Hunting Eve by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

other investigators whom she had assisted through the years, but what if there was simply nothing for her to observe here? She knew it had rained, and that had a way of washing away a hell of a lot of clues.
    But a muddy rural area made it almost impossible to erase others.
    And since when did she give a damn what anybody thought of her? She was here for Eve and no one else.
    Eve.
    Kendra didn’t make friends easily, but her bond with Eve was strong and genuine. She had been touched by Eve’s strength and her quiet struggle to move beyond her daughter’s murder, which had defined her for so long. Now that Bonnie had finally been laid to rest, she could see a sense of freedom in Eve, not unlike the sudden freedom she herself had felt when she was finally given the gift of sight.
    Kendra rounded the bend and passed a cluster of tall pines. There, near the lake, was what she was sure was Eve’s cottage. Half a dozen cars parked out front in a haphazard fashion and every light was ablaze. She could almost feel the tension radiating from the premises.
    Kendra parked the rental car and climbed out. A front-window curtain parted slightly, and a moment later the door opened and a familiar silhouette appeared on the porch. Slim, powerful, every muscle tense and alert. He was always a presence to be reckoned with but tonight she could almost feel the intensity. His tea-colored eyes were narrowed as he watched her come toward him.
    “You could have waited until tomorrow,” Joe Quinn said. “But I’m glad as hell you didn’t.”
    “You expect me to get a call like yours and just sit around twiddling my thumbs?” She reached the top step of the porch and gave him a quick hug. “Any news?”
    “Only that General Tarther, who was on Doane’s hit list, was shot and killed. We suspect Terence Blick, Doane’s accomplice, but he hasn’t been apprehended. Seth Caleb, a friend of Jane’s, was in the area trying to guard the general and we hoped to hear from him but nothing so far.”
    “I’d say that’s a substantial piece of news all right. Anything else?”
    “We’ve been trying to pull a car that belonged to Doane from the lake.” He nodded at the far end of the lake that was lit by floodlights and teeming with people and machinery. “We think Doane stole the truck of a farmer who lives nearby, then drove his own car into the lake.”
    “Why would he do that?”
    “I have no idea. That’s why I’m curious to get a look at that car and see if it can tell us anything.” He added grimly, “Besides the fact that it might serve as a coffin for that farmer Doane stole the truck from. He’s disappeared.”
    “It would have to be something else.” Kendra took a step closer to the porch rail and looked out at the crane that was dipping into the water. “That’s a complicated way to dispose of a body when he could just bury it. Why haven’t you been able to pull the car up yet?”
    “The lake’s very deep at that area. First, we had to verify that the car was really there. There was no sign of entry.”
    She turned to look at him. “Then why did you bother to start looking there?”
    Joe hesitated. “We had an informant.”
    “Someone saw Doane drive the car into the lake?”
    “Something like that.”
    “Who?”
    “It’s difficult to—forget it. Let’s just say it was … anonymous.”
    “No, I won’t forget it.” She frowned. “I’m feeling too much in the dark. I’m not going to tolerate your keeping things from me. A witness could save us a great deal of time. What else did you find out?”
    “Nothing. It was a one-shot deal. I’m not going to be able to squeeze anything else out of the informant.”
    “Let me talk to him.”
    “He’s already been released.” He added harshly, “Drop it. Do you think I would have let anyone get away from me if there were a chance he could help Eve? I’ll tell you about him later.”
    “I’d still like to—” She broke off and shrugged. “You don’t