Hide Away by Iris Johansen

heading.”
    â€œThere’s no other way to go. We both agreed that it would be both dangerous and cruel to submit Cara to what she’d go through if she had to be shipped back there. We’ll keep her with us until we can work something out.”
    â€œThat’s short-term; if it goes long-term, we’d have to deal with a girl who is quite possibly going to turn out a prodigy. That could be a headache for people as busy as we are. Are you prepared for that?”
    â€œNo, I’m not prepared for anything. How could I be? We don’t even know if she’d want to stay with us. All she knows is that she had a dream about Jenny, and she wanted her to stay with me.”
    â€œA dream? She didn’t actually see Jenny as you’ve been doing?”
    She shook her head. “If she did, she prefers to think of it as a dream. Kids these days are bombarded by television shows about ghosts and supernatural stuff. I’m sure that Cara thinks that Jenny’s coming to her is like one of those stories, only more real.”
    â€œMaybe. Did you tell her that Jenny actually appeared to you?”
    â€œNo. The last thing I want is to encourage the fantasy. She needs to face the real world and get on with her life. She’s gone through enough tragedy.” She paused. “The violin was a master stroke, Joe.”
    â€œWe promised it to her.”
    â€œAnd you fulfilled the promise.” She moved closer to him. “We have another problem. Jane called me while you were gone.”
    â€œWhy is that a problem?”
    â€œBecause Margaret got in touch with her and filled her in on what was going on.”
    â€œYes, that makes it a problem. Reaction?”
    â€œWhat do you think? She was upset. She pulled the family card.”
    â€œUh-oh. And that means?”
    â€œUltimatum. One way or another, she’s going to be with us. She’ll either come here, or we’ll go there.”
    â€œLondon?”
    â€œNo, Edinburgh. And then the Highlands. She’s going on that treasure hunt for Cira’s gold that MacDuff has been nagging her about. Remember? I told you she might when she left here.”
    â€œThe Highlands … wild country. Who’s going with her? MacDuff and who else?”
    â€œJock Gavin. You know how close he and MacDuff are. Jock grew up in MacDuff’s castle, and they’re like brothers. She said that Seth Caleb was not coming, but I imagine he’ll show up whether she likes it or not. I don’t know who else.”
    â€œQuite an entourage…”
    â€œWhy are you so interested?”
    â€œShe offered us an ultimatum. I’m exploring the possibilities.”
    â€œWe need to get her to stay out of this.”
    â€œYes. What do you think the odds are?”
    Eve sighed. “She gave us until tomorrow.”
    â€œThen we’ll have to think about it.” He paused. “I heard from Manez. He identified the kid who accosted Cara at the hospital. Ramon Franco, nineteen, a very ugly customer who very likely killed his own parents and certainly murdered fourteen other people. He works for Salazar.”
    â€œYou thought that he did,” she said. “That means that they’re moving very close to Cara.”
    â€œAnd to you. Salazar regards you as a problem he has to remove, or he wouldn’t have given Walsh the order to kill you when you were hunting for Cara.”
    â€œBut it’s Cara who is the important one.”
    â€œThe hell it is.” Joe’s voice was suddenly rough. “ You’re the important one.” He was on one elbow looking down at her. “I’ll do my damnedest to save Cara, but you have to live. So stop talking bullshit. I’m barely holding on by a thread right now.”
    She could see that as she looked up at him. His jaw was tight, and a muscle was jerking in his cheek. “Okay. I only meant a child is always more