“Where?”
Mom was struggling against Emily. “What is happening? Why does she have a gun?”
“Please, Nance,” I said. “They’ve done nothing to you.”
She jerked her chin toward Tex. “That’s not enough?”
“It’s in a stuffed dog. Nathan Eddington’s little girl has it.”
Surprise rippled her face. “How do you know?”
“Morton told me the name. Rawly.”
“Rawly.” She repeated the word as if she’d never heard it. Hadn’t Wade and Harcroft told her? Or had they left her—the female—out of their inner circle?
“Hannah, you weren’t supposed to tell anybody about Raleigh.” Mom sounded indignant.
“Does anyone else know it’s there?” Nance asked.
“No. It doesn’t matter now anyway. It’s almost five.”
But I knew it did matter. This was no longer about tonight. It was about protecting Phase 2 and 3.
“Where does she live?” Nance asked.
What had I done? I could not have a gun turned on a five-year-old. “You can’t hurt her.”
“That’ll be up to you. Where does she live?”
I couldn’t tell her.
“Where?” She shook her gun.
“San Carlos.”
Calculations played across Nance’s face. For the first time it occurred to me I didn’t even know what town we were in.
“You know the address?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll go in my car. You.” She spoke to Emily. “Get up. And your grandmother.”
Emily didn’t move.
“You think you’re going to pull another stunt on me? Get up!”
Emily rose. “Come on, Grand.” She pulled my mother up. Mom swayed on her feet, blinking at Nance’s weapon. A slow stain of horror spread across her face. “Are you a Bad Person?”
Nance drew a shaky breath and turned her eyes once more on Tex. She swallowed hard. Then her jaw set. “Okay, let’s go.” At gunpoint, she marched us into the garage. Emily still limped. She would not let go of her grandmother.
A Ford SUV sat next to the gray van. “Whose van is that?” Nance asked.
I shook my head. “I thought it was Tex’s.”
How little she’d been told.
“You.” She pointed to me. “Drive. And you”—Emily—“sit in the front where I can watch you.”
“No.” Emily’s face whitened. “I need to take care of Grand.”
“Oh, I’ll take care of her just fine.” Nance’s mouth slid into a cold smile. “I’ve done it before.”
But you could never get her to tell you about Rawly, could you?
I locked gazes with her. “If you hurt my mother, I will wreck your car.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Get in.”
I backed out of the garage. Nance told me which way to go. I soon saw we were in San Mateo. Just ten minutes from my home. An eternity away.
In the car, we were quiet. Except for Mom, who asked Nance three more times if she was a Bad Person.
“No,” Nance finally answered, not an ounce of life in her voice. “I’m your friend.”
“Then why do you have a gun?”
We crossed into San Carlos. “You won’t need that weapon.” I glanced in the rearview mirror at Nance. “If you have your badge with you, all you’ll have to do is show it. They’ll let you in.”
“I’ll decide what I need.”
At the Eddington’s one-story house, Nance instructed me to pull into the driveway. No other cars were there. Surprising. No gathering of family?
We all piled out and headed for the front door. Nance kept the gun in her hand. Emily and I exchanged long glances. This was it, and we both knew it. Once Nance had the encryption key, why should she let any of us live?
“Whose house is this?” Mom gripped my hand. She looked haggard and ancient, fear in every movement.
I pulled her close. “It’s okay, Mom.”
Nance rapped hard on the door—a law enforcement knock. “Sheriff’s Department!”
The door opened quickly. Ashley Eddington, red-eyed and worn, blinked at the sight of four of us. Her gaze took in our clothes, as if seeking a uniform. Nance fished her badge from her pocket. “Plainclothes.”
Ashley focused on her. “How’d you get here so fast?”
What?
Her gaze shifted to me—and snagged there. She pulled her head back, shock, then anger flattening her expression. “You.”
I shook my head.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got her.” Nance gestured toward her gun. “Sorry to bring her to your house, but I just apprehended her, and there’s no time.”
Ashley stood rooted to the floor, one hand still on the knob. Hard breaths made her shoulders rise and fall. “Get her out of here! I’ll kill her!”
She rushed me.
I jumped to one side, trying to protect Mom. Ashley collided into my shoulder. Guttural cries spilled out of her. She pummeled my neck, my head. I threw up my arms. Emily yanked Ashley back. Nance yelled, “Hold it, hold it!”
Mom wailed.
Emily held Ashley fast. I melted toward the porch wall, palms up. “I didn’t kill your husband!”
“Shut up, shut up!” Nance jumped between us, fury flaming her cheeks. Everyone froze. “Get inside right now, all of you!”
Ashley jerked out of Emily’s grasp. “Put your gun away first. My daughter’s in the house.”
“And let them get away?” Nance glared at her.
Ashley backed down, tears in her eyes.
I reached for my mother. “Ashley, I didn’t kill—”
“Shut up.” Nance pushed me. “Get inside.”
I stumbled into the house, Mom in tow. She hit her foot on the threshold and cried out. Emily caught her before she fell.
Ashley snarled at me. “How could you do this to your mother?”
The words tore through me.
Nance slammed the door. We stood in a small living room, not far from a kitchen. The curtains were closed, the room dim. “Ashley,” Nance spoke quickly, with authority, “I need to look at your daughter’s stuffed dog, Rawly. No time to explain.”
“I already told you all there’s nothing there.”
Nance’s eyes narrowed. “Told who?”
“Sergeant Wade. He called.”
Emily and I exchanged a look. My daughter held her Grand protectively.
Surprise flicked across Nance’s face. “Let me see it anyway.”
Ashley shook her head. “Kate’s sleeping with it. Rawly’s her favorite toy. Her dad gave it to her.”
“I need it.” Nance bit off the words.
Ashley eyed her, disgust filling her face. “What kind of deputy are you?”
“She’s with the terrorists who killed your husband!” Emily spat the words.
Nance whirled on Emily. “You wanna die right here?” She grabbed Mom’s arm and jerked her away from Emily. Nance’s left arm wound around Mom’s chest, holding her tight. She jammed the gun into Mom’s temple.
The rest of us froze.
Mom’s eyes darted from me to Emily, her mouth open.
I brought up my hands. “Mom.” I spoke with a calm I didn’t have. “Don’t move.”
Nance held her fast. “Ashley. Get the toy.”
Ashley swallowed, her eyes round. “Who are you?”
“Get it, please.” My voice shook. “She’ll kill us all. Just like they killed your husband and Morton Leringer.”
I glanced at Emily. She shook with anger, fingers curling into her palms.
Ashley’s face whitened. “Don’t hurt my daughter.”
“I won’t,” Nance hissed, “if you get me the dog.”
Ashley turned on her h
eel and left the room. Her footsteps sounded against hardwood floor.
Nance dragged Mom back a few feet, her eyes on the two of us.
Mom’s breath came in spurts. Her wrinkled hands were around Nance’s arm, her toes pointed outward like a splayed doll. If my mother lived through this, what would it do to her fragile mind?
Rage bounced around inside of me. “Hang on, Mom. Just a minute longer.”
My mother’s eyes were wild. “She’s a Bad Person, isn’t she?”
Ashley returned, Rawly in her hand. “I already looked at it.” Her bitter words were aimed at Nance. “There’s nothing here.”
“Cut it open.”
“What? No!”
“Cut it open.”
“Mommy?” A child’s voice filtered from down the hall.
Ashley gasped. In an instant she spun, the dog dropped from her hands, and ran toward the sound.
“Stop!” Nance yelled.
A door slammed. Locked.
Ashley had left us to our fate.
For a second, Nance focused on the wall, mouth tight. I could sense the question in her mind—was there a phone in that little girl’s bedroom?
Not likely.
She turned a dark look on me. “Get the toy.”
I picked it up.
“Cut it open.”
“Let my mother go first.”
“Cut. It. Open!” Her arm tightened around Mom. My mother gave a stifled cry.
Forget my guilt about killing anyone—I would hurt this young woman. One wrong move on her part, and I’d be on her. No one could treat my mother like this.
“I’ll do it.” Emily grabbed the dog from me as if it deserved to die and stalked across the room, ignoring her hurt knee. She whirled back toward Nance, her eyes glassed with anger, neck taut. “When you get what you want—go. Leave my grandmother alone. The police want to arrest my mother anyway. And the world’s going dark tonight. You’ll be safe to do whatever evil things you want.” Emily stomped out of sight and into the kitchen. I heard a knife slide from a butcher block.
Outside a car door slammed.
Nance stiffened. “See who it is.”
No, not now. Maybe, maybe if Emily found the encryption key, Ashley would let us go. We could be so close to safety. I moved to the front curtain and nudged it back.
Sergeant Wade was sliding out of a sheriff’s department vehicle.
Chapter 53
Who is it?” Nance demanded.
My heartbeat stalled. How much did God expect of me on this never-ending day?
“Who?”
“Sergeant Wade.”
Fright crisscrossed Nance’s face. Had she leapt over the terrorists’ chain of authority in bringing us here?
“Don’t make a sound.” Nance kept the gun barrel against my mother’s temple.
The doorbell rang, followed by a hard knock.
Emily appeared from the kitchen, a large knife in her hands. She looked at me, wide-eyed.
Wade, I mouthed.
She drew back, her gaze flicking to her grandmother.
Another knock.
What must Ashley Eddington be thinking, trapped in the bedroom with her daughter?
A third knock. We all stood, transfixed. Nance just might let us go, save her own skin. Wade never would.
It fell quiet on the porch. Please go away.
Vague steps on the sidewalk. Did I hear muted voices?
Silence. Wade had left.
Air once more entered my lungs. Thank You, God.
Nance focused on Emily. “Bring the dog in here. Get it done.”
My daughter shot her a look to kill and disappeared once more.
I understood then. Since Ashley Eddington hadn’t let him inside, Wade could not let his cover be blown. Nance would take the heat. Who would believe our accusations against her? Or those of a grieving widow who couldn’t think straight?
Emily hurried back into the room and threw the dog on the table. She set down the knife, ripped off its red-and-white kerchief. Turned it all directions, examining it.
Nance watched, muscles tense. “Anything?”
“No.”
“Cut it.”
Emily snatched up the knife and plunged it into Rawly. Drew it down the length of his belly. In a frenzy she tore out stuffing, throwing it all around. I watched the knife divide and splice, knowing she wanted the toy to be Nance.
The dog’s fluffy stomach revealed no hidden paper.
“Keep going!” Nance’s face reddened.
Emily started on the limbs, cutting them off one by one. Nothing in the right leg. Or the left.
“Come on, come on.” I muttered the words under my breath, gaze jumping from the dog to my mother. Her eyes met mine, fear-filled and spent.
“What is she doing?” Mom’s voice ebbed. “Emily.”
She’s trying to save you. “Almost done, Mom. I promise.”
Emily moved to the toy’s arms. Off came the right one. She cut it down the middle, splayed it apart. Out came more stuffing.
Nothing.
Sweat beaded my daughter’s forehead.
She drove the knife deep into the left shoulder, separating the last arm. Pulled it to pieces. I could feel the heat coming off her, the will to find something. To stuff the piece of paper into Nance’s fingers and pull her grandmother into her own embrace.
The arm lay shredded. No encryption key.
A futile cry escaped Emily. She attacked the one last remaining part—the head. Off came the large bead eyes, the ears and nose. She cut up the face, pulling and yanking stuffing in a frenzy.
The head was destroyed. No piece of paper inside.
“No, it’s here!” Emily threw down the knife. “It’s got to be.” She fell to her knees, dragging both hands through the balls of stuffing, searching with all her might. I ran over and knelt beside her. We jerked up pieces and tore them to smaller bits. Tore and tore until mere strands remained together.
Nothing. We looked around us, breathing hard. Something had to be here.
Emily snatched up the red kerchief once more. Held it close to her sweaty face, looking, pleading for tiny written letters and numbers on the cloth. Nothing on the outer side. She turned it over, eyes flicking back and forth.
She stilled.
In slow motion her hand came down. Dropped the kerchief.
“It’s not here.”
No. Couldn’t be.
We stared at the mess. In my mind I heard Morton’s hitched voice: “Rawly.”
Nance spat a curse. “You said it was there!”
“It is! It was.” My stomach heaved. What was left for us? Our country? The lights would go out here tonight. Tomorrow, in the east.
Nance cursed again. “You’re lying.”
Emily jumped up, determination setting her jaw. “Maybe it’s something else to do with Rawly. In the girl’s bedroom.” She yanked the knife off the floor and limp-rushed toward the hall. “I’m popping that lock.”
My heart squeezed. What would Ashley do when Emily broke through her daughter’s door, wielding a knife? “No, wait!” I hurried after her.
“Hannah!” Mom called. I swiveled back. Pointed to Nance. “Don’t hurt her! One more minute, we’ll do this.”
Nance glared at me. I pivoted to follow Emily.
She reached the bedroom door and pounded it with her fist. “Let me in!”
Silence.
Emily jabbed the point of the knife into the lock and turned. The lock gave way. She shoved the door open.
“Wait, Em—”
The room was empty. On the back wall—an open window. Curtains fluttering. I took in a bed, white furniture, toy boxes. A desk. Something there caught Emily’s eye. She rushed to it and snatched up a small coll
ar. “Look, it says Rawly!” She turned it over, examined the inside. Her chin lifted, victorious. “It’s here!” She thrust it toward me.
There they were, a random series of numbers and letters, written with a fine tip marker. Such little things to nearly cost us our lives.
From the living room my mother wailed. Emily and I rushed toward the sound. “We found it!” Emily clutched the collar in her hand. “We found it!”
Nance let my mother go. “Give it to me.”
Mom kicked Nance in the shins. “You’re a bad person!” Rage puffed out her cheeks.
“Mom.” I veered toward her.
“No! Leave me alone!” She reared back and screamed. The sound split the air. Anyone on the block could have heard.
“Stop!” Nance grabbed Mom and shook her. “Right now.”
My mother screamed louder, her eyes squeezed shut.
Nance clapped a hand over her mouth. “I swear I’ll kill you!” She rammed her gun back against Mom’s temple.
“No!” Emily dropped the collar and launched herself at Nance. I ran behind her, seeing Nance’s finger go for the trigger, knowing we’d never make it in time.
Mom beat both fists against Nance’s side, shrieking around her fingers.
Emily knocked into them both. Nance’s hand flew away from Mom’s head. I yanked my mother out of her grip. Nance stumbled, still holding the gun.
The front door splintered open. Heavy footsteps pounded.
Nance spun toward Emily and fired.
My daughter thudded to the ground.
Chapter 54
At the sight of Emily bleeding on the floor, everything in me went white. My brain held no thought, my body could not feel.
Mom shrieked.
Blood rushed back into my veins. I lurched for Emily and dropped to my knees beside her. She clutched her thigh, blood oozing onto her hands. It was the same leg already bleeding at the knee. Her face was white, eyes rammed shut.
Sergeant Wade ran into the room, gun raised. He skidded to a stop and aimed at Nance. “Put the gun down.”
“She came at me, Sarge, I had to shoot!”
“Put the gun down!”
She placed it on the floor.
“Kick it over to me.”
She obeyed. He picked it up.
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