Free Night and Day by Iris Johansen Page A

closes me out.”
    â€œI’m sure that they didn’t mean to do that. Your father seems to love you very much.”
    â€œOf course he does. I make sure of that. And every move that Alex made, I was able to block him. Except for that damn music. I knew I had to do something.” She drew a deep breath. “But that’s all over now. My father hardly remembers him any longer except when something happens as it did today.”
    I knew I had to do something.
    What had she done to make sure that Alex would not take any of her father’s attention?
    Cara was beginning to believe that she knew.
    â€œThen I guess you don’t want me to play for him tonight?”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter whether I want it or not. Since he’s found out that you play, you’ll have to do it.” She shrugged. “And I may be able to use it. I’ll have to see.” They had reached the gatehouse, and she turned to face Cara. “But I want you to know that you’ll not use it against me. I won’t permit it. The minute you do, I’ll take whatever you value away from you.”
    Eve. She no longer had to even threaten. Cara knew the threat was there. “I didn’t even know how your father felt about the music. How could I be planning to use it?”
    â€œYou’re my daughter.” She opened the door. “There’s something you inherited besides that damn music. Do you think I can’t see it? Just don’t think you’ll be better at it than me.”
    She meant that Cara was like her. It had never occurred to her while she had been watching, studying her mother, to find ways to get away, to help Eve. But if the music, the wonder, could be inherited, maybe she was right. Maybe the evil that she was beginning to sense in her mother could also be part of Cara.
    And could the music survive if that turned out to be so?
    Please God, let it not be true.
    LOCH GAELKAR
    â€œNo, I won’t make a statement,” Jane firmly told the young police detective who had come down the slope to question her. “I don’t know what happened or why there were IEDs on that road, Detective Hastings. Perhaps it was terrorists. It sounds like it, doesn’t it? The Laird is such a powerful man, and terrorists would love to take him down. Remember how Prince Harry had to be protected when he was in Afghanistan? I was so glad when he got out of there safely. And I believe that one of the Laird’s caretakers said that he saw a couple foreign-looking men wandering around the property. Of course, we wouldn’t want to profile anyone, would we?”
    â€œYou appear to know more than you claim you do. Why not make a statement, and we’ll see if something else comes to the forefront?”
    â€œI’m just a member of the Laird’s hunting expedition. Talk to him. I wouldn’t want to step on his toes.” She looked him in the eye. “Would you?”
    The young man looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I see your point. But my superiors want answers, and I’m supposed to bring—”
    â€œThen tell your superiors to come out and question MacDuff themselves. I’ve just received a call from him telling me that he’s leaving the hospital and coming back to the camp. You won’t want to disturb him today, but tomorrow might be okay.” She added quickly, “But, of course, no one speaks for the Laird. You’ll have to call him.”
    â€œI’ll tell my captain to do that.” Now that he had an out, he was eager to pass the buck. “MacDuff will probably be happier talking to him. Good day, Ms. MacGuire.” He was quickly moving up the slope. “Thank you.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” Seth Caleb murmured from behind Jane. “Well done. He didn’t even know he’d been handled, Jane.”
    â€œI just wanted to be rid of him. He was only doing his job.” Jane turned to face him.