“So would I,” Nalchek said grimly. “And if we don’t hear anything in a week after Terry’s article, we’ll go to another reporter.”

“Old news,” Eve said. “It will be harder the second time.”

“I’ll get it done.”

Eve could imagine he would. There wasn’t much that Nalchek wouldn’t be able to accomplish if he put his mind to it. “Let’s hope Terry’s article will do what it’s supposed to do.” She paused. “She said that she looked familiar. She’s a journalist, is it possible that—” She broke off. “Not likely. I’m reaching … I’m just hoping that something is going to go right for a change.”

“Maybe someone else will think she looks familiar,” he said quietly. “That’s what this is all about.” He started his car. “Where do you want to go? Back to the hospital?”

“Not yet. I’ve made reservations at the Fairmont Hotel. I want to check in and have a shower and change of clothes before I go back to the hospital.”

“Sounds like a good idea. Anything else I can do?”

“Yes, you can bring Margaret to see me. Ask her to stop in my room at the inn and get my other suitcase.”

“Today?”

“Yes, please.”

He shrugged. “Okay, it will take an hour or so.”

“Whatever. It will give me a little time to myself.”

“Then you’d better call her and tell her to make herself available.” His lips twisted. “She’s probably back in the forest communing with that coyote.”

“I don’t like her being there alone. That’s not what I meant to happen when I asked for her help.”

“I can’t keep an armed guard on her constantly. I’ve told her not to go into the forest, but she’s not listening.”

“She’s listening. But probably not to us.” She shook her head. “And I’m the one who set her to trying to find out what was happening in that forest. But now it scares me.”

“Me, too.”

Eve looked at him. “You?”

“I don’t give a damn about the fact that she thinks she talks to— Hell, maybe she does. Or maybe she’s just nuts. I don’t care. I don’t want her running around that forest and getting herself killed. That’s my county, my town.” He said fiercely, “Keep her out.”

“I’ll try,” she said. “I’ll tell her I want her to leave the area. Okay?”

“If she listens to you.”

“I don’t know if she will,” Eve said ruefully. “And, if I tell her to go, I don’t know where that will be. She seems to drift from place to place. She makes friends, but Kendra Michaels, who found her and sent her here, and my adopted daughter, Jane, are the only ones who appear to be close to her. I don’t know how much they even know about her.”

“I’ll find out before this is over.”

“You haven’t yet.” She waved a dismissive hand as she saw him frown. “It’s not important. I only want to keep her safe and make sure that she’s not collateral damage from our going after Walsh.”

“She wasn’t the target in Tahoe. You were the one Walsh wanted to lure to your death. Joe Quinn was the one who took the bullet, but it could have been you. Didn’t you tell me that he said he had orders to take you out?”

She nodded. “I was getting in his way. I was too close.” She shivered. “God, I hope I’m close. I don’t seem to know anything.” They had pulled up to the front entrance of the hotel, and the doorman opened her car door. “That’s got to change, Nalchek.” She got out and nodded at the reconstruction she’d placed on the backseat. “Take good care of that skull. I hope we don’t need to use it again. Tomorrow will tell the tale, won’t it?”

“I hope so,” Nalchek said soberly. “There’s something I should tell you. I’ve persuaded the SFOPD to assign an officer to keep an eye on you while you’re at the hotel or hospital. If you go anywhere else, call me, and I’ll make sure you’re safe. Don’t be alarmed. We both know that Margaret isn’t the only one who is at risk.” He smiled faintly. “I’m sure Quinn would approve.”

“Without a doubt.” She added, “I won’t argue. Anything to get Walsh.” She turned and headed for the front entrance. “I’ll call Margaret and have her ready for you.”

“You can try,” he said dryly. “So far, I’ve found that she’s not only ready, she’s a step ahead.”

“Then I’ll tell her to be kind to you.” Eve wrinkled her nose at him. “Poor Nalchek, so put upon…”

SONDERVILLE FOREST

Margaret felt a chill as she closed her eyes and tried to delve through the confusion she was sensing in the coyote’s mind. It was difficult. She had been struggling to understand what Sajan was trying to communicate since she had made contact over an hour ago.

“He’s coming.”

“Why are you afraid of him, Sajan?”

“Same as the other one. Rage. Violence. Just like the other one.”

“What other one?” she asked patiently.

“The grave.”

The chill was spreading. “The one who put the little girl in the grave?”

“Shouldn’t have done it. Shouldn’t have killed. His fault I have to be here.”

“Whose fault?”

“Shouldn’t have done it. Don’t like any of this. Why should I be here?”

“I have no idea. Talk to me. Maybe we can figure it out. Whose fault? I need—”

“Coming now! Hide!”

He was gone.

And she was left alone in the darkness of the forest.

Coming.

Who was coming? Walsh?

Or the other one Sajan said was the same.

“Margaret?”

The other one.

Nalchek.

It could be a mistake. Sajan was confused, and she hadn’t been able to clarify anything in the short time she’d had to work with him.

But the image she’d gotten from him was definitely Nalchek. The power, the tiger ferocity, the sleekness.

“Margaret.” More impatient now.

Trust her own instincts? Or Sajan’s jumbled memory?

In the end, she always had to trust herself. If she was wrong, she was now prepared to deal with it.

“Here!” She stepped out of the trees. “It’s about time you got here.” She strolled toward him. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Then you should have told me where to find you. I guess that didn’t occur to you.” He was frowning. “The officer I had watching you told me you were still in your room at the hotel. It took a little while to determine you’d given him the slip.”

“And you came immediately here.”

“I told Eve that this was where you’d probably be.” He shrugged. “But there was a chance that I might be wrong since she’d asked you to bring her suitcase.”

“No problem. Eve travels light.” She nodded down at the small flight bag she was carrying. “And Joe Quinn evidently never unpacked his luggage when he got here. It’s probably still in his rental car.”

“Are you going to tell me why you slipped away from my officer? If you’d insisted, he would have brought you back here.”

“Not necessary. I met a college professor in the coffee shop, and he offered to give me a lift.”

“That’s no answer.”

“It’s all you’ll get from me.” Then she shook her head. “That was rude. I’m a little on edge.” More than a little, she thought. As usual, she was experiencing a multitude of emotions at being this close to him. Nalchek was all power and keen intelligence, and she was drawn to both. And now there was added the chilling uncertainty of what she’d learned tonight. Forget it. She’d made a choice. She’d chosen to trust herself … and Nalchek. Deal with the consequences. Which meant dealing with Nalchek. She met his eyes. “I don’t like to be watched. I’m sure your officer is very courteous and only doing his job, but he made me uneasy. I won’t permit anyone to be able to put his hand on me at any given time.”

“Why?”

She smiled. “My nature? Or something more devious? I’m sure you’re busily trying to find out.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why? Because you’re a police officer, and you don’t trust me or what I am?” She nodded. “That would be reasonable … if one looked only on the surface.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She hesitated. Back off, or respond as she usually did. Backing off would be more suspicious. Nalchek was very sharp. “Because you’re not what you appear to be, either.”