Raintree: Sanctuary (Raintree 3)

“I’m sorry I questioned your decision. If Sidra says the child must be protected, then we must protect her.”

“Use whatever means necessary to keep Cael under surveillance. And it doesn’t matter if he knows he’s being watched. In fact, all the better if he does.”

The door to Judah’s bedroom swung open, and Eve sailed in, like a little morning sunbeam, bright and cheerful.

“Good morning, Daddy.”

Crap! Judah slept in the nude; so here he was sitting on the side of the bed stark naked. Holding the cell phone to his ear with one hand, he grabbed the top sheet with his other and yanked it up and over, covering himself properly from waist to knees.

“Who are you talking to on the phone?” Eve bounced up on the bed and smiled at him.

He clutched the top sheet, holding it in place as she scooted closer. “Let me call you back,” he told Claude.

“Don’t hang up,” Eve said. “I want to say hello to your friend.”

Judah shook his head, then asked, “Where’s your mother?”

Ignoring his question, Eve pulled herself up on her knees and reached for the cell phone. Judah gave her a stern look. She hesitated, then called loudly, “Hello, Claude. I’m Eve.”

Claude chuckled. “Having a discipline problem?

“She’s quite the little psychic, isn’t she, to have intuitively known my name,” Claude said.

“I want to talk to Claude.” Eve reached for the phone.

“My daughter’s talents are quite impressive,” Judah admitted. “Look, just say hello to her, will you?” He handed the phone to Eve.

She smiled. “Thank you, Daddy.” She put the phone to her ear and said, “Hi there. You’re calling from far away, aren’t you?”

Judah telepathically tuned in to the conversation.

“Yes, I am,” Claude replied “How did you know?”

“I know things. I have lots of powers, but my mother won’t let me use most of them ’cause I can’t always make them mind me.” Eve lowered her voice to a whisper. “Just like I don’t always mind her.”

She giggled. Claude chuckled.

“I once knew a little boy like you. He possessed great power, but when he was your age, he couldn’t control his powers any more than his father could control him.”

Eve giggled again. “That was my daddy, wasn’t it?” She looked at Judah with pure adoration in her eyes.

Damn those green Raintree eyes!

So like Mercy’s.

“Say goodbye to Cousin Claude,” Judah said.

“Goodbye, Cousin Claude. I’ll see you very soon.”

She handed Judah the phone, then snuggled up against him as he held the sheet in place over his lower body and put in a telepathic SOS to Mercy.

“Your little Eve is quite a charmer,” Claude said to Judah. “Like father, like daughter, huh?”

“Could be.”

“Why does she think she’ll see me very soon?” Claude asked. “Have you told her that you’re bringing her to Terrebonne?”

“No. The subject hasn’t come up.”