Page 10 of The Search

She punched the button for the second message.

“It’s Eve, Sarah. We’ve finally got it. It’s confirmed. We’ll wait for you. Please come right away.” Eve hung up.

So much for rest, she thought resignedly. She would never phone Eve to ask her to wait a day or two. Eve had waited too long already. “Looks like we have another plane trip tomorrow, Monty. We have to go see Eve in Atlanta.”

2

“I’m here,” Logan said as soon as Eve picked up the phone. “I’ve checked in at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead.”

“Thanks for coming, Logan. I wasn’t sure you would.”

“I always told you I’d come when you called.” He hesitated before asking, “How’s Quinn?”

“Wonderful. He’s very good to me.”

“That’s no great chore. Who could help it? I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“You could come to the cottage tonight.”

“No, I’m here to support you, not irritate Quinn. Take care of yourself.” He hung up.

She had sounded calm and there was a ring of truth in her words when she spoke about Joe Quinn. It was clear all was going well in that quarter. Was he disappointed? It surprised him that he felt a tinge of regret but no pain. Well, you got over everything in time, and he had never really felt that Eve belonged to him even when they were living together. Their bond had been fragile, and Quinn had no trouble barging in and—

His phone rang.

Margaret?

“Hello, Logan, it’s been a long time.”

Logan’s hand tightened on the receiver. “Hello, Rudzak.”

“You don’t sound surprised to hear from me.”

“Why should I be surprised? I knew it was only a matter of time.”

“You don’t know the meaning of time. Neither did I until I lived in that hell you threw me into. It was like being buried alive. Every minute was a decade. Did you know my hair turned white in that prison? I’m younger than you and I look twenty years older.”

“How do you know how I look?”

“Oh, I’ve kept tabs on you. I saw you once on the street and several times on television in the last two years. You’ve done well for yourself. You’re a very big man.”

“Where’s Bassett?”

“I don’t want to talk about Bassett. I want to talk about you . . . and me. I’ve waited a long time for this moment, and I’m savoring it.”

“I’m not. Talk about Bassett or I’ll hang up.”

“No, you won’t. You’ll stay on the line as long as I want to talk to you because you’re afraid of what will happen to Bassett if you don’t. You haven’t changed. You still have that streak of softness. I’m glad you’re not completely hard. It’s going to make it easier for me.”

“Is Bassett alive?”

“At present. Do you believe me?”

“No, I want to hear his voice.”

“Not now. Bassett is such a small part of what’s between us. Did you know the first thing I did after I got out of prison was visit Chen Li’s grave?”

“This isn’t about Chen Li. This is about Bassett.”