“Too far. I should own stock in FedEx. There was a backlog from half the forensic police departments around the country waiting for me when we pulled up to the cottage. Everything that we did when we were overseas had worth and I’d do it again, but these victims need me, too.” She added brusquely, “But I’ll catch up, and I told Michael we’ll take a family vacation to Colorado and go up to the cabin in the mountains we bought before we left. It’s beautiful scenery and Michael loves to look at the stars.” She paused. “Still, there’s no place more beautiful than MacDuff’s Run. Are you enjoying your stay there? How is MacDuff?”

“As usual.”

After a moment: “And Caleb?”

“As usual.”

“Uh-oh. I don’t like that.” Eve dropped down into her office chair. “That’s not good enough. There’s never anything ‘usual’ about Caleb. Joe and I were very grateful when he volunteered to watch over Michael while we were tied up in Azerbaijan. We couldn’t feel any safer than having you and Caleb to protect him.” Her gaze searched Jane’s face. “So what the hell is wrong? Don’t give me that ‘usual’ bull. Everyone knows that MI6 uses Caleb whenever he’ll let them. Joe said that even the intelligence chief is intimidated by him.” She added wryly, “Which is dangerous in itself. You can never tell when they might find him inconvenient to have around. Particularly if they know about that family trait that makes most of them uncomfortable. Do they?”

“Of course, they do,” Jane said impatiently. “It’s not something that he could keep hidden even if he wanted to. Not working with MI6. They accept it. Why shouldn’t they? It’s just a physical skill that has run through Caleb’s family for generations that allows them to be able to control the blood flow of anyone close to them. Hospitals even call on Caleb when they have patients that are having problems.”

“But that’s not why MI6 values him,” Eve said quietly. “It’s because they realize that his blood skill can kill as well as heal. Joe says they call him the Hunter.” She held up her hand. “Don’t say anything. Caleb has helped us too many times for us to condemn anything that he’s done. If he’s a hunter, then we know it’s the bad guys he’s hunting. I just wanted to be sure that he’s not in any trouble.”

“Caleb is never in trouble,” Jane said. “He always comes out on top.”

Eve just looked at her.