Ollie knew he’d do the same thing; he’d run all the way back if he had to, to ensure his child was all right. He said, “I understand. Listen, our agents will continue the watch on your house in Georgetown. Go to the airport. I’ll call you as soon as I have a couple of reservations for the first flight to Washington. Listen, guys, Sean’s okay.”

When he flipped off his cell, Savich felt Sherlock’s warm breath on his neck. “That was too close, Dillon, way too close. They’re not going to give up. Lissy won’t stop until she’s in handcuffs or she’s dead.”

“I agree. Revenge is what’s driving her, nothing but rage and revenge. If Lissy’s driving the horses, and I think she is, we can expect more crazy behavior and not much planning. What they did early this morning—trying to break into our house in Georgetown, the sheer craziness of it—scares me to death.”

“We’ve got to try to find them before they try another attack. And the fact is, we don’t know where Ethan and Joanna and Autumn are right now. But maybe we can get Victor and Lissy.”

“It could be,” Savich said slowly, “that Victor’s really scared, that he wants to find a rock and crawl under it. But not Lissy, never Lissy. Still, even though we know she’s the alpha dog, I’m betting they’re going to go back to Winnett.” He shook his head, shrugged. “But what do I know?”

“You know it in your gut, don’t you?”

He nodded, and she kissed him and tossed him his pants. “Let’s get dressed and get to the airport. We’ll have a better idea of what’s going on after we get home.”

Savich thought about Autumn. He tried contacting her once again before they boarded the plane, but she didn’t answer.

52

GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Thursday

Savich held Sean close, smoothed his fingertip over his boy’s left eyebrow. He felt such blessed relief that he was all right. Sherlock was tickling his ribs. Sean was laughing and yelling at Astro to save him. Astro was jumping on them, yipping his head off, his tail whipping back and forth so fast it was a blur.

Savich smiled over at his mother, who stood close, watching and smiling too, a plate of chocolate-chip cookies in her hand. Behind her stood Congressman Felix Monroe from Missouri, a widower of ten years, and he too was smiling as he watched. Savich didn’t know the congressman well, since he’d just begun seeing his mom. Savich felt funny about it but knew he shouldn’t. He looked over at his mother, saw the worry in her eyes that she managed to hide from Sean.

Dillon? Are you there? Where are you, Dillon?

Savich said, “Sherlock, take this monkey, stuff a cookie in his mouth. I’ve got to take a call.”

“Autumn?”

He nodded.

“Thank God. Go, Dillon. Hey, sweetie, let’s go scarf down some of your grandmother’s cookies, okay? I can see Felix is drooling for some, too.”

“Astro loves cookies,” Sean told Felix. Sean considered Felix cool since he’d showed him how his iPhone worked.

“Your mom’s right. I do too,” Felix said. “Your grandmother makes the best I’ve ever eaten.”

“But you can’t give Astro any chocolate, Sean, it’ll make him sick.”

And naturally, the first question out of Sean’s mouth was “Why?”

Savich walked swiftly from the living room, down the hallway toward the kitchen, and into the half bath on the main level of his mother’s house. He closed the door, then closed his eyes for the simple reason that it immediately cut all distractions. Autumn? Are you all right? Your mom? Ethan?

He saw her then, clear as day, her back pressed against a wall, her legs drawn up to her chest, her hair in a tangled ponytail, tear streaks dried on her pale cheeks. She didn’t look hurt, but she did look wrung out.

Tell me what happened.

Blessed guessed I called you before, Dillon, back at Ethan’s house. He told me he’d kill Mom and Ethan if I called you again, so I couldn’t take a chance until now. We’re in a motel somewhere. I’m in the bathroom. I heard him tell Ethan and Mama that we were going back where I belonged. I don’t belong at that bad place with my grandmother, do I, Dillon?

No, of course not. I won’t allow that, Autumn. Neither will Ethan and your mama. Tell me how you managed to call me now.

Blessed wanted to go to sleep, so he tied Mama and Ethan to chairs. I think he was afraid if he left them and went to sleep he couldn’t control them anymore. He locked me in the bathroom, told me he’d know if I called you, but I don’t believe him. He doesn’t know, does he, Dillon?