“I have to get back to the bar. It’s in your hands.” Without a single word for Joey, Maggie turned and left them, dodging a slow-moving truck with a swing of her hips.
Joey stared after her. With a soft sigh, Collier took her arm and steered her away from the street. “She’s very worried about you, you know.”
“I know,” Joey muttered. Belated guilt rose in her, quickly suppressed. “And when this is all over, I’ll explain everything to her. She’s been a good friend.”
They were silent as they walked the few short blocks to Collier’s office. He greeted the assistant who served as both receptionist and nurse and pulled Joey into his study. Like him, it was comfortable and pleasantly mellow with age, lined with books and neat but just a little dusty. He sat her down in a worn leather armchair opposite his desk and studied a row of oversized folios stacked on a corner table, selecting one with a nod.
As he set the volume on the desk between them, he paused to look at Joey with a grave and measured concern. “Joey, you don’t need to tell me it’s none of my business. I know perfectly well it isn’t. But, like Maggie, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Controlling the urge to grab the folio from his hands, Joey kept her tone level. “I could ask a lot of questions about why you seem to be so sure I’m in some kind of danger. And what was going on between you and Luke during dinner Thursday night.” The flicker of surprise on his face told her she had scored a hit.
“But I don’t have the time to indulge in questions, Allan. I’m too close ” She leaned forward. “Only one thing matters to me right now. Will you help me?”
Collier dropped his eyes in answer and busied himself with the unwieldy pages of the book, flipping over detailed sections of map laid out in colors of earth, water, and forest. At last he paused, muttered to himself, and flattened the page before him.
“Here. This is Lukes land.” His gesture encompassed a broad expanse that covered most of the page, dotted with the azure of streams, bordered on one side by a ridge of mountains, and on another, the side closest to town, by a large lake. “He’s one of the biggest landowners in this area. Most of it is untouched wilderness.”
Joey reached out to touch the page. So much land? Maggie had hinted about it before, but it was only one of many things she still did not know about Luke Gévaudan.
As if he had read her thoughts, Collier’s hand settled over hers “Joey—what do you really know about Luke?” The pressure of his fingers refused to let her dodge the question, and for once she had to acknowledge his very real concern.
She sighed. “I know what I need to know.” She met his eyes and tilted her chin and did not look away, willing him to understand.
His hand lifted from hers. “Joey, Joey There are things you should know, so much I should tell you. He stopped himself and shook his head wearily. “But I know when I’m licked. Now pay attention.” At once he became brisk and businesslike, explaining the best route to Luke’s land, pointing out landmarks that would guide her to where his cabin lay on the far side of the lake. He disappeared for a moment and came back with a photocopied duplicate of the map, which he proceeded to mark with a red pen accompanied by indecipherable notes.
When he had finished, Joey took the folded map and smiled at the doctor with gratitude she had no need to feign.
“Thank you, Allan. Thanks for your help—and your concern. When this is over, I’ll buy you a big dinner at the lodge.” His expression was so glum that she weakened and reached out again to squeeze his hand. “Don’t worry about me, Allan. I’ll take care of myself. I always have.” She turned away before emotion could weaken her resolve.
“Joey”
Her grip tightened on the doorknob, but she did not turn at his voice.