“I doubt if Drogan is going to be on the attack unless I get lucky and locate him. His objective is Beth right now. He won’t want to scare her off by slitting my throat.”
“That’s comforting,” Eve said as she started up the stairs. “That’s a pretty big ‘unless’ you just threw out. Good night, Beth, Newell.”
“Good night.” Beth’s voice was surprised. Then repeated, “Good night, Eve.”
“Why do you sound so startled?” Eve asked over her shoulder.
“They never said good night to me at the hospital. I guess they thought I was so hazy from the drugs that I wouldn’t understand it. Or maybe they didn’t really consider me a person. I guess I was just a job, or someone to—” She shook her head as she walked with Billy down the hall. “That sounds like whining again, and it’s not really important. It’s crazy that all the little things are bombarding me. They didn’t say good night…”
Those little things were bombarding Eve, too, she thought as she watched Beth walk away from her. And the bombardment of small slights and sharp pinpricks were causing the anger to begin to build within her. The loneliness, the neglect, the careless disregard of humanity. She wanted to strike out.
Get a grip. As Beth said, this was a small thing in the big picture. Think about those years of captivity and subjugation. Focus the anger on Pierce or that monster Drogan or the Avery family, who seemed to be standing in the shadows, directing the action.
Her hand tightened on Joe’s computer as she turned and started up the stairs.
Not for long.
We’re going to bring you bastards down.
* * *
“WILL YOU BE OKAY?” Beth asked as she opened the door of the maid’s bedroom. “Do you need me to do anything else, Billy?”
“Hell, no.” His lips indented at the corners with the faintest touch of amusement. “What would you do, undress me and put me to bed?”
“If that’s what you need.”
“It’s not what I need.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “I’m doing fine. Stop worrying. Tell her, Quinn.”
“He can take it from this point,” Joe said. “And you might damage his pride if you carry it any further. Marines tend to be a little touchy in that category.”
Beth frowned. “Marines?”
“You didn’t know Newell was in the Marines?”
“No, I didn’t know. He didn’t tell me.”
“It wasn’t important.” Newell gave her a little push and went into the bedroom. “I’ll see you in the morning. If you need me, come and get me. I’ll be fine after a couple hours’ sleep. Don’t you go too far away from the house, Quinn. She’s more important than taking down Drogan.” The door closed behind him.
Beth hesitated, staring at the panels of the door.
“He’ll be fine, Beth,” Joe said. “You can’t do anything more for him. Now go and get some rest yourself.” He turned toward the door. “But first, walk with me to the door and give me the security code so that I don’t have to disturb anyone when I need to come back in.”
“It wouldn’t disturb me.” She turned and walked beside him toward the front door. “I don’t sleep well anyway. Maybe I got too much rest during the last years.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that would have anything to do with it. You’ll probably straighten out once your body adjusts to the new rhythm.”
She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t seem to be tired, and that means I can do more.”
“More what?”
“Learning, absorbing,” She paused. “Living.” They had reached the door, and she swiftly punched in the security code. “It’s a sequence of eight numbers starting with two and—”
“Continuing with three, six, eleven, four, nine, fourteen, one.”
Her eyes widened. “You remember that from my entering it just one time?”
“No, I caught the last four numbers when you set the code when I came into the house. I only had to concentrate on the first four.”
“You have a good memory.”
“Training.” He smiled. “And concentration. Concentration is very valuable. Remind me to tell you someday about a lady who has recently reinforced just how valuable to both Eve and me.” He opened the door. “Set the security panel behind me. Good night, Beth.”
“I’ll be awake when you come back.” She moistened her lips. “I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Oh?” His expression was suddenly wary. “Is that right?”
She suddenly realized what he was thinking. “Eve told you? I didn’t think