“No, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I held her in my arms.
We had to find Lopez. Ted and his team were trying to do exactly that. Until we did, the silent threat would continue to tear Grace to pieces.
The lights of Boston twinkled, like a sea of stars casting shadows that danced along the floor in my apartment.
The wall phone trilled.
Motherfucker.
Maybe Ray had forgotten to give me something else. Either that or someone was here to see me.
“I’m fine,” Grace said. “I need to use the bathroom.”
She rubbed her eyes as she wound her way through the place.
I watched her until she disappeared around the corner, the annoying ring rattling my nerves. The sound stopped, only to start up again.
I stomped across the living room to the kitchen and yanked the receiver off its base. “Ray, what is it?” My tone was harsh and gruff.
“So very sorry to disturb you, Mr. McCauley. You have two guests demanding to see you? Mrs. Janet Welby and her daughter, Nora.”
“Who?” I heard him, but I needed to hear the names again.
“Janet Welby,” Ray said, “and her daughter.”
“Is there another girl with them? Blond hair?”
“No.”
I had exchanged text messages with Fran last night. Janet was supposed to drive Nora and Fran back to the academy tomorrow, which was the end of their spring break.
“Sir,” Ray said, pulling me out of a meltdown I was about to have.
“Send them up.” I slammed the phone down on its base.
Then I called my daughter. The line immediately went to her voicemail.
“Darling, it’s your dad. Call me as soon as you get this.” My pulse reverberated in my ears, sounding like a series of explosives being detonated.
I texted my daughter. Sometimes, she responded to texts faster than she would a phone call.
Sweat beaded on my forehead. I suddenly felt dizzy as I walked out of the apartment and stood in the hallway, waiting for the elevator door to open.
“Brian?” Grace came out, appearing more like herself. “What’s going on?”
“Not sure yet. But it’s not good.”
“Is it Lopez?” Fear coated her siren voice.
Shit.“No, Fran’s best friend, Nora, is here with her mother.”
She hooked her arm through mine. “And Fran?”
“That’s the problem.”
She slapped a hand over her mouth.
