Page 24 of The Search

“I’m not quite the bastard you think me,” Logan said roughly. “Ask Eve. As you said, she trusts me.”

“She’s prejudiced. You were lovers. You probably behaved differently with her than you do with other people.”

“Yeah, I made a really big effort to treat her like a human being. It was a great strain on me.” He stood up. “I need to go and make some telephone calls. Why don’t you stretch out on the couch and try to sleep? We’re going to hit the ground running when we reach Santo Camaro.” He picked up the list on the table. “Is this all you need?”

“That’s it.”

“I’ll see that you get it,” he said, and strode down the aisle.

She had made him angry and his response had been uncharacteristically vulnerable. Maybe he wasn’t quite the steely man she had thought. But it didn’t matter how hard or soft he was as long as he could get Madden out of her life.

A life without the threat of Madden . . .

The thought brought an unbelievable surge of relief. For years she had lived without hope, and suddenly the possibility was there before her. Win or lose, Madden would be out of her life if she just did her job. Logan had given his word.

Monty whined softly and put his head on her knee, sensing her excitement.

“We’ve got a chance, boy,” she whispered. “If he’s not lying, we may be able to come out of this with something pretty good.”

Nice.

“He’s not nice, but it doesn’t matter if he keeps his word.”

Nice.

Stubborn dog. She got up and moved over to the couch. “Come on, we have to get some sleep. We want to be in top form and get through this fast and get home.”

Monty settled on the floor in front of the couch, but his gaze went to the back of the cabin, where Logan had disappeared.

Nice . . .

“Then you’ve got her?” Margaret asked after Logan had rattled off Sarah’s list to her. “I was hoping maybe you’d strike out.”

“I know you were. You made that pretty clear,” Logan said. “Find out everything you can about Todd Madden. I want a complete report.”

“How complete?”

“I want to know the name of every kid he mugged in kindergarten.”

“Oh, that kind of report. I gather we’re no longer playing on the same team with him?”

“He’s on the funding committee for ATF, but I don’t think that’s how he’s pulling Sarah Patrick’s strings. It’s something else.”

“You’ve got her. What difference does it make?”

“It makes a difference. Any messages?”

“Galen called from Bogotá. He said it’s not urgent, but he wants you to phone him.”

“As soon as I hang up. Did he mention any problems?”

“No, he said to tell you the team was in place.” She paused and then added grudgingly, “You know, I really like him.”

“And that surprises you? Oh, yes, it would. You’re not supposed to like men like Galen. It violates your code.”

“Yes, it does, but Galen is . . . different.”

“That’s indisputable. Nothing from Castleton?”