“That’s okay. I got one for you. Let’s go upstairs.”

They retreated from the kitchen, and Ben turned out the light.

I texted Villaverde that we’d found Teddy with Ben. I didn’t have an address to give him, just general coordinates. It was awkward to type with my damaged wrist, yet preferable to letting my father handle anything tech related.

“What’s that sound?” my father asked.

“What?”

I kept typing. A heartbeat later, my father shoved me to the ground as a gunshot rang out.

“I can hear you,” Ben called, his voice no longer sweet. “Come out wherever you are.”

NOW, I texted Theo. A moment later, I heard his car roar into the driveway.

“What the hell?” Ben muttered. Footsteps clattered away.

“Wait here,” my father whispered.

“Where are you going?”

He vanished, and I cursed myself for not being able to chase after him. I could hear shouting at the front of the house and Teddy screaming. Then there was another gunshot.

CHAPTER 45

THEO

Years ago, I’d paid good money for people to abuse me at fetish clubs. Knives were sharp, but nothing had ever cut into me with the precision of a gunshot that pierced my side. It didn’t even hurt at first. As I tumbled to the ground, I saw the stars shining above me, and I heard footfalls.

I’d rushed out of the car when I heard Teddy scream, but then I’d heard his voice. “Grandpa!” Teddy said. “What are you doing here?” His clear, delighted tone came to my ears like the sweetest music. My boy was safe.

The man who’d shot me dragged me into the house. My blood left a trail on the pale wood planks. He shoved me through an open door, and I tumbled down a splintery staircase, falling into a heap at the bottom. I was lying on cool, damp earth, and the smell of it filled my head.

A light went on, a dim bulb on a wire hanging from the ceiling.

“How did you find us?”

“You must be Ben,” I said. “What a way to meet.”

“Yeah, well, I’m the man your wife was actually in love with.”

“You don’t seem lovable,” I observed. “You abducted my son. You tried to kill my sister-in-law. And you killed my wife.”

He sank his foot into my ribs—the side without the wound.

“I’ve always hated you, Theodore Thraxton. From the moment I first heard your name.”

“It’s Theo,” I said.

“You’re the reason Caroline is dead,” he spat.

“From what I heard, you shoved her and she fell and hit her head. That makes you her killer.”

“You don’t have a clue.” He kicked me again. “You showed up at the house and terrified her. It was your fault she wanted to get away immediately. This is all on you.”

I laughed, even though it hurt.

“What’s so funny?” he demanded.

“There’s nothing worse than a man who won’t take responsibility for his actions,” I said. “That’s the story of my father. Everything he does—every evil thing—he blames on other people. It’s always their fault. No one loves a man like that. Caroline might’ve been willing to use you, but she was never going anywhere with you.”

Ben’s face loomed above mine. “We’ll see how philosophical you feel after I’m done with you,” he rasped. “I spent years writing about the worst people in the world. I’m going to use what I learned on you.”

CHAPTER 46

DEIRDRE

Teddy was safe. That was the most important thing. But Theo was in danger, and I didn’t know how to help him, especially in my mashed-up state. I called the police as soon as we got to the road. My father led Teddy across to his car, and I hobbled after them, out of my nephew’s earshot. Teddy got in the back seat, and I clambered in after him while my father reclaimed the driver’s seat.

“What’s going on?” Teddy asked. “Where’s Daddy?”

“He went to the house to rescue you,” I said.

“From Ben?” Teddy looked perplexed. “I had ice cream.”

Whatever Ben had done to him, it didn’t seem to have fazed Teddy. For that, I was grateful.

“Did the police say how long it would be?” my father asked me.

“Fifteen to twenty minutes.”

My father turned around to look at the house. “I should go back in.”

“Don’t,” I said. “I thought all he had was a Taser. I was wrong.”

I texted a quick group message to Reagan and Jude and Gloria, who were back at Theo’s house. Teddy safe. Theo in danger.

“What happened to your wrist, Auntie Dee?” asked Teddy.

“I hurt it on a window.”

“Ouch,” Teddy said. “Kiss.” He leaned forward and planted a gentle smack on my bandage. “All better.”

“Wow, it feels better now,” I said, and I meant it.

As I was speaking, a couple of dark SUVs pulled up in front of the house. Several large men in black T-shirts and cargo pants piled out of the vehicles.

My father’s head swiveled around. “I thought you said—”

“That’s not the police,” I answered. It was a clear night, but tough to see details. “That looks more like a SWAT team.”

I stared at them as they conferred.

“Let me see what’s going on.” I kissed the top of Teddy’s head. “I’ll be right back.”

I got out of the car and crossed the road again.

“Hey!” I called.

A big, bald-headed guy turned around. I’d seen him before, but I couldn’t remember his name.

“Theo’s in the house,” I said. “I think he’s been shot.”

“Have you seen the boy?”

“Teddy? He’s safe,” I said. “He’s with my father.”

“Where?”

“In that car.” I pointed across the road.

“Gentlemen,” the man called out. “Stand down. Put away your guns. The boy is safe.”

The five men in black reacted immediately, stashing their weapons as quickly as they’d retrieved them.

“But Theo’s been shot,” I said. “He was dragged inside the house. Ben is a psycho. He killed my sister. He tried to kill me. He’s going to murder Theo.”

“Mr. Thraxton couldn’t care less about what happens to Theo,” the hulking man said. “As long as Teddy is safe.”

He marched across the road and to my father’s car, me trailing in his wake. I tried phoning Theodore, but no one answered.

“How did you get here so quickly?” I asked.

“There are tracking devices in all of Mr. Thraxton’s vehicles,” he said. He opened the back door of the car. “Hello, Teddy.”

“Hi, Harris,” Teddy said, clearly unenthusiastic. “Where’s Daddy?”

“I’m going to take you home, Teddy,” Harris said. “To your grandpa.”

“His grandpa’s right here,” my father said.

Harris ignored him. “Come on, Teddy.”

I didn’t want him to take Teddy, but I knew that was selfish. We were sitting ducks out there, and Ben was armed. “It’s best if you go home right now, Teddy,” I said. “But I promise we’ll see you soon.”

My nephew reluctantly slid out of the seat. “I want to see Daddy,” he said.

“Your grandpa will let you play with the trains,” Harris said. “There will be cookies and ice cream.”

“I want Daddy,” Teddy answered decisively.

“You have to help Theo,” I said to Harris. “You can’t leave him in that house.”

“I have my orders,” Harris said. “We’re only here for the boy. Theo can rot.”

He lifted Teddy and carried him off. I started after him, but my father touched my shoulder.

“We need to let Teddy go with them. It’s the safest thing for him,” he said. “Now we have to do what we can to help Theo.”

CHAPTER 47

THEO

“When you think about it, Caroline ended her own life,” Ben said, cuffing my hands together in front of me. “By making too many bad decisions.”

“You killed Caroline because she wouldn’t run away with you.” I was grateful Deirdre had given me the outline of the story already. I was in no small amount of pain, but it was clear that listening to Ben’s version of the story would be intolerable. I was inoculated against anything he claimed.

He kicked me again, then dragged me farther into the cellar. He attached something to the cords that bound my wrists.

“You smug bastard.” Ben pushed a button, and my wrists jerked upward. In the dark, I hadn’t seen that I was chained to a pulley attached to a beam running along the ceiling. It lifted me to my feet, then went farther, raising me until I was off the ground completely, dangling from my arms.

“I see. Now you’re going to torture me.” I sounded jaded, even to my own ears. “That’s your masterly plan? Should I beg you not to hurt me?”

“I will show you fear in a handful of dust,” Ben said.

“If you’re going to quote T. S. Eliot, why not start at the beginning of the poem? It’s more impressive. ‘April is the cruelest month, breeding . . .’”

Ben punched me in the solar plexus. “Quote more poetry, asshole.”

“The police are going to find you,” I said as soon as I got enough breath back. “Why don’t you run while you can?”