Free The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen Page A

Forget it. Probably nothing to worry about.”
    But Joe would worry, Diane thought. He always worried about Eve.
    He lay back down and pulled up the covers. “Go by and visit her mother tomorrow, will you?”
    “Sure.” She turned out the light and cuddled closer. “Whatever you say. Now go back to sleep.”
    “I will.”
    He wouldn't go back to sleep. He'd lie there in the darkness thinking and worrying about Eve. Smother the resentment. She had a good marriage. Joe had inherited enough money from his parents to give them a comfortable lifestyle even without his salary. He was thoughtful, generous, and great in bed. She'd known when she married him that he and Eve were a package deal. It hadn't taken her long to realize the bond between Joe and Eve was too strong to break. They were so close, sometimes they finished each other's sentences.
    But that bond wasn't sexual. Not yet. Maybe never. That part of him was still hers.
    So smother the envy and resentment. Be Eve's friend, be Joe's wife.
    Because she was bitterly aware she couldn't be one without being the other.
             
    “She called Joe Quinn thirty minutes ago.” Gil set a sheet of paper on the desk in front of Logan. “Here's a transcript Mark made of the conversation.”
    Logan smiled faintly as he glanced through the text. “I don't believe she trusts us, Gil.”
    “Smart lady.” Gil threw himself into the easy chair across the room and draped a leg over the arm. “Now, I'm not surprised she doesn't trust you. You're pretty transparent, but it takes someone ultraperceptive to suspect me.”
    “It's not your acting ability, it's those damn freckles.” He frowned. “I've been trying to contact Scott Maren in Jordan. Any calls?”
    “No calls.” Then he snapped his fingers. “Except from your lawyer, Novak.”
    “He can wait.”
    “Do you want Mark to foul up the connection if she tries to call again?”
    He shook his head. “She'd only use her digital. She still might if she knows the phone in her room is bugged.”
    “Whatever you say.” He paused. “When do we go for it?”
    “Soon.”
    He lifted a brow. “You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you?”
    “I have to make sure everything's right. Tim-wick's been too close on my tail.”
    “You can trust me, John.”
    “I said I'm waiting.”
    “All right, you closemouthed bastard.” Gil stood up and strolled toward the door. “But I don't like going in blind.”
    “You won't.”
    “I'll take that as a promise. Get some sleep.”
    “I will.”
    When the door closed behind Gil, Logan glanced down at the transcript again and then tossed it to one side. Joe Quinn. He couldn't afford to underestimate the detective. Eve had inspired intense loyalty in Quinn. Loyalty and friendship and what else? he wondered. Quinn was married, but that didn't matter.
    Hell, it wasn't any of his business if it didn't interfere with what he needed Eve to do. Besides, he had enough to worry about.
    Scott Maren was wandering around Jordan and might be taken down at any minute.
    Timwick might have seen through Logan and drawn conclusions. Those conclusions would frighten him enough to give the order to secure his position.
    Logan couldn't wait to get hold of Maren.
    He pulled out his personal phone book and flipped it open to the back page. There were only three names and telephone numbers on the page.
    Dora Bentz.
    James Cadro.
    Scott Maren.
    Bentz's and Cadro's telephones might be bugged, but he should still call and verify they were all right. Then he'd send someone to pick them up.
    He reached for the telephone and dialed the first phone number.
    Dora Bentz.
             
    The phone was ringing.
    Fiske finished tying the woman's legs to the bedposts and pushed her nightgown up above her waist.
    She was in her fifties, but she had damn nice legs. Too bad about that pouchy belly. She should have worked out, he thought. Situps would have taken care of that pouch. He did two hundred situps a