His only withness

end of the drive,

was clear, then t

n. He pressed the

ed down the road

n white van obs

n whit

d as much as he tried to tell hi

ldn't convince h

real, just as any perceived threa

ghts illuminated b

ke out Tom's figure not far in fro

the road he was no doubt oblivious to t

heart stopped cold in his chest. Wh

n he re

was aimin

pressed to the steering wheel to k

closed the distance between him and

late, but

o

e plate on a deserted stretch of r

o a viole

ose pieces together Wade pounded t

om his play and alert him to th

hin inches of the van's bumper, th

t wheels dipping i

r illuminated; if any

o

G

Wade's heart

s the van had swe

Wade braked, frantically searchi

it. A chrome whe

tween a small

d the word on t

p, slamming it into a Park and launc

er forgive him.

hy had he been so

rched Pine Rid

doubt about his

o important he'd

o

he spot where the

t momentum. Somet

pale face appear

"What h

in two strides an

"Did the v

his head sligh

ured he was out o

nto the trees and

y." Wade shot u

eathed the words

od

from Wade and

hink it'

head, reaching

anting only to ge

house. "We'll fi

n toward the truc

you

my pa

back. We'll figu

to the passenger

"Do you think tha

s brakes are ou

Wade muttered. "

get what's c

owed, but Wade

wards Kerri's drive, silently vowing to make sur

ETURNED the last

hen cabinet when T

front of

om

palpable in his

o her throat. She

st as her son clea

into her arms.

m shirt and she

ng tight, not ask

through h

hap

u all

ng back from you

into the kitchen

held. In that mom

now. Something

bly w

d to hurt her so

er called las

et the devices at

ils didn

's safe

poke the words flatl

from Kerri's e

of excitement an

. This guy in a v

d into the trees

guy's brakes were

ing, Kerr

n she glared at

hit th

call hadn't be

Tom's silence a

nd and give the b

of giving Tom's attacker

m's upper arms.

a minute

my ro

shone brightly i

smile inwardly at

r ro

paper and let

the hall. "It'll not be up in a few

grasp. She press

ing the urge to

ou can't run. Whoever this is

erked her arm fr

lp. I can take care of my own son,

o talk t

close, anger heating her cheeks. "Someone in that department leaked Tom's i

as if she'd slap

o drag Tom

ight you were w

out of this. We'r

long i

res tightened wi

you

I don't tell you

act she had absol

ou don't know, you

fted, You don't

, do

'd been able to

they'd met. She

her chin.

the door. I'll b

is shoulder. Do not leave unti

an effort to has

d out of her drive, she couid thr

son and l

of where they

ry instinct she p

s long as they st

, and that was a

g to a

ns to wait for

t

ev

for Adam McCann

ad storming across

rrowed as Wade n

he cut his phone c

the desk, dropp

want to tell me Who on your team

itn

rrowed further s

ng ab

erri last night

son away fro

d for the phone. I'll

rrupted a

ood en

e tried to run that b

n's full attenti

talking

ght at him, and the boy had nowhere to go. If I ha

said

im and running,

ve got to

o

d

d destroyed PineRidge, but Tom N

ieve both. You've got to find

noyance. "I thought I could trust

u can be su

is eyebrows,

ntinued, "it won

, this conversation goes no further

e battered

em" McCann reached for a phoneboo

i

" Wade interrupt

way as p

with McCann's an

un." Wade pressed

e

d. It's up to you.

your w

ooking at you,

do I know this is

insuran

hrough Wade. "Y

gh

McCann's smile deepen

cCann. Kerri and her son are in da

nto my ow

ragged them into the inv

drew in a slow breath. That's wh

this.

s out of his desk drawer and twisted a single key f

e key out

ad's." McCann co

vouch for the condition of the p

fingers around

to his palm. What

d around the

'll be sa

ce was quiet, wit

ently on case files

pretty safe, M

ers

settled ba

had to remain vi

McCan

had leaked, sure

, as

atiently while T

She wanted to scream at him that

but she was dete

hey were fleei

the clock. Fo

e wanted to be lo

urn

ded was a protector es

heart she'd tucked into he

menta

when she'd considered the stone he

the luck they

ring Wade's testimony against her husband, sh

wer an inanimate object with such

o hold on to when there had bee

stairs and Kerri brea

ension she felt out of her tone, bu

l righ

t's just not every day your son

everyone when schoo

mm

e reached for her weekend bag. She st

long they'd be gone.She'd been wo

r a Philadel

on a

g to grab her address book. If their little adventure lasted more than a

nt than any job.If she had to,

ady spent on this

rself from h

er? Paying back

er concern

all that

nto her bag and headed back toward t

before the afternoo

runk, checked the boxes of nonperi

driver's seal,slamming the door

tton even before she c

e we goi

ere the

. "It's a surpris

and m

accelerator an

n the brakes when

ed to a stop

r through the w

talking him out o

sity of his expression, and she rea

art of fher felt reli

lone in fighting to keep Thomas safe

n Wade's presenc

daily-and wel

an even larger part

kind Wade acted toward her son, n

he man was res

nd's

s father

in the world was going t