know me too well. Logic is all very well, but I’ve never been able to guide my life by it. I’ve been touched by too many totally illogical elements over the years.” She paused. “Newell’s middle name is William.”
“I noticed. And you made the leap to the Billy of your dream?”
“Why not? He was in close association with Beth during those last months. It’s not ‘logical’ that Beth would be able to be helped by someone not in that group.” She added, “And that she would be thinking about him while she was escaping.”
“Did you discuss this with Kendra?”
She grimaced. “No, I wanted to maintain my credibility with her. I’m not sure she’d understand why I’d rely on a dream to furnish me with vital information. It’s definitely not her modus operandi.”
“I don’t know. We might be surprised.” He was gazing down at Newell’s dossier. “He lives at Sungate Apartments in the city. Apartment 2A. You said that you ran into him yesterday afternoon. That means he’s probably working days at the hospital, and we can reach him at his apartment tonight.”
Eve nodded. “That’s what I thought. And we can work on checking out those other Beth Avery files today.”
“Later.” He didn’t look up from the iPhone. “Go to bed and get some sleep.”
She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again with the words unsaid. She was tired, and she would need to be alert when they met Newell. “You’re right.” She headed for the bathroom. “I’ll shower, then take a nap.”
She leaned back on the door after she had closed it. She hated this coolness between them. No, not coolness. That term could never describe what she and Joe felt for each other. Even though they were at odds for the moment, there was heat that made the hardness give off sparks.
But it was still disturbing to know everything was not serene with them. Oh, well, they’d work it out. If she didn’t believe that, she’d be truly upset.
She stripped off her clothes and stepped under the shower. Relax. Sleep. Get on with the task of finding Beth.
And hope like hell that she hadn’t damaged anything that couldn’t be repaired in her relationship with Joe.
* * *
APARTMENT 2A.
Drogan glanced down at the address for the orderly Newell that Pierce had given him that morning, then started to climb the steps to the second-floor walkway.
Pierce hadn’t wanted to give him the list. He’d been afraid that Drogan would cause an “awkward” incident that would reflect on him.
Screw him. Drogan was getting nowhere in the search for Beth Avery, and he needed to dig deeper. Someone had to have helped her to escape, and that meant someone knew where she’d go to hide. He had three other names that he was going to tap for information if Newell didn’t pan out.
Including that little bitch Pierce was screwing. He almost hoped he would come up empty questioning the orderly so that he could take his time spoiling Pierce’s lush little playground.
As he was going to take his time with Beth Avery. Every hour that passed, his anger was growing, his ego stinging from the memory of his failure that night.
He stopped at the door to 2A.
Locked.
No problem. He spent only a few minutes before the door swung open.
He stepped inside and closed the door. The apartment was empty, as Pierce had told him it would be. That was all right, he could wait. He went to the refrigerator and took out a beer before he dropped down in a chair facing the door.
Come on, Jessie Newell. I’m waiting to welcome you.
* * *
JOE WAS SITTING IN A CHAIR across the room with his laptop on his lap when Eve opened her eyes. It must’ve been late afternoon because the rays of the sun pouring through the window were pale and slanted as they touched Joe’s brown hair. “What time is it?”
“A little after four.”
“I didn’t want to sleep that long. Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You evidently needed it.” He raised his eyes from the computer to meet hers. “And I needed the time, too. I was feeling as if you owed me, and that was a very savage response.”
She felt a flash of heat move through her. She held out her hand to him. “Come here.”
He didn’t move. “I’m over it. You don’t owe me anything.”
“The hell I don’t. Oh, not because I closed you out from the action because I wanted to protect you. You have to deal with