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on the same land mass I am. Don t ask me how I know, I just do. Does that help?
Damien turned to Jacob.  When you were researching Elsbeth Cummings, did she
own any homes in Northwest America or Canada?
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 No. Nothing listed, anyway, Jacob said.
Damien looked troubled.  He must have found a different money supply. If he
even approached one of our safe houses, we would know. We will head to Portland,
Oregon. That is in the center of our search area.
 Why don t we fly? Eleanor asked.  We could be there in a few hours.
Jacob smiled and looked at his feet. Damien turned to Eleanor, indignant.  I do not
fly, he said.
The Hummer passed another Wall Drug sign. Clever gimmick, he thought. He felt
uneasy. Ever since Damien had agreed to answer Eleanor s questions, he d been
worried about her reaction. What would she think of him after she knew? Would she
turn away in disgust, as others had? Maybe that would be best.
Being this close to Eleanor was a slow torture for Jacob. When he d first seen her, he
wanted to gather her up in his arms and comfort her. She d looked so tired and used
up. It was their fault she had suffered. No, his fault. The few times he d been able to
check on the Hennen family, his attention had been focused on Alice. He d made every
effort not to see Eleanor. The one time he did see her running from her car to the
house in the rain had affected him so much he did not want to repeat the experience.
That one glimpse of her had evoked such a longing for her and a resentment of the
current situation that made it impossible for them to be together, he d been depressed
for days afterward.
When he thought of what she d been through these past months, he wanted to kill
Constantine. It was not their way. He knew that. The oath he took when he became
Damien s partner was clear.  I will not kill, he d sworn. But when he thought of Con
touching Eleanor s creamy skin, kissing those sweet lips, or worse, hurting her he
gripped the steering wheel so hard it started to bend. Death was too good for him.
Maybe he could keep his oath after all. There were worse things than dying.
 Damn. He pulled the Hummer sharply to the right. He d almost collided with the
car in the left lane. The startled driver laid on her horn and shot a lewd hand gesture his
way.
Balance, he told himself sternly. He knew better than to let his emotions rule his
actions. Taking deep calming breaths, he relaxed his hands on the wheel. What was
wrong with him? It had been years since he d had such a slip. Of all the partners, he
was the one who could be relied upon not to let human emotions cloud his judgment.
A loud female snore came from the backseat. Jacob smiled and felt a surge of
tenderness, another emotion he was unfamiliar with. Constantine wouldn t touch her
again. If it meant tying the woman up and sitting on her to keep her safe, she would just
have to accept it. Visions of Eleanor tied to bedposts flashed through his mind and he
felt himself harden. Groaning, he decided to take a break.
Jacob pulled off the freeway to get some fuel. Both he and the Hummer needed
replenishing. He pulled up to the pump-your-own station and got out to read the
instructions. Each gas station chain was a little different. Pull the handle, don t pull the
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handle, but push the button, pay inside before you pump, pay at the pump with a credit
card. All of them differed slightly. Jacob was always careful not to draw attention
because of ignorance. Keeping abreast of all the latest technology was what a good
partner did.
Computers and the Internet had been a challenge for him. They were such a marvel.
So much more than he had ever envisioned. He had trouble grasping the enormity of it
all. In the end, he d won out by using the same technique that had served him for so
long. Find your start point, find your end point and learn how to get from one to the
other. It seemed simple and naïve, but it worked for him. No matter how complicated
things seemed, if he broke it down and looked at it, he could master it. There was truth
in the old adage, the more things change the more they stay the same. Thank God for
that.
He hung up the gas pump and went into the station to pay and get some
sandwiches and coffee. He bought extra in case Eleanor woke up.
As he was getting back into the Hummer, he noticed a white van he d seen twice
before. Minnesota plates ending in 485. Jacob was not concerned yet. Lots of people
used this highway on their way to Mount Rushmore. He started the engine and headed
back to the interstate.
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Dyad Dreams
Chapter Fifteen
Eleanor slowly awoke. Her head rested on something hard. She squeezed it. It was
wet because she realized she had drooled all over it. Resisting the urge to sit up, she
stretched. It was so snug and warm. Something soft and heavy covered her. For the first
time in months she felt safe.
 I think our sleeping beauty is finally waking up. A hand stroked her hair.  Good
morning, Eleanor. Did you sleep well?
 Mmmmm, she said. She didn t feel like getting up yet. Maybe they would let her
sleep a while longer. As she opened her eyes a little, she saw a man s lap. Eleanor bolted
upright and then shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight pouring in the windows.
 How long have I been asleep? she asked.
 Almost twelve hours, Damien said. He smiled at her.  You slept through South
Dakota. You missed Mount Rushmore, although to be truthful, so did we. We passed by
it at three in the morning. The lights were on, but it is not the same, is it? I hate to miss
something like that. I always say, when you are passing by one of the wonders of the
world, you should at least slow down and take a look. Do you not agree?
 Damien, what are you talking about? Eleanor asked.
 You are not yet all with us. After such a deep sleep, you need time to wake up.
Take all the time you require. I would like to draw your attention to those beautiful
mountains over there. Are they not wondrous?
Eleanor turned to Jacob.  Is he always this cheerful in the morning?
Jacob looked at her in the rearview mirror.  I m afraid so. It takes some getting used
to. How do you feel?
 I feel groggy, but otherwise, great. I slept almost twelve hours and I don t
remember having a single dream. Thank you, Damien. You have no idea what a relief
that is. Could you do that for me every night?
 Yes, but I do not think it is wise. Constantine will sense me sooner or later and we
need to keep the link between you strong. It will be much easier to find him.
Eleanor sighed.  Well, thanks for last night anyway. She looked at the landscape
and something occurred to her.  It s daytime, she said, alarmed. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]