‘You’ve never called anybody seventeen times in your life. You fucked this up, right? You lost Anthony and now you’re trying to get him back. That’s why you told me it was Jo in the funeral home instead of Delilah. You wanted me to go to Reuben Figaroa’s so that he was forced to put out an Amber Alert.’ He was standing close to her, crowding her space the way he would any suspect. ‘Your plan went sideways and you needed me to figure out that his son was gone.’ He stepped closer. ‘We’re here now. We know Anthony is gone. We know Reuben’s being blackmailed to get him back. Tell me what you know. Let me help make this right.’

‘What the fuck do you care, Will?’ She slammed her palms against his chest, pushing him away. ‘I can handle this, all right? I can take care of myself and my family the same as I’ve been doing all my fucking life with no fucking help from you.’

Will’s jaw jutted out like a shard of glass. ‘Your grandson’s life is at stake.’

‘You’re the one stopping me from doing what I’ve gotta do.’

‘Angie, please. Let me help you. I want to help you.’ He sounded desperate. ‘If that’s my grandson out there, then I deserve a chance to know him.’

‘Nice try.’ She pulled away. ‘Jo isn’t yours. Not unless you got my hand pregnant.’ She gave Sara a pointed look. ‘Which, if that was possible, your girlfriend would have a load of fetuses pouring out of her mouth.’

Sara tensed every muscle in her body so that she wouldn’t lash out again.

Angie asked her, ‘Did you read the note I left for Will?’

‘Yes.’

Angie was clearly thrown that there wasn’t more.

‘Please,’ Will said. ‘Angie, there’s a little boy out there. Your family. Maybe your only family. Tell us how to help him.’

‘Since when do you care about helping family?’ She gave a derisive snort. ‘I’m your family. I’m fucking bleeding and you don’t even care.’

Will took out his handkerchief. He pressed it to Angie’s side.

Sara felt her heart start to wither at the sight of him touching her so gently.

‘I’m sorry,’ he told Angie. ‘I didn’t mean for it to get like this. You’re right. It’s my fault.’

Angie glanced at Sara. Real or not, she wanted to make sure that Will’s obsequience had an audience.

Will said, ‘I know I hurt you. I’m sorry. Please, Angie. I’m sorry.’

Angie looked away from Sara, but only so she could soak up Will’s misery.

‘Please,’ Will repeated. Sara wanted to snatch the word out of his mouth. She hated the sound of his begging. ‘Please.’

Angie let out a short breath. ‘Do you know how bad things have been for me?’ Angie covered Will’s hand with hers. Sara couldn’t tell if she was breaking down or just playing Will like she always did. ‘Do you know the things I’ve had to do? Not just this week, but before?’

‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there.’

‘Harding was him, Will. When Deidre checked out, Harding was the guy on the other side of the door.’

Will took the words like a blow. This wasn’t an act. ‘You told me he was dead.’

‘He is now.’

Shock had almost rendered Will speechless. ‘Angie—’

‘What he did to me . . .’ Angie’s voice was low, troubled. She could see the effect her words were having on Will. ‘He did it to Delilah. He did it to a lot of girls. For years. I couldn’t stop him.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ His hand reached out. He stroked back her hair. ‘I could’ve done something. Protected you.’

‘I fucked up so bad, baby.’ Angie inhaled sharply. She was crying. ‘I know I fucked with you, but it was only to protect Jo. I had to buy her some time in the hospital, some time to heal, while I worked on getting Anthony back.’

‘I get it now,’ he said. ‘I understand.’

‘I don’t know how it all went so bad . . .’ She swallowed hard. ‘Dale was always smarter than me. Always stronger. He got inside my head again. Him and Mama, like they always did. I never saw it coming.’

‘We can still get Anthony back,’ Will said. ‘Let me help you.’

‘I just needed six more days. Then I could get Anthony, take care of Jo, make sure she got her happy-ever-after.’ Angie sniffed. ‘Somebody deserves a happy-ever-after, don’t they? Somebody needs—’ Her voice broke. ‘I can’t lose him, baby. I already abandoned her once. I can’t lose her kid.’

‘We’re not going to lose him.’ His hands went to her shoulders. He looked her in the eyes. ‘When you said your mother sent you the photo of Anthony, you meant Virginia Souza, right?’

Angie stiffened.

‘Right?’ he repeated.

Angie jerked away. ‘You fucking asshole.’

Will’s face registered a deep satisfaction. For once, he’d managed to be the one doing the manipulating.

He told Amanda, ‘Dale Harding was Angie’s pimp. Virginia Souza was his bottom girl.’ He wiped his hands on his shirt like they were dirty. ‘Virginia has Anthony. She’s the one who took the picture. She’s the one who has him.’

Angie glared at him. ‘I fucking hate you.’

He stared at her with a look of utter contempt. ‘Good.’

Amanda asked Angie, ‘Where is Virginia Souza?’

‘Go fuck yourself, you dried-up old bitch.’

‘All right. You’ve outspent your welcome.’ Amanda told Faith, ‘Take her down to the prison ward. Get her some medical attention.’

‘No!’ Angie panicked. ‘Leave me up here. Handcuff me to Jo’s bed if you have to.’

Amanda tried again, ‘Where is Virginia Souza?’

‘She’s not gonna hurt him. The father’s the highest bidder.’ She had her arms crossed low on her belly. She was pressing into the wound, making the blood run. She tried again with Will. ‘There’s a video on that iPad. Something that’s worth a lot of money. Virginia knew I had it. She said she’d trade Anthony for the iPad. I was supposed to meet her yesterday morning, but she double-crossed me.’

He was still unmoved. ‘Virginia called Reuben Figaroa directly. That’s why you wanted me to intervene. I get Anthony back for you, and then what? You sell whatever is on the iPad?’

‘I don’t give a shit about the money. You know that, baby.’

Amanda asked a third time, ‘Where is Virginia Souza?’

‘You don’t think I’ve been looking for her?’ Angie demanded. ‘She’s lying low. Not in her usual places. Nobody will tell me where she is. They’re scared of her. They should be.’ Angie wiped her eyes again. She always saved her tears for herself. ‘You can’t trust her. She’s a cold bitch. She doesn’t care who gets hurt, especially kids.’

Sara chewed at the irony.

‘There’s something else.’ Faith asked Angie, ‘Why did you come here?’

‘To say goodbye to Jo, in case . . .’ Angie looked out into the hall. ‘I kept waiting for the Amber Alert, but it didn’t come.’