hoping that he’d lied, that you were still alive. I knew if he hadn’t killed you, that you might come to help me. So I broke into the gun case and waited.”
“And then pulled the gun on me.”
“I’m afraid, Billy. I have to take care of myself. What if that murderer made you come here? How did he get your phone?”
“His name is Drogan. And he took it.”
“How?”
Eve had enough. They had to break through this wall of fear and suspicion. “Show her, Newell.” She took his arm and pulled him to stand before Beth. She jerked open his shirt and pulled it aside to reveal the bandages. “That’s how Drogan managed to take his phone. Do you want me to take off the bandages and let you see the wounds? They’re not pretty. Drogan wanted to inflict the maximum amount of pain. But Newell didn’t tell him anything about you. Drogan located you through the cell phone.”
“Billy?” Beth whispered. Her gaze was focused on the bandages, then lifted to the jagged stitches on his throat, where he’d torn off the bandages earlier. She flinched and reached out to touch the wound on the side of his neck. “He … hurt you.”
“Yeah. Now will you put down the gun?”
“I’ll take it.” Eve reached out and her hand closed on the barrel of the gun. “Now let’s talk reasonably and—”
Her head snapped back as Beth’s fist connected with her jaw.
Pain.
Darkness.
“Beth!” Newell grabbed Beth and pulled her back. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Tell her to keep her hands off me.” Beth pulled away from him, her hand tight on the gun, her voice fierce as she glared at Eve. “I don’t know her. I guess I can still trust you, but I don’t trust her. There’s no way I want her here. Why did you bring her? Who the hell is she?”
“I told you,” Newell said. “Eve Duncan. She’s not going to hurt—”
“I’m your sister,” Eve said baldly. “And I don’t want to be here any more than you want me. But I have no choice. Therefore, you have no choice.” She rubbed her jaw. “And if you ever do that again, I’ll deck you. You won’t catch me off guard again.”
“Sister,” Beth repeated blankly. “I don’t have a sister.”
“How do you know? I didn’t. It appears that our relationship wasn’t important to anyone in either of our lives.” She turned away. “Until now. Now take us someplace where it’s safe to turn on a light without its being seen from outside. I’m sure you must have checked that out since you’ve been here. Which room?”
She didn’t answer for a moment. “The library. Heavy velvet drapes on all the windows. As long as the light wasn’t too strong, it didn’t show around the edge. I went outside just to be sure and checked it when I was watching TV and reading.” She pushed past them and led the way down the hall. “I’m not doing this because you’re telling me to do it. I just want Billy to have a chance to sit down and rest. He’s paler than I’ve ever seen him.”
“I’ll accept that my wishes aren’t of importance to you,” Eve said. “And I don’t give a damn. I just want to keep my promise and have this over.” She followed Beth as she opened a tall, mahogany door and entered a large room lined with bookshelves. “Sit down, Newell. She’s right, you’re not looking so good.” She moved toward a desk in the center of the room. “You don’t want to end up back in the hospital.”
“No, I don’t.” He dropped down in a leather easy chair. “And you might not help to spring me next time. After all, you’ve got what you want from me.”
“I’m not that callous.” Eve leaned forward and turned on the desk light. The library was suddenly flooded with soft light. “And I wouldn’t want to set you up for Pierce. I’ve taken a great dislike for him.”
“Not callous, tough.” Newell turned to Beth, who was still in the shadows outside the pool of light. “Will you put that gun down now? Eve’s not going to attack you.”
“I couldn’t be sure.” She came forward to put the revolver on the desk. “She could have been fooling you.”
“And I told you not to trust anyone.” He made a face. “It was a good idea, but I’m beginning to rue the day I said it.”
“You shouldn’t,” Beth said as she came toward him. “It’s as