“There’s nowhere else I can go.” Ricky’s voice cracked. “My Aunt Bobbie is here. I–I think she killed Jimmy. And-and you know what she did to my mom.”
Jon’s voice was so soft Ricky almost didn’t hear him say, “I know.”
When he didn’t say anything else, Ricky continued, speaking quickly. “I really screwed up, Mr. Callahan. I set the fire. I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to, but everything just got out of control and-” Ricky stopped himself. He took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. “I know you and my father didn’t always get along, but my mom trusted you, and so I have to trust you. Tonight, there was a meeting at the church. Bobbie was there, with Reverend Browne and everyone else my uncle Butch hangs out with. Even Reggie was there.”
Jon’s head snapped up. “Reggie? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Jon rubbed his face with both hands. “Does anyone know you’re here?”
“No, I swear. I parked behind the sludge pile near the lake and walked.”
Jon went through drawers until he found paper and a pen. He wrote a line of numbers that at first looked like a phone number, but when he handed the paper to Ricky, he realized it was too long. “The bank is in Montreal. The first five digits are my safe deposit box number. The last seven are the pass code to access it. It’s everything I have on Bobbie. It’s what was keeping you alive. But with Jimmy gone-I don’t know why she’d kill him when she’s so close to finishing this deal.”
“What deal?”
Jon didn’t answer the question. “Do you know where the Fosters’ summer cabin is?”
“Of course.”
“The key is hidden in a box nailed to the underside of the second porch step. Do not turn on any lights, make a fire,
“What about you?”
“I’ve made my bed-” his voice trailed off. “Don’t worry about me,” Jon said firmly. “I only need until Sunday, then this will all be over. But if something happens to me before then, you have to go to my bank. Understand?”
“Yes, but-”
“Do not leave the Fosters’ house. If you follow my instructions, you’ll be safe. But if Bobbie finds you, I won’t be able to help you.”
Ricky bit his lip and nodded. “What’s really going on?”
“Go on, everything’s changed and I need to get to work.” Jon walked Ricky to the back door, distracted.
“Wait.”
Ricky was hoping for an invitation to stay, but Jon ran upstairs. When he returned, he handed Ricky a pistol. “Be careful, it’s loaded.”
Ricky took it, made sure the safety was on, and put it in his pocket. Without another word, he stepped into the frigid night and headed for the other side of Spruce Lake.
TWENTY-SIX
Lucy sat in the co-pilot seat of Sean’s private Cessna while he performed a fuel and systems check. They’d left Spruce Lake at dawn, but now the sun was warming the air and the sky was clear and blue. A perfect day for flying. She sipped her coffee and watched Sean. He looked tired, and she knew he was still in pain from the stitches.
“Are you sure these extreme measures are necessary?” Lucy asked.
Because of the latest threatening note, Sean had altered their plans. Last night, he had asked Noah to fly with Patrick to Ogdenburg, and then fly Lucy to Albany in Sean’s plane.
“Yes, I am,” he said.
“It’s not easy to sabotage a plane, especially with the security-”
“But it’s not impossible,” Sean said. “I can take you to nearly any airport in the country and in ten minutes show you how I could breach security.”
“That’s your job, Sean-you get paid to breach security.”
He gave her a half-smile. “I am good, aren’t I? But I’m not so arrogant as to think I’m the only person in the country who knows how to exploit security weaknesses. There are at least three or four of us.”
At least his sense humor was back. Last night had taken a lot out of Sean. He was worried about the teenager Ricky Swain, and alternately angry with and worried about Henry and Emily Callahan.
He took her hand. “Seriously, Lucy, they know you’re flying out today. I don’t know how, but they do. I have to mix things up. They could be waiting at this airport, in Albany, or be on the same plane. We don’t know all the players, nor do we know what the stakes are. But if they were willing to kill a federal agent to protect their secrets, they will kill you.”
“And you,” she reminded him. “I’m worried about
He kissed her lightly. Unlike the peck last night, this kiss, though light, was filled with restrained emotion. His hands squeezed hers and he looked her in the eyes, holding her gaze with his. “I’m sorry about yesterday.”
A weight lifted off her heart. Even though she still didn’t understand everything that had happened yesterday between them when he clammed up and told her it was best she get out of town, she now understood it wasn’t because he thought she was incapable.
She kissed him again. “Me, too. We’re going to work this out.” Lucy vowed to try to understand Sean’s experience with authority, and not take his animosity personally.
“This is just hard for me.”
“Me being a Fed?”
He shook his head. “Calling Noah for help,” he said, his gaze focused on the horizon.
Now Lucy was even more confused. “Because he’s FBI?”
“No.” He looked perplexed. “For a Fed, he’s not the worst out there.”
“From you, that’s a compliment.”
“Don’t you see it?”
“See what?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Don’t do that to me, Sean. You always tell me to spit it out. Or you just tell me what I’m thinking. Well, I’m not as good at reading your mind as apparently you are at reading mine, so I
He tilted his head in disbelief. Well, if he wasn’t clear, how could she understand what he meant? She wasn’t psychic!
“Patrick would much rather have you dating someone like Noah than someone like me.”
She laughed; she just couldn’t help herself. That was the last thing she’d expected Sean to say.
He wasn’t laughing with her, and though she was still smiling, she suddenly realized there was more to this than Sean was letting on.
“First, I doubt you’re right about Patrick,” she said. “My brother would probably prefer I date no one. But that doesn’t matter, because what Patrick might or might not want is irrelevant.”
“No, it’s not.”
“You think I make my decisions based on what other people tell me I should do? I’m perfectly capable of making my own choices in life.”
“Patrick is different. Maybe you don’t see it-”
“There’s nothing to see!”
What was Sean keeping bottled up inside? She didn’t understand, and she hated feeling that she was missing something. It made her apprehensive. “Let’s not be mad at each other before I go to Albany.”
He reached behind her neck and pulled her across the small space separating the pilot and co-pilot’s seats.
