive down with Phillip," Megan said as she rose to her feet. "He's obviously going with us. There's no use arguing with him. Phillip can be very stubborn."

"He cares for you," Eve said. "And he's not at all pleased with me. Who can blame him?" She rose to her feet. "Joe is waiting in the car and Montalvo is coming too. We'll wait outside for you." She hesitated. "I should tell you that Joe may not be . . . friendly. He was with me years ago when we were dealing with those psychics. He won't believe you can help."

"Smart man." Megan poured her coffee and carried it out of the sunroom. "I don't know whether I believe I can help either."

PHILLIP MET MEGAN IN THE
hall and took her duffel. "I don't suppose I can talk you out of this."

"I wish you could." She opened the door. "I was all set to turn her down if she came knocking on my door. My heart ached for her, but I know it will be a mistake for all of us. But I can't turn away from Laura Ann. I wasn't able to help Bobby Joe, but I have a chance of saving her." She braced herself as she saw the man sitting beside Eve Duncan in the SUV. "Get in the car, Phillip. I'll be right with you. I have to talk to Joe Quinn." Quinn's gaze was cool and his face without expression as he watched her walking toward them.

"Joe," Eve said. "This is Dr. Megan Blair."

Quinn inclined his head. "I'm not going to pretend that I want you to come along," he said curtly. "Or that I think you can offer any help. And since you'll probably end up either dead or getting in our way, I'd suggest you change your mind and go back to reading tea leaves."

"I told you what to expect, Megan." Eve grimaced. "I just didn't expect Joe to be quite so rude. I apologize."

"I don't care if he's rude." She stared him in the eye. "But if we have to put up with each other, I wanted to lay all the cards on the table before we start out. I don't want to go with you. I have to do it. I don't give a damn what you think of me. I'd probably think the same thing if I were in your shoes. Voices and the dead reliving their last moments? It's nuts. But it's true and I have to live with it. And now you have to live with it too. All you have to do is take me into that swamp and pay attention to what I say. It's up to you if you act on it. Then you bring me out and you never have to see me again."

Joe's smiled sardonically. "Not quite all. I understand you have a habit of dramatically casting yourself down in a faint. I'll probably have to carry you out on my back."

"No," Megan said sharply. "You don't touch me. No matter what happens in that swamp, none of you touches me." She turned to Eve. "That's a deal-breaker, Eve." Eve nodded. "I understand." She made a face. "No, I don't understand, but I'll go along with whatever you say. I owe you."

"Yes, you do." Megan turned and started toward her car, where Phillip waited. "I'll get Phillip settled in a hotel at Waycross, Georgia. That's on the outskirts of the Okefenokee. He usually likes to stay at Best Westerns. If I can't book him there, I'll call and let you know. It should take us about five hours to get down there. Where do we go from there?"

"The visitors' bureau. Kistle said he would let me talk to Laura Ann again when we reached the swamp, but that will be later. He said he'd fasten a photo on the bulletin board in the visitors' bureau. We'll meet Montalvo's friend, Miguel, there. He should have some information for us about the swamp."

"We could use it." Megan got into her car. "I've never been tempted to go sightseeing in a swamp. Snakes and alligators don't appeal to me."

JOE WATCHED MEGAN BACK OUT
of the driveway. "She's smart. She didn't try to persuade me that she was something she's not. I can see how the contrast between her and those other crooks we ran into would tip the scales for you."

"You mean blind me?" Eve shook her head. "As you said, she's smart. I didn't lie to her about what she'd have to face in that swamp. Neither did you. She'd have to be crazy to go along with us just to run a con."

"So maybe she's a little nuts." Joe started the car. "And neither you nor she can expect me to listen to her when we get into that swamp."

"You don't have to listen to her. But I will, Joe." She looked straight ahead. "I'll be listening very closely."

A TALL YOUNG MAN DRESSED
in khakis and boots straightened away from the wall of the Best Western when Megan and Phillip drew up to the registration area. His dark, Hispanic good looks reminded Megan vaguely of Antonio Banderas. His hands were bandaged, but his smile was bright. "You must be Megan Blair. I'm Miguel Vicente. Montalvo called and told me to meet you all here." He grimaced as he looked down at his bandages. "And since Montalvo says you have trouble with the civility of shaking hands, we'll get along fine. I'm having problems in that area right now myself." He looked at Phillip. "How do you do, sir?

It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Blair."

"Phillip." Her uncle got out of the car. "I'll check in, Megan. I imagine you're going to want to discuss matters without me being in the way,"

"You're never in the way, Phillip," Megan said.

He gave her a glance over his shoulder. "Then why aren't I going with you into that swamp?" He didn't wait for an answer but went into the hotel.

Miguel gave a low whistle. "Do I detect a hint of indignation?" Megan got out of the car. "He's very protective."

"And so he should be. After the time I've spent in the Okefenokee, I'd say you're going to need it." He smiled. "But don't worry. Since Eve wants you there I will guard you." He tilted his head. "Or maybe you should guard me. Can you keep the swamp devils away? Montalvo says you have very peculiar ways."

"Sorry, you're on your own," Megan said. "I have enough trouble warding off my own devils. I thought you were going to meet us at the visitors' bureau."

"You seem to have changed the scenario. Montalvo told me to check the bulletin board and bring anything I found here." He raised his head as a car drove into the parking lot. "There's Montalvo now."

And it was followed by the SUV driven by Eve and Joe Quinn, Megan noticed.

"You're tensing," Miguel said softly. "If you're this on edge with the people on your side, what will you be when Kistle appears on the scene?"

"Not everyone is on my side," Megan said. "Joe Quinn would just as soon I drowned in that swamp, and Montalvo doesn't care about anyone but Eve."

"How perceptive of you. But he does care about me, so perhaps he might spare a little concern for you." He turned and strolled over to Montalvo's car as he drew up beside them. "Here I am, Colonel. I'm brimming with information and eager to give it up." He nodded to Eve as she got out of her car. "Montalvo told me that you'd brought in help from the twilight zone. I approve. She's quite wonderful. I may be in love."

"You said that about Jane," Eve said.

"But she deserted me."

"Who can blame her?" Quinn said. "She has a good head on her shoulders. What kind of information?"

"There's a coffee shop inside the hotel." Miguel turned and headed for the front entrance. "I need a table to spread out my map."

"Did you stop by the visitors' bureau?" Montalvo called after him.

"Of course." He disappeared into the hotel.

Eve fell into step with Megan. "Miguel isn't as shallow as he seems. You can trust him."

"I hope I won't have to trust him," Megan said. They were a strange and diverse group, she thought uneasily. And the vibrations between them were far from friendly. The only person she could trust was Eve, but she didn't know how far. Not because of any lack of honor but because in the end there was only one thing of utmost importance to her. Bonnie overshadowed everything else. "How did Miguel hurt his hands?"

"One of Montalvo's enemies nailed him to a cross."

"God in heaven." She looked at Montalvo. "I'm not sure I'd want to be on your list of friends."