His only withness

's hand tightly i

rdwalk, glancing

nerv

wrong with yo

r than normal,

son was too youn

determination ha

o get back." She

iled miserably. "W

when he gets back

Tom where Wade

sane. Instead, she

or supplie

her, his eyebro

that's after u

flipped. She hat

f this. He'd bee

in his y

e six, and no one should witness a vi

they'd deal wi

l the truth. "I th

d to get off

s grew hu

staken, exciteme

e g

f your mystery b

uickened her pace

no trouble

rd a side street,

o the sidewalk.

street, their pas

of exposure to th

e been the place

New Jersey, then p

Revitalization pl

ed up and down the

had reached this

t sure whether or

main

etween houses,

m thinking this was some sort of game, she'd

thin

grip on his hand

efficiency. If she'd been accurate in

they ran into

evade the guy in t

be back by the tim

to throttle him for

infuriating need t

he needed him now

ght. She couldn'

ch as she hated to

dn't let pride kee

otect h

een houses, acro

side yards. Dogs

rp noise sent Kerr

but she never spot

all

sha

gined the whole

per had been

their hotel cam

dd angles in the par

s flashing like st

open and the flurr

evid

d been no coinci

one w

ce was barely mo

er tracks, pulli

ecti

r of her car just beyond one of the

was

r had happened to draw the police?

ir eff

Tom with her Kerri had no intenti

saw Wade's face, she couldn't

the building across the street fro

e could put toget

r had h

t her side, shielding him from th

econd-fl

ing to do, Mom?

g to wait r

Wade?" Tom's v

erri knew he was

ng happene

deep breath. I

ay of knowing th

to Wade? Fear tea

have to disappea

how they'd get th

find a way. And sh

hem. Look how well

m would have t

they'd done it

t ag

er what

nn and the poli

rS, she and Tom c

w, she'd rather bu

her son's safety i

old

had left. And sh

anything ha

as the respondin

It had taken them

nutes of God knew what that migh

ld have liste

ited. He should ha

rching f

ttled into

ing? He had no

Unless Kerri an

y'd gotten away,

e beach, or

ruiser pulled i

relief. He had co

what he felt to

out of the car,his face drawn wit

ell which. He t

s he cleared the t

icers on the scene befo

nutes, he head

h his hair as he walk

tight nod. "

me handle your r

off on y

u're not saying

elf since l found

ere the kid and

ed his eyes

ed in the pit o

why I ca

head. "There's no

elieve what he

the open door an

at do you

Deliberate damag

. These guys aren

t me get that ki

y from McCann

d ins

acing his step

bout d

thing to hide

tching

fire?" He stepp

"How abo

inch. Didn't ste

t the Michael Chase conn

ng to do with

his gaze. "How

I went to

nn's turn to tu

suspect in the m

you trying to do?

the upended effic

you were

ad. He didn't do

ose. "Oh, and yo

upp

d. In this

lence for severa

ilence. "What ar

Kerri

to come back. T

safe house. Far

mouth to protest

d to cut

't have a say. Th

where I say he

agree verbally

so sure they're

thumb toward t

ke

of the oficers h

ward the boardwal

except for the h

h

d it?

nod

igi

-all attitude pu

but he held it to

e amateurs. He

thinking when h

and Tom saf

lk? Why would K

s she'd felt saf

to make a ra

railing and dre

he turned back to

the boardwalk, hi

methi

t extended beyon

street, as if two

ething or someo

st th

d toward the steps.

McCann's tone had gone

ead on the building across the st

d Kerri and

g low until they knew

Squeezed at Kerri

ing footsteps. She

ho responded by

exactly as she'd

voice sang out

aunching himself

ring over

wander from Wad

d him strip out of

rt, to the frown o

e'd ever seen him before. Even more

worry creased his forehead and pu

ned?" she a

His expression didn't soften. I

poke the words flatly, knowing ho

I think we w

should have see

ment. There was a man in a cap a

arcade and t

she caught a tangle of ang

you'll never believ

m yesterday

ed his small hand

owed

haunches, squat

get a good loo

d. "He had on a b

uy in thre

ocono ne

the tightness th

Pocono Record. Ye

follow you

k her he

," Tom interject

and eve

p breath then si

wed

, reaching into t

held out his hand

ly in his palm.

stone, studying

focus to the heart

I didn't forget it.

d. "Fair

feet, brushing sa

he tipped her chin

ossed." Wade t

to

r belly

e

een them for seve

e." Wade's upb

move us to a safe ho

ook at Wade, her

o you tr

stole a glance a

them, intently wa

across th

me he placed us,

e d

e that doesn't

o her. It'l be just

that d

erri said, slippin

firm contact bols

ear. Chase family

ay she was making

life depen