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“Good enough. Lord MacDuff gave Caleb a call and told him that Jane MacGuire, a woman Caleb was involved with at the time, might be a suspect. He dropped everything and was driving up to MacDuff’s estate in a matter of hours.” He tapped his finger on the photograph. “You can see why. Jane MacGuire. I wouldn’t kick her out of bed. Even if it turns out they’re no longer an item, it would be a weapon, wouldn’t it?”
“It might be. It wouldn’t be for me. A woman is just a woman. How fast can we get hold of her?”
“I’m checking on it. She’s an artist and lives in London. I’ve sent a man to track her down. In the meantime, I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to take a trip to MacDuff’s estate and see if I can find out what his connection is to Caleb. There’s a chance you might be able to use him. Caleb might not give a damn about those other agents we’ve been taking down.” He shrugged. “But he might pay attention if we hit him on a more personal level. MacDuff is supposed to be his friend. How do you think he’d react if we sent him MacDuff’s head? It might be just the goad we need to draw him out.”
“From what I’ve heard about Caleb he doesn’t need much goading,” Bohdan said dryly. “We just have to find the son of a bitch before he finds us.” He looked down at the photo again. “Though there’s something about breaking a woman that has an effect on some men. I’ve decided it has to do with the softness of their flesh and the way it reacts to pain. It could possibly bring up a sexual memory that confuses them.” His index finger moved across Jane’s face in the photo almost caressingly. “I’ve done a little experimenting with some of the whores here and it was interesting. I felt nothing, but it appeared to bother some of the other clients.”
But then Bohdan seldom felt anything, Chiswick thought. He was the coldest asshole on the face of the earth. He’d seen him torture one of his officers who had displeased him for three days in the square in the center of the city. He’d even offered a bonus to the man in the company who could come up with the most innovative way to inflict pain on the poor bastard. Chiswick couldn’t understand it. Torture had always been a means to an end to him. You did it to get what you wanted and then you disposed of the victim and walked away. Anything else was a waste of time. But of course, he’d never let Bohdan know how he felt. In Bohdan’s army there were no opinions except Bohdan’s. It wasn’t safe. “So do I go and see what I can find out in Scotland?”
“Try London first. The woman looks more promising.”
And he probably wanted to do more experimenting, Chiswick thought cynically. “Whatever you say.” He headed for the door. “I’ll have answers for you by tomorrow.”
***
MacDuff’s Run
Next Day
“I need you down here,” MacDuff said impatiently. “Right now, Jane. Drop whatever you’re doing and come and handle this package Caleb sent to make my life more difficult.”
“What package?”
“Sean Rodland. Don’t tell me he’s a surprise to you, too.”
“Not exactly. Caleb told me Palik was sending someone and that he was very efficient. But I can’t believe that you’d need help to handle anyone. What’s the problem?”
“I’m trying to decide whether to drown him or just throw him in the dungeon,” he said silkily. “But if you don’t come down and save him, I might call Caleb and tell him I’m going to send him gift-wrapped to Bohdan, and he can go after him.”
“I’ll be right down.” She cut the connection and was out of her room and running down the stairs. What the hell had Caleb done to her? She didn’t need problems with MacDuff after the sleepless night she’d just had.
MacDuff met her at the foot of the staircase. “That’s what I appreciate, cooperation and someone to realize who is presiding over things here at the Run. Evidently, Rodland has no conception of my position in the scheme of things.” He gestured to the man following him down the hall. “Sean Rodland. Jane MacGuire. Rodland was sent by Palik and strolled down here from the hills bold as brass to pay you a visit.” His lips tightened. “Though I don’t know how the hell he got on the property. I was about to ask him and tell him that no one sees you without going through me first. Perhaps you can explain it to him, Jane. You know what a reasonable, peaceful man I am.”
“When you get your own way.” She glanced at Rodland and then did a double take. He was possibly the most alive and intense individual she had ever seen. Lean and muscular, blue eyes, dark hair, cut close to keep from curling, and a lazy smile that was both warm and appealing. In spite of her irritation, she found herself smiling back. “You’re Sean Rodland? What did you do to MacDuff? I won’t have you being rude to him.”
Rodland shook his head. “I wouldn’t think of being rude to His Lordship, Ms. MacGuire.” He had a decided Irish accent. “He must have misunderstood.” He added solemnly, “But I had my orders, and I don’t deviate. I thought it only fair to advise him so that he could make adjustments.”
“Icould make adjustments,” MacDuff repeated. “Did you hear that? I was generously telling him what role I might be able to give him in protecting the Run, and he wasn’t having any of it.”
“I have my orders,” Rodland repeated quietly. “Naturally I’ll be glad to help out if it doesn’t get in the way, but it can’t interfere.”
“Did it occur to you that I’m the one who gives the orders here?” MacDuff asked. “And no one makes a move without them. What would you do then?”
“Find a way,” he said gently. “I’m very good at that. And I want you to know I’d do it with all courtesy, sir.”
“What a relief,” MacDuff said sarcastically. “I’d hate the idea that you’d be rude as well as—” He abruptly stopped in exasperation. Then he started to laugh. “I think I’ve decided on the dungeon, Jane.”
“You might ask what his orders are first.” Jane was gazing at Rodland appraisingly. She was beginning to get an idea. “And he wasn’t really rude to you. Occasionally it’s good for you to have someone who won’t kowtow to you.”
“I beg your pardon?” He turned back to Rodland. “So okay, what were your orders?”
“To take care of Jane MacGuire,” Rodland replied. “Nothing must happen to her while she’s on my watch.” He smiled at Jane. “And it won’t. I guarantee it. But I can’t have my attention drawn anywhere else or I’ll hear from Palik. He gave me strict orders that I was to obey no one but her.” He made a face. “Which is most unusual for Palik. But he was on edge, and I owe him big time. I wasn’t about to argue.”
“Except with me,” MacDuff said sourly. “And I evidently don’t count if Seth Caleb is on the scene. I take it Palik’s nerves were due to Caleb?”
“I wouldn’t know, sir,” Rodland said. “I suppose it could be considering that Caleb is a valuable client. But Palik doesn’t confide in me.”
“Or anyone else.” He glanced at Jane. “Is this all right with you?”
