“Did she?” Caleb’s voice was noncommittal. “I admit she’s having a few problems with me. But situations have a way of changing, don’t they? I drop in on her occasionally to remind her of that.” He turned away from the photograph. “And this situation has just had a radical change. It’s time I reminded her again.” He stared MacDuff in the eye. “Instead of worrying about a cult, we should wonder why that painting was taken. I understand that it had an intimate connection both to Jane and to your family. Did Fiona MacDuff really look exactly like her?”
“Yes.” His brows rose. “You’ve never seen it?”
“No. Jane has always been a little wary and had a tendency not to permit me too close to that part of her life. Though she did make the attempt at one time.” He smiled wryly. “So I can hardly blame her if I scared her off. But I admit I did want to see it. I called your agent last year and told him if the painting ever went on sale, I’d meet any price.”
“You wanted to own it?”
“It was Jane.” He shrugged. “Everything about her…interests me. Yes, I wanted to own it.”
And not only the painting, MacDuff thought. Caleb’s voice was cool, but the intensity in his expression was electrifying. “Past tense?”
“No, not past tense. When I get it back from those thieves for you, maybe you’ll be so grateful that you’ll be willing to sell it to me.” He gave one more glance at the photo over his shoulder as he headed down the hall toward the front entrance. “I’ll let you know about the cult. Keep me informed if you get any other information from the police. You won’t have to worry about Jane. I’ll take care of her.”
“I talked to her only this morning. Hadn’t you better ask me where she is?”
“No, I know where Jane is,” Caleb said. “I always know where she is.”
The front door slammed behind him.
* * *
Caleb was pulling out his phone and dialing his sister, Lisa Ridondo, the minute he got in his Range Rover.
He’d be lucky if she answered him, he thought. And if she did, she’d probably only do it to make him suffer. Well, let her get her pound of flesh. She deserved it. He’d been ignoring her calls and messages for the last few months and she’d been totally bewildered. She’d gone from not understanding, to hurt, to anger, to bitterness, and then back again. There wasn’t the slightest doubt she thought she’d been treated abominably.
And she was right, he thought wearily. And this conversation might not ease the pain he’d caused, nor the pain he’d felt himself.
Providing she even answered his call.
She picked up the call on the next ring. “You son of a bitch.” Her voice was shaking with anger. “What were you trying to do to me?”
“I told you that I would have to take steps if you didn’t make me that promise. It was necessary.”
“The hell it was. You cut me off. You’ve always been there for me. You’re my brother. Ever since I was a little kid, I always knew if I reached out you’d be there. You taught me everything I needed to know. Whatever went wrong, you’d make it right. Then you just…left me.”
“And now I’ve taught you the final lesson,” he said softly. “That it doesn’t go two ways. I could tell that you were going to try to step in and follow in my footsteps and practice a little control of your own. That wasn’t acceptable, Lisa.”
She was silent. “It is if I say it is. I’m not a child any longer, Caleb.”
“No, you’re a willful, intelligent, beautiful young woman who causes me no end of trouble. Do you think I liked not being able to contact you? I hoped that we might come to an understanding.”
“Because you knew how much it would hurt me when you did this.”
“Yes, you weren’t listening.”
“And you had to get your own way.”
“That was definitely high on the agenda.”
She was silent. “I hated you.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“You hurt me.”
“Yes. I knew I would.”
“All you had to do was just let me help you a little. You never let me give you anything. It’s not as if I do that kind of thing all the time. Would that have been so bad?”
“Extraordinarily bad. Because you like Jane very much, and you’ve told her you consider her your good friend. You would have been outraged if anyone had tried to do that to you.”
“Maybe not.”
“Lisa.”
“How do you know?” she said defiantly. “You haven’t seen me in almost a year. Of course, that wouldn’t have mattered if you’d just contacted me, dammit.”
“It mattered. But it’s not as if I didn’t know what you were doing. You were down in the Caribbean working with Margaret Douglas at Summer Island. Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes. It was interesting working with the dogs.” She was silent. “Okay, I might have felt guilty about Jane.” She rushed on, “But I might not. Because I do like her very much, but I love you, Caleb. It could have been worth it.”
“Past tense?
“Unless I change my mind.”
“Not good enough.”
“I promise,” she said grudgingly. “And that hurt, because I’m definitely the injured party here. I would never have done anything like that to you, Caleb.”
“No, because I am the son of a bitch you called me when you picked up my call,” he said wearily. “You’re lucky I haven’t hurt you before this.”
“Bullshit. You’d never really hurt me. I was just angry.” She added quickly, “But don’t do it again.”
“I’ll certainly try to restrain myself,” he said mockingly. “Now tell me if you’ve done anything that would intrigue me since you’ve been with Margaret. Met anyone new or interesting?”
“No.”
“Any side trips?”
“Jamaica.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d never been.” She paused. “Why are you asking me questions? You’re never one for chitchat.”
“But I’ve been without your chitchat for too long. Perhaps I missed it.”
“Perhaps,” she said slowly. “And why did you call me out of the blue when you let me go for weeks without a word?”
“Same answer.” Time to end the conversation. Lisa was getting too curious. “But I’ll be happier when you’re not island-hopping in the Caribbean. I’d prefer you to stay closer to me.”
“Then you’ll have to prove it by picking up the telephone or reaching out to me. You can’t have it all ways, Caleb.”
“I can try.” He chuckled. “I did miss you, Lisa. Think about abandoning the puppies at that clinic and coming to see me. I’ll call you next week.”
“You’d better.”
“Count on it.” He pressed DISCONNECT.
It was the truth. He had missed her terribly. But he would never have made the move to call her until he was sure she’d had enough time to realize that he had meant what he said. Lisa was emotional, passionate, and usually sure she knew what was best for everyone. It had been too dangerous to take a chance when she’d focused on Jane. He hadn’t been absolutely certain that this wasn’t still too soon. But he’d had to check on what she was doing and if there was anyone suspect in her life right now. Plus add a few words that might lure her back where he could keep an eye on her.