Mercy

could reach the button.

'Tell me what happened.'

'Mom told me not to get him the dartboard. She said he was too little and he could cut himself on those sharp darts, but John Patrick really wanted it for his birthday present, so I got it for him anyway. Mom was really mad at me,' he stammered. 'I should have taken it back… but I didn't. I hung the board with some rope off the big tree in the front yard. I put it down low so John Patrick could use it, and when it started to get dark and he got tired of playing with it and climbed up in the tree like he likes to do, I picked up the darts and I started throwing them. I got back real far, and I was really hurling them.'

Theo winced. He knew what was coming. Elliott was too distraught to go on. The elevator doors opened, and Theo pulled him along as he stepped out.

Noah was leaning against the wall feeing the elevators. When he saw Elliott with Theo, he immediately went down the hall to get the boy's parents.

'John Patrick jumped down out of the tree just as I hurled a dart,' Elliott sobbed. 'I got him in the chest, maybe his heart… I don't know, but he didn't cry. He just looked so surprised. I was screaming 'no' and running to him 'cause I knew what he was going to do. He tried to pull the dart out… but it didn't come out… just the fuzzy end… and he closed his eyes and went down on the ground. He… just… crumbled. I thought he was dead. Daddy saw it happen too. He had just gotten out of the van and was going up the steps. John Patrick's gonna die, isn't he, Coach? I know he is.'

Theo didn't know what to say that could possibly console the boy. He cleared his throat and then said decisively, 'Come on. Let's go find your mother.'

There were signs on the wall directly ahead of him across from the elevator. Surgery was to the left down a long hallway. Noah had gone right, and Theo pulled Elliott along as he turned to follow. Noah stepped out of an open door and moved out of the way as Cherry and Daryl came hurrying toward Theo.

When Elliott saw his mother, he let go of Theo and ran to her. She put her arms around him and hugged him.

'I'm so sorry to hear about John Patrick,' Theo said to Daryl.

The father looked as though he had aged ten years since they'd met. 'I know, I know.'

'He's such a little boy,' Cherry cried.

'But he's strong,' Daryl told her. 'He's going to make it.'

'How long has he been in surgery?' Theo asked.

'A half hour now,' he answered.

'Any word yet? A progress report?'

Elliott had let go of his mother and was now standing beside her, holding her hand. Cherry looked dazed.

Daryl answered the question. 'Dr. Mike sent a nurse in a few minutes ago to tell us it's going well. Did you hear that, Elliott?' he asked. 'You had just gone downstairs to look for the minister when that nurse came in. Dr. Mike said that John Patrick's guardian angel was looking out for him because the arrow missed hitting an artery. The nurse was guessing it would be another hour at least before the operation is finished.'

'They may have to give my boy a transfusion,' Cherry said.

'So we were thinking we ought to go down to the lab and give them some of our blood,' Daryl said, 'in case John Patrick

needs it.'

'They're not going to take your blood, Daryl,' Cherry said. 'Not with your recent surgery.'

'I'm going to ask them all the same.'

'I'm going to give my blood too,' Elliott said. He stepped away from his mother, straightened, and wiped his eyes with the backs

of his hands.

'Where are your other boys?' Theo asked.

'Down in the cafeteria,' Cherry said. 'I should check on them. Henry must be getting fretful. It's past his bedtime, and I didn't think to bring his little blanket he likes to hold up against his nose when he sucks Ms thumb.' She started crying.

Daryl put his arm around her. 'Henry's just fine. The reverend's wife is going to take the little ones home and put them to bed,'

he explained to Theo. 'They should be here any minute, so let's get going to the lab, Cherry. I want to get back here before the doctor comes out.'

Daryl was agitated. Theo understood the father's need to do something, anything, to help his child. Waiting would have driven Theo crazy, and he couldn't even begin to imagine the anguish John Patrick's parents were going through.

'Maybe one of us ought to stay here,' Cherry said as the elevator doors opened.

'I'll be here,' Theo said. 'I'll page you if anything happens.'

Noah had hung back, but as soon as the elevator doors closed, he walked over to Theo. 'The mother looks like she's in shock.'

'How bad was it? Do you know?'

'It looked bad, but I honestly don't know. It got crazy here. I was watching Mike through the window. She was standing at the sink scrubbing her hands and arms and looking at the X rays another doctor was holding up for her. There were nurses and doctors and technicians rushing back and forth. Everyone seemed to be shouting orders, everyone but Mike. She was as calm

and cool as a summer breeze.' His voice was filled with admiration. 'She sure knows how to handle herself in a crisis. I guess that's why she became a surgeon.'

Theo nodded. 'She was that way last night when the bullets were flying all around us.'

'Speaking of bullets flying, did you get everything done in New Orleans?'

'Oh, yes,' Theo said. 'You're not going to believe what I found out.'

He then told Noah about the Sowing Club and the millions of dollars tucked away in a Cayman Islands account. When he was finished taking Noah through the steps that had led him to Cameron and Rosa, he added, 'I want to get John Russell, but I have a feeling there's more to his crimes than what's in those records. As soon as the detectives pick up Cameron Lynch, I'll talk to him. He'll tell me what I want to know.'

'From what Nick's told me about your powers of persuasion, I don't doubt you'll get him to talk. I want to look at those papers.'

'I left copies in the glove compartment of your car.'

'Was that smart?'

Theo smiled. 'Didn't I mention copies went out to my boss, the IRS, the FBI, and my home?'

'No, you didn't mention that. You said the initials next to those transactions were J, C, P, and D. Noah said. 'Too bad John

didn't put their full names.'

'Maybe Catherine did. Maybe there was an explanation with the papers she sent Michelle.'

'John Russell is obviously J, and Cameron Lynch is C. So who are P and D?'

'That's the riddle, and I bet I'll have the answer soon. Detectives Underwood and Basham have a couple of other detectives running all over New Orleans talking to some of John's associates. It won't be long before we have the names.'

'Maybe Detective Harris knows who they are. Has she called yet?'

'No.'

Noah shook his head. 'Guess she isn't a woman of her word. It's been over twelve hours, and didn't she promise to give you a copy of the file then?'

'She'll probably be furious when she finds out I got a copy from Rosa.'

'But you're not going to tell her.'

'Hell, no,' he said. 'I'm not sharing information with her. I'm going to let Underwood and Basham make the collars and take the credit.'

He heard his name being paged over the speaker, saw the phone on the wall directly across from the