“Gallo, I’m not doing this for any—”

“I know. I’m not assuming anything that you wouldn’t want me to assume. Don’t worry, I’m not suffering a major character change.” The soberness was suddenly gone, and he was smiling recklessly. “You’ll still have to watch me and make sure I don’t try to manipulate you to get what I want. I’m still the same hell-raiser I was when I was a kid. I just raise it in different ways…”

CHAPTER

14

St. Joseph’s Hospital

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

JOE WAS WALKING DOWN THE hospital corridor when Eve got off the elevator at his floor the next morning.

She smiled with an effort. “Busy already? Have you had breakfast yet?”

He shook his head. “They’ll bring it soon. I thought I’d take a walk to help increase my stamina.”

She wasn’t sure how to take that. “I expected Jane to be here.”

“She was here when I woke. I sent her down to Administration to start the paperwork going to get me out of here.” He met her gaze. “When she said you wouldn’t be able to see me until later today. But here you are. What happened, Eve?”

“Nothing to make you leap out of that bed and start worrying.”

“I’m not leaping. I’m not that far along yet. But I’m getting there.” He steadily met her gaze. “And you’ve been beside me every waking moment since I’ve been in this place. I’ve told you to go back to the hotel any number of times, and you wouldn’t go. Now suddenly Jane tells me that you have something to do that will keep you away? It doesn’t compute, Eve.”

Eve made a face. “And I should have known that Jane’s too honest to make you believe that everything was just fine.”

“She tried, but she’s clear as glass around the people she loves.” He smiled. “Like you, Eve.”

“That’s not so bad.” She took his hand. “Except when I want to keep you safe, dammit. Did Jane tell you anything?”

“Only that you were going up to Gallo’s property. I figured I’d get everything else out of her on our way there. She said she wouldn’t let me go alone.”

She shook her head. “No, of course she wouldn’t. She didn’t like it that I made her stay here and try to stall you until I was sure what was happening up there.”

“And what is happening?” Joe’s hand tightened on hers. “I’m trying to hold on to my patience, but I’m having a tough time of it. Do you know how much I’ve hated being stuck in this damn hospital while Catherine was going after Gallo?”

Eve had realized that every day lately. She had been surprised that he had not been more impatient. It was not like Joe. “You’ve been very good about not complaining until it was time for your release.”

“What good would it do? I have to be as strong as possible before I go after Gallo. Has Catherine found him?”

“Yes.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“He’s convinced her that he didn’t kill Bonnie.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She shook her head. “Or maybe she’s convinced herself. I can’t put it all together. All she’d tell me was that she’d fought to believe what I’d told her was true, but that it didn’t work for her.”

“So why are you here instead of up there in the woods trying to shake some sense into her?”

“Because I called her when I was on the road, and she wasn’t at the property. It sounded like an airport. ”

“So you came back here.” He added, “To save Jane and face the music.”

She nodded. “I was expecting you to be angry.”

“Not angry. Impatient, frustrated, confused.” He shrugged. “It will take some time for me to muster any anger in connection with you. I came too close to losing you. Which puts everything else definitely in perspective.” He suddenly chuckled. “Though being human, I’m sure it will come back to me with full force.”

“I’m sure, too.” Her lips twisted. “And I come in here, and you’re walking the halls and building up stamina. Not very reassuring.”

“I can’t have you taking me for granted.” His tone was absent. “Which airport? Did you hear any flight being called?”

“No, just the Homeland Security bag announcement. And a flight arrival from Miami. ”

“What time was it?”

“Three forty in the morning. It had to be either Milwaukee or Chicago. They didn’t have time to get from Gallo’s property to any other airport. When Catherine called me previously, she told me she was still at the property.”

“Have you checked with both airports to see if there was a flight at that time?”

“Not yet. I thought I’d let you do it.” She smiled faintly. “It will keep you busy for a little while and give you a little more rest before you take the big plunge. I’m going to try to ration your energy.”

He tilted his head. “You’re not going to try to stop me?”

“I’ve bought more time than I thought I’d be able to manage—thanks to Catherine.” Her lips tightened. “I can’t understand how she could—”

“Yes, you can. Catherine and I were wondering the same thing about you a month ago. Gallo is very convincing.” He was frowning. “But Catherine didn’t have the same history with Gallo as you did, and she’s smart as hell. It’s a puzzle. What argument did she use?”

“She said that he didn’t do it. She told me to start with that and work back.”

“That’s all?”

“Something about Gallo trying to take his life.”

“Killers sometimes do commit suicide.”

“That’s not what she meant.” She bit her lower lip. “I was so sure, Joe. But all I can think of now was how tormented Gallo was in those days when we were together. I could feel how much he loved Bonnie. Was I wrong to believe Paul Black?”

“You said Gallo believed him, too.”

“And Catherine said just because Black thought he was telling the truth was no sign it was the truth.” Eve shook her head. “I wanted to help Gallo. But I may have pushed him over the edge.”

“Stop it,” Joe said roughly. “Gallo can take care of himself. And now, evidently Catherine is watching out for him, too. And I’ve never understood why you’ve always believed he loved Bonnie.”

Because she’d never told him. The relationship between Joe and Gallo had been too strained. But she had to tell him now. “Because … Bonnie comes … to him, too.”

“Shit.” Joe muttered a curse. “He could be lying to you.”

She had tried to tell herself that lately. “He told me things … that song about the horses that she loved so much. I don’t think he was lying, Joe.”

Joe gazed at her for a moment. “Then what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. But would that mean that Bonnie loved him, too?” She shook her head. “And if that was true, how could she love him if he was the one who killed her? None of it makes sense.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Joe shook his head. “Never mind. I know why. I was jealous as hell, and you didn’t want me to think that even Bonnie was against me.” He met her eyes. “Maybe the question should be why are you telling me now?”

“Because you told me that you know Bonnie now, that she brought you back. For years, no matter how we tried to overcome it, she’s been between us. But something changed.” She whispered, “I don’t want to close you out of any part of my life. And she’s such a big part, Joe.”

He was silent, gazing down at their joined hands. “That’s damn obvious. And spreading into all kinds of directions and little nooks. I never thought that she’d take me to John Gallo.”

She waited, feeling the tension grip her.

“But you have to hand it to the kid. She’s always throwing down a challenge.” He looked up and met her eyes. “So I think we have to ride with her.”

Relief surged through her. “And Catherine.”

“And Catherine.” He took the pad and pencil from the table beside him. “She may be wrong. Gallo may be the premier con man of the millennium. But I don’t want you hurting for the bastard if there’s a mistake. We might as well check it out. I’ll call Milwaukee airport. You phone O’Hare. It will help if we can figure out where they’re going.” He reached for his phone. “And then we’ll do what Catherine said and start putting together a scenario of ‘what if it wasn’t Gallo.’”