The Survivor (Eve Duncan #30)

She shook her head. “You’ll change your mind. I think it’s necessary we be good friends.” As she headed for the door, she glanced over her shoulder and her face lit with possibly the most beautiful and charismatic smile Kirby had ever seen. “Now, don’t you think you should stop complaining and do what you came here to do?”

CHAPTER 4

LAKE COTTAGE

9:40 A.M.

Riley and Cade were having coffee on the sunporch the next day when he received a call from Kirby. “We’re approaching Nassau and I have to stop for fuel,” Kirby told him. “After takeoff I’m estimating arrival in Atlanta in about two hours. Will it be safe for Maya?”

“No problem. Loring’s crew are proving very efficient. I’m trusting Riley and Eve Duncan with them.”

“Well, you won’t have to include Maya in any calculations for long,” Kirby said flatly. “She’s already told me she can’t waste more than twenty-four hours checking on Riley before she starts back for her island.”

“I’m sorry she regards it as a waste of her time,” Cade said caustically. “Particularly since Riley would never have been injured if Maya Fallon hadn’t contacted her. Too bad. I won’t let you take her back until we’re finished with her.”

“I’m not sure that will make much difference,” Kirby said quietly. “Though it may delay her a little. She’ll find a way to do what she wants to do.” He paused. “And I could tell she realized she put Riley at risk or she would never have left Palandan Island. It was a big deal to her and those people on the island when she decided she had to come.”

“Really?” Cade said. “That wasn’t the impression you gave me when you called me before you left the island. You were more than a little annoyed with her.”

“I wasn’t getting my way,” he said. “And Maya was acting like a general commanding her troops when I wanted to get out of there.” He suddenly chuckled. “And I didn’t like being ignored. No one gave a damn what I said as long as Maya was busy issuing orders to everyone on the island. But she was much easier to deal with when she changed her persona from Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll when we boarded the plane. She told me that it would be better if we were good friends, then set out to prove it to me.”

“And did she do it?”

He didn’t answer for an instant. “Yeah, I think she did. She’s exceptionally complicated. I found her to be sharp, able to make decisions in a heartbeat, able to handle those villagers faultlessly. Yet she changed in the blink of an eye when she decided that we had to become buddies. She was amusing, inquisitive, and totally charismatic. By the time we were halfway here, she had me.”

“You?” Cade echoed skeptically. “That’s hard to believe.”

“Why? I may be a cynic, but I recognize honesty when I see it. She’s… genuine. I couldn’t help but like her.”

“Riley agrees with you,” Cade said mockingly as he met Riley’s gaze across the porch. “But you’ll pardon me if I judge for myself. I don’t like the fact that Maya obviously wanted to use her.”

“If she did, she wouldn’t have tried to trick her into it. Everything would have been clean and aboveboard.” Kirby chuckled again. “But while you’re being suspicious, you might as well include yourself in the equation. I told you that Maya was inquisitive. Quite a few of her questions were about you.”

“And you obliged her?”

“I didn’t see why not. The questions were bold and principally aimed at getting to know how you think and react. I decided that we all need a little help analyzing you now and then. It will be interesting seeing if she manages to manipulate you.”

“Are you taking bets?”

“I’m thinking about it,” Kirby said. “I’ll make up my mind before I get to Atlanta. I’ll switch to a helicopter once I land at the airport and I’ll see you at that Lake Cottage in a few hours, Cade.” He cut the connection.

Cade turned to Riley. “You heard him. Another few hours.”

She nodded. “And he was right about Maya. If she was trying to use me, she’d make sure to do it in a way that wouldn’t hurt me.”

“She’s already hurt you,” Cade said curtly. “And I’ll tell her that when she gets here.”

She shook her head. “She saved both my father’s and my life. She’s come halfway around the world to see me, and I don’t want you to do that. You’ll be charming and courteous, and we’ll listen to what she says… and maybe try to help her.”

He didn’t speak for a moment. “We’ll listen to her.”

She made a face. “You’re impossible. It’s not like you to be so hardheaded. Even Kirby could see that Maya is exceptional.”

“Which only means that she could be more dangerous than I thought. Kirby isn’t easily fooled, and a woman that persuasive might be an expert con artist.”

“Cade.”

“Okay.” He suddenly smiled and then was across the porch and taking her in his arms. “I’ll try not to be rude to her.” He kissed her. “I can’t promise I’ll be warm and welcoming. I’m still mad as hell that she was the reason you ended up in that hospital.” He kissed her again. “And I don’t like the fact that we’re stuck here waiting for her and constantly surrounded. I’m always trying to forget that I haven’t been able to make love to you for nearly a week.”