The Hitwoman and the Jailbreak

A Comical Crime Caper

Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

Book 48

JB Lynn

Copyright  © Jennifer Baum THE HITWOMAN AND THE JAILBREAK

All rights reserved. Except as permitted by US copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any database or retrieval system, without prior permission of the author.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, or organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The Hitwoman and the Jailbreak is intended for 18+ older and for mature audiences only.

© 2024 Jennifer Baum

Cover designer: AM Design Studios

Proofreader: Proof Before You Publish

Formatting: Leiha Mann

Contents

A note

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Author’s Note

The Hitwoman and The Missing Date

Oh Shoot!

Psychic Consignment Mystery Series

Cursed Chicks Club

Also by JB Lynn

About JB Lynn

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Prologue

You just know it’s going to be a bad day when you’re facing down an apex predator.

My name is Magie Lee, and I was in deep trouble.

Thankfully, an unexpected rescuer was there to save me.

1

“It’s completely unacceptable.”

I arched an eyebrow at my Aunt Susan, who was sitting across from me at the breakfast table. All I’d wanted was a cup of coffee and maybe what yummy smelling treat Templeton had baking in the oven. Instead, I was getting an earful from my aunt regarding how inappropriate it was for my grandfather, her father, to go out on a date.

“This is your fault, Margaret,” she accused.

“It’s going to be one of those mornings,” Piss, the one-eyed cat curled up on my lap, moaned. “No cream for me and a lecture for you.”

“How’s it my fault?” I asked my aunt defensively.

“If you had your friend under control, none of this would have happened.”

God, short for Godzilla, the tiny lizard hanging out in my bra, chuckled. “What makes her think anyone could control Armani?”

Hearing the sharp squeak of his voice, Susan glowered her disapproval. Despite the fact she couldn’t understand him, she was not a fan of the fact I spend most of my waking hours with a reptile cradled against my bosom.

I stared into my steaming coffee cup, trying to absorb its magical strength. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was, when, after a long moment, I didn’t feel any different. I’d been hoping it would have granted me the power to just disappear, but instead, I was forced to respond to Susan’s outrageous accusation. “Herschel is an adult.”

“And Armani is an enabler!” Susan practically shrieked.

I shrugged. “It’s not like she could choose any worse than he did for himself. He found Nonnie on his own.”

Susan shuddered at the mention of her father’s ex-girlfriend who was currently locked up, awaiting trial. “That just proves my point that he shouldn’t be out in the dating world.”

I sipped my coffee, refusing to get drawn into an argument about the matter.

“You need to have a talk with him,” she declared.

Choking on my coffee, I spluttered. Once I’d caught my breath and put my cup down, I whined, “Why me?”

From the way she arched an eyebrow at me, I had the distinct impression she thought I sounded like an entitled ten-year-old. But I was a grown woman and reacted accordingly. I crossed my arms over my chest, scowled and pouted. “You can’t make me.”

“Someone has to do it,” she insisted. “Loretta is all for him finding the next love of his life.” Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. “So, obviously, she’s not the one to talk to him.”

“Then, you do it,” I suggested.

She gave me an icy look. We both knew that due to her incessant nagging, the last person Herschel would listen to was his oldest daughter. Pretending I hadn’t made the suggestion, Susan pushed on resolutely. “Leslie just wants to be left alone about her own love life and is refusing to comment on anyone else’s.”

“She’s right,” I interjected forcefully. “We need to stay out of the business of other people and let them live their lives.”

“Not when he’s ruining his!” my aunt snapped back.

We glared at one another, each convinced we were right. Locked in a silent battle of wills, neither of us looked away when the door leading outside opened and footsteps stomped in.

“Morning,” a familiar voice grunted.

Susan narrowed her gaze at me for a brief moment, wordlessly signaling that our argument was far from over. Then, looking away, she flashed a smile in the direction of our visitor. “Good morning, Brian.”

Detective Brian Griswald, her husband’s nephew, lumbered in. “My uncle said I might be able to get a cup of coffee.”

“Of course.” Susan, in full hostess mode, hurried toward the coffeemaker while gesturing toward the table. “Have a seat.”

He sniffed the air and added hopefully, “And maybe whatever it is that smells so good?”

“That’s one of Templeton’s concoctions,” Susan muttered disdainfully. While she and Aunt Loretta’s better half had reached a truce about the cooking duties for the household, my aunt seemed to be resentful of the man’s ability to churn out amazing breakfasts day after day.

“Hungry,” DeeDee, the Doberman pinscher resting her head on my thigh, whined.

The way they carried on, you’d think I hadn’t offered cream to the cat or fed the dog, but Piss was picky about who poured, and DeeDee had forgotten that she’d already wolfed down a bowl of kibble.

“It’s still baking,” I told Brian as he slid into another chair at the table. “Might be a wait.”

“I’m in no hurry. I’ve got to talk to both Loretta and Armani.”

“About what?” Aunt Susan slid a cup of steaming coffee in front of him.

“The break-in at The Corset and their kidnapping,” Brian supplied.

Aunt Susan glanced at me, clearly concerned. We might be at odds over Herschel’s dating life, but we both loved and worried about our family. Neither of us had taken the break-in at the lingerie shop owned by her sister and my friend, and their subsequent kidnapping, and almost murder, lightly.

“Why?” my aunt asked the police detective worriedly. “Has something happened?”

He shook his head. “No, Karla Nestor and her cronies are locked up. I was just hoping that maybe one of them would remember something that could help tie them to the murder of Donna Serfit.”

“That poor woman,” Susan murmured.

I lifted my cup and sipped my coffee slowly, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in my gut. Sure, Karla Nestor was a greedy criminal, responsible for the abduction of Loretta and Armani, but when I’d confronted her, she’d denied killing Donna Serfit, who’d been leading a protesting campaign against The Corset. It wasn’t reassuring that she still hadn’t been connected to the dead woman. Would she evade a murder charge? Or was there another killer out there?

“Maggie!” Susan said sharply.

Startled, I almost dropped my mug, and ended up sloshing coffee down my hand and onto the table.

“Answer the man,” she ordered.

I blinked, confused. “Sorry?”

“He asked if you knew anything about the dead woman,” Susan reminded me impatiently.

Realizing I must have spaced out, I busied myself with mopping up the puddle of coffee while I told Brian honestly, “I never met her.”

“Coffee cake time!” Templeton announced, striding into the kitchen. “Good morning, everyone.”

As he spoke, the kitchen timer stuck on the front of the refrigerator began to beep. He turned it off, grabbed a potholder and reached into the oven to remove the day’s breakfast treat.

“That smells amazing,” Brian announced appreciatively.

I think the human race is hardwired to love the smell of warm dough of any kind, or maybe that’s just me. Either way, my salivary glands kicked into overdrive as the aroma of sweet cinnamon wafted through the room.

“It’s got to cool for a bit before I can slice it,” Templeton warned.

“I can wait,” Brian assured him.

“I can’t,” Piss meowed, jumping off my lap and rubbing herself against Templeton’s shins while purring, “Cream, please.”

Chuckling, he bent over and stroked the cat. “I can guess what you want Miss Piss. Let me get a saucer.”

“Hungry!” DeeDee barked softly, not wanting to be left out.

“When it’s ready, could you wrap up a piece for me?” I requested.

Templeton glanced over at me with surprise. “Not hungry?”

“I’m going to visit Mom,” I explained. “I know she’d enjoy it.”

“You’re going to visit Mary?” Aunt Susan asked at the mention of another of her sisters.

“She is my mother,” I replied dryly.

“Without being nagged to go see her?” my aunt continued, like it was some kind of miracle.

“Imagine that,” I drawled sarcastically. “Someone doing something without instructions from you.”

“Since I’m not needed, I’ll tell Loretta you’re here,” Susan told Brian huffily before stalking out of the kitchen.

Templeton shot me a worried look.

I waved dismissively. “She’s up in arms about Herschel’s love life, so she’s grouchy about everything.”

Brian suggested mildly, “Considering his last girlfriend is a murderer, maybe her fears aren’t unfounded.”

2

You’d have thought I was catering an event when I carried my coffee out to the barn.

Aunt Loretta, reeking of sickeningly sweet perfume and in full-on flirt mode, had sat down at the kitchen table to be questioned by Brian and I’d jumped up, muttering something about checking on the animals. While Templeton had topped off my coffee, I’d grabbed a couple of apples, a carrot, some lunch meat and a ball of aluminum foil that held the last bit of chicken from dinner the night before.

I precariously balanced the feast as I stumbled toward the barn with DeeDee following closely behind, hopeful that I’d drop something for her to gobble up. Piss had stayed behind to eavesdrop so that she could report back if Brian extracted anything new from Loretta.

“Morning, toots!” a voice cawed from nearby.

“Morning, Mike,” I called back. “Give me a second. I’ve got something for you.”

“Is it shiny?” the black crow asked hopefully.

“It is,” I promised.

“You’re a first-class dame,” my winged friend approved.

“Sure,” God muttered bitterly, scrambling up my bra strap to sit on my shoulder. “You feed everyone else, but me.”

“There were no crickets in the fridge,” I told him testily. “Usually, they’re right between the ketchup and mustard bottles.”

“Magggggieeeee!” Irma, the donkey, brayed enthusiastically as I entered the barn.

Startled, I jumped slightly, splashing coffee on my hand for the second time that day. I winced and blew on the spot where the hot liquid hit.

“Are we the only ones here?” I asked Irma as I carefully put everything I held onto a nearby bale of hay.

“I’m here,” a small voice called softly.

I turned in his direction and smiled at the little brown rabbit. “Good morning, Twitch.”

“Good morning,” he replied shyly.

“I brought you something. Here you go.” I tossed the carrot to him.

He wiggled his whiskers with delight. “Yay! Thank you, Maggie!” Picking it up, he hopped away.

“Food! Food!” Billy, the goat, bleated loudly as he raced in.

“He’s more voracious than the dog,” God griped.

I held out a small apple to the goat, who snatched it away and trotted off without a word of appreciation.

Irma flattened her ears, and I knew the donkey thought I’d forgotten her. I quickly handed her the larger of the apples I’d brought.

“Thanks,” she munched.

DeeDee watched me with brown eyes full of hope.

“You’re a good girl,” I told her, tossing a piece of lunch meat in her direction.

She caught it mid-air and gulped it down.

“Mike?” I called.

The crow landed on the ground, just outside the barn. Walking over, I bent slowly and offered him the foil on my outstretched palm. “There’s meat in there, too.”

“You know how to make a fella feel special,” he squawked, then took the shiny package.

Before he could fly off, screams of “Kill! Kill!” came from above.

“Pam! Dora!” I shouted, glaring at the two falcons swooping across the sky. “Cut it out!”

“I can handle them,” Mike declared, puffing out his chest. His words were muffled since he had the foil in his beak.

“You leave him alone,” I warned the birds of prey as the crow flew off.

Instead of chasing him, they continued to circle above. I rewarded their behavior by throwing a piece of lunch meat into the air for each of them. Screeching with delight, they caught their snacks and zipped away.

That left me with one piece of meat and my coffee.

“Not for you,” I told the dog before she could get her hopes up.

Sighing, she sprawled out on the barn floor, eyeing the food wistfully.

“Where’s Rowdy?” I asked Irma. “I brought food for her, too.”

“Dunno,” she replied, still crunching on her apple.

“Probably napping in a tree or den,” God supplied. “Raccoons are nocturnal, you know.”

“It’s your lucky day,” I told the Doberman, and tossed the last of the lunch meat.

She gobbled it up happily as I savored my coffee and the silence. Neither lasted forever.

“Aunt Maggie! Aunt Maggie!”

I smiled, for once, unbothered that my moment of peace had been disturbed.

My niece, Katie, ran in and threw herself at me. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” I hugged her back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“Templeton said to tell you the coffee cake is ready.”

“Did you have some?”

She shook her head. “I ate a banana, just like a gorilla.” She beat her fists against her chest and roared, “I love bananas!”

I chuckled.

“Gorillas eat more than fruit,” her cousin, Alicia, informed us as she entered the barn. “They eat leaves, stems and ants, too.”

“And the occasional burrito,” God whispered in my ear.

“Can I dress up as a gorilla tomorrow?” Katie asked.

“No costumes,” I replied quickly and sternly. I’d already been instructed by their teacher, Lorraine Lassalan, that the planned “field trip” to the zoo was meant to serve as a biology lesson, “not an excuse for shenanigans”.

Katie playfully stuck her tongue out at me and then skipped into the classroom that took up one side of the barn.

“You’ve been learning about gorillas?” I asked my more reserved niece.

“I’ve been reading about all kinds of animals,” Alicia revealed with a proud smile.

“Good for you. You’re looking forward to going to the zoo?”

She nodded enthusiastically, but then added hesitantly, “It would be more fun with Dominic. Can you talk to his grandpa? He hasn’t said he can go yet.”

“I can try,” I told her. “But I can’t make any promises.”

She nodded her acceptance and followed her cousin into the classroom.

I frowned, wondering why Delveccio was hesitant about the trip to the zoo. Draining the remainder of my coffee, I stood up as a car pulled up to the barn. The girls’ teacher had arrived. It was time for me to get out of the way.

I was almost back to the house, having exchanged pleasantries with Lorraine and my Aunt Leslie, when I heard, “Get your butt over here, Chica!”

Looking over, I spotted my friend, Armani Vasquez, sitting on a chair on the front porch. Changing my trajectory, I told her, “Brian Griswald is looking for you.”

“He can wait,” she declared. “This is more important.” To stress her point, she shook the bag of wooden tiles she clutched in her good hand. “Pull.”

Sighing, I climbed the porch stairs and dutifully removed seven Scrabble tiles. I put them down in alphabetical order on the table beside my friend.

A D E L N W and a blank.

“Lawned,” Armani declared.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

She shrugged and began moving the tiles around. “El dawn. The morning.”

I shot her a doubtful look.

“Ooooh!” she exclaimed. “New lad! You’re gonna meet a new guy! It’s just what you need, a new man in your life.”

Rather than argue with her, I pulled open the front door, about to head inside the house and claim my slice of warm coffee cake, when a black SUV rumbled down the driveway. My stomach grumbled in hungry protest as I changed direction and hurried toward the vehicle, intent on keeping my promise to Alicia.

It had barely rolled to a stop when a little boy jumped out. Dominic waved at me distractedly, calling, “Hi, Maggie!”, and then raced toward the barn, eager to get to class.

I couldn’t help but grin as I watched him run. My smile quickly faded as Bruno, the driver of the SUV, rolled down his window and announced, “The boss wants to see you.”

Somehow, when the man who’d taken over for Gino, Delveccio’s last bodyguard and my former boyfriend, said those words, they sounded a lot more ominous.

I studied Bruno for a long moment, but his expression revealed nothing.

Finally, he muttered through clenched teeth, “He’s waiting.”

“Uh oh,” God murmured from my shoulder. “This does not sound good.”

Tightening my grip on my empty mug, I walked toward the back of the vehicle, a sense of trepidation making my legs feel weak.

3

I straightened my shoulders as I approached the open back door of the vehicle. The man in the back of the SUV was scowling. Deciding to exercise caution, I waited for the mob boss to start the conversation. There was so much tension it was hard to breathe.

“He won’t shut up about going to the zoo,” the mobster complained.

I nodded my understanding.

“But I got a problem,” Delveccio announced.

I waited for him to elaborate. I glanced surreptitiously around, to assure myself that there was nobody, especially the visiting police detective, to overhear whatever the head of a criminal organization was going to reveal or request.

“I can’t go to the zoo,” the mobster announced.

“Oh, okay,” I murmured. It wasn’t the kind of problem I’d imagined.

“I got important business I gotta attend to.”

I nodded my understanding.

“But Dominic really wants to go.” He fiddled with his garish pinky ring.

“There’s no reason he can’t come,” I hurried to assure him. Knowing how protective he was of his grandson, I added, “We’ll keep a close eye on him.”

“You better.” His gaze was hard, and his delivery was flat.

I stiffened my spine, fighting the urge to respond defensively. I’d always protected the boy. In fact, When I’d first met the mobster it was because I’d saved the child’s life. Admittedly, it had involved a klutzy “stop, drop, and roll” move, but I’d prevented the kid’s father from smothering him.

“Anything happens to the boy, and there will be no saving your family,” Delveccio warned.

I blinked, taken aback by the threat. “What’s going on?”

Instead of answering, he said, “Bruno is bringing a team to the zoo.”

I frowned slightly.

“You gonna give me lip about it?” Delveccio challenged.

“I’m just wondering who’s going to be watching out for you if Bruno is with us,” I replied honestly.

He froze, surprised by my response.

“I can get the zoo visit rescheduled,” I told him. “You shouldn’t leave yourself vulnerable.”

He squinted at me. “I threaten your family, and you worry about my safety. You surprise me on a regular basis, you know that?”

I grinned weakly. “Isn’t that why you like me?”

He chuckled softly. The sound broke the unbearable tension, and I sucked in a greedy gulp of air.

“Just be careful tomorrow,” he instructed. “I’ll be fine.”

I nodded.

“Now, close the door and get out of the way,” he instructed. “I got things to do.”

I closed the vehicle’s door and watched it drive away.

“That was odd,” God remarked.

“Very,” I muttered worriedly. He might be a deadly mobster, but Delveccio wasn’t in the habit of threatening me. Most of the time, he went out of his way to protect my family. “He must be very worried about something.”

“Can I go to the zoo?” a small voice asked.

Turning, I found Twitch huddling a few yards away. I covered the distance between us and scooped the rabbit off the ground. Cuddling him to my chest, I said apologetically, “I don’t think so, buddy.”

“But I never get to go anywhere,” he complained.

“I’ll take you somewhere else soon,” I promised. “Maybe a big field where you can hop around.”

“Why can’t I hop around the zoo?”

“Because there are a lot of animals there that would eat you,” God told him matter-of-factly.

The bunny shuddered in my arms.

“Maggie is trying to protect you by not bringing you along,” the lizard lectured. “You should be grateful that she’s looking out for you.”

“Thank you, Maggie,” Twitch murmured softly, burrowing deeper into my embrace.

“You don’t have to thank me, sweetie,” I told him. “But God’s right. It’s not a safe place for you.”

“Okay,” he replied, but he didn’t sound convinced.

“What’s wrong? You can tell me,” I gently cajoled.

“I’m not safe here, either,” he confessed. “The scary birds want to kill me.”

“No, they don’t,” I quickly assured him.

“They scream, ‘Kill! Kill!’ all the time,” the rabbit reminded me.

“The young lad makes a good point,” God said. “I have no doubt that they’d make a meal of him if given the chance.”

Letting out a cry of distress, the bunny shook uncontrollably.

“You’re not helping,” I told the lizard crossly. “They could just as easily devour you as an appetizer.”

“Let them try,” he muttered.

“Don’t tempt fate…or falcons,” I warned. “Both have nasty streaks.”

“Morning!” my sister, Marlene, called.

Turning, I saw that she was headed for her car. “You’re headed out early.” I refrained from pointing out that she’d gotten in late the night before. If she didn’t want to share about her love life, I would mind my own business.

“The joys of working retail. I’m covering for somebody so I can take tomorrow for the zoo visit,” she explained. Alicia’s mother was employed at a fabric and craft shop. “Besides, maybe I’ll get the chance to see Farty Freddy again.”

“Again?” She mentioned that one of Aunt Loretta’s exes, who had the unfortunate affliction of passing gas all the time, had visited the store.

She shrugged. “He’s quite the crafter. One of our most regular customers.”

As she spoke, Twitch wriggled out of my arms and hopped away.

“The girls are excited about the trip,” I said.

She nodded, then stopped beside her car. “I heard you’re going to visit Mom.”

“Yup.”

“That’s good,” she approved, reaching for the door of her vehicle.

I pursed my lips, trying to hold my tongue. I resented that she felt the need to bestow her approval on me. I, unlike her or her twin, Darlene, hadn’t abandoned the family for years. I might not visit our mother as often as other people thought I should, but I’d always been around when I was needed, which was more than I could say for her.

“Tell her I said hi,” Marlene said, opening her car door.

I barely refrained from snapping she should visit and tell Mom herself.

“Breathe,” God coached softly from my shoulder, sensing my tension.

I took in a shuddering breath as I watched my sister drive away.

“She didn’t mean any harm,” the lizard told me. “You’re just being defensive. For no reason, I might add.”

I’d been considering stopping at the pet store to buy him some live crickets on the way home from visiting my mother, but now I was second-guessing that plan.

“You need more coffee and something to eat,” he advised. “It’ll help with your grouchiness.”

Truer words were never spoken.

Inspired, I began to trudge toward the kitchen door.

Before I reached it, Templeton walked out, balancing a tray. He grinned when he saw me. “There you are, Let’s sit.” He jerked his chin toward the picnic table under the trees.

As he put the tray down, I noted there were two mugs, a carafe, two plates topped with generous slices of coffee cake, and an open glass food container that contained another piece.

“Loretta and Armani are regaling Brian with stories of their captivity,” Templeton revealed as I sat on a picnic bench. “I don’t think the poor man is learning anything useful.” He placed a plate of cake and a mug in front of me.

“At least he has coffee cake to sustain him,” I joked.

Chuckling, he filled the mugs with coffee. “I’m not sure it will be enough. The poor man’s eyes were glazing over as I was leaving.” He sat down opposite me and raised his cup. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I toasted him with my own before taking a sip of the steaming brew.

He pointed at the cake in the open container. “That’s for Mary. It just has to cool a bit more before we put the top on. Since Katie has been talking non-stop about visiting the gorillas, I thought I’d make banana bread tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” I murmured. I was grateful not only for the breakfasts, but because he didn’t make a fuss about my visiting my mother.

We ate the warm cake and drank our coffee in companionable silence. I savored the moments of calm. I knew they wouldn’t last long.

4

My life is crazy and so was the woman I was facing off with. She was six feet tall, wild-eyed, and definitely off her rocker.

“I know it was you who spray painted the hieroglyphics on the tomb,” she whispered, invading my personal space.

“It wasn’t me,” I told her.

“It was,” she shouted, poking my chest with her finger hard enough that I stumbled backward. “I saw you!”

I blinked, caught off-guard by the sudden escalation of tone and violence. I almost dropped the container of coffee cake I held.

“Eyes. Nose. Throat. Groin,” God coached from where he hid in my bra. “Protect yourself. Save me!”

I ignored his self-defense prompts and tried to defuse the situation. I raised a hand defensively and tried to sound empathetic despite the fact I was freaking out. “I hear that you’re upset.”

“Desecration!” the woman accused; eyes flashing.

I glanced around, hoping to spot a member of the staff of the mental institution rushing to my rescue. Nobody was coming to save me.

There are a number of reasons I avoid visiting my mother at the nuthouse where she resides. Her fellow crazy residents, who tend to flock to me as I attempt to traverse the halls, were just one of the reasons I stay away.

“The desecration of the ancient spell has unleashed evil upon the world!” the woman insisted hysterically.

I backed away slowly, trying to put some space between us. The last thing I needed was to be accused of attacking a mental patient.

“It shall consume!” she screamed, rushing at me.

Letting out a yelp of alarm, I tried to sprint away but slammed into a solid body.

“Liliane,” the owner of said body commanded sternly. “You need to go back to your room.”

“But she broke the spell,” the woman coming after me argued. “The evil is free.”

“More reason to go to your room,” the man I’d collided with reasoned. “It’s the safest place to hide from the evil. Remember?”

My attacker hesitated for a moment, and then, covering her head with her hands, she scurried away, muttering, “Hide from the evil.”

“Are you okay?” my rescuer asked.

I looked up at the orderly in blue scrubs that matched his eyes and nodded dumbly. He was cute and kind. I wondered if he could possibly be my “new lad” that Armani had predicted. “Thank you.”

“That’s what I get paid the big bucks for,” he joked. He squinted at me, and then said, “You must be here to see Mary Lee.”

I nodded. “How do you know that?”

“She’s been drawing you. You’re her daughter, right?”

“One of them,” I admitted.

“I’m Emery.” He extended a hand and a warm smile.

“Maggie,” I replied with an answering grin.

“Mary’s in her room. She just got back from a walk in the garden. Don’t let Liliane ruin your visit,” he urged. “They’re adjusting her meds. When they’ve got the dosage right, she’s a lovely lady. I should go check on her. Make sure she’s not terrorizing anyone else with her doom and gloom. Nice meeting you, Maggie.” With that, he spun on his heel and hurried off in the direction the other woman had headed.

Shaking my head, I continued on my path to my mother’s room. Reaching her door, I took a deep breath, fervently hoping that her meds were right and it would be a good visit and not one where she didn’t know who I was. I knocked twice.

“Come in,” she called.

I pushed open the door and saw that she had her back to me and was staring out the window, sipping from a dainty teacup. I swallowed hard and held up the glass container as an offering. “I brought you homemade coffee cake.”

“Maggie!” She turned and beamed at me.

My mom, when she’s lucid, has a smile that’s brighter than the sun. When she flashed it at me, I forgot all my problems and joyously bathed in the light of her love.

“Hi, Mom.”

She enveloped me in a tight hug and kissed my cheek. “What a wonderful surprise!”

I squeezed her back, filled with joy. “It’s good to see you, Mom.”

“It’s my lucky day,” she announced as she took the container of cake and put it down on top of her dresser. “You’ll never guess who called me.”

“Who?” I asked, wondering if she was even allowed to get phone calls.

“Walden.”

For a moment, it felt like I’d fallen into a void. There was no light, no air, no love. I was all alone in a sea of nothingness.

“Maggie!” Mom shook me, worry darkening her gaze. “Maggie, are you okay?”

The room spun and I swayed weakly, collapsing across her bed. She hung on to my arm, keeping me from sliding onto the floor. She helped me shift over and lie down. “Easy, sweetie,” she murmured.

“Breathe!” God boomed from my chest. “Breathe, before you pass out.”

I tried, but my chest was too tight. I gasped, desperate to take in air as the room seemed to spin faster and faster, like an out-of-control tilt-a-whirl ride.

“I’ll get help,” Mom declared, and rushed from the room.

The lizard scrambled out of my bra, over my neck and onto my face. In my altered state, he looked as huge as his namesake as he balanced on my nose. “What’s going on? Are you dying?”

My chest felt like it was being squeezed by a vise. I expected to hear my ribs cracking at any moment.

“Snap out of it!” Snapping his tail like a whip, the lizard smacked me across one cheek and then the other.

The stinging sensation was enough to jolt me out of the hold of the panic attack. I sat up, wheezing. My sudden motion sent the lizard flying. He let out a startled scream as he arced through the air.

As I gasped for air, footsteps thundered into the room.

“Easy there.” Steadying hands gripped my shoulders, which helped to make the room stop spinning. “Slow and easy. You’re okay. You’re okay.”

I raised my gaze and found Emery, the orderly, looking down at me.

“I upset her,” my mother wailed from behind him. “It’s all my fault!”

“No, it’s not,” Emery soothed. “She had an unpleasant run-in with Liliane and that upset her. This is the aftereffect of that. Maggie was looking forward to seeing you.”

“She hates me,” my mother moaned pitifully.

“No, I don’t,” I told her breathlessly. “I love you, Mom.”

She peeked around the orderly. He stepped to the side to move out of the way. Doubt and hope warred in my mother’s gaze, and she suddenly looked like a fragile, uncertain child.

“Come here.” I waved her over to me and pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

She played with my hair, distractedly. “I could braid your hair for you.”

“Sure,” I murmured. Trying to sound calm, I asked, “But first, can you tell me what Walden said?”

She dropped my hair and began to rock back and forth while she hummed under her breath. I blinked back tears, knowing the trauma of my collapse had threatened her grip on reality.

Guilt that I’d reduced her to that state sucker-punched me in the gut and I hunched over in pain.

“Maybe you should go,” Emery suggested gently. “I’ll look after her.”

Nodding, I slowly stood. “Thank you.”

“Don’t forget me!” God shouted. He’d landed on a blanket, folded at the foot of the bed.

Emery glanced at the squeaking creature with alarm.

“He’s mine,” I explained. I scooped up the lizard and shuffled out of the room, trying not to cry.

“What the hell just happened?” God asked.

5

“I have to admit that Armani’s tiles were right on the money,” God said with grudging respect as he sprawled out on the dashboard of my car.

I’d retreated to the parking lot of my mother’s residence as soon as I’d left her room.

“The letters spelled Walden,” God continued. “Impressive, right?”

I ignored him as my fingers shook while I texted, “Need help”. I stared at the phone, hoping to get an immediate response, but none came.

“Who is this Walden person?” the lizard asked.

I closed my eyes and took a steadying breath before revealing, “The first person who ever tried to kill me.”

A strange bubble of silence filled the car when I made the revelation. I could hear my heart beating and could have sworn I heard the lizard’s, too.

“Why?! How?! When?!”

Surprised by his rapid-fire questioning, I opened my eyes. The lizard was pacing the length of the dashboard and waving his tail, a sure sign of agitation.

“I was a kid,” I began to explain. “He strangled me.” Raising my hand, I stroked my throat as I replayed the memory.

“Tried to strangle you, or actually did?”

I frowned at him.

“I’m simply seeking clarification for a better understanding,” he said defensively.

“He put his hands around my neck and squeezed until I passed out. Is that clear enough?”

“Why?”

“Because he wanted me dead,” I sighed.

“But why?”

I glowered at the inquisitive lizard.

“Because I’d stolen from him.”

“Stolen what?”

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. A headache was coming on like an out-of-control locomotive. “Trophies.”

“That’s a stupid thing to steal.”

I nodded, it had been. It had almost gotten me killed. I leaned back, putting my head against the seat’s headrest.

“What kind of trophies?” God asked.

“I can still smell the cigars,” I murmured.

“What cigars?”

“He kept the trophies in a cigar box. It smelled sweet.”

“What kind of trophies are kept in a cigar box?” He sounded thoroughly confused.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before answering. “The kind serial killers take.”

For once, the lizard didn’t have anything to say.

“He’s in prison. Or, at least, he should be, unless…” I trailed off, wondering whether Walden had somehow been released. “But if he’s calling Mom…” I shuddered at the idea of the madman roaming freely.

“You don’t know that he called her,” God said gently. “It could have just been a delusion. She does live in the nuthouse.”

“Mental health facility,” I corrected weakly. That’s what the lizard was always telling me to call the madhouse.

“You should get the phone records checked,” he suggested. “Determine whether she got a call or if the whole thing is a figment of her overactive imagination.”

“Working on that,” I told him.

“By sitting in the parking lot?”

“I texted Zeke, smarty-pants,” I revealed. “If anybody can charm the information I need out of the staff, it’s him.”

“That’s actually a good plan.” He didn’t bother to hide his surprise that I could come up with something like that on my own.

“In the meantime,” I leaned forward and started the car, “I’m going home.”

“You shouldn’t feel guilty,” the lizard said gently. “You were doing a good thing by visiting her.”

“Yeah, wait until I tell everyone I freaked out and threatened Mom’s lucidity. That’ll go over well.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

I shook my head. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll stop and buy crickets if you’ll stop talking about it.”

He immediately slapped the end of his tail over his mouth, signaling he’d stay silent.

If only I could have done the same with the doubts and worries that plagued me as I fulfilled the promise of picking up a feast for him and driving home. I couldn’t stop alternating between thinking that I’d threatened my mother’s stability, and stressing that Walden was on the loose.

Between my tension and the bag-o-bugs singing Papa Don’t Preach (pet store insects seem to have a penchant for Madonna songs) I had a full-blown headache by the time I parked in front of the house.

As I climbed out of the car, another vehicle pulled up behind me. Glancing at the driver, I sagged with relief.

“What is wrong with you?” my childhood friend, Zeke, raged as he jumped out and stalked toward me.

I blinked, taken aback by his hostility. He’s usually easygoing and I wasn’t accustomed to seeing him angry.

He grabbed my arm and gave me a shake. “You can’t do that.”

Yanking free of his grip, I stumbled back. “Do what?”

He leaned forward and pitched his voice lower. “You can’t text ‘Need help’ and then ignore my response. I was worried sick about you.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said shakily, realizing he must have texted back while I was in the pet store and I hadn’t heard it over the squawking of all the caged birds, who’d been arguing about whether seeds or pellets were better to eat.

He spiked his fingers through his hair and huffed out some of his agitation. Squinting at me, he asked with concern, “So, what’s wrong?”

“My mom told me Walden called her,” I blurted out.

Zeke froze for a moment, the color draining from his face. The crickets filled the silence, belting out, “I’m in trouble deep”, which felt oddly appropriate.

“Oh, Maggie!” Zeke groaned, pulling me in for a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”

Burying my head on his shoulder, I leaned into him, grateful I didn’t have to explain. We may have just been kids, but my old friend had been there when Walden had tried to kill me, and he understood why I was so upset.

“What do you need?” he whispered, continuing to hold me.

“I need to find out if the phone call was real or just one of my mother’s delusions,” I told him.

“I can do that,” he pledged.

“And if the call was real, I need to know where it came from.”

He leaned away a bit so that he could look me in the eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”

I offered a weak smile, doing my best to put on a brave face.

He must have seen the doubt in my eyes, because he added, “We’ll get it all figured out. He can’t hurt you. He’s locked up for life, remember?”

I nodded. “I just never thought I’d hear that name again.”

“You know there’s a good chance the call was just imagined by your mom, right?” he prompted gently.

“I know. It just threw me,” I admitted sheepishly. I’d considered the option, but now that he was saying it aloud, it seemed like the most realistic explanation. “I’m just overreacting.”

“Understandable.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “But I’ll check it out, to put your mind at ease.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, suddenly embarrassed that I’d made a big deal about the matter and caused him concern.

“That’s what friends are for. I’ll head over and flirt with the desk nurse to see what I can find out, right away.” He winked at me and stepped back, releasing me. Looking down at the bag of noisy crickets I clutched, he shook his head and headed for his car.

As I watched him drive away, God crooned along with the bugs, “I’m in trouble deep.”

6

I didn’t sleep well. I kept waking up, several times gasping for breath. Each time, Piss had kneaded my chest, DeeDee had licked my hand, and Benny, the little white mouse, had whispered, “Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.”

Zeke had texted me to know that his contact at my mother’s facility was off, but he would check with her the next day and get back to me about whether my mother had even received a phone call. It hadn’t done much to settle my nerves.

As a result, I was groggy and grouchy when I walked into the kitchen the next morning. The room was empty, and so was the coffeemaker. I glowered at the empty carafe, wondering which selfish soul had drained it, leaving nothing for me.

“Hungry,” the Doberman whined from beside me.

“As always,” God, perched on my shoulder, muttered.

“Be nice,” the cat hissed. “You’re the only one who binged last night.”

As I filled DeeDee’s bowl with kibble, Templeton breezed in, pulling on oven mitts.

“Good morning.” He smiled. “Full table this morning so we’re eating in the dining room.”

“Coffee?” I croaked over the gobbling of the dog.

“It’s in there.” He opened the oven and removed two cookie sheets covered with biscuit-wrapped sausages.

“Cream?” Piss purred hopefully, rubbing against the back of his legs.

“I’ll get yours in just a moment, Miss Piss.” He deftly slid the food onto a large serving platter and then handed it to me. “I’ll let them out.”

I carried the tray into the dining room and almost dropped it when I was greeted with a flurry of cheers.

Templeton hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said there was a full table. He had, however, neglected to mention that Delveccio’s bodyguard, Bruno, and three other black-suited men were filling seats.

Marlene was quick to hold out the tray toward Bruno. “Have one. Templeton went overboard.”

He smiled as he said, “Thanks.”

As the food got passed around to the men, the three children, their teacher, Lorraine Lassalan, and my Aunt Leslie, the room buzzed with excitement. Considering how hyped up the kids already were, I was grateful that Templeton had avoided any sugary treats for breakfast. In addition to the sausages, he’d made a cheesy breakfast casserole and a plate of Taylor ham.

While everyone else loaded up their plates, I eyed the coffee carafe in the middle of the table. Before I could reach it, Templeton strolled in from the kitchen, accompanied by a familiar face.

“Nat!” Katie shouted excitedly. “You’re here!”

He grinned back at my niece. “I told you I would be.”

Alicia bounced up and down, clapping her hands.

Delveccio’s men did not look nearly as pleased at the arrival of the tall, well-muscled addition. Their wariness put me on edge.

“Help yourself, Hunting,” Templeton invited, gesturing at the breakfast spread. “There’s plenty to go around.”

“Morning, Lee,” Nat murmured as he moved past me, reaching for the coffee.

“Can you grab me a cup, too?” I requested.

“Sure.” He handed me the first cup he poured and then got himself a drink. Sipping, I took the empty seat beside one of Delveccio’s men while watching Nat Hunting sit down beside Templeton.

“You not eating?” the man beside me grunted.

I glanced over at him. His face was familiar, since he’d worked for Delveccio for as long as I’d known him, but I didn’t know his name. “Just coffee for me. I’m Maggie.” I extended my hand.

He chuckled. “Everybody knows who you are. I’m Horse.”

“Like your throat hurts or that’s your name?” I asked, confused. The coffee hadn’t kicked in yet.

“My name is really Hortensio,” he explained. “But everyone calls me Horse. Like the animal.”

“Nice to meet you, Horse.”

“The sausage is real good. Sure you don’t want one?”

“I’m good,” I assured him.

“We don’t normally get fed before doing a job,” he confided.

“Eat up,” I told him. “You’re going to need your strength. These kids will run you ragged.”

He nodded. “I got two of my own. They’re like the pink rabbit banging the drum.”

“The Energizer Bunny,” I supplied.

“They keep going and going and going.”

We both laughed at his joke. Feeling like I was being watched, I looked over and saw that Nat was watching my genial interaction with the mob guy with bemusement.

“You’re a good aunt to do this for your nieces,” Horse said.

I shrugged, turning my attention back to him. “I’m not really doing much except going along for the ride.”

“Good morning! Good morning!” Aunt Loretta tottered in on her stilettos. Her lowcut top barely contained her bouncing bosom. She’d overdone the fake eyelashes, and it looked like rabid spiders were trying to devour her eyeballs.

“Good morning, Aunt Loretta!” Katie shouted back.

“Hello, dear,” Templeton murmured.

Delveccio’s men all stared at my aunt like they’d never seen a half-naked woman at the breakfast table before.

“Do you want to go to the zoo with us?” Katie asked Loretta.

“I can’t, my dear,” she replied. “I’m a busy businesswoman. And now that those annoying people are gone, I⁠—”

“Loretta!” her twin sister, Leslie, muttered. “One of those protestors lost her life, show a little respect.”

Loretta shrugged. “Now that one of those annoying people is dead, the shop is busier than ever.”

“Maybe you should get there,” Leslie growled, glaring at her twin.

Marlene and I shared a worried look. It wasn’t normal for the sisters to be at odds. There was no telling how the situation might unfold.

Thankfully, Nat stepped into the fray, acting as a diversion. “I haven’t been to a zoo in years, so I’m really excited,” he told the children. “What’s the best thing to see?”

“The giant,” Katie declared.

Nat cocked his head. “There’s a giant at the zoo?”

“Goliath the Grizzly,” Katie explained. She jumped out of her chair, curled her hands to resemble claws and yelled, “ROAR!”

Everyone, except Bruno the bodyguard, chuckled at her antics.

Realizing she was no longer the center of attention, Loretta tottered out on her high heels.

“What do you think, Dom?” Nat asked the little boy. “Is Goliath the Grizzly your favorite, too?”

Dominic shook his head. “I like the reptile house. Lots of snakes!”

“Ewww.” Marlene shuddered dramatically. “Snakes are scary.”

Nat turned his attention to Alicia and waited patiently. “What about you, sweetheart?”

“My favorite part is the train ride,” my quieter niece offered.

“Well, I guess I’m going to have to check them all out,” Nat declared. “Thank you for inviting me to come along.”

That explained what he was doing there, but the revelation didn’t make Delveccio’s men overjoyed.

Horse leaned into me and asked, “You trust that guy?”

“With my life,” I replied without hesitation. “And with the lives of my family.”

He grunted his approval. “Boss don’t seem to have a problem with him, so I guess it’s okay.”

“It’s going to be a big day,” Lorraine Lassalan announced. “But let’s not forget this is an educational outing.”

“Biology,” Alicia noted smugly. “The study of animals.”

“Geography,” Dominic said. “Where everything is.”

We all looked to Katie.

She shrugged. “I’ve got nothin’.”

The whole room burst into laughter, including the usually serious Bruno.

“Survival,” God intoned dramatically into my ear. “How to keep from getting eaten.”

7

“Maggie! Do you have a second?”

Considering that the debate of who was going to ride with who to the zoo had been going on for five minutes, I was happy to step away and talk to Lawrence Griswald.

The retired U.S. Marshal and current husband of Aunt Susan had called me from the porch, where he was observing the transportation organization debacle.

I climbed the stairs and stood beside him. “Is Aunt Susan okay? I was surprised she wasn’t at breakfast.”

“She didn’t want to dine with a bunch of hoodlums.”

I slid my gaze sideways at him, wondering if he was quoting her or expressing his own views. I could understand that someone who’d made their career in law enforcement wouldn’t like breaking bread with a mobster’s henchmen, but I also knew they had protected my family on more than one occasion.

“Brian’s having a tough time with his case,” Griswald revealed. “He’s worried that Nestor is going to skate.”

“On the murder charge?” I guessed.

“She hasn’t even been charged with murder. The District Attorney says there’s not enough evidence to accuse her of killing Donna Serfit.”

I nodded. Considering Karla Nestor had told me that she hadn’t killed the protestor, even I wasn’t sure she’d done it.

“Susan’s not happy about it,” he muttered.

“But the case against her, involving Loretta and Armani, has to be airtight, doesn’t it?”

“It should be.”

Something in his tone put me on edge. “But…?”

He shrugged. “She might have something to trade.”

“Trade?”

“For a lighter sentence. Information about other crimes. She was just a gun for hire. The kidnapping of your aunt and friend may never even make it to trial.”

“They’d give her a plea deal?” The idea chafed and I rolled my hands into fists. “After what she put them through? She was going to burn them and Nat alive in a hole in the ground.”

“She wasn’t even present when that happened,” Griswald reminded me. “They’re never going to get her for that, even if her men testify that she ordered it.”

I frowned, watching as the zoo-goers finally began to pile into vehicles. I took that to mean that a decision had been reached. A moment later, they were on their way, and I realized I’d been forgotten and left behind. “I’ve got to go.”

Griswald nodded. “Keep them safe.”

As I hurried to my car, the crow perched on the roof asked, “Why so much muscle?”

“Delveccio can’t be there and is worried about Dominic’s safety,” God told him. “He’s overcompensating for his absence.”

The black bird cocked his head as I reached for the handle of the door. “Are you worried?”

“No more than usual,” I told him.

“Be safe, toots!” the bird squawked as I hopped behind the steering wheel.

“Is that true?” the lizard asked after I’d started the engine.

“There’s no threat and there’s a lot of manpower,” I reasoned. “I don’t think I need to be on high alert.”

“Logical,” God agreed. “Except, whoever killed Donna Serfit could be on the loose.”

“If they are, they’re probably more of a threat to Armani and Loretta than anyone going to the zoo,” I pointed out as we drove away. I waved to Alejandro, the llama, as we pulled past him.

“True.”

“What?” I asked.

“Excuse me?” the lizard asked defensively.

“You’re thinking something you’re not saying,” I accused. “Out with it.”

“Walden may have called your mother,” he reminded me gently.

“Well aware,” I muttered. “I’ve decided not to panic about that until Zeke gets back to me. There’s a decent chance Mom just imagined it.”

“Do you believe that?”

“I want to.”

We rode the rest of the way to the zoo in silence. I pulled alongside where my group had parked and slid out of my car. Dominic and three bodyguards, including Horse, who flashed me a thumbs up, climbed out of one black SUV. Bruno, Marlene, and my nieces emerged from the other. Templeton, Aunt Leslie and the kids’ teacher piled out of Nat’s truck.

“Told you she’d get herself here,” Nat told his passengers as he slid out, winking at me. “She’s a resourceful woman.”

“I want to see the gorillas first!” Katie announced.

“We’re practicing the lost art of map reading,” Lorraine Lassalan told her firmly. As she spoke, she began handing out a printed map of the zoo to everyone. “We’re not running willy nilly all over the zoo.”

“Willy nilly!” Katie giggled like she thought it was the funniest thing she’d heard in a long time. Then, she added seriously, “We can follow the map to the gorillas.”

“In due time,” Lorraine told her.

My niece looked to me, hoping I’d overrule the other woman. I shook my head. This trip was the teacher’s domain, and I wasn’t going to undermine her. Katie’s face fell and her lower lip jutted out in the semblance of a pout.

“We have to go through the group sales entrance,” Aunt Leslie announced. “Who can find that?”

“It’s there!” Dominic cried, pointing at the correct gateway. He headed toward it and the rest of the group moved along after him.

The heads of the men in suits swiveled right and left, checking for dangers. I hoped that the biggest problem we’d encounter was someone stepping in a piece of discarded gum.

I let the group move ahead as I glanced at my phone, hoping to have gotten a message from Zeke, but there was nothing there.

When he saw that I was hanging back, Nat slowed his steps and joined me at the rear of the pack. “Are you mad, Lee?”

“About what?”

“Being left behind? I thought you might enjoy a couple of minutes of alone time, so I suggested you could drive yourself instead of someone getting crammed into a middle seat.”

“I’m not mad,” I told him, impressed by both the practicality of his logic and how considerate it was.

“Because you seem…” He trailed off, waiting for me to fill in the blank.

“Distracted,” I admitted.

“Not a good distraction,” he surmised.

I shook my head.

“Can I help?” The offer was genuine.

Usually, I’d say I could handle it, but this time, I hedged. “Not yet.”

He nodded. “I like that. Not yet. It means you might not do something foolish all on your own.”

“He has a point,” God agreed immediately from my bra, where he’d curled up. “Though ‘might not’ should have been stressed. You do have a history of getting yourself into trouble.”

“Just tell me,” Nat bargained as we walked, “are you worried about the safety of the kids, or something else?”

“Something else,” I admitted.

“Then, let’s do our best to have some fun while we’re here,” he suggested. “Make it a good memory for them.”

Watching the excitement on the children’s faces as they skipped and chattered, I knew he was right.

I wanted this to be a special day for them.

I just didn’t know, in that moment, how memorable it was going to end up being. And not in a good way.

8

The zoo is not the best place for someone who can talk to animals. While the average person hears a collection of bleats, squawks and roars, I had to listen to a litany of complaints, petty arguments and incessant begging for treats.

Within fifteen minutes, I had a tension headache.

I kept a close eye on my nieces. Partly because I wanted to make sure that they were safe, but mostly because I was curious as to whether they could understand the cacophony of the animals like me and my grandfather. More than once I’d wondered if Katie understood my pets, but I’d never gotten confirmation. From the way both girls were behaving, I didn’t think they could. Lucky them.

Dominic was in his element, studying the map and leading everyone around with a sense of confidence I’d never seen the boy display before. It was a shame his grandfather wasn’t there to witness it.

Alicia was busy educating her mother and Templeton about every animal we passed. The girl had obviously studied for the outing.

Meanwhile, Katie, accompanied by Aunt Leslie, skipped around “oohing and aahing” over every single thing that caught her interest.

“They’re having fun,” Nat noted. “They’re lucky to have so many people ensuring they have a good time.”

I nodded. “Remind me again what you’re doing here? Because it’s kind of creepy for a grown man to come along on a kid outing.”

“Templeton’s here,” he pointed out mildly, refusing to take offense.

“Because Alicia insisted. She colored an official invitation for him and everything.”

“I was invited.”

“By…?”

“Griswald.”

I tensed. “Why?”

“Because he likes me,” Nat replied with a wink.

“And…?” I prompted.

“He just wanted to make sure everyone was safe.”

I frowned, wondering if the retired lawman was aware of a danger to the family that I wasn’t. I scanned the area, searching for threats, but all I saw were excited children running around and parents taking pictures.

“Relax, Lee,” Nat murmured. “I don’t think he realized that Delveccio would send a battalion of men on a field trip.”

I looked at the four men in suits who stood out like sore thumbs amidst the families and zoo staff. Horse walked beside Dominic, Bruno flanked the spot beside Marlene, another held his position on the other side by Lorraine, and the last brought up the rear, trailing a few steps behind me.

“This way to the Wilds of Africa and the Big Cats,” Dominic called from the front of our little group.

“I want the gorillas!” Katie yelled back.

“Be patient!” the little boy instructed bossily. “We’re following the map!”

“The little dude has a plan,” Nat chuckled.

Mentally comparing how small and still Dominic had been the first time I’d seen him lying in a hospital bed, and how he was now vigorously bossing everyone around, I grinned.

“Glad to see you can still smile, Lee,” Nat said with approval. “You’ve been looking grim.”

“No, I haven’t,” I said defensively.

Nat arched an eyebrow, but didn’t argue.

“I just have a lot on my mind,” I admitted a moment later.

“Like?”

“Karla Nestor isn’t going to be charged with the protestor’s murder, and may walk on the kidnapping.”

Grabbing my arm, Nat came to an immediate halt, stopping us both in our tracks. The bodyguard behind us had to pull up abruptly to keep from colliding with us.

“Keep moving,” I told Nat, dragging him forward.

He released my arm and started walking again. I hurried to catch up.

“What do you mean, the woman who ordered me to be burnt to a crisp is going to get away with it?” he asked through clenched teeth.

I’d momentarily forgotten that he’d been tossed into the same hole as Armani and Loretta and had almost been burned alive. Feeling guilty for having not been more sensitive, I revealed as gently as I could, “Griswald seems to think she may make a deal. She was hired by the landlord to do the job so⁠—”

“Got it,” Nat ground out.

We silently followed our little group down a winding path. I stole a couple of quick glances at him. He wasn’t a man who was prone to anger, but, at the moment, he appeared to be seething.

Catching me looking at him, he asked, “What else?”

“I don’t know anything else,” I told him. “You’d have to ask Griswald.”

“I meant, what else is on your mind? You said there was a lot.”

I hesitated, unsure of whether to confide in him about Walden.

He glanced over. “What? Now you don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that,” I sighed. “It may be nothing, and I’ll sound crazy for even bringing it up.”

“Is it what kept you from sleeping last night?” he asked.

“How do you know I couldn’t sleep last night?”

“Because you look exhausted. Exhausted and grim are not flattering looks.”

“Gee, thanks. You’re a real charmer.”

He shrugged. “I’m sure Loretta could give you some rouge to bring a pinch of color to your cheeks.”

I chuckled at his joke. Sighing, I admitted, “I went to visit my mother yesterday and she told me someone had called her. A very bad someone. He’s the stuff of nightmares. But it could be just something from her imagination. It might never have happened.”

“And you don’t know whether you believe her?”

I shrugged. “It’s my mother. I have somebody trying to confirm whether or not she actually got a call.”

“And if…?”

A series of distressed animal calls, followed immediately by the startled shouts and terrified screams of humans, erupted from somewhere on the path ahead of us.

The calls weren’t coming from our group, but we both hurried forward, suddenly in protective mode. Horse pushed Dominic behind him, Bruno wrapped an arm around Marlene, who’d pulled Alicia to her, and I grabbed Katie’s hand. The other guards clustered around the little boy; guns drawn.

Everyone looked around, each of us alarmed and confused.

“Maggie!” a familiar voice squawked. “Maggie!”

Looking up, I spotted Mike circling overhead.

“The big cats are loose!” the crow warned.

9

My heartbeat stuttered and a wave of icy fear threatened to make me freeze where I stood as a loud roar filled the air.

“Help! Look out! I don’t want to die!” a chorus of voices shouted over the stampede of footsteps pounding toward us.

“We need to get off this path!” Horse shouted. Whirling around, he threw Dominic over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.

“Run!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “The big cats are loose.”

I’m not sure if anyone even heard my warning over the pounding footsteps and frightened cries. Our group split in half. Horse, Dominic, Marlene, Alicia and all of Delveccio’s men crashed through the trees on one side of the path. Squeezing Katie’s hand, I led her off the other side, with Templeton, Leslie, Lorraine and Nat following.

A group of zebras, and maybe antelope, stampeded down the path, running for their lives.

Parents and children, screaming and crying, followed closely behind.

“Keep moving!” I urged my small group. Glancing behind me, I saw that Templeton and Nat were helping Leslie and Lorraine along. I led them forward, unsure of where we were heading, just trying to get away from the killer cats.

The area was heavily lined with trees, so we had to dash in a zigzag, tripping on roots and being scratched by branches.

“Aunt Maggie?” Katie’s voice was tiny and terrified.

“It’s going to be okay, sweetie,” I promised breathlessly, heading toward a break in the trees. “You’re doing great.”

We burst out of the woods and faced a blue expanse lined by bleachers. I stared, confused.

“It’s the seal pool,” Katie said.

The roars were getting closer as we reached the entrance gate. It was locked. I tried in vain to pull it open.

“What is that noise?” Aunt Leslie asked fearfully from behind us.

“A lion, a tiger, a bear,” Templeton gasped.

“Oh my,” Lorraine murmured.

Both she and Leslie looked like they could barely stand, and I doubted they could run much more.

“Cats don’t like water,” God reminded me from my bra.

I met Nat’s gaze. “We need to get into that pool.”

He nodded his understanding. Grabbing the elbows of Leslie and Lorraine, he propelled them toward the gate.

The roaring was almost upon us. Whatever creature was coming, it was saying, “Fresh meat!”

Releasing Katie’s hand, I backed up a couple of steps and took a run at the five-foot tall wire fence. Getting a handhold, I managed to propel myself over the top. “Ugh,” I groaned as my ankle collapsed beneath me when I hit the ground on the other side.

Nat grabbed Katie around the waist and hoisted her over the fencing. “Ready?”

“Ready,” I confirmed, catching my niece as she fell. I put her down gently. “Go stand by the water’s edge.”

As she scurried closer to the pool, Nat and Templeton heaved Aunt Leslie over the fence.

I wasn’t able to catch her, but I did break her fall. Leslie landed on top, flattening me to the ground.

“Fresh meat! Fresh meat!” The predator was getting closer.

I groaned in pain but did my best to scramble to my feet. I hauled Leslie to her feet. Together, we were able to keep Lorraine upright as she tumbled over the fence.

“Hurry, Maggie!” Mike urged from up above. “He’s almost here.”

“Get in the water,” I told the two women.

“But I can’t swim,” Lorraine wailed pitifully.

“I’ll help you,” Leslie pledged, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the pool.

With a boost from Nat, Templeton scrambled over the fence.

I helped steady him as he landed on the ground. “Get them in the center of the pool,” I begged.

Templeton rushed toward the women and little girl. “Hop in the water! Now!”

“Hurry, Nat!” I urged.

“It’s too late,” Mike warned. “The lion is here.”

Through the fence, I saw a blur of brown fur charging straight for Nat as he tried to hoist himself upward. The lion roared.

“Nat!” I screamed.

His gaze met mine as the King of the Jungle pounced toward him.

In my heart, I knew he wasn’t going to make it.

“Kill! Kill!”

“Die, dirtbag!”

The heroes came out of nowhere. Two screeching falcons and one squawking crow flew at the killer cat in a kamikaze mission to save Nat.

Roaring his outrage, the cat swiped at the distractions with outstretched claws.

Nat tumbled over the fence into my arms.

“He’s clear!” I told the birds as the lion swiped at them wildly.

“Peel off, fellas!” Mike ordered, zipping away.

The falcons followed.

Behind me, I heard splashing and Lorraine declaring, “I’m drowning!”

Nat grabbed my hand and, together, we ran for the pool.

“Fresh meat!” the lion roared.

Looking back over my shoulder, I saw the big cat leap over the fence.

“Sensitive skin!” God shouted, scrambling out of my bra. “I can’t handle the⁠—”

I missed the end of his sentence because Nat and I jumped into the pool. In the center of the water, Templeton and Leslie were struggling to keep Lorraine afloat, while Katie treaded water a few feet away.

Releasing me, Nat swam toward them.

“God? God?” I shouted, afraid I’d inadvertently drowned the lizard.

“I’m here!” he boomed from the side of the pool.

The lion roared his frustration.

If he hadn’t been so intent on making us his next meal, I would have marveled at how majestic he was with his gleaming mane and sharp teeth. Instead of complimenting him, I swam toward my niece.

“Easy, Lorraine,” Nat soothed. “I was a lifeguard. I’ve got you.”

With a yelp of terror, she launched herself into his arms and clung to him for dear life.

Katie did the same thing. I hugged her tightly as I told everybody, “We’re okay. Everyone’s okay. Just keep breathing.”

Our little group huddled together, treading water, watching the lion restlessly pace at the edge of the pool.

“Is he going to eat us?” Katie asked, her voice quivering.

“No, sweetheart,” I promised, giving her a playful peck on the cheek. “But I might eat you.”

“Is a tiger eating Alicia and Aunt Marlene and Dominic right now?”

“Of course not,” I assured her. “They’ve got lots of bodyguards.”

“Help’s on the way, toots,” Mike cawed from overhead.

I squinted at the flying crow.

“They’re on the way with a tranquilizer gun,” he explained. “The tiger and panther are already down.”

“Killed! Killed!” the falcons announced, swooping higher than the Corvidae.

“They’re not dead, you knuckleheads,” Mike corrected with exasperation. “They’re sleeping and they’ll be locked up again.”

“Who let the cats out?” God began to sing from the edge of the pool. “Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow. Who let the cats out?”

10

It felt like days, but it was probably only an hour, until we were rescued. Zookeepers tranquilized the lion, and we were all finally able to get out of the water. Tired, cold and waterlogged, we were transported to the cafeteria, where we reconnected with the rest of our group.

That’s when the tears flowed.

Alicia wailed with relief when she saw us, and most of the group immediately began to sniffle or cry. I was no different than anyone else. Tears ran down my cheeks as I clasped Marlene and Alicia to me, and I couldn’t keep my eyes dry as I hugged Dominic. There was even suspicious shimmering happening in the eyes of the men in suits.

We had to endure filling out paperwork and fawning apologies from the upper management of the zoo before we were finally allowed to leave.

Once we got home, there was another round of crying and hugging as Susan, Loretta, Armani, Herschel and even Griswald fussed over everyone. Aunt Susan insisted that everyone stay for dinner, and that Archie was bringing over sandwiches to feed us.

I was surprised that my father knew what had happened, and it warmed my heart that Aunt Susan had chosen to include him in the joyful homecoming.

When I went to change into dry clothing, Piss and DeeDee had practically smothered me with love, rubbing themselves against me when God had announced that I was clammy and needed warming.

When they were done with me, the cat and dog left the bedroom to go find Katie and do the same for her.

The lizard hadn’t complained once about my damp clothing since he’d climbed back into my bra after I’d emerged from the pool. As he lounged on a piece of driftwood in his terrarium, I felt compelled to ask, “Are you chilled? Can I do something for you?”

“I’m fine,” he assured me. “I just need a nap.”

“You and me both,” I murmured. Treading water, while buoying Katie, had been exhausting. Still, I knew I had to put in an appearance at the impromptu meal arranged by Susan and catered by my father.

I gasped with surprise when I stepped out of my bedroom. Not one, but two men were waiting for me. “Nice outfit,” I teased Nat.

He was wearing a mishmash of clothing that I recognized as belonging to Templeton, Griswald and my grandfather. The sweatpants were too short, a t-shirt was stretched thin, there was no way the flannel shirt could be buttoned, and he was wearing fuzzy slippers that I recognized as a gift that Loretta had given to Griswald when he’d been recovering from being run off the road. Nat shrugged. “Your aunt insisted I stay and that I change.”

I looked to Zeke, who was leaning, arms crossed over his chest, against the wall. I knew from his expression that he didn’t have good news.

“I guess your phone was ruined when you jumped in the pool?”

I nodded. I’d tried to check for a text from him on the way to the zoo’s cafeteria. “She really did get a call?”

He nodded.

“It could have been from anyone,” I declared. Even to me, my words sounded hollow.

“The number was traced back to Walden’s lawyer,” Zeke revealed.

I took a step back. “He has a lawyer?”

Zeke nodded. Pushing himself away from the wall, he cupped my elbow and said as gently as he could, “He’s filed an appeal.”

My knees buckled at the thought of the monster going free. Zeke steadied me on one side, while Nat offered support on the other.

“It doesn’t mean he’ll get released,” Zeke hurriedly assured me.

“It means he could be,” I snapped back.

Zeke looked down at the floor, unable to argue.

“If he gets out…” I trailed off, unable to breathe.

“Easy, Lee,” Nat soothed. “It’ll be okay.”

“You don’t understand,” I gasped.

“Explain it,” he invited.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

“Walden is a serial killer,” Zeke supplied. “He went to jail because Maggie found the proof when she was a kid. He tried to kill her.”

“Define ‘kid’, please,” Nat asked.

I was grateful that he was staying so calm.

“She was twelve,” Zeke replied.

“And he’s been in prison all this time?” Nat asked.

I nodded.

“There you are!” Aunt Susan bellowed, oblivious to the sensitive nature of the conversation she was interrupting. “Archie’s here with the food and we’re all waiting for you. Chop chop!” She hurried away, expecting us to follow.

“You don’t have to—” Zeke began.

I squared my shoulders. “Yes, I do.” I began walking toward the dining room with the two men following behind.

“You should tell Griswald,” Nat suggested.

“I will,” I promised.

“And I’ll tell Whitehat,” Zeke promised.

I smiled weakly at my dad, who waved enthusiastically, as we took our seats in the dining room. It was overcrowded since everyone, plus Archie, Dominic and Delveccio’s four guards were there, but, somehow, we managed to squeeze in.

“Dig in!” Susan declared as soon as we were seated.

Conversations swirled around me as everyone relayed their experience of the day, but I didn’t listen to any of them. I clenched my hands in my lap, trying to remember to breathe, as I remembered Walden’s hands around my neck, trying to choke the life out of me.

“Maggie! Maggie May!” my dad called, jolting me out of the memory.

I stared at him blankly.

“Take that one,” he said, pointing at a sandwich wrapped in paper that had my name scrawled on it. “I made it just for you. It’s got olive loaf.”

I nodded and moved the sandwich to my plate, unable to voice even a simple thanks.

Zeke, seated between Horse and Armani, shot me a worried look.

“We never got to see Goliath,” Katie pouted.

“We’ll go back,” Aunt Leslie promised her.

“Or the seals,” my niece continued. “We were in their pool, and they weren’t even there.”

“They were probably inside,” Lorraine explained.

“Miss Lassalan can’t swim and Nat’s a lifeguard,” Katie announced.

“Why can’t you swim?” Alicia asked her teacher.

“I never learned,” Lorraine replied patiently.

“You should!” Katie declared. “You could have died.”

“You could have all died,” Dominic said dramatically. “The lion could have eaten you all.”

“Devoured,” Alicia corrected. “Devoured them all.”

“I still can’t believe you were chased by a lion,” my dad said.

“It roared really loud,” Katie told him.

“We were chased by a herd of zebras,” Alicia reminded everyone. “That was scary, too.”

“How many zebras?” her grandfather asked with genuine interest.

“Five or six,” she said. “It was a small herd.”

“Well, I’ve never been chased like that, but I imagine even one would be scary,” he told her.

She nodded emphatically.

I smiled warmly at him, grateful that he was giving his quieter granddaughter attention. He looked down at the untouched sandwich on my plate, noting that I hadn’t eaten any of it.

Not wanting to make him feel badly, I unwrapped the food and took a big bite.

He beamed proudly as I chewed slowly and forced myself to swallow, despite the fact my stomach was in knots over Walden.

Suddenly, Griswald’s phone started dinging.

Aunt Susan reprimanded her husband. “Not at the table, Lawrence.”

“It’s the emergency tone,” he explained as he pulled it out and glanced at the display.

As he frowned at what he read, I’m pretty sure every adult at the table held their breath.

“What is it?” Aunt Loretta blurted out.

He looked up and said grimly, “There’s a county-wide power outage.”

11

“Is that all?” Marlene joked. “We faced stampeding zebras and starving lions. We can handle the lights being out.”

“Yeah!” Katie pumped the air with her fist.

Griswald gave them each a tight smile as he tucked his phone away. I could tell from the pinched expression around his eyes that he thought there was something to worry about, but he didn’t say a word.

“We should get to the shop, Armani,” Aunt Loretta declared, jumping out of her seat.

Armani stumbled to her feet. “We can’t leave the poor girl there all alone during a blackout on her first day.”

“The traffic lights will be out,” Templeton said. “It could be dangerous. I’m driving.”

Loretta patted him on the cheek. “My hero.”

“Let’s just go,” he muttered self-consciously.

“Be careful,” Griswald urged.

“I should go, too,” Zeke said. He offered no excuse, just got up and left.

While everyone’s attention was on them, I quickly wrapped the remainder of my sandwich in a napkin and hid it on my lap. A moment later, DeeDee snuck under the table and gobbled up the food, leaving me with a soiled napkin that I rolled into a ball.

“We should gather all the candles and flashlights,” Aunt Susan declared. “It’ll start to get dark in a couple of hours.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Leslie said, getting to her feet.

“I’ll feed the animals early.” My grandfather pushed his chair away from the table. “Then, I’ll try to get the generator going.”

“I can help with that,” Nat offered, getting to his feet.

“We should get Dominic home,” Bruno said.

“I don’t wanna go,” the boy wailed. “I don’t want to be alone in the dark.”

“You won’t be alone, buddy,” Horse told him. “I’ll stay with you.”

Dominic’s lower lip trembled, and his eyes filled with tears.

“Why don’t you stay here?” I suggested quickly, realizing that one of the reasons the boy didn’t want to go was that his grandfather wasn’t there, especially after his ordeal at the zoo. “He and the girls can make an adventure of it.”

Bruno began to shake his head.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Griswald said. “Stay here tonight, where the boy can have companionship.”

We all stared at the former lawman inviting a group of criminals to stay the night.

“Pleeeease,” Katie begged Bruno. “Pleeeease.”

Following his friend’s example, Dominic began to plead, too. A moment later, Alicia joined the chorus. Then, Marlene rounded out the group.

“Fine,” Bruno sighed. “One night. We can stay one night.”

The kids cheered and Marlene kissed the bodyguard’s cheek.

“Why don’t you go play outside before it gets dark?” Lorraine suggested.

The kids clambered away, with Delveccio’s men and Marlene chasing after them.

“Protect?” DeeDee panted from beneath my chair.

“Protect,” I confirmed.

She chased after the children.

Griswald’s phone dinged again. This time, his brow furrowed with concern.

I winced as my gut clenched.

“I’ll clean this up,” my father offered, waving at the remains of dinner, oblivious of Griswald’s heightened worry.

“With my help,” Lorraine declared.

They stood and began collecting dirty dishes.

Before I could move to help them, Griswald requested, in a deceptively quiet and even tone, “A moment, Maggie?”

The knot in my stomach twisted tighter. Something was definitely wrong.

Griswald tilted his head, indicating I should follow him. I grudgingly got to my feet.

“What’s going on, Sugar?” Piss purred, keeping pace with me as I followed Griswald onto the front porch.

“We’re about to find out,” I whispered before stepping outside.

Griswald’s expression was shuttered as he watched the kids and Doberman play a spirited game of tag.

“I’m thinking that since there’s no bad weather, that a county-wide blackout wasn’t caused by a downed tree,” I guessed.

Surprise and respect gleamed in his eyes as he studied me for a long moment.

“And I’m guessing the reason you encouraged Dominic to stay wasn’t for his welfare, but so that the extra muscle that comes with him can provide extra security.”

“It did occur to me,” Griswald admitted.

“What was the second text?”

I frowned at him, impatient for the answer.

“We can’t have panic,” he lectured.

I nodded, wondering if men were genetically predisposed to tell women to not feel the very thing they were going to feel, before revealing whatever it was that would upset them.

“The power outage is believed to have been a deliberate act of sabotage,” Griswald said slowly.

I nodded.

“They haven’t determined the ‘why’ yet, but there’s been an alarming consequence.”

I focused on breathing steadily, readying myself to accept the blow of whatever bad news he was about to deliver. “A lion tried to eat me earlier,” I joked weakly. “Is it worse than that?”

“It might be,” he admitted.

Katie squealed with delight while playing their game, and we both glanced over toward the sound.

“Just tell me,” I urged, clenching my hands into fists.

“When the power went out, some of the prisoners who were at the courthouse awaiting hearings escaped.”

I swallowed hard. “Karla Nestor?”

He nodded.

I did my best to not panic, but my heartbeat sped up and my breathing became shallow. “What if she goes back to The Corset? What if she finds Loretta and Armani there and tries to kill them again?”

“If she’s smart, she’ll be laying low or getting out of town,” Griswald replied. “Not returning to the scene of the crime.”

“But if she’s vengeful…” I trailed off.

“Don’t panic,” he reminded me.

I scowled at him. “They shouldn’t be there. The cops are probably all busy directing traffic, and as much as I love Templeton, I’m not sure how much protection he can offer.” I wanted to go to them immediately, but along with my phone, having fried the key when I’d jumped in the pool, my car was still at the zoo. Seeing Nat carrying a red gasoline container toward the house, I remembered that he’d left his key in the truck, so it was undamaged. I shouted, “Nat, I need your truck!”

“Okay.” No questions, no arguments, just immediate agreement. Why couldn’t all men react like that?

“Maggie,” Griswald protested. “I don’t think⁠—”

Temper flaring, I cut him off. “I’m not leaving them unprotected and you and Delveccio’s men can provide enough security without my help.”

I ran down the porch stairs and sprinted toward Nat’s truck.

“I’ll tell the others what’s going on,” Piss promised, racing past me.

Knowing my aversion to running, Nat looked thoroughly alarmed as I ran toward his vehicle. “What’s going on, Lee?” He put down the heavy container and raced me to the driver’s side door.

“Karla Nestor is on the loose,” I panted. “I’ve got to get to Loretta and Armani.”

“I’m driving,” he said.

“You have to stay for the generator,” I told him.

“I know you all think your grandfather is a feeble old man, but he is actually one competent dude. He can handle the generator by himself. We’re wasting time arguing.”

Knowing he was right, I ran around the vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat.

As he started the engine, he mused aloud, “A second rescue in one day. And twin sisters, at that. That’s a first for me.”

“It won’t be if we get there too late,” I muttered. “Drive!”

12

Driving in New Jersey when the traffic lights aren’t working is a lot like taking part in a Mad Max race across the desert. People speed, create lanes where they don’t exist, make up their own rules of the road, and flip a lot of birds…and that’s when the lights are working.

I buckled up, grabbed the handle over the door, and hung on for dear life as we careened across town.

Focused on keeping us alive, Nat concentrated on driving and didn’t speak. I did my best not to gasp or slam my foot onto an imaginary brake pedal as we barely swerved out of the way of multiple collisions.

Somehow, he managed to get us to The Corset in one piece. Except for Templeton’s car, which was parked near the shop, the rest of the parking lot was empty. The rest of the stores in the strip mall had closed up, and everyone had headed home.

I was glad to see Templeton’s car. It meant they, too, had successfully traversed the traffic. Whether or not they were still alive was another story.

Nat was still rolling to a stop when I threw open the truck door. He slammed to a halt as I leapt out and began running toward the lingerie shop.

“Lee! Wait!” he yelled from behind me.

I didn’t look back. I hit the door of the store at full speed. I careened into whoever was blocking my way, and we tumbled to the ground. I cried out in pain as the sharpest elbow I’ve ever felt dug into my ribs.

“Is that you, Maggie?” Aunt Loretta asked.

Looking up, I saw that she and Armani were looming over me.

“Of course, it’s me,” I gasped in pain. “It’s always me. If you weren’t trying to spawn baby spiders from your eyes, you’d be able to see clearly and would know that.”

She blinked and the spiders, aka fake eyelashes, bounced.

“What happened?” Nat asked as he entered the shop, fists raised, ready to take on whatever attacker lurked in the shadows.

“Maggie tried to kill Ricky,” Loretta complained.

Realizing that meant that my limbs were entangled with a male mannequin, I struggled to free myself as I argued, “I wasn’t trying to kill him, I was trying to save you.”

“Easy, Chica,” Armani urged. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“She’s always hated my Ricky,” Loretta continued to complain to Nat.

“That part is true,” I admitted as Nat grabbed my arms and pulled me to my feet. I swayed unsteadily as I looked down at Ricky, who was outfitted in only a sequined thong. A toilet paper roll was sticking out of the scrap of fabric. I guessed that, when it was in place, it represented a certain bulge. “He’s loathsome.”

“He’s got a six-pack,” Loretta argued.

“He’s an oversized doll!” I shouted at her. There were more important things to be worrying about than the attributes of the fake man.

“He’s a display mannequin,” she corrected. Batting her spiders at Nat, she cooed coquettishly, grabbing his arm, “Now, Nat’s a real doll. Oooh, what strong forearms you have.”

Nat’s eyes widened with alarm. He snapped his arms down and against his sides to break her grip on him, a move which upset my equilibrium as he suddenly released me. I stumbled backward and might have fallen, but Armani steadied me with her good arm.

“Where’s Templeton?” I asked, fighting to regain my physical and mental balance.

“Right here,” he drawled from behind the cash register. “Listening to how much of a doll Nat is.”

“Don’t be jealous, darling,” Loretta told him dismissively. “You’ve always known I’m a shameless flirt.”

“And I’ve never liked it,” he reminded her. “Just like I don’t like your eyelashes. Maggie’s right. They look like spiders.”

Loretta sucked in an insulted gasp. “Why, I never. I⁠—”

“Karla Nestor is on the loose,” I blurted out.

“Oh no,” Armani groaned.

“How?” Templeton asked.

“She and other prisoners escaped because of the power outage,” I explained. “We’ve got to get you home. It’ll be safer there.”

“We’ve got to see if the tiles have anything to say about her,” Armani said.

I bit my tongue to prevent myself from pointing out that the tiles and spirits and anything else she consulted had let her down by not providing a warning that all of this was going to happen.

“I’ll lock the back door,” Templeton announced, and then hurried off.

Seeing Armani struggling to lift Ricky back onto his feet, Nat righted the mannequin.

“You’d look good with one of those thongs, Mr. Hunting,” Loretta suggested.

Nat blinked at her, seemingly too shocked to respond.

“Leave him alone,” Armani told her business partner. “And be nicer to Templeton.”

Pouting, Aunt Loretta stalked out of the store.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized to Nat. I was starting to understand why Aunt Susan had always seemed so frustrated while trying to rein in her sister’s outlandish behavior.

“Don’t worry about it,” Nat replied. “Besides, she’s not wrong. I think I’d look pretty good in one of the thongs.”

Armani threw back her head and laughed at his joke.

“Are we ready to go?” Templeton asked, reemerging from the rear of the store.

“You take the three of them and I’ll drive Templeton’s car home,” I ordered.

Nat and Templeton both gave me dubious looks.

“Nobody should be alone,” Nat decided. “I’ll take Armani and Loretta, and you can ride with Templeton.”

“Fine,” I agreed. I just wanted to get out of there before Karla Nestor showed up.

We headed out to the vehicles, sweeping up Loretta on our way. The wailing of sirens filled the air as we crossed the parking lot.

“The police have their hands full,” Armani noted.

“It’s going to be a long night with the blackout and escaped prisoners,” Templeton agreed.

As he spoke, a car came speeding through the empty lot, heading straight toward us.

“Get to the cars!” I jumped between the car and everyone else.

Nat and Templeton helped Loretta and Armani hurry away. I held my ground, facing the approaching threat, even though I had no way to stop it.

Brakes squealed and tires smoked as the car slid to a stop.

I clenched my hands into fists, ready to battle whoever was about to emerge, as the door of the vehicle swung open. Adrenaline was pumping and I wasn’t going down without a fight.

A familiar face popped up and I let out a sigh of relief. “Jack!”

“Jack?” Armani asked from behind me.

“It’s Jack,” Loretta announced, like the rest of us couldn’t see it was him.

“Everybody okay?” he asked, his gravely tone laced with concern.

“What are you doing here?” Armani asked.

“Some prisoners escaped, and I thought…” He trailed off.

“You thought you might get a story out of it,” Armani accused.

Jack glared back at her stonily.

I frowned. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t make my life any easier when she’s dating the crime reporter, but Jack Stern was a decent man and didn’t deserve to be treated poorly. “He was worried about you and rushed over to see if you were okay,” I told my friend. “Be nice.”

“We’re heading back to the house,” Templeton told the reporter. “You’re more than welcome to join us.”

Jack shook his head. “Can’t, I’ve got work to do.” With that, he ducked back into his car and drove off.

“Let’s go,” Armani said impatiently, limping toward Nat’s truck.

Nat shrugged at me and then followed her.

“I think it’s going to be a long night,” Templeton said as we climbed into his car.

He wasn’t wrong.

13

It was getting dark when we got home. While Templeton followed Nat down the driveway, I waved to Alejandro as we rolled past him. I was grateful that the llama was on guard duty. My family was in danger, and we needed all the help we could get.

Aunt Susan came flying off the porch as the vehicles pulled to a stop.

Templeton looked over at me and reiterated, “It’s going to be a long night.”

Sighing heavily, I nodded my head in agreement and then climbed out of the car.

“Everything okay, Sugar?” Piss purred from nearby.

“So far,” I murmured.

“You should have taken me with you,” God complained. “What if something had happened? How would you have managed without me?”

Squinting through the shadows, I realized that he was riding atop the cat. “What are you doing out here?”

“I need to be in the middle of the action,” he informed me haughtily.

“He would have driven poor Benny crazy if I hadn’t opened his enclosure,” Piss meowed defensively.

“It’s okay,” I told them. Crouching down, I stroked the head of the cat, allowing the lizard to jump on my hand and run up my arm. While she purred her contentment, he dove into my bra.

“Archie is playing a board game with the children,” God informed me. “Most of Delveccio’s men are keeping a close eye on them.”

“I’ll get back to patrolling,” Piss meowed, and ran off into the night.

“Thank you,” Aunt Susan told Nat as I stood back up. “Thank you for helping to keep my family safe.”

“It was Maggie’s idea,” he replied. “I just went along for the ride.”

She glanced over at me. “You did the right thing, Maggie.”

I nodded, wondering for the first time why her husband, with all his law enforcement experience, hadn’t accompanied us.

As though she could read my mind, she added, “Lawrence needs to talk to you.”

My stomach clenched. I instinctively knew it wasn’t because he had good news to share.

“He’s back by the kitchen helping Daddy with the generator,” Susan said.

“I might be able to help with that. I’ll go with you,” Nat offered.

I wasn’t sure if he meant he could help with the generator or whatever the latest problem Griswald was going to deliver, but I was grateful for his company as we walked around the house.

Herschel was bent over the generator, fiddling with some kind of tool, while Griswald stood a few paces away, observing.

“Give you a hand with that?” Nat called as we approached.

“This thing hasn’t been used in forever,” Herschel told him. “I wouldn’t mind a fresh set of eyes on it.”

While Nat joined him with the tinkering, I sidled up to Griswald.

“Everyone is okay?” he asked.

“They’re fine. No sign of Karla Nestor, either.”

He nodded. “Walk with me.”

We strolled away from the kitchen and up to the barn. I knew he wanted to keep our conversation private, but couldn’t tell him that all the animals in and around the barn would be eavesdropping.

“Nestor wasn’t the only escapee we have to worry about,” he revealed quietly. “Nonnie’s on the loose.”

I looked back toward the two men working on the generator. “Does Herschel know?”

Griswald shook his head. “I thought it would be best if he didn’t. He was so smitten with that homicidal lunatic that I worry he might try to help her.”

I nodded. My grandfather didn’t have the best judgment when it came to women.

“Hopefully, he’ll never know,” Griswald said. “She’ll be recaptured, and everything will go back to normal.”

“Unless she shows up here. We should tell Bruno.”

“She’d be crazy to come back here,” Griswald argued. “Delveccio’s goons don’t need to be in the loop.”

He stalked back toward the entrance to the kitchen, obviously annoyed at the suggestion that we could use the help of the mobster’s men, even though he’d been the one to encourage them to stay.

“This isn’t an ideal situation,” God pointed out as he scrambled onto my shoulder.

I stepped into the barn and announced, “Nobody can tell Herschel what you just heard. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” Irma, the donkey, brayed. “Nobody here liked that b⁠—”

“The secret is safe with me,” Matilda oinked.

“Billy?” I pushed the goat to make the pledge.

He cocked his head and bleated, “What do I get for my silence?”

“We don’t bribe,” God boomed, outraged. “How dare you try to elicit payment for simply doing the right thing?”

The goat lowered his head and pawed at the ground, readying himself to charge.

“Please don’t head-butt me,” I begged. “I’m still sore from banging against a thong-wearing mannequin. I’ll find some way to repay you for your silence.”

“We don’t negotiate with criminals!” God shouted.

“I am a criminal,” I muttered. “Everyone just needs to keep their mouths shut and I’ll reward them all.” I spun on my heel and marched out, heading for the house. I didn’t care what Griswald thought. I needed Bruno to know that the family was facing a credible threat.

As I crossed the yard, a critter skittered across the ground toward me. I stopped to greet the raccoon. “Hi, Rowdy.”

“Hey,” she replied in her most bored teenager’s voice.

“I don’t suppose you happen to know where Bruno is.”

“Marlene’s boyfriend?”

“No, the head bodyguard.”

“Whatever,” she groaned. “He’s up near the top of the driveway.”

“Thanks.” I pivoted and headed in that direction.

I hadn’t gotten very far when Alejandro galloped up.

“Do you need me, Maggie Lee? I am at your service.”

“I’m looking for Bruno,” I told the llama. “Rowdy said he’s at the end of the driveway.”

“Indeed, he is.”

“Has there been anyone suspicious around?”

“No. We are on high alert. I shall return to my patrol.” He bowed slightly and then galloped away.

I continued trudging up the driveway, impressed by Bruno’s dedication to doing such a full perimeter sweep. I didn’t see him when I reached the top, so I began to walk the outer edge of the property.

I froze in place when I heard a soft grunt coming from somewhere in the trees.

“Did you hear that?” God whispered.

I nodded, wondering what other reason I’d have had for freezing in place the way I had. I bent and scooped up a couple of rocks. They weren’t the best weapon, but they were better than nothing. I had to do something to help Bruno win his fight with the intruder.

Hearing another breathless grunt, followed by a low groan, I carefully picked my way through the trees to get a better look at the fighters.

“You should call in reinforcements,” God whispered in my ear.

Hearing shuffling footsteps ahead, I stepped closer to their source, squeezing the rocks, ready to fight to defend my family.

Hearing what sounded like a gasp of pain, I rushed forward, intent on helping Bruno. I was ready to strike.

14

I’m not sure who gasped louder, me or God, but it was definitely what gave my position away.

I instantly spun around and tried to escape unnoticed, but I knew I wasn’t quick enough when I heard a gasp that didn’t come from me or the lizard.

“Sorry! Sorry!” I called as I bolted through the trees, trying to put as much distance between myself and what I’d witnessed as possible.

Once I reached the driveway, I sprinted toward the house. But there was no way to outrun the complications of the mistake I’d just made.

“Did you see?” God asked, his voice vibrating as he bounced on my shoulder while my feet pounded the pavement below.

“Of course I saw,” I panted, sincerely wishing I hadn’t.

“It was revolting! Disgusting! Shocking!”

“Shocking,” I agreed. Twisting my ankle, I lurched sideways and was barely able to stay upright. I staggered like a drunken sailor, trying to regain my balance.

“Did you know?” the lizard inquired.

“No.” Chest heaving, I slowed to a walk, realizing I could hurt myself running in the dark. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have…”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he soothed.

“Of course it wasn’t my fault,” I wheezed. “But that doesn’t make things any less awkward, does it?”

Ankle throbbing, I limped toward the house.

“I think the llama is falling down on the job,” God opined in a superior tone.

I shook my head. “He’s not. He’s just very literal. I asked a question, and he answered.”

“But he should have⁠—”

“He answered the question he was asked,” I argued. I stopped and put my hands on my knees, forcing myself to take slow breaths. “Not his fault.”

“I guess not,” the lizard admitted grudgingly. “But a heads up would have been nice.”

“It would have.”

“It explains some things,” the lizard mused. “At least we know why Marlene was keeping her boyfriend such a secret.”

“I wonder if Delveccio knows,” I groaned.

“Knows what?” Rowdy asked, strolling up to us.

I could hear mocking laughter in the adolescent raccoon’s voice. “You knew!”

“Duh!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did,” she replied defensively. “It’s not my fault that you don’t listen.”

“You did not!” I accused.

“Actually, she did,” God said, coming to the defense of the raccoon. “You asked her where Bruno was and she replied, ‘Marlene’s boyfriend?’. Therefore, the case can be made that she did, in fact, inform you.”

“Thanks, Perry Mason,” I grumbled. To Rowdy, I said, “I’m sorry.”

“No big deal,” she replied with an attitude that reflected it was, actually, a big deal. “I’m used to getting blamed for things I didn’t do. I just came to tell you that Piss would like you to get back to the house as soon as possible, but it’s not an emergency.” With that, the raccoon ran into the woods, disappearing into the shadows.

“What now?” I muttered, hurrying toward the house. As I drew closer, I could hear the hum of a motor and could see a faint glow coming from inside the house. “They must have gotten the generator going,” I said.

“Something went right!” God cheered.

“You can’t just chain things up,” Herschel complained bitterly.

Looking over, I saw that he was standing by the barn, arguing with Griswald. I couldn’t make out his son-in-law’s muttered response.

I hesitated, unsure if I should try to keep the peace between them or head into the house and search for Piss.

“Society breaks down quickly when basic comforts are taken away,” Nat observed from somewhere nearby.

I gasped, startled.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, Lee,” he murmured, stepping out of the shadows.

“I’m just on edge,” I excused.

“Because she just caught her sister fornicating in the woods with the bodyguard,” God supplied from my shoulder.!

“Fornicating” Rowdy giggled hysterically in the shadows.

Unable to understand the lizard, Nat squinted at my shoulder, searching for the source of the squeaking sound. “I don’t think you have to worry about Karla Nestor getting the drop on anyone here. Why are you on edge?”

“Do you know what they’re fighting about?” I asked, changing the subject. I jerked my chin toward my grandfather and Griswald.

“Susan,” Nat said. He moved to stand beside me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “What about her?”

“She chained the refrigerator closed,” Nat said with a touch of awe. “With a long chain and padlock.”

“Oh no,” I murmured. “Not again.”

“Not again?” the lizard and the man beside me asked in unison.

“Sometimes she had to lock things up so that my mother wouldn’t get to them during one of her delusional spells,” I explained.

“And that wasn’t considered crazy?” Nat asked.

“She did it to protect us. Lock the shed so Mary doesn’t get into the gasoline. Lock the knife drawer so she doesn’t get ahold of a blade.” As I said it aloud, I realized it did sound a little nuts, but it had been handled matter-of-factly when I was a kid.

“And locking the fridge?” Nat prompted.

“That’s a new one,” I admitted. “I’ll talk to her.” I turned toward the house but was immediately stopped by a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Why do you have to be the one to talk to her?”

I shook his hand off but stayed standing where I was, when God said, “He has a good point.”

“How does that responsibility fall to you, and not her husband or sisters or father?” Nat prodded softly.

I stared at the glowing house, unsure of how to answer. Hot tears prickled the back of my eyes.

“Why is it that you are always the problem solver? Why is all the pressure on you?” Nat continued gently.

I shook my head, trying to swallow the lump that had risen in my throat, so I could choke out my denial. “Everybody does their part.”

“You do more than your share,” he argued.

“And what business is it of yours?” I snapped.

“Maggie, don’t—” God began to warn.

Ignoring the lizard’s squeaks, Nat shrugged. “I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Who asked you to?” I challenged.

“It’s been a long day,” he said in an even, but strained, tone. “I’m going to assume your stress and exhaustion are where this is coming from. I’m bunking in the barn, if you need anything. Try to get some rest.” He pivoted on his heel and strode toward his truck.

“Not your most shining moment,” God pointed out.

“I know,” I muttered, already feeling guilty. I considered chasing after Nat and offering a heartfelt apology, but before I could, someone else called my name.

“Maggie!”

I turned slowly, a sense of dread making it hard to breathe.

15

“Margaret May we have to talk,” Marlene said in her sternest voice as she marched toward me.

Considering I’d just spotted her butt-naked against a tree, I didn’t think my sister should be using such a condescending tone.

“We don’t have to talk,” I told her firmly. “I’m sorry, I interrupted you and Bruno. It was an accident. It’s done. We never have to speak of it again.”

“I need to explain,” she began.

“It’s basic anatomy. I understood,” I replied dryly. “But you are giving ‘get a room’ a whole new context.”

Putting her hands on her hips, she glanced around furtively. “You can’t tell anyone.”

“Has Bruno told Delveccio?” I asked.

“Of course not! He’d be furious. He could forbid him to see me.”

“He should tell him,” I stressed. “Delveccio won’t react well if he finds out about the secret on his own.”

“You were involved with his last bodyguard,” she reminded me.

I winced at the mention of Gino.

“Just because it didn’t work out for you, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have a chance to be happy.”

I held out my hands defensively, wincing. Only a sibling could deliver a low blow that would sting so much. “Whoa, whoa! Who said anything about you being denied happiness? Not me. If being with Bruno makes you happy, do it. Just don’t sneak around behind Delveccio’s back. If you two want to make like bunnies in the woods, do that! I don’t really care if you get a room.”

“You think because of my history that’s all I deserve?” she challenged. Even with the lack of light, I could see that tears were glittering in her eyes.

Shocked by the attack, I took a step back. I’d never held the fact that Marlene had worked as a prostitute against her. I didn’t understand where the accusation was coming from. I stared at the ground in front of me, fighting to retain control of my composure.

“Breathe, Maggie,” God coached in my ear.

“It’s been a long day,” I told Marlene softly, repeating Nat’s words. “I’m going to assume that the stress is making you act this way, and I’m going to walk away from this conversation.”

“But—” she began to protest.

“I’m sorry, Marlene, but I’ve got to go deal with Aunt Susan, who is chaining stuff up again.”

Without a glance at my sister, I headed toward the house. Then, I turned back and added, “You should rebutton your shirt before you go inside. You missed one.” Then, I started walking again.

I hadn’t taken ten steps when somebody else called my name. “Maggie!”

For a moment, I considered pretending I couldn’t hear him, but then I grudgingly turned toward Griswald. He waved me toward him and my grandfather. I trudged over to the barn, knowing this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation, either.

“Susan has chained the refrigerator shut,” Griswald announced once I was closer. “Do you know anything about that?”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I replied carefully.

“You don’t sound surprised,” my aunt’s husband noted.

I shrugged. “It’s not like it’s the first time she’s done it.”

“What does that mean?” Herschel asked sharply.

I quickly filled them in with the same story I’d shared with Nat.

“But Mary isn’t here,” my grandfather pointed out when I was done.

“And there’s nothing dangerous about a fridge,” Griswald added.

I nodded. “Maybe she’s reacting to an accumulation of stress. Between the whole family almost dying at Knight Fights and Loretta’s kidnapping, and now, today, the zoo and the blackout and…everything, maybe it got to be too much for her.”

“Maybe?” Herschel asked incredulously.

Feeling the need to defend my aunt, despite the fact that what she’d done was nuts, I said, “She’s just trying to protect the family. It’s all she’s ever tried to do. And for the longest time, she had to do it on her own. It wasn’t like Leslie and Loretta were any help.”

He nodded slowly, hearing and accepting the truth about his oldest daughter.

“Has anyone asked her why she chained the fridge?” I asked.

“I tried,” Griswald replied. “She ranted that she didn’t have to explain her choices.”

“I’ll talk to her,” I offered.

“You’re proving Nat’s point,” God whispered.

“No, I will,” Griswald and Herschel said simultaneously.

“You two figure it out amongst yourselves,” I said tiredly. I spun around and hurried toward the house, determined to find Piss before I could be interrupted again.

“There you are, Sugar,” she purred as I approached the front porch. She ran out to greet me, winding herself between my legs.

I scooped her up and cradled her to my chest, taking a moment to enjoy cuddling her. “Rowdy said you wanted to see me,” I whispered as I nuzzled her good ear.

I was whispering because Aunt Leslie and Lorraine were sitting on one end of the porch, heads together, deep in conversation, while one of Delveccio’s guards was posted at the front door on the opposite end.

“Armani is looking for you,” the cat purred. “She asked me to get you for her.”

I kissed her forehead. “Okay.” Even though my friend can’t talk to animals, she knows I can, so the fact she’d passed a message along through the cat had to mean it was important.

“She’s in the kitchen,” the cat supplied as I gently put her back down on the ground.

Deciding the safest route was through the kitchen door, I skirted around the house, hoping to creep inside and find Armani alone. Like most of my plans, that didn’t happen.

A man in a black suit, gun drawn, stepped into my path before I even reached the door.

“It’s just me,” I told Delveccio’s guard, halting and raising my hands in surrender.

“Kids are in the kitchen,” he said gruffly, holstering his gun and stepping aside to let me pass.

“Thanks,” I murmured.

Stepping into the kitchen, I was greeted with squeals of laughter. All three children were playing a board game with Archie on the kitchen table. Horse leaned against the doorframe leading to the dining room, watching over them with a bemused expression. Having taken off his suit jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves, he looked more like a doting uncle than a mobster’s muscle.

I noted that Herschel hadn’t been exaggerating when he said the refrigerator had been locked up. A heavy chain was draped around it.

My father glanced up from the game and flashed a wide grin at me, obviously having just as much fun as the kids. He might not have been the best father when I was growing up, but he was a wonderful grandfather.

“Dominic’s winning,” Katie announced. “He’s really good at this.”

“Way to go, Dominic!” I high fived the grinning boy.

“Do you want to play, Aunt Maggie?” Alicia offered.

“I can’t,” I told her with regret. “I have to find Armani. Does anybody know where she is?”

“She said she’d wait for you in your room,” Horse supplied helpfully.

“Thanks.”

As I walked past him, he leaned close and said softly so that only I could hear, “Keeping the kid here tonight was the best thing for him. Thank you.”

I nodded. Looking back at the trio of happy kids, my heart was filled with joy.

The feeling didn’t last long. The second I walked into my bedroom, Armani, who was perched on my bed, stroking the white mouse balanced on her thigh, announced, “The tiles want to talk to you, Chica.”

16

Armani stopped petting Benny so she could hold out her bag of Scrabble tiles toward me.

Closing the door behind me, I grabbed the bag from her. Before I pulled the requisite seven squares, I carefully placed God on the driftwood in his enclosure. Then, I counted out the tiles and laid them out in alphabetical order on the bed beside her.

A C E P S T U

My friend studied them for a long moment, and then guessed, “Put aces? Cat supe? Pet caus? None of them really makes much sense.”

An old panic scraped down my spine and I shivered as I realized the word it could spell.

“What is it?” Armani asked worriedly.

I swallowed hard before answering. “Teacups.”

“And that means something to you?”

I nodded.

“What?” Armani asked.

I sighed, preparing to explain about Walden. Then, a memory of visiting my mother the previous day flashed in my head. When I’d gotten to her room, she’d been sipping from a dainty teacup. She lived in a mental health institution. Even though the place cost a fortune, which is why I still worked for Delveccio, I doubted teacups were in the budget. Where had she gotten it?

“I need to get my mom,” I said, heading for the door.

“Not without me!” God called.

“Or me! Or me! Or me!” Benny squeaked.

Whirling around, I grabbed the mouse off of Armani’s leg and the lizard from his enclosure.

“What’s wrong?” Armani asked, alarmed. “What’s going on?”

I didn’t have time to explain. I had to get to my mother.

With a mouse in one hand and a lizard in the other, I ran from my room, through the house, and past Delveccio’s man posted at the front door like he wasn’t even there.

“Maggie!” Bruno called as I flew down the front steps. “I have to talk to you.”

“Not now!” I made a beeline for Nat’s truck. Remembering that he’d left his key in it at the zoo, I slapped God onto my shoulder and tried to yank open the door, but it was locked.

“What’s going on?” Bruno called after me.

“Just do your job,” I shouted back. I sprinted toward the barn. “Nat! Nat!”

He must have heard the panic in my voice because he came running out. “Over here, Lee!”

“Please help me,” I begged, teetering on the edge of hysteria. “I need my mom. I need to get to my mom.”

“Shhh,” he urged. “Easy. Just breathe.”

“I need to get to her now!” I screamed at him.

“Okay, okay,” he soothed, grabbing my free hand. “I’ll drive.”

We ran to his truck holding hands, while I babbled, “I should have seen it. How’d I miss it? It was right there.”

Griswald, looking alarmed, yelled from the front door of the house, “What’s going on?”

“No time,” I muttered.

“Okay,” Nat agreed. He opened the passenger door and lifted me into the seat like I was a toddler. “Put your seat belt on.”

“Hunting, what is happening?” Griswald demanded to know, his voice closer than it had been.

I put Benny in the cupholder and then tried to put the seat belt on, but my fingers were numb and clumsy.

“I’ve got it.” Sitting in the driver’s seat, he reached over and buckled me in. “She’s at the institution?”

“Y-yes.”

We sped past Griswald, who watched us go with a mixture of worry and fear.

While Nat focused on not getting into an accident, God stayed on my shoulder. “You need to keep breathing, Maggie. You’ll be no good to anyone if you pass out. Breathe out…hold it…that’s it…breathe in.”

Considering how hazardous the trip was without traffic lights, we made it to the nuthouse in record time.

“What now?” Nat asked as he parked in front of the building. It was the first question he’d asked.

“I need to take her home,” I said. “We need to protect her.”

“From what?” Nat asked gently.

“She had a teacup!” I wailed.

“A teacup,” he repeated carefully. His gaze bored into mine, searching, assessing.

“I’m not crazy,” I told him.

“I know,” he murmured soothingly. He brushed my hair off my face so that he had an obstructed view. “I’m just not keeping up. Can you just give me a little more explanation.”

I took a shaky breath. “Walden, the serial killer,” I explained, my voice cracking with the pressure I was feeling. “He called her from his lawyer’s phone. She had a teacup in her room when I visited earlier. I just realized that this place would never let her have something so delicate. She’s in danger.”

Nat nodded. “I believe you.”

I sagged with relief.

“Can you just sign her out?” he asked.

I frowned. “Probably not. But it looks like they’ve only got their emergency lights going, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to break her out.”

“You want to steal her?” he asked incredulously.

“Borrow,” I corrected. “I’ll bring her back when the danger has passed.”

“What’ll the cops have to say about that?”

I shrugged. “She’s escaped on her own plenty of times. As long as I don’t get caught, they’ll just think she did it again. The facility isn’t going to want to appear to be negligent, so they won’t make a fuss.”

“You’ve thought this whole thing out,” he said with amazement.

“On the fly, on the way here,” I admitted.

“What’s my job in this heist of a human?”

“You’re the getaway driver. Think you can handle that?”

He nodded.

“I’ll be back with her as soon as I can.” I reached for the door handle.

“Take me! Take me! Take me!” Benny squeaked from the cupholder.

I scooped up the little white mouse, joking, “Almost forgot one of my accomplices.”

“Be careful,” Nat urged.

“Always,” I said as I slid out of the truck.

“Liar,” he chastised softly before I closed the door.

I crept across the parking lot, keeping to the darkest shadows. I’d been there enough times over the years to know which door the employees used to step outside to take their smoke breaks. I was hoping that because of the main power being down, that their keycards wouldn’t be working and someone would have left the door propped open.

“Did you bring a weapon?” God asked as we neared the door.

“You know I didn’t,” I muttered.

“One would think that a weapon would come in handy when facing a serial killer,” he said disapprovingly.

“One would think that you could have come up with that suggestion a lot sooner,” I snapped back. Then, I grinned. We were in luck. The smoke break door had been left open.

In the middle of the night, the building was a lot quieter. I walked quickly, avoiding the nurses’ station and pressing my back to the wall when I exited a stairwell. I was two doors away from my mother’s room when I felt someone watching me. Looking over my shoulder, I found Emery, the orderly, striding toward me.

My heart sank. Not only was he an employee, but he was sure to recognize me and know I wasn’t a patient who’d gotten lost in the darkened hallways.

“Visiting hours are over, Maggie,” Emery whispered as he drew near.

“I know,” I told him. “I just really needed to see my mom.”

“Mary, Mary, quite contrary,” he recited in a sing-song voice.

His playfulness made me think he wasn’t there to bust me, so I confided my plan. “I wanted to take her home for a day or two,” I admitted. “But I know I can’t get the paperwork done now, so I was going to, ummm…whisk her away.”

He leaned closer and confided, “I wish someone would take me away from this place. How did you get in here?”

“The smoke break door is propped open,” I admitted.

“Because the swipe cards and the alarm aren’t working because of the power situation.” He pointed at the emergency lighting that lined the floors and gave the halls a dim “just after sunset” glow. “They’re running off the generator.”

I stared at him, unsure of what was going on. He hadn’t tried to raise the alarm or talk me out of my plan.

“I could be your lookout,” Emery offered.

I blinked. “Really? Couldn’t you lose your job for that?”

He shrugged. “We’ll have to hurry.”

I nodded, moved down the hall, and let myself into my mother’s room. There was a solar-powered nightlight propped up in the window. I used its light to navigate my way to her bedside. “Mary,” I whispered to my sleeping mom. “Do you want to go get some ice cream?”

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily. “Ice cream.”

17

It was easier smuggling Mom out of the mental health facility than it was sneaking her into my bedroom.

True to his word, Emery had served as a lookout as I’d led my mother through darkened hallways and dimly lit stairwells. When I’d last seen him, he was standing outside in the smoking area, waving us off.

Mom hadn’t been too happy when I’d told her that we couldn’t get ice cream because of the power outage. “You tricked me, Margaret May,” she accused.

“No, Mom,” I protested. “I just forgot that the diner would be closed because there’s no electricity. I’ll still get you some eventually, I promise.”

Thankfully, Benny had started chanting, “Peace. Peace. Peace.”

Mom had taken the little mouse and started kissing his head every time he said the word, which seemed to make it impossible for her to stay annoyed at me.

Griswald was sitting on the front porch when we pulled in front of the house. I could tell from his rigid posture that he was steaming mad.

“Uh oh,” Nat muttered.

“I’ll deal with him,” I said. “You take Mom in through the kitchen.”

Griswald, hands on his hips, was already stalking toward us when I got out of the truck. I could tell that he was angry, but I met his gaze steadily. “Don’t you dare upset her,” I warned.

Confused, he looked past me to see Nat helping my mother out of the truck.

“Mary,” Griswald gasped with surprise.

“Hello, Lawrence.” She flashed him a warm smile and I saw the anger seep right out of him.

He looked to me, clearly confused.

“Let me explain.” I tilted my head toward the barn, and he followed me as Nat led Mom around the house toward the kitchen entrance.

“Why is she here?” he asked.

I leaned against the donkey’s paddock fencing and took a deep breath. “When I was twelve, I helped to put a serial killer in jail.”

“Susan told me.”

I glanced over at him, surprised.

“She was very proud of you,” he explained.

“She never told me that,” I murmured.

“She should have,” her husband said. “What does this have to do with you stealing your mother in the middle of the night?”

I quickly told him about the phone call that had been traced to the phone owned by Walden’s attorney and the teacup in her room. I left out the part about the Scrabble tile warnings.

“You think he’s targeting her,” Griswald deduced.

“I think it’s a possibility,” I replied carefully. “I didn’t want to risk her safety.”

“So, you brought her here,” he concluded.

I nodded. I held my breath, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

“You should have told me about this the moment you found out about the phone call,” he said. “Even if it had proven just to be a delusion, I would have checked into it. Now, it sounds like it could be a credible threat.”

I exhaled slowly.

“Let me see what I can find out about this Walden guy,” he said. “In the meantime, you try to get some sleep. You look exhausted.”

“I am,” I admitted.

“Stay away from the living room,” he suggested. “The kids, Marlene and Archie, plus the cat and dog are all sleeping in there. Delveccio’s men are sleeping in shifts. They’ve got one guard at the front door, and one on the kitchen at all times, so approach with caution.”

“Thanks for the warning,” I murmured.

“You’re keeping your mother in your room overnight?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Just make sure she doesn’t go wandering.”

“She won’t,” I promised.

“I’m not going to tell Susan she’s here,” he said slowly. “Better for everyone to get some rest. They can catch up in the morning.”

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“And if you learn anything else, I mean anything, you need to tell me right away. Is that understood?”

“Understood,” I repeated. I crossed my fingers behind my back. I wasn’t exactly lying to him, just misleading him with confirmation that I’d heard him.

“Go get some sleep.” He surprised me by pecking me on the cheek before heading back toward the house.

“That went better than expected,” God remarked from my bra.

“Much better,” I admitted, leaning on the fence heavily, trying to gather the energy to deal with my mother.

Matilda, the pig, waddled out of the barn to stand beside me. “Can I do anything to help?” she oinked softly.

I leaned down and scratched the bridge of her snout. “No. I was just catching my breath.”

“You saved me from being barbecued,” she reminded me. “If there’s anything you need…”

“I appreciate that,” I told her. “You do plenty. I’m going to turn in for the night. Sweet dreams.” I patted her head and shuffled toward the house.

When I reached my room, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mom was already tucked in and sound asleep. Nat stood by Benny’s enclosure, reaching over the top to stroke the head of the mouse.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

“How’d it go with Griswald?” he whispered back.

I shrugged. “As well as could be expected.” I waved for him to follow me into the hallway. Once we were out of the room, I carefully closed the door and walked away so that we could talk in low tones instead of whispering. “He’s not going to call the cops and have us arrested for kidnapping.”

“Win!” Nat flashed an exaggerated smile and two thumbs up.

I giggled softly.

“Where are you going to sleep?” he asked.

“On the floor,” I told him.

He frowned.

“I promised Griswald I won’t let her wander. That means I’ll have to block her escape route. It’ll be fine. I’m so tired I could probably sleep standing up.”

“Do you want me to guard the door while you wash up?” he offered.

“That would be great, thank you.” I hurried off to the bathroom.

“He’s grown on me,” God said as I brushed my teeth.

“Who?”

“Hunting. I didn’t trust him when you first met, but time and time again he’s proven himself to be a reliable ally.”

I spit out my toothpaste in agreement.

“You should keep him around.”

“I don’t think he’s the type to stick around one place for long,” I said.

“Maybe he just hasn’t found the right place to stick,” the lizard countered.

“Well, this isn’t it,” I told him. “I dragged the poor man to an insane asylum to, essentially, at least in the eyes of the law, kidnap someone tonight. That is not a healthy place to stay. He deserves better.”

I hurried back down the hallway to relieve him of guard duty. He was leaning back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed. For a moment, I wondered if he’d actually fallen asleep standing up.

Then, he said as he opened his eyes, “She’s still in there.”

“Thanks, again.”

“Get some sleep,” he urged. “If you need me, I’ll be in the barn.”

“You don’t have to stay,” I told him.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “I do.” As he walked away, he added, “Sweet dreams, Lee.”

18

Despite being so exhausted, I didn’t sleep well. The combination of the discomfort of the hard floor and the anxiety swirling in my brain did nothing to aid in me nodding off.

I was bone tired when I walked my mother into the kitchen the next morning. I knew I wasn’t the only one in need of a rest day, because it was two hours later than I normally got up and the household was barely stirring yet.

“Grandma!” Katie shouted joyfully, as the first person to notice I wasn’t alone. She jumped out of her seat at the table and ran to hug her. “There’s no school today because everybody’s overtired, so we can spend the whole day together!”

Meanwhile, her cousin immediately ran out of the room.

Templeton, who’d been rummaging in the refrigerator, turned around, surprised. “Hello, Mary.”

My mother smiled shyly at him.

“I’m sure at least one of your sisters will be down any minute now.” He shot me an enquiring look.

I shrugged. “Do I smell coffee?”

“Power came back on a few minutes ago and that’s the first thing I started,” he said.

“I’m nominating you for sainthood,” I told him. “I hereby declare that you are the patron saint of caffeination.”

Chuckling, he returned to rummaging in the fridge.

“Mom?” Marlene said, stumbling in from the living room, holding Alicia’s hand.

Our mother opened her arms and Marlene flew into them, crying into her shoulder. Alicia watched their reunion with serious concern.

“She’s happy to see her, honey,” I assured my niece as my sister’s sobs grew louder.

“Who’s crying? What happened?” Aunt Susan demanded to know, rushing in. Seeing her sister, she stopped, eyes wide. “Mary?”

My mother beckoned her over and Susan started dripping tears onto her other shoulder.

I skirted around them, trying to reach the coffeemaker. By the time I reached it, Templeton had already poured a mug for me. “Can I have another?”

He chuckled. “Two-fisted drinker?”

“Nat slept in the barn last night,” I explained.

Nodding his understanding, he poured another mug. “Tell him I’m making a big breakfast.”

“I will.” Hearing Aunt Loretta’s stilettos click-clacking toward the kitchen, I hurried outside before I could get swept up in her reunion with her sister.

“Morning, toots!” Mike croaked as soon as I stepped outdoors. He was perched on a nearby tree limb.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have anything for you right now.”

“I was just saying good morning,” he squawked.

“Good morning,” I told him. Then, I stopped and looked right at him. “In all the craziness, I never said thank you. Thank you for saving Nat from the lion.”

“No biggie. He’s a straight-up guy,” Mike approved.

“What were you doing at the zoo?”

“It never hurts to have a bird’s eye view,” he croaked with laughter at his own joke. “If one of the kids had gotten lost, I coulda found ‘em for ya.”

I nodded. “And Pam and Dora? Did you recruit them?”

“Nah, they followed me.”

I scanned the sky, but didn’t spot the falcons. “Well, tell them I said thank you.”

“If I see them again.”

I squinted at the bird as though that might improve my cognition. “What?”

“They liked the zoo, so they stayed there. They never came back,” he explained. “They’re happy. The bunny’s happy. Everybody won.”

I nodded, slightly sad that the falcons hadn’t said good-bye, but glad they’d found a better home.

The black bird flapped his wings and flew off, and I continued on to the barn. Nat was sitting on one of the bales of hay, cuddling Twitch against his chest and murmuring in the bunny’s ear.

“Morning,” I called softly.

He grinned at me. “Morning.”

“Good morning, Maggie,” Twitch said.

I handed Nat a steaming mug, which he took with one hand so that he could continue to cradle the rabbit against him.

“Sleep well?” he asked.

“No,” I admitted. “You?”

“Not my best beauty rest. I really need a change of clothes.”

“Too much talking,” Twitch declared, wriggling out of Nat’s arm and hopping away.

“Was it something I said?” Nat asked, feigning hurt.

I shook my head. “Good news. The power is back on.”

“So, some sense of normalcy will return.”

“Hopefully.” I sipped my drink.

“What’s the plan for today?” he asked.

“I’ve got to go fill out the visitation paperwork for my mother before they realize she’s missing and alert the authorities.”

“I can drive you.”

I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’m going to bring Aunt Susan. She does much better dealing with those people.”

“Because she pays the bills,” Nat guessed.

“Mmm,” I muttered noncommittally, sipping from my mug.

He cocked his head. “She doesn’t pay for it,” he realized. “You do.”

I shook my head. “Delveccio.”

“Why?”

Instead of answering, I drank some more coffee.

“That’s why…” He trailed off.

Staring into my mug, I held my breath, wondering how much he’d guessed about my relationship with the mob boss.

“That’s why Dominic does his schooling with the girls. You’re trading education and companionship for health care.”

“Pretty much,” I agreed a tad too quickly.

“Always a surprise with you, Lee.”

“I aim to keep you on your toes,” I joked.

“You do that,” he murmured.

I glanced at him sharply, as I got the feeling he meant more than what the words said at face value.

Suddenly flustered, I blurted out, “Thank you!”

He blinked, surprised by the exclamation. “For what?”

“For saving everybody from the lion. For rushing me over to bring Loretta, Templeton and Armani home from The Corset.”

“You’re the one who took one for the team by getting intimate with Ricky,” he reminded me with a wink.

The mention of the mannequin reminded me of the thong, and his assertion he’d look good in it. My cheeks warmed and I drained the rest of my coffee to hide my embarrassment.

“Thank you for assisting Herschel with the generator. And for helping me kidnap my mom.”

“Now, there’s a phrase no woman has ever said to me before,” he marveled with a laugh.

I couldn’t tell if he was flirting or was genuinely amazed. I decided to play it straight. “You didn’t have to do any of those things, but you did, without hesitation or complaint. And I appreciate it. Truly.”

“I know,” he murmured.

“Why?” I whispered.

“Why what?”

“Why do all those things?” I asked. He wasn’t family. He wasn’t a lifelong friend. And yet, he’d risked his life and freedom multiple times to help me.

He stared into my gaze for a long moment. Then, he blinked, pulled back and said lightly, “That’s what partners do for each other, Lee.”

“Maggie! Maggie!” a voice called.

I sighed. “Sometimes I really hate hearing my name called.”

Nat nudged my shoulder with his own. “That’s why I never use it.”

“Maggie.” Griswald burst into the barn. He looked as tired as I felt, and like his anxiety could give mine a run for the money.

From his grim expression, I could tell something was wrong. Very wrong. As I squeezed my coffee mug tightly, Nat rested a supportive hand between my shoulder blades.

“I talked to my contacts and learned that Walden filed an appeal,” Griswald said.

I nodded. Zeke had already told me that, and it explained how he’d been able to use his lawyer’s phone to call my mother.

“He had a hearing,” Griswald elaborated.

I tried to control the rise of dread that was threatening to suffocate me. “Is his conviction being overturned?”

Griswald shook his head. “Worse. He was at the courthouse during the blackout. He escaped and is on the loose.”

19

I couldn’t breathe. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. My throat ached from the pressure. My eyesight was growing dim.

Instinctively, my arms flailed out as I fought for my life.

I heard a dull thunk, and a groan.

“Breathe!” God boomed, cutting through my panic. “Breathe, Maggie!”

I sucked in a shallow breath, then another, then another. As I reoxygenated my blood, everything came back into focus. I was in the barn. Griswald was watching me with concern.

Beside me, Nat was pressing his hand against his chin. Blood seeped between his fingers.

I recoiled at the sight, then shrunk back even further when the realization hit me. “Did I do that?” I gasped.

“Heck of a right hook,” Nat joked with a crooked smile.

“You had some sort of panic attack,” Griswald explained.

“It felt like he was strangling me again.” My chest tightened. “I couldn’t breathe. I⁠—”

“Easy, Lee,” Nat soothed, interrupting the flow of my recollection before it could get the better of me. “You’re safe. You can breathe just fine.”

“I’m going to get the first aid kit,” Griswald said.

“I don’t need it,” Nat told him.

“I think you do,” the other man argued. “I’m pretty sure you just ruined the shirt that Herschel used in his dating profile pictures. Wait here.”

Nat glanced down and saw that blood was dripping onto the flannel. “Whoops.”

“I am so sorry,” I said, blinking back tears. “I didn’t⁠—”

“Shhh,” Nat urged. “It was an accident. If you hadn’t had the coffee mug in your hand when you clocked me, it wouldn’t have even left a mark.”

I flinched. “This left a mark.”

“It’s okay.”

“I don’t know what happened.”

“You don’t remember what Griswald told us that set you off?” he asked carefully.

“Of course, I remember,” I said with irritation. “I don’t know why I overreacted like that.”

“Maybe because you were twelve when the guy tried to kill you and it was traumatizing,” he suggested mildly. “I kind of⁠—”

“Maggie Lee! Maggie Lee!”

The panicked whistling of the llama had me jumping to my feet and rushing out of the barn.

“She has breached the grounds!” Alejandro warned.

“Who?”

“The Nonnie!”

“Intruder alert! Intruder alert!” Percival, the blind peacock, sped past us, tail feathers on full display, as he screeched the alarm as loudly as he could.

“This is not good,” God announced, scrambling up to my shoulder.

The goat came running. The pig waddled over. The raccoon emerged from a nearby tree.

“Let me out! Let me out!” Irma brayed, running in circles around her paddock. “I’ll kick her into the next world.”

“What’s going on?” Nat asked from beside me.

Piss came racing out of the house. “Sugar?”

“She’s here,” I said, answering the man and the cat. “Nonnie is here.”

Piss pulled a tight U-turn and headed back into the house yowling, “Protect! DeeDee, protect the girls!”

I hustled back into the barn, grabbed the nearest pitchfork by Irma’s stall, and ran out, brandishing it.

The cacophony of the animals brought both Bruno and Horse to the front porch.

“Get back,” I said, waving them away. “Get back inside and stay with the kids.”

The bodyguards dove back into the house immediately.

Herschel came running out of the kitchen door, eyes wide.

“This is a lot of drama for an excitable llama,” Nat remarked.

“He’s a guardian,” I told him. “If he’s signaling danger, there’s dan⁠—”

The roar of the engine was deafening, and the speed of the tractor trailer as it barreled down the driveway was impressive. It was headed straight for us, with no signs of slowing down.

Screaming in fear, the animals scattered out of the truck’s path.

I was dimly aware of Twitch shouting, “Follow me! Follow my voice, Percy!”

I spotted Nonnie, hair wild, eyes filled with hatred, aiming straight for the barn. I tried to wave her off with the pitchfork, but she kept coming.

Just in time, Nat grabbed me around the waist and swept me off my feet and out of the truck’s trajectory.

The concussive force of the impact of the truck plowing into the barn knocked us both to the ground.

“Sensitive skin,” God moaned from some distance away, having gone flying off my shoulder.

I scrambled to my feet in time to see flames lick out from the engine block. “Fire!” I shouted. “Fire!”

“Help! Help!” Irma brayed with primal panic. “I’m trapped!”

I ran to open the paddock gate to set her free. “I’ve got you!”

As Irma galloped out, Nat ran into the barn. Grabbing the bucket of water from Irma’s stall, he splashed it on the flames, but it wasn’t enough to extinguish the fire.

“The hose!” I yelled, running to grab it.

The cab door opened, and Nonnie stumbled out, looking confused. Herschel rushed toward her, wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the barn.

“Don’t you let her go!” I yelled as I struggled to turn the water on. Only a slow trickle emerged from the hose. It wouldn’t be enough.

“Get out of the way!” Nat bellowed as he jumped into the cab of the truck. The gears grinded, making a horrible noise.

Understanding his plan, I ran out of the barn, waving my arms. “Get out of the way! He’s backing up! Get out of the way!”

The animals scattered again. Herschel kept dragging a stumbling Nonnie to safety. Griswald, gun drawn, stood on the porch, watching in horror.

The truck lurched backward. Once. Twice. Three times. The grinding of the gears threatened to puncture the eardrums of all in the vicinity, but it had ended up halfway between the barn and house.

I rushed up to the cab, yanked the door open, and pulled on Nat’s arm. “You did it. Get out of there.”

He slid out and almost collapsed in my arms as he coughed and choked, tears streaming from his eyes.

Templeton, carrying two fire extinguishers, ran past us.

As I led Nat away from the burning vehicle, the comforting whoosh of the fire extinguishers being emptied on the burning engine filled the air. When I looked over, I saw that Templeton and Griswald were attacking the flames from both sides.

“I have to go back to the barn,” I told Nat, leaving him leaning against a tree, gasping for breath.

I rushed past the truck, grabbed the hose, and began spraying down the area around the truck, trying to prevent the fire from spreading. “We have to call the fire department!” I shouted to no one in particular.

“Already done!” Griswald yelled back.

A moment later, I heard the distant wail of a siren and knew that help was on the way. We’d done it. We’d survived Nonnie’s insane attack. I felt almost giddy as I sprayed the hose.

But my bubble of euphoria burst the moment I heard the anguished cry.

“Twitch!” Rowdy screamed in full-blown panic as she ran past me toward the back of the barn. “Twitch, where are you?”

20

A silent numbness closed around me as I realized that the bunny might not have made it.

“Let me take that,” Templeton said, jolting me out of the moment of intense grief. “Give it to me.”

I blinked as he pulled the hose from my grip, urging, “Go check on the girls.”

Instead of heading for the house, I ran into the barn. Irma’s stall door was crushed, support beams leaned at odd angles, and the usually neatly stacked bales of hay had been turned into a chaotic mess.

“Twitch! Twitch!” Rowdy called, diving through the mounds of debris, desperately searching for her friend.

“Twitch,” I called. “It’s okay to come out now. It’s safe.”

The off-kilter beams groaned, and I realized that “safe” was probably an exaggeration.

“Please, Twitch,” Rowdy begged, crying.

“Get out of there, Maggie,” Griswald shouted.

Ignoring him, I dropped to my knees and began pawing through the straw beside the raccoon, digging desperately.

Behind me, I heard the roar of the arriving fire trucks.

I kept searching, tears making my vision blurry.

The beams kept groaning.

“Lady, you gotta get out of here,” a firefighter instructed, grabbing my arm. “This place could collapse at any moment.”

I shook him off me. “Leave me alone.”

“You’re gonna die,” the firefighter insisted.

“Listen to him, Maggie,” God coughed.

Looking down, I saw the lizard standing by my knee. He was dusty and banged up. Realizing he had scrambled across the scratchy straw to reach me, I paused my digging.

“You have to get out,” the lizard pleaded as he began to climb up my body. “Please. We can’t lose you, too.”

“We have to go, Rowdy,” I told the raccoon.

“We have to find him,” she argued.

The beams groaned even louder.

“Now!” God urged.

I jumped to my feet, grabbed the raccoon by the scruff at the back of her neck, and ran for the barn’s exit with the firefighter right behind me.

“No!” Rowdy screamed in protest. She squirmed and scratched, fighting to get free. “Let me go!”

We’d just reached Irma’s damaged paddock when there was a thundering crash behind us. The force knocked me to my knees, and I lost my hold on the raccoon. I couldn’t breathe as a wave of dust and straw enveloped the entire area.

My eyes stung, and it took me a moment to focus when I looked back over my shoulder. The remains of the barn were flattened to the ground.

“Twitch!” Rowdy wailed.

Someone helped me to my feet as I coughed and spluttered, eyes tearing, heart aching. Blinking, I surveyed the area.

The firefighters were extinguishing the last of the flames around the truck. Alejandro, Matilda, Billy and Irma stood clustered together by the front porch, stamping their feet and looking nervous. Griswald was talking to a pair of uniformed cops. Another pair of cops had handcuffed Nonnie and were leading her to a patrol car. Herschel sat on the ground, watching his ex-girlfriend being hauled off. Templeton and Nat stood off to the side, coughing.

Filled with a murderous rage, I glared at the woman who’d endangered so many that I cared about. She smirked back at me. Like an outraged bull, I charged.

“Maggie!” Griswald shouted when he saw me running straight at Nonnie. “Stop!”

“Save me!” God yelped, diving off my shoulder, preferring to hit the hard soil below than be smashed in the upcoming collision.

The officers escorting Nonnie were caught off-guard by my blitz attack. I slammed into her with my full body weight, sending all four of us tumbling to the ground.

“You, bitch!” I gasped, scrambling wildly, intent on bashing her head into the ground.

There were shouts to stop and multiple hands pulling me away from her. I kicked out like a madwoman, trying to inflict as much pain on her as I could, as I dimly heard Griswald saying, “Let it go, Maggie.”

As they dragged me away, Herschel jumped between us. “Stop it, Margaret! Get control of yourself!”

Enraged that he’d defend her, even after what she’d done, I screamed, “Don’t you get it? The girls should have been in their classroom. She didn’t know school had been cancelled because of the blackout. She was trying to kill the kids, and she killed my bunny!”

He blinked as he realized I was right. He looked down at Nonnie in horror and then stumbled away.

Suddenly exhausted, I sagged to the ground as they dragged her to her feet and hustled her away. Griswald and the cops who’d restrained me released their holds and backed up a few steps, watching me nervously.

“I’ve got her,” Nat told them, walking up behind me. “C’mon, Lee.” He scooped me off the ground, like I was the size of one of the children and carried me to the steps of the porch. Still cradling me against him, he sat on the steps, allowing the animals waiting there to examine me.

Rowdy, who’d joined them, stood off to the side slightly.

Matilda oinked softly, “I’m glad you’re okay, Maggie.”

Irma leaned her head against mine. “You saved me.”

“I couldn’t save Twitch,” I confessed with a hiccupping sob.

Thinking I was talking to him, Nat kissed the back of my head. “Don’t beat yourself up. You did your best.”

Billy gently butted my thigh, bleating softly, “He’s right.”

Alejandro bowed. “I am greatly relieved you are unhurt, Maggie Lee.”

“Does anyone care if I’m okay?” God demanded.

We all watched as the lizard, beaten and battered, marched toward us.

“Show some respect,” Alejandro told him. “The innocent babe should be mourned.”

“I know,” God murmured, his voice laden with grief. “He will be missed.”

The unfairness of it all hit me square in the chest, and my heart squeezed painfully. I let out another shuddering sob. “Poor, Twitch.”

Nat rubbed my back, trying to provide some comfort as I grieved the loss of the sweet bunny. I cried harder.

“Chin up, toots!” Mike cawed, landing a few feet away.

I glared at the crow, resenting his cavalier attitude when the rest of us were suffering.

Climbing up my leg, God bleakly informed the black bird, “Twitch didn’t make it.”

“Sure, he did,” the crow insisted cheerfully.

“No, he didn’t,” the heartbroken Rowdy argued.

“He did,” Mike declared. “Your baby boy bunny is just fine. He led Big Blue out of danger.”

“Big Blue?” God asked, confused.

“The fancy-pants peacock. He followed young Twitch into the woods. Here they come now.”

I looked up and saw that Twitch was hopping toward us, with the peacock following closely behind.

“Twitch! Twitch! Twitch!” The raccoon’s excited chittering as she charged toward the rabbit was so loud that everyone, cops, firemen, and Griswald, all turned to see what was happening.

“You’re alive! You’re alive!” Rowdy shouted, bowling the bunny over with a hug.

Percival, guessing that he was close to being the center of attention, unfurled his bright, beautiful tail feathers and pranced proudly.

“He’s alive, Lee,” Nat marveled. “Your little rabbit made it.”

The other animals ran out to meet the survivors, with a waddling Matilda bringing up the rear.

“All’s well that ends well,” God declared with satisfaction.

If only our ordeal had been over…

21

“While it’s a shame that the barn collapsed from the impact of the tractor trailer,” Detective Brian Griswald opined, “it’s lucky the whole place didn’t go up in flames.”

“It wasn’t luck,” I corrected. “Lucky things don’t just happen. Effort, and some risk, have to be taken, in some way. Nobody ever won the lottery without at least buying a ticket. In this case, the ‘luck’ was a result of foresight, labor and taking a chance. It was a result of Nat jumping into the burning truck and backing it out of the barn, and Templeton showing up with the fire extinguishers.”

We were sitting on the front porch, alternately staring at the pile of damp rubble created by Nonnie, and watching Nat and Templeton doing their best to reconstruct the paddock from the damaged fencing. Piss sat on my lap, steadily purring as though she knew I needed a calming presence.

“You sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” Brian asked, glancing at my bandaged hand.

“It’s fine,” I said, when, in fact, it was stinging like crazy. In her fight to escape me as I’d carried her out of the collapsing barn, Rowdy had scratched me. The last thing I wanted was some emergency room doc declaring a public health emergency and sending Health and Wildlife here to investigate. The animals had been traumatized enough. I didn’t want them to endure being examined.

Nobody needed strangers poking into things. We were all dealing with enough.

The kids were upset that their schoolroom had been destroyed, but thankfully, Archie and Lorraine were keeping them occupied under the supervision of Delveccio’s guards after Marlene had grudgingly gone to her job. Aunt Susan and Griswald had ventured to my mother’s facility to fill out the necessary paperwork for her impromptu home visit, citing the blackout as their reason for concern. My mom, Leslie and Loretta were trying to comfort their father, who was inconsolable knowing the woman he’d loved had tried to kill his beloved great-grandchildren. And I was stuck talking to a police detective.

“So…” Brian said carefully. “I’ve looked into this Walden guy, The Cuppa Killer.”

“Terrible name for a serial killer,” I joked. “It sounds like the title of a cozy mystery.”

“A what?”

“A mystery novel, usually featuring a plucky female protagonist who lives in a small town and solves crimes with a minimum of violence.”

“So, not you,” he chuckled.

I shrugged. “Who knows how a publisher might decide to categorize my life?”

“Cops on scene thought you were trying to kill Nonnie.”

I didn’t dissuade him from the notion. “Am I going to be charged with assault or something?”

“No. Heat of the moment thing.”

I nodded, not sure how I felt about that. If I’d been thrown into the same jail as her, I might have taken the opportunity to shank Nonnie, just so she could never hurt my family again.

“Walden,” Brian said firmly, bringing the conversation back to the topic I wanted to avoid. “We’ve rounded up most of the escapees, but so far, he’s eluded us.”

“What about Karla Nestor?”

He shook his head. “Also, still on the loose.”

I stroked the cat, doing my best to appear undisturbed.

“The way I understand it, you found the evidence that put Walden away,” Brian tried again. “Do you think he has a grudge against you?”

I shrugged.

“Any idea where he might go? What he might do?”

“I was twelve the last time I saw him. It’s not like we’ve been pen pals ever since. I probably wouldn’t even recognize him if I passed him on the street.”

“What about Nestor? Do you think she has it out for you?”

“That’s more likely,” I admitted.

“Do you think she’d go after Armani and Loretta again?”

I considered the question for a long moment. “I think they were a job, a business transaction. I think if she wants revenge, she’ll target me.”

“None of you should go anywhere alone until she’s recaptured,” Brian warned.

“Okay.”

He gave me a searching look. “You don’t appear to be very concerned.”

I shrugged. “I’m tired. Yesterday, a lion tried to eat me. Today, I was almost run over by a crazed driver. I’m still standing…or, at least, I would be if the cat wasn’t on my lap.”

“It doesn’t mean you’re invincible,” Brian warned. “And the lion wasn’t targeting you specifically. A disgruntled employee freed a bunch of animals, including the deadly cats, because he was hoping to cause chaos at the zoo.”

“He certainly did that,” I acknowledged.

“The point is,” Brian said solemnly, “that was an unlucky coincidence. Nestor, and maybe Walden, could be hunting you intentionally. You need to be careful, Maggie.”

“It’s happened again!” Aunt Loretta announced, teetering out onto the porch.

“What happened?” I asked tiredly.

“I just got a call from a fellow shopkeeper. The Corset’s been vandalized again!” she wailed.

“I’m not dealing with Ricky this time,” I blurted out.

“Who’s Ricky?” Brian asked suspiciously.

“A mannequin,” Loretta explained.

“With a six-pack,” I added. I lightly tapped the cat’s back twice, and she jumped off my lap. I got to my feet. “I’ll help you clean up the mess, Aunt Loretta.”

“I’ll take her,” Brian declared. “I want to investigate.”

“Success!” Templeton yelled from the paddock area. When we turned toward him, he added, “We did it!”

“A little help with corralling?” Nat requested.

With Piss leading the way, I hurried toward the area where Irma, Billy and Matilda were grazing.

“Would you guys mind going into the paddock?” I asked politely.

“Sure!” Irma brayed and started toward it.

A snorting Matilda waddled behind.

Billy gave me a baleful stare and didn’t budge.

“Please?” I requested.

He kept right on chewing, making no effort to comply.

“Move, mutton chops,” Piss hissed. “Maggie’s been through enough. Don’t you dare make her life any harder.”

With a grudging bleat that sounded a lot like an expletive, the goat trotted to the paddock.

“Thanks,” I told the cat.

“I’ve got your back, Sugar,” she purred.

Once all the animals were inside, Nat swung the gate shut behind them. “It’s not pretty, but it’ll work for the time being.”

“I’ll go get them something to eat,” Templeton announced, striding off toward the entrance to the kitchen.

“You and the detective are chummy,” Nat remarked as I reached the fencing and stroked the spot between Irma’s eyes.

“He’s worried for my safety,” I revealed dryly.

“Me too,” Nat muttered.

“I don’t think Karla Nestor would be foolish enough to return to the scene of the crime,” I mused aloud. “It was probably just some kids making trouble during the blackout.”

“Maybe,” Nat agreed. “But Nonnie did, so I wouldn’t rule it out completely.”

“Does your face hurt much?” I asked guiltily, eyeing the cut I’d caused by hitting him with the coffee mug.

“I’ve done worse shaving,” he assured me.

I didn’t believe him, but it was a kind thing to say.

“How’s the hand?”

“Fine.”

“Liar,” he chastised softly. “I’ve got some heavy-duty antibiotic cream at my place. Come over, I’ll get a change of clothes, and we’ll get you cleaned up properly.”

I shook my head. “Can’t.”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “You’ve got to take care of yourself, Lee. You’ll be no good to anyone if you get sick from raccoon germs.”

“He makes a good point,” God piped up from my bra. “You made sure to tend to my wounds right away and ignored your own.”

“Is the lizard agreeing with me?” Nat asked, hearing the squeaking coming from my chest.

Chuckling, I nodded. “But I can’t go. The Corset was vandalized again, and I promised Loretta that I’d help her clean it⁠—”

“Yoo-hoo, Maggie!” Aunt Loretta trilled from the porch.

I turned to face her.

“Templeton and Armani are aiding in the recovery effort. Brian is going to take us to the shop. You and Nat can join us when you get a chance.”

“Nat didn’t volunteer,” I protested.

“But I’m eager to help,” Nat told my aunt. “We’re going to swing by my place so I can get into some clean clothes, and we’ll meet you there.”

“I don’t really like this plan,” I muttered. Not that anyone cared.

22

“Why don’t you stay here and rest?” I suggested to God as I gingerly placed him on the driftwood in his terrarium. Between flying through the air and crawling through the scratchy straw, he was pretty banged up. For once, I wouldn’t think he was exaggerating if he complained about his sensitive skin. “No doubt The Corset is going to stink of something vile. I think you should give your lungs a break after all that truck smoke.”

“I concur,” he tiredly agreed.

My breath caught in my throat. His immediate capitulation had to mean that he was feeling badly. I watched him worriedly for a long moment before gathering a clean change of clothes and the spare key for my car. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I promised, before stepping into the hallway and gently shutting the door.

In the bathroom, I quickly washed the dirt off my face and combed bits of straw out of my hair, but there was nothing to do to remove the circles beneath my eyes. I could have really used a shower, but I didn’t want to keep Nat waiting. I pulled on clean clothes, brushed my teeth, and felt a little more human.

A heavy knock on the door startled me as I was jamming my feet into my sneakers. “Just a sec.”

“It’s me,” Bruno replied. “Let me in.”

With one shoe on and the other in my hand, I unlocked the bathroom door. “What’s up?”

“We gotta talk.” He stepped into the room, forcing me backward, and shut the door behind him.

The space suddenly felt airless and claustrophobic.

“You gonna tell the boss?” he asked without any preamble.

“About you and Marlene?” I shook my head. “But you should.”

“He ain’t gonna like it.”

I shrugged. “He’ll deal.”

“Not everyone has him wrapped around their little finger like Mary Lee’s daughter does,” he pointed out.

It was common knowledge that Delveccio and my mother had a dalliance in the past and he still seemed to be smitten with her. Most people had the good taste not to comment on it, though. “Marlene’s her daughter, too,” I pointed out.

“I talked to him and we’re gonna take Dominic home before dinner.”

I nodded. With the blackout over, it made sense for the little boy to go home.

“We’re beefing up the security around the perimeter of this place,” he assured me.

“Because Mary’s here?”

“Partly,” he admitted. He reached for the door handle and then turned to look at me again. “I didn’t tell her.”

I looked at him quizzically.

“About Gino.”

I sighed. It was probably best that my sister, like everyone else in the family, believed that my last boyfriend, Delveccio’s former bodyguard, was dead, when in reality, for his own protection, he was off making a new life for himself, doing good while working for Ms. Whitehat’s organization.

“That secret will go to the grave with me,” Bruno solemnly pledged.

“Appreciate that,” I choked out.

“Be careful out there,” he urged. “Your nieces are cute kids. I wouldn’t want them to grow up without you in their lives.”

I nodded and he walked out of the room.

I pulled on my other sneaker and went searching for Nat. On the way, I peeked into the living room. My mother was curled up on the loveseat, sound asleep. Archie, sprawled out on the couch, had a granddaughter tucked under each arm. They were all watching a movie with rapt attention. Dominic sat beside Katie, leaning his head against Horse’s shoulder. The bodyguard made eye contact with me and gave a slight nod, indicating everything was under control and they were all under his protection. I mouthed, “Thank you” and then slipped away.

Nat was waiting by his track, watching from a distance as Herschel conducted a lively conversation with Irma.

I was relieved to see that my grandfather was confiding in the donkey.

“You look better,” he remarked. “Feel any better?”

“A smidge,” I admitted.

He nodded his approval. “Hop in.”

We didn’t speak all the way to Nat’s apartment. It wasn’t uncomfortable, more like we both understood the need of some silence to decompress.

When we climbed out of the truck, he removed a cooler and waved it in the air. “Your dad made us sandwiches.”

I chuckled. “He does love to make them.”

“It’s none of my business,” Nat said as he unlocked the door to his home, “but if you ask me, he’s really stepped up. He’s done an amazing job keeping Katie and Alicia entertained.”

“He’s fantastic at being a grandfather,” I agreed.

“Just not a father?” he guessed.

I shrugged. “The older I get, the more I realize our parents did the best they could. It’s just, sometimes, their best sucks. A dad who’s a petty criminal and a mom who’s a certified nutcase are never going to win Parents of the Year. They tried…they just failed.”

“You turned out okay.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s highly debatable.”

He chuckled. “Can you set up lunch while I jump in the shower?”

“No problem.”

He handed me the cooler and loped toward his bathroom. I headed for his kitchen, marveling at how little personalization there was in his apartment.

I smiled and got a little teary-eyed when I saw that, along with the sandwiches, Dad had included an overly generous portion of pickles and olives. He knew his daughter and was showing her love.

Nat showered and dressed quickly, and it wasn’t long before we were eating.

“Do you think Karla Nestor trashed The Corset?” he asked.

I shook my head as I bit down on a crunchy pickle. “It was probably just kids.” I eyed him thoughtfully. “Are you nursing a grudge against her?”

He shrugged. “Who are you to say anything if I am? You almost killed Nonnie in front of all those cops.”

“Justifiable homicide,” I countered.

“And getting rid of Nestor wouldn’t be?”

“You have a point.”

When we’d finished eating, he pulled out a first aid kit and a tube of antibiotic cream. “You’re not allergic to any medications, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Just whatever Loretta doses you with.” He chuckled as he began to remove the bandage on my hand.

My whole body warmed as I remembered that he’d once had to prop me up in the shower when one of my aunt’s concoctions had almost killed me.

“Ouch,” he murmured, eyeing the collection of scratches. “The raccoon got you pretty good.”

“She didn’t mean it,” I said defensively. “She was trying to find her friend in the wreckage.”

“I’m not blaming her,” Nat said, gently dabbing the scratches with an antiseptic.

I grit my teeth against the stinging pain.

“You were the one dumb enough to grab a raccoon without any protective gear. I know they’re your pets, but they’re wild animals, too.”

“Thanks for the lecture,” I groaned.

“I know it hurts,” he soothed. “But it’ll be much worse if it gets infected.”

In that moment, I doubted it could get much worse.

I was wrong.

23

The last time The Corset had been trashed, there’d been no permanent damage and clean-up had been an inconvenience. This time, nothing had been left unscathed and it would require a major insurance claim.

Loretta, mascara running down her face, was sitting on the curb, sniffling into Templeton’s shoulder

The hand-painted plate glass window had been smashed, and the front door had been knocked off its hinges. Even looking through the gaping hole I could tell that, this time, items had been torn or broken.

“Why?” Loretta wailed. “Why would someone do this?”

“Brian and Armani are inside,” Templeton told me. “He asked that you go in, but that Nat wait out here.”

Nodding, I carefully stepped through the shattered doorway. The floor was covered in shreds and shards of merchandise. I gagged as a combination of imitation cherry and rotten eggs hit my nose. I was glad I’d convinced God to stay at home.

Having heard my retching, Brian called, “Is that you, Maggie?”

“Yes!”

“We’re back in the storeroom. Can you join us?”

“Coming!”

I did my best to step softly as I traversed the broken remains of Loretta’s dream.

Armani didn’t seem to have such qualms as she stamped past me, heading for the exit.

“The crime techs are on their way,” Brian explained when I joined him. “We’re just trying to determine if anything has been stolen.”

“Who could tell in this chaos?”

He shrugged. “Can you just take a look around? Armani wasn’t much help and your aunt…well, you saw her.”

Nodding, I began to carefully scan the surrounding area. Boxes had been dumped on the floor, and it looked like a blade had been taken to the clothing items on hangers. The more I looked, the more concerned I became. I moved into the store, stepping over the head of the female mannequin, studying the devastation. I jerked to a sudden stop, peering at the length of floor.

“Do you see something?” Brian asked.

“I’m no expert,” I said carefully, “but this doesn’t look like kids getting into trouble to me. It’s too deliberate. It’s systematic destruction, not impulsive.”

“I agree.” He glanced outside and we saw a team of three crime scene technicians, badges swinging from their necks, bags in hand, marching toward the storefront. “We should step outside.”

Even as I wondered if three investigators were a bit of overkill for a trashed shop, I was only too glad for the excuse to get away from the cherry and rotten egg combo that was making me queasy.

I sucked in a couple of breaths of fresh air before I moved to stand in front of Loretta and Templeton while Brian conferred with the newly arrived team. “Where are Armani and Nat?”

“She stalked off and Nat said she shouldn’t be alone, so he followed her,” Templeton explained.

“If I get my hands on that Karla Nestor,” Loretta raged. “I’ll kill her. I swear I will.”

“You shouldn’t make threats like that in public,” Templeton gently admonished.

“Only in private,” I joked.

I was rewarded with a glimmer of a grin by my aunt.

“There is something missing,” I revealed when Brian came back to us.

He stood up a little straighter. “What?”

“Ricky.”

“My Ricky?” Lorretta wailed, brokenhearted.

“The male mannequin,” I explained to the detective.

“The one with a six-pack,” Templeton added dryly.

“You’re sure about that?” Brian asked me.

I shrugged. “I didn’t see any of his body parts in there and, unfortunately, I’m pretty familiar with them.”

“I’ll have the techs take a look around for it.”

“Him,” Aunt Loretta corrected. “He’s a him.”

“Yeah,” Brian sighed. “Him. The techs will be here for a while, so you can all head home.”

“I’ll see if I can find Armani and Nat,” I said.

“Found ‘em!” Brian exclaimed. “They’re right there.” He pointed past me.

Turning, I saw that they were already standing by Nat’s truck. I helped Templeton get Loretta back on her feet and then walked them across the parking lot.

“Brian says everyone can go home,” I announced. “Take them. I’ll wait here.”

Nat shot me a doubtful look.

“Nothing’s going to happen,” I assured him. “Brian and the crime techs are all right there.”

“You’ll stay right there?” Nat asked.

I nodded.

“I can wait with you,” Templeton offered.

I shook my head. “No, Loretta needs you.”

“She needs Ricky,” he muttered bitterly, watching while Nat loaded a wobbly Loretta into the back seat of his truck.

“I’ll be fine on my own,” I told him. “Go.”

“Be careful,” he stressed, kissing me on the cheek and hurrying around the vehicle.

“Do not go anywhere,” Nat warned sternly.

“I’ll be right here,” I pledged.

It was a promise I intended to keep. I took a seat in the shade and watched with mild interest as the trio of crime scene investigators worked with deliberate precision cataloguing the destruction of the shop.

I would have kept my word if she hadn’t literally walked right in front of me. There I was, sitting beneath a tree in the parking lot, staying out of trouble, when Karla Nestor strode past me.

Maybe it’s because nobody pays attention to the trees in a parking lot, or who is lounging against one, or maybe it was because she was too engrossed in watching the team work, but she never saw me.

The woman who’d been responsible for my aunt and two of my closest friends almost being burned alive was just feet away. Red-hot fury filled me as I scrambled to my feet awkwardly, shouting, “Hey! Stop!”

She looked at me then, recognition and a snarling hatred glowing in her eyes. Then, she took off running.

“Brian!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, sprinting after her. “Brian!”

She was fast, but I’d trained for and run a 5k, so I was faster than I had been in the past and was able to keep her in sight. In hindsight, I should probably admit that this new confidence in my abilities didn’t serve me well. I saw when she turned left into an alley between shops, and replicated the move.

I never even saw what Karla hit me with. One moment, I was chugging along like an Olympic sprinter, and the next, I was sprawled on pavement, seeing stars.

“You interfering little loser!” She kicked me in the ribs.

The sharp pain made me instinctively roll away, but she kept coming.

“Whoever offed that idiot Donna should have killed you, too!” she screamed. “Well, now I get the chance.”

I saw the flash of a gun over my head. I kicked out desperately, trying to save myself.

“Police! Freeze!”

Gunshots rang out. I curled into the fetal position, covered my head and closed my eyes.

“Maggie!” Brian gasped.

I slowly unfurled my body, afraid I was about to see him bleed to death in front of me. Griswald would never forgive me for getting his nephew killed. I’d get kicked out of the family compound and would have to live the life of a traveling hobo, along with my menagerie of pets. How would we survive?

“Maggie,” he wheezed.

I opened my eyes. He was standing there, chest heaving. It took me a second to realize I couldn’t see any blood.

“You’re a fast runner,” he panted. “I couldn’t keep up.”

I really wished God had been there to hear him say that.

24

He was mad. Furious.

My stomach flipped nervously as I watched him squeeze the steering wheel like he was fighting to throttle it instead of me.

Suddenly, he pulled off onto the shoulder of the road, threw the truck into park and turned off the engine.

I held my breath, waiting.

“You promised me you’d stay right there,” Nat finally said in a dangerously quiet voice.

“I know. I meant to.”

“Then, I pulled up and there were ambulances and police cars and you were gone.”

“I had to catch her,” I said defensively.

“No, you didn’t,” he spat out angrily.

I tried to reason with him. “She walked right past me. What was I supposed to do?”

“You could have called the cop who was a hundred yards away!” he shouted, his voice bouncing off the windshield.

“I did,” I insisted.

“After you had already started chasing her!”

I couldn’t argue with that, so I stayed silent.

“What is wrong with you?” he asked bitterly. “Don’t you care?”

“I care! I love my family,” I told him hotly. “Karla Nestor was a threat. I couldn’t just do nothing.”

“You could have…” He trailed off, shaking his head. He slumped in his seat. “What if Brian hadn’t gotten there in time to save you? Did you ever even think about what it would be like for those who love you to lose you?”

Shocked by the raw vulnerability in his voice, the desire to defend my bad decision whooshed out of me like air out of a balloon. Suddenly deflated, I collapsed back in my seat, drained.

I’m not sure how long we sat there in silence, but, eventually, he restarted the truck and drove me home. The air vibrated with tension for the entire ride and it was difficult to breathe.

He pulled up in front of the porch where my three aunts and mother were sitting and talking. He left the engine idling. “Get out,” he ordered in a low, controlled voice.

“Nat,” I protested weakly.

“Get. Out.”

Knowing that if I didn’t act quickly, my aunts would wonder what was going on. I fumbled with my seat belt and opened the door. “I⁠—”

“Out!”

Swallowing hard and blinking back tears, I slid out of the truck and quietly closed the door. He pulled away quickly, leaving me in a cloud of dust. I watched the truck until it disappeared from sight.

“Maggie?” Mom called hesitantly.

I forced myself to smile as I turned around. “Good news. Brian Griswald shot and arrested Karla Nestor. We don’t have to worry about her anymore.”

“That’s excellent news!” Leslie cheered.

“What happened to your head?” Susan worried.

“Is she dead?” Loretta asked hopefully.

“Obviously not. He wouldn’t have arrested a dead woman,” Susan told her sister in an exasperated tone. “There’s no point in arresting dead people, is there?”

“I didn’t think it was obvious,” Loretta huffed indignantly.

“It’s really pretty obvious,” her twin confirmed.

“What happened to your head, Margaret?” Susan inquired again.

“Aunt Maggie, come play with us!” Katie called from near the kitchen.

“Coming!” I yelled back, not wanting to answer any more questions. I turned and jogged toward my niece, grateful for the respite.

“Maggie! Maggie!” DeeDee barked excitedly, charging at me.

I stopped to pet the dog. Dropping to my knees, I hugged her tightly, pressing my face against her neck.

“Okay are you?” she panted worriedly.

“I’m better now,” I told her. “I needed that, thank you.” I stood slowly and patted her on the head, signaling she could rejoin the game.

She loped off, grinning goofily.

Observed by four tired men in wrinkled black suits, Katie, Alicia and Dominic were taking turns throwing a single horseshoe at a spike driven into the ground,

“That’s new,” I observed as Horse lumbered over to me.

“Salvaged from the wreckage of the barn,” he explained. He squinted at the bump on my head that Susan had just asked me about. “That’s new, too.”

I nodded but offered no explanation.

“Was it worth it?” the kindly bodyguard asked.

“I thought so at the time,” I said slowly.

“We’re getting ready to take Dom home,” he said. “The kids know they only have five more minutes of playtime.”

“Okay. Could you tell Bruno I need to talk to him for a second?”

“Sure. You should put some ice on that,” he suggested before walking away to convey the message to his boss.

Bruno strode over to me, looked at the bump on my forehead, and asked, “Do you need me to beat somebody up?”

“No,” I chuckled. Growing serious, I said softly, “I wanted to be clear about something. The thing I won’t tell the boss, I won’t tell him of my own accord, but if he asks me directly, I won’t lie about it, either.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. Just so you know, we’ve already got extra teams set up around the edge of the property.”

“I appreciate that.”

I watched the rest of the horseshoe match and hugged Dominic good-bye before they loaded him in the SUV and headed for home.

“Do you want to play, Aunt Maggie?” Alicia invited, holding out the horseshoe to me.

“Not today, sweetheart. I fell earlier and I’m kind of sore.” I left out the part about being kicked in the ribs by a crazed killer.

“Feel better,” she replied easily before resuming the contest with her cousin.

I gingerly lowered myself onto a nearby picnic bench to watch them. I focused on taking slow, deep breaths to deal with the fact that my ribs, head and hand were all aching.

Griswald emerged from the kitchen carrying two glasses of ice water. Wordlessly, he walked over and sat down beside me. He pressed one of the drinks into my unbandaged hand.

“Thanks.” I raised it to my forehead and carefully, gently pressed it to the painful lump.

“Heard you and Brian took down Karla Nestor,” Griswald said, keeping his eyes on the girls.

“He did, not me,” I corrected.

He looked at my injury, shook his head, and said, “You’ve got to stop taking so many risks, Maggie.”

“So I’ve heard,” I muttered.

“There’s something you should know,” he said in a low voice. “They’re conducting a state-wide manhunt for Walden. The news has gotten a hold of the story. There’s no way to hide it from the family.”

I nodded my understanding. “It’s a miracle we kept it a secret this long.”

“The blackout helped.”

“Do they have any idea what happened?”

“I don’t know the technical details of how it was pulled off,” he said, “but they’re thinking it was done to commit a crime, not as an act of domestic or international terrorism.”

“Oh good,” I replied weakly, not wanting to admit that the idea of terrorism had never occurred to me.

“They just haven’t figured out what crime was pulled off yet,” he admitted.

“Must have been something big,” I mused aloud. “Something with a really big payday. I bet it was tech or art or something like that.”

“We should hold an emergency family meeting about Walden,” he suggested.

I sighed. “Nonnie and Nestor both ended up back in custody today, maybe he will, too.”

“It’s better that they learn about Walden’s escape from us,” Griswald pressed.

Considering it was the same advice I’d given Bruno and Marlene about their relationship, I couldn’t argue with the logic. “Fine,” I muttered. “Just remember that family meetings never go well.”

25

Zeke had the misfortune of knocking on the front door just as we were about to start the emergency family meeting.

Lorraine Lassalan had been given the responsibility of keeping my mother and nieces corralled in the girls’ bedroom, with the TV blasting to protect them from the stress. The faint strains of “Let it go!” could be heard drifting through the house.

“We’re having a family meeting,” Aunt Leslie, who’d answered the door, told Zeke.

“Let him stay,” Aunt Susan called. “If Archie is a part of this, Zeke stays. He’s family, too.” Her tone was strident, indicating she was already stressed, and she hadn’t even heard the upsetting news yet.

Zeke hovered in the doorway of the living room, eyeing the group nervously.

“What is this all about, Lawrence?” Susan demanded. “Why, when we’re all so exhausted, did we have to have a family meeting right now?”

Her husband stood up and cleared his throat, like he was a town crier about to make an official pronouncement.

The room leaned in a little, not wanting to miss a syllable of what he’d say. I held my breath, knowing that chaos would erupt as soon as he spoke.

“During the blackout, Walden escaped.”

“Who?” Armani blurted out in the shocked silence.

Then, the room was filled with gasps, a sob, curse words and questions. As everyone talked at once, Zeke shot me an incredulous look, seemingly amazed that we’d managed to hide the news from the family for over twenty-four hours.

Aunt Susan’s voice cut through the dull roar. “Did he attack you, Margaret? Is that what happened?”

All eyes swiveled to me as the room got quiet.

“No. This happened because of Karla Nestor,” I said, pointing to my swollen forehead. “And this was because of Nonnie.” I waved my bandaged hand. “I haven’t seen Walden yet.”

“Don’t say yet!” Leslie gasped. “You never want to see that horrid man again.”

“I don’t,” I agreed quickly. “I didn’t mean yet.”

“Lawrence, is this Walden fella coming after my granddaughter?” Herschel asked.

Griswald glanced at me before answering. “We don’t know.”

“Oh no!” Loretta wailed. “This is terrible! Terrible! A serial killer is after our Maggie.”

“We don’t know that,” I hurriedly corrected her. “For all anybody knows, he could be across the country right now.”

Susan glared at her husband. “How long have you known about this? Were you keeping it from me?”

Attempting to placate her, he said, “I didn’t want you to worry needlessly.”

“Needlessly?” she shrieked.

Feeling the need to defend him, I interjected, “He called Mom before he broke out.”

“He called my Mary?” Archie boomed protectively.

“She’s not your Mary,” Susan snapped at him.

“He’s after Mary?” Loretta wailed hysterically. “Our family is being stalked by a serial killer!”

“Wait a second,” Aunt Susan said, trying to pin me to my seat with her patented death glare. “Are you telling me that you brought Mary here because of Walden and not due to the blackout?”

“Yes,” I told her, lifting my chin. “It was safer for her here.”

“Until Daddy’s murderous trollop came rolling in,” Susan muttered.

“Ew,” Leslie cringed. “Don’t call her that.”

Susan kept her attention on me. “Are you trying to lose your visiting privileges with your mother, so you don’t have to go anymore?”

“The place was more concerned about their other missing patient,” Griswald reminded her. “With her history, they believed that Mary wandered off when the lights went out.”

“Okay,” I said, getting to my feet. “The news has been shared. I declare this family meeting officially over.”

Before anyone could protest, I bolted for the door. Grabbing Zeke’s hand, I pulled him outside with me, a chorus of upset voices leaking into the night before the door swung shut.

“What happened to the barn?” Zeke asked.

“Nonnie,” I replied matter-of-factly. “What are you doing here?”

“You haven’t replaced your phone yet and the carrier pigeons are on strike. Coming here is the only way to get a message to you.”

“I’ve had a busy day. Phones have been low on my list of priorities,” I snapped back.

“Keep it down,” Irma brayed from the damaged paddock. “You’re going to scare Twitch!”

“Sorry!” I called.

Zeke blew out an exasperated sigh. “Sorry, sometimes I forget how crazy your family can get and how contagious those feelings are.”

“It’s fine,” I told him. “What did you have to tell me?”

“There was a house fire.”

I shook my head. “No, the barn didn’t catch fire, it collapsed.”

“No, Maggie. A house burned down late this afternoon.” Even in the shadows of the night, I could tell that Zeke was staring at me intently.

A chill slithered down my spine, cold and insidious. “Whose house?”

“The one where Walden’s first victim lived.”

“So, I’m guessing that means he isn’t halfway across the country,” I joked weakly.

Zeke shook his head. “He’s sticking around and letting everyone know he’s here.”

“Have the cops figured out the connection?” I asked.

He nodded. “I’m surprised Brian hasn’t told his uncle yet.”

“Maybe he has,” I mused. “Just because Griswald didn’t tell me, doesn’t mean he didn’t know. The man likes to keep secrets.”

“So do you,” Zeke reminded me with a chuckle. “I’m going to go see what else I can find out.” He gave me a quick hug. “Be careful, Maggie.”

He hurried away, got in his car, and drove off.

I strolled over to the paddock. “How’s it going, guys?”

“Billy broke out,” Matilda oinked.

“Not surprised,” I murmured, reaching through the fencing to pat her nose.

“Does your hand hurt?” a tremulous voice asked from the shadows.

“Twitch?” I called.

The young rabbit hopped a little closer. “Rowdy wants to know if she hurt you.”

“Are you out there, Rowdy?” I called, squinting into the darkness.

The masked teenager emerged. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you didn’t mean to scratch me,” I told her. “You were just upset because you thought something had happened to Twitch.”

“I really didn’t.” She rubbed her front paws together nervously.

“I’m not mad,” I promised her. “And I’m not seriously hurt.”

The door of the house opened, and the raccoon and rabbit disappeared into the woods as Marlene came outside.

“Are you okay?” my sister asked, walking toward me.

“I’m fine,” I assured her. “It just got so loud in there. I needed some air.”

She nodded her understanding.

“How was your day?” I asked.

“A lot better than yours,” she said with a rueful laugh. “I didn’t see Nonnie or Nestor. I didn’t even have to deal with Farty Freddy.” Grabbing my hand, she pressed something metal against my palm. “They helped last time,” she choked out. “Please be careful, sis.”

Spinning around, she ran back toward the house. Once she was inside, I looked down at my hand and saw she’d given me a small, sharp pair of sewing scissors.

I swayed weakly, remembering how the last pair of scissors she’d given me had saved my life.

I hoped I wouldn’t have to use this pair.

26

Everything hurt when I stumbled into the kitchen the next morning. The bump on my head was morphing into a nasty bruise, my scratched-up hand was stiff and sore, and I’d contorted myself all night long on the living room loveseat, since Archie had insisted on staying to protect his family and slept on the couch. It had been more comfortable than the floor, but not much.

I was the first one up, so I started the coffee and stood in front of the machine watching it drip.

Deciding that was a waste of time, I started rummaging around in the refrigerator. I’d asked Matilda to sleep in the hall outside of my room so that my mother couldn’t wander off in the middle of the night. The pig had happily agreed, but now I felt the need to find something special to reward her with when she awoke.

“Good morning.” Templeton’s greeting was little more than a whisper, designed to keep from startling me.

I still jumped, banging my head into the fridge. “Ow! Morning. Do you need this cabbage?”

“I guess not,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I want to give it to the pig,” I explained. “She kept Mom trapped in her room overnight and deserves a reward.”

“By all means,” Templeton replied generously.

Standing up, I closed the door of the appliance and balanced the cabbage against my hip like it was a basketball. “Can you give me a ride to the zoo?”

“You do know you have a pig here you can feed, don’t you?” He sounded very concerned, like he thought the latest blow to the head had scrambled my brain.

“My car is still there,” I explained. “I’d like to get it back.” I’d planned on asking Nat to drive me over the day before, but things had gone sideways between us. I didn’t tell Templeton that part.

“I can do that,” he said with relief. “Now?”

“After breakfast. I think that if the natives aren’t fed after the last couple of rough days, there might be a full-on revolt.”

“Would that look much different than last night’s family meeting debacle?”

“Probably not,” I admitted ruefully.

“Sit,” he said gently. “I’ll get the coffee and the food.”

I carried the cabbage to the table and placed it in front of me as I sat down.

“If you name that thing and start talking to it, I’m sending you to be your mother’s roommate for a while,” Templeton jokingly threatened.

“I may take you up on that. I could use the rest,” I teased.

“Can I make you an omelet?” he offered.

I shook my head. “I’m really not hungry.”

He hummed softly as he prepared for the morning rush, cracking eggs and chopping vegetables. Even when he put a mug of steaming coffee in front of me, he kept making music instead of conversation.

“Morning, Chica,” Armani chirped as she limped into the kitchen. “Good morning, T.”

“Morning,” I grunted back.

“Omelets made to order,” Templeton told her. “What can I get you?”

I knew he immediately regretted the offer when she requested, “Maraschino cherries on poached eggs, please.”

She poured herself a cup of coffee and plopped into the chair opposite my seat. She gave me a thorough once over and then announced, “You don’t look so good.”

“I am aware,” I muttered.

“Can you drizzle some of the juice on the eggs when they’re done cooking?” she asked Templeton.

He nodded weakly, looking decidedly queasy.

I couldn’t blame him. Armani’s penchant for bizarre food combinations was enough to turn anyone’s stomach.

“What’s with the cabbage?” Armani asked curiously.

“It’s for Matilda,” I explained. “She kept watch over my mom last night.”

“Cool. How come you didn’t tell me about the tiles?”

She said the words casually, but I heard an underlying tension and chose my response carefully as a result. “What about them?”

“Maybe that they spelled out Walden?”

I nodded.

“And what did ‘teacups’ mean?”

I sighed heavily. “Walden collected them as trophies from his victims,” I admitted grudgingly. “They’re what I tried to bring to the police.”

“You brought a serial killer’s trophies to the cops when you were twelve?” Templeton asked from the stove.

“I tried to,” I corrected. “He caught up with me on my way and almost strangled me to death.”

“Oh my,” he murmured.

Before Armani could ask me any other questions, my mother walked into the kitchen, with Matilda following closely behind.

“Good morning, Mom,” I said, shooting my friend a warning look. I didn’t want her talking about Walden in front of her.

“Good morning, dear.” She kissed my cheek and placed the lizard on my shoulder. “He was squeaking so much, I figured he missed you.”

“I do not squeak!” God denied with booming outrage. It just sounded like he was squeaking louder than usual. For good measure, he added, “It stinks!”

“What’s that awful stench?” Aunt Susan demanded to know as she marched into the kitchen. “It smells like cherries and rotten eggs.”

“It’s my omelet order,” Armani explained cheerfully.

“It’s what I always imagined the children of Loretta and Freddy would smell like if they ever procreated,” Susan complained with a bitter scowl.

My mother giggled girlishly.

“And why is there a cabbage on the breakfast table, Margaret?”

Instead of answering, I took the head of leaves, my coffee mug and the pig, and walked outside.

“Morning, toots!” Mike cawed from nearby.

“Morning.” I held out the cabbage to my porcine pal. “Thank you for sleeping outside the room last night.”

“You’re welcome!” Oinking happily, she grabbed the offered treat and rushed away to gnaw on it.

“I’ll get something for you later,” I told the waiting crow.

“No need,” he replied. “Nat already fed all of the outdoor animals.”

“Nat’s here?”

“He’s been here all night watching over you,” the bird explained. “He came right after the last light went out in the house, but he didn’t feed us until the sun was on its way up.”

“Where is he now?”

“In his truck.”

I hurried around the house and, sure enough, there was Nat, sitting in the passenger seat. When he saw me approaching, he pointed to the driver’s side. I yanked the door open and stared at him.

“You look rough, Lee,” he murmured.

“You don’t look much better yourself.” The accidental blow from my coffee mug the day before had bruised half his jawbone, and an oversized bandage covered where I’d made him bleed.

“Climb in,” he invited. “We need to talk.”

I handed him my coffee mug, not wanting to spill the drink on his seats. Before I could heave myself into the truck, I heard a vehicle rolling down the driveway. Hesitating, I looked to see who was showing up so early in the morning.

“It’s Zeke,” I told Nat.

Zeke pulled to a stop beside the truck and hopped out. His features were drawn and his gaze dark.

“What is it?” I asked, my stomach clenching with worry.

He glanced past me to Nat.

“Just say it in front of him,” I said forcefully.

“Two more houses were torched last night. The next two victims,” Zeke revealed grimly.

“Then, we wait for him at the next victim’s place and catch him there,” I declared.

“Who’s this ‘we’ you’re referring to?” God asked.

27

“That’s a terrible idea.” Zeke didn’t hesitate to knock down my plan. “The cops and the U.S. Marshals have the next two sites where he killed locked down already.”

“Why the Marshal Service?” Nat asked.

“He attacked one of their guys while making his escape,” Zeke explained.

“That’s not on the news,” Nat said.

“They’re protecting their reputation. Believe me, they’re out for blood on this one.” Zeke focused on me. “And you cannot get in their way.”

“Morning!” Marlene called, hurrying toward her car.

“What are you doing?” I asked her.

“Going to work. Some of us have actual jobs.”

“You can’t go alone,” I told her. “It’s too dangerous.”

Her gaze locked on mine and her words were heavy with unspoken meaning. “I won’t be alone.”

I nodded slowly, realizing she meant that Bruno would be accompanying her.

“Have a good day!” She hopped into her car and drove off, smiling.

“Does she have an invisible companion or something?” Zeke asked.

“She’s protected,” I muttered. “About Walden…”

“They’ll catch him,” Zeke said quietly.

“Could you manage any less conviction when you say that?” I asked sarcastically.

He rubbed the base of his skull, a sure sign he was agitated, and then admitted grudgingly, “If he sees the cops, and if he avoids them, he might go to the last place he was headed.” He glanced down at a text message and scowled.

“Maybe it’s a misdirection. He makes the cops think he’s retracing his steps, and then disappears while they’re working that angle, never to be seen again.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think now’s the time to be indulging in magical thinking.”

“If not now, when? It’s when things seem most hopeless, that we need to believe,” I argued.

“Look at you, spouting greeting card sentiments,” God quipped.

Zeke looked at his phone again and then watched me carefully. “I hate to ask, but…”

I broke into a cold sweat, my heartbeat deafening in my ears as a fight-for-your-life panic suddenly squeezed my entire being.

“Breathe!” God said sharply. “Breathe, Maggie!”

“You’re the only one who can—” Zeke pressed.

I shook my head. “I can’t.” My voice was stretched thin by the intense stress.

“But—”

“I can’t!” I screamed at him.

He reared back like I’d physically hit him.

“I don’t know. I’ve never known. I can’t remember. I could never remember.” The words tumbled out of my mouth, faster and faster. “I’ve tried. I just can’t. I can’t remember.” I paused long enough to gasp for air.

“Slow down,” God urged.

My chest hurt and I was starting to tremble.

Nat put a steadying hand on my shoulder but remained silent.

Raising his hands defensively, Zeke said in a soothing tone, “Okay. It’s okay, Maggie. It’s going to be okay.”

“It’s not!” I spat out.

“I shouldn’t have asked,” Zeke said. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

“I would if I could,” I told him pitifully.

“I know,” he soothed. “I know.” Once more, he looked at his phone. He waved it at me. “I’m really sorry, but I have to go.”

I nodded my understanding and watched him get back in his car and drive away.

“What was that mini-breakdown about?” God asked, just as a coffee mug floated into my view.

I slid a sideways glance at Nat as he waved the promise of caffeine under my nose. He nodded encouragingly. I latched onto the cup greedily and took a fortifying sip of the drink despite the fact my hands were trembling, and it clattered against my teeth.

Shaking, I offered it back to him and was grateful that he took it before I spilled any. “You must think I’m nuts.”

“I was thinking stressed, traumatized, but hey, if you want to go with nuts, I’m cool with that,” he replied lightly.

I nodded and took a shuddering breath.

“If you want to talk about it…” He let the invitation trail off, leaving the choice to me.

“My aunts pretty much raised me, what with my mom’s issues and Archie being unable to commit a crime without getting caught,” I began. “They owned a Bed & Breakfast…or maybe it was just Susan, but everyone lived there. Me and all three of my sisters, the three of them, plus whoever Loretta was with at the time. It was amazing there was any room left for them to rent out to paying customers, but they managed.”

“Explains why you all live here,” he murmured when I paused for a long time.

“Aunt Susan is one smart cookie,” I shared with respect. “She specialized in hosting people who worked for the local pharmaceutical companies. They were long-term stays. Sometimes a couple of weeks, sometimes a couple of months, and all on company expense accounts.”

“Clever,” Nat murmured.

“Walden stayed for months,” I revealed, my voice trembling. I clenched my hands into fists.

Nat covered one of my hands with his own.

The connection grounded me, and I pushed on. “That’s when those women were killed. It was all over the news, ‘The Cuppa Killer’. He shared tea with them before strangling them while raping them.”

“While you were staying under the same roof. That must have been horrifying.”

I shrugged. “We didn’t know. We were blissfully unaware.” For a moment, I marveled at how nobody had known we were living with a monster.

“So, what happened?” Nat prompted gently, squeezing my hand in a show of support.

I swallowed hard. “Everybody was out, and Aunt Susan called and told me to change Walden’s sheets while he was at work. Usually, she did it, but there was some emergency with my mother, and she wasn’t going to get back in time to do it before he returned from work. So, I took the key to his room off the rack where the guest keys were hung and let myself in the room.”

I paused, remembering how the room had smelled like Old Spice aftershave when I’d pushed the door open.

“Then what?” God asked.

“I made the bed with the linens she’d told me to take from the closet, but the pile was short a pillowcase. I heard the front door open and realized he was back early, and I panicked.” I shook my head at how ridiculous that was. It wasn’t like I’d been doing anything wrong, but I hadn’t wanted to get caught. “So, instead of getting another pillowcase from the linen closet like I was supposed to, I opened the cedar chest because I knew there would be extras in there.”

I trailed off as the memory became blurry.

“And…” Nat coached.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really remember. I found a box of mismatched teacups, realized what they were, and decided to sneak out of the house and take it to the police because I didn’t think anyone would believe a kid otherwise. I remember I was a block away from the house when I realized he was following me. I hid the box and then started running, but I wasn’t quick enough. He caught up with me.” Instinctively, I raised a hand to my throat. “He grabbed my throat and started squeezing…”

I paused, gasping for breath just like I had so many years before.

“You’re safe now,” God told me. “Just breathe.”

“You got away,” Nat reminded me gently but firmly. “You got away and you’re okay.”

I nodded, my breathing slowing, taking comfort in what they both had said. I was safe and okay.

“What did Zeke mean by the next victim?” the man beside me asked quietly.

“There was a slip of paper with a name on it, in the teacup box, but it got lost when I was running. I told the police about it, but I couldn’t remember the name. I just blanked. I still can’t recall. If I could, we’d have a chance of catching Walden.”

“Do you think maybe you’re putting too much pressure on yourself?” Nat prompted gently.

“No. I think I’m the only one who can stop him.” Frustrated and afraid, I pounded on the steering wheel, feeling like I was going to explode.

28

“What do llamas eat?” Nat asked.

I blinked, dumbfounded that, one moment, I was talking about catching a serial killer, and the next instant, we were discussing the diets of llamas. “What?”

“I feel like I owe Alejandro an apology,” Nat explained. “I called him a drama llama when he was trying to warn us about Nonnie.”

“He doesn’t know that,” I assured him. “You don’t have to make amends with the llama.”

“Still, it would be the right thing to do,” Nat argued. “I want to get him a special treat to make up for doubting him.”

I stared at him, wondering if he’d recently hit his head and was having some sort of psychotic break. “Are you okay?”

“I think he’s trying to help you to relax by changing the subject,” God suggested.

“Margaret! Margaret!” Susan bellowed from the front porch.

I froze. “I don’t suppose I could pretend not to hear her and just drive away, could I?”

Nat shook his head.

“Margaret!” Susan’s voice got more demanding with every syllable she uttered.

“What?” I shouted back defensively.

“We need to talk. You can’t go off galivanting. We need a plan.”

Sighing, I slipped out of Nat’s truck and slowly trudged toward her.

“What are we going to do with Mary?” Susan asked about her sister.

“I thought you were glad she’s here,” I murmured carefully.

“I’m glad she’s safe here, but somebody has to keep an eye on her at all times. Who knows what could happen if she has one of her spells. We’re going to need a babysitting schedule for her.”

I nodded, knowing that she was right. “I can watch her this morning after I get back from Templeton taking me to the zoo to get my car.”

“Templeton’s taking Loretta and Armani to The Corset,” Susan corrected.

“Fine. I’ll get Nat to take me.”

She frowned. “I suspect that we all take advantage of that young man.”

“Probably,” I agreed, glancing toward his truck, knowing he’d spent the night before watching over us.

“And we need to figure out what we’re doing with the schooling. It’s not like Lorraine can conduct classes around the dining room table indefinitely. Maybe Delveccio has a room at his place they can use?”

I stared at her, shocked.

“Did she just suggest sending the girls to the mobster’s place?” God sounded just as flabbergasted as I felt. “First, she embraces Archie into the family fold, and now this. Danger makes for strange bedfellows.”

I couldn’t have agreed more with his assessment. There had been a time when Susan had considered the mob boss to be no more than a dangerous thug. Now, she wanted them to act as co-grandparents or something.

“You’ll have to talk to him,” Susan declared.

“Oh-okay,” I stammered.

“Sooner rather than later,” she nudged.

“He’s out of town right now. I’ll talk it over with him as soon as he gets home,” I pledged, while watching out of the corner of my eye as Herschel, having exited the kitchen, made his way to the paddock.

Suddenly, Susan’s shoulders slumped, and she confided in a softer, worried voice, “Our luck can’t hold, Margaret. You barely escaped a lion, for heaven’s sake. Then, it was just dumb luck that the girls weren’t in the barn when Nonnie plowed it. And don’t get me started on what could have happened if you hadn’t gotten your mother out of the facility when you did. She’d have run off with the other escapee patient and disappeared forever.” By the time she finished, it sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

“It’ll be okay,” I soothed.

“We have Mary staying for an unspecified duration, no school, and someone trying to destroy Loretta’s business. Things are not okay,” she muttered bitterly.

“They’ll get better,” I promised. “They always do. It’s like Maya Angelou said, ‘Every storm runs out of rain’. This one will, too. We’ve made it through worse than this and we’ll do it again.”

Susan cocked her head to the side and studied me for a long moment.

“That was actually quite inspiring,” an awestruck God said in the silence.

Her eyes filling with tears, Susan said softly, “I’m sorry, Maggie.”

“For what?”

“For sometimes forgetting that you’ve become a wise and resilient young woman who’s the backbone of this family.”

I shook my head. “Not me.”

Ignoring my protestation, she continued, “And for forgetting to ask you how you’re doing with Walden being on the loose. It must be more traumatic for you than anyone else.”

She didn’t say, “because he almost killed you” but the implication still echoed in the space between us.

I wanted to deny it, to convince her that I was unaffected, but I couldn’t. Instead, I just shrugged.

“Brian said they’re pulling out all the stops to recapture him,” she offered.

I nodded and swallowed the lump of anxiety in my throat, not trusting myself to speak.

“There you are!” Aunt Loretta called crossly, stepping onto the porch. “I have to get to work. You said you’d be right back to watch over Mary.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Susan muttered, turning on her heel and scurrying back inside the house.

“Do you want a ride to the zoo on the way to The Corset?” Loretta offered. From her cool tone, I could tell that she was still miffed about me pointing out that her eyelashes look like spiders.

“No, thanks. Nat will take me,” I replied in as neutral a tone as I could muster.

“Excellent.” She tottered back into the house, her stilettos click-clacking with every step.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be driving today,” God suggested, scrambling up onto my shoulder. “Your breathing has been erratic, your heart is beating faster than usual, and you’ve seemed distracted.”

“Thank you for the medical diagnosis, Doctor Zilla,” I spat out.

“It’s understandable,” he placated. “You’ve been reliving a childhood trauma while under multiple current threats. Anyone would be stressed.”

“I’m fine.”

“Liar,” he countered.

I considered flicking him off my shoulder but, instead, I started walking back toward Nat’s truck. I glanced at Herschel, who was deep in conversation with Irma, and considered going over to ask if he was okay. He had to be more upset than anyone that the barn had been destroyed by his ex-girlfriend.

“Maggie!” Aunt Susan called from the porch.

“Now what?” I muttered under my breath as I spun to face her.

“Do you know where your sister is?” There was no missing the panic threading through her words.

I stiffened, suddenly nervous. “She went to work.”

Wringing her hands, Susan shook her head. “Her boss just called me and asked where she was.”

“Maybe she got stuck in traffic,” I suggested, even though I was imagining she’d stopped for a make-out session with Bruno.

Susan shook her head. “She said Marlene’s car is in the parking lot. She never made it inside the store.

29

“This is a good way to get yourself killed, Lee,” Nat warned. He was squeezing the steering wheel of his truck while we barreled down the driveway of Delveccio’s place.

“It’ll be fine,” I told him.

“Rolling up on a mobster’s place unannounced is a recipe for getting shot,” he muttered.

Technically, he probably wasn’t wrong, but since my phone was destroyed while hiding from the lion, I’d had no way to call ahead and tell anyone I was coming.

I’d offered that he could drop me off at the end of the driveway, but he’d said, “I’m not letting you go in there alone.”

We sped past the plethora of statues, swung around the fountain in front of the house, and slammed to a stop. So far, no bullets.

“Help!” I shouted, tumbling out of the truck, hands raised overhead as two burly guards burst out of the house, guns pointed at me.

The gunmen advanced.

“I need help,” I told them.

“Is this your definition of fine?” Nat asked from inside the truck.

“I’m Maggie Lee,” I informed the men. “I⁠—”

“We know who you are,” the bigger man growled. “You ain’t got an appointment.”

I wondered if Nat had been right about getting shot. “I know. But this is an emergency. If I could just⁠—”

“Maggie?” a familiar voice called.

I looked from the gunmen to the front door of the house, and saw Horse squinting at me.

He hurried toward me, waving at the other two men to lower their weapons. “What’s up? The boss isn’t here.”

“Marlene went to work this morning. Her car is in the parking lot, but she didn’t make it inside. Is Bruno⁠—”

“Double-up on the kid,” Horse barked at his underlings.

They turned and ran back into the house, stowing their weapons. Meanwhile, Horse pulled out his phone and punched a number in. Holding it to his ear, he paced back and forth. “Bruno’s not picking up,” Horse announced. “We gotta go.” He fixed a hard look on Nat. “You drive.”

“Sure,” Nat confirmed.

I scrambled back into my seat and the mobster’s henchman wedged himself in behind me.

“Griswald will have called the cops the moment Susan told him that Marlene is missing,” Nat warned as he drove. “This could get messy.”

“I don’t care about that. I just need to find my sister,” I told him.

Nat glanced at the man in the rear seat.

“It’s cool,” Horse grunted.

“This whole thing doesn’t make any sense,” Nat complained. “Why would Walden go after Marlene?”

“I don’t know,” I muttered.

“Walden? The guy the cops and Feds are pulling the town apart to find?” Horse asked. “What’s he got to do with this?”

“He’s got a grudge against Maggie for sending him to jail,” Nat explained as he wound through the streets at an increased speed.

“How?” Horse asked. “She had to have been just a kid when he got sent away.”

“I was twelve when he tried to kill me,” I supplied bitterly.

“Oh,” Horse grunted. “That’s tough.”

I nodded, less concerned with my past than Marlene’s current situation. “Maybe he took my sister to get back at me.”

“He must be good to have taken her from under Bruno’s nose,” Horse mused aloud. “Musta had a pretty precise plan to pull that off.”

“When would he have had time to come up with a plan?” God mocked from my bra. “He hadn’t planned on escaping. He just took advantage of the blackout. It’s more likely that Bruno just isn’t the badass everyone thinks he is.”

Since they didn’t understand the lizard, the two men continued their conversation.

“Where is Bruno?” Nat asked. “Is there any chance they ran off together?”

“And leave the kid behind?” Horse scoffed. “She loves Alicia. I don’t see her doing that.”

I only half-listened because something God had said was bothering me. Walden might have fantasized about burning down the homes of his victims while doing time, but he wouldn’t have had a way to plot out grabbing Marlene. He’d have had to know where she worked and what her schedule was. He couldn’t have done that from prison, but someone who visited her at work could have.

“Go to The Corset!” I shouted suddenly. “We have to go to The Corset!”

Startled by my yell, Nat flinched, but turned the wheel sharply to redirect the truck toward the lingerie store.

“What’s going on?” Horse asked from the back.

“Farty Freddy, Armani’s breakfast order, eggs and cherries,” I explained, talking faster than an auctioneer.

“Slow down, Lee,” Nat urged. “I’m not following.”

“I understood what you said and have no idea what it meant, either,” God said from my bra.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to speak slowly. “Farty Freddy is one of Loretta’s exes. He releases gas all the time. When the store was trashed, it smelled like eggs…and whatever disgusting cherry stuff Loretta is currently trying to sell.”

“Okay,” Nat said, trying to follow along. “You think he’s been the one damaging the shop, but what does that have to do with Marlene?”

“He’s visited her at work repeatedly.”

“Ohhh,” God said. “I get it.”

“That’s a stretch going from vandalism to kidnapping,” Horse said doubtfully.

“Karla Nestor always insisted she didn’t kill that Donna woman who was protesting The Corset,” I said. “What if she caught Freddy nosing around the shop and he’s the one who killed her?”

“That is some impressive deductive reasoning,” God marveled. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Maggie. You’ve come so far. I’m proud of you. I can’t wait⁠—"

I lifted the collar of my shirt away from my skin, peered down, and shouted, “Will you please shut up?”

The lizard fell silent. The men shifted in their seats uncomfortably, as though watching a woman scream down her shirt at a lizard was weird or something.

Finally, Nat asked, “Why do you think this Freddy fellow might have taken Marlene to The Corset?”

“Because his biggest quirk, besides the flatulence and fawning over Loretta, was that he loved to make trades. He’d trade everything from vehicles to fruit if it would help him get what he wanted.”

“Fruit?” Horse asked.

“He’d literally trade this blueberry for that one. I’m betting it’s Loretta he wants and he’s going to try to trade Marlene for her.”

“This is nuts,” Horse declared.

“This is how things go with my family,” I muttered.

We rode the rest of the way to The Corset. Nat focused on driving, Horse texted like crazy in the back seat, and I prayed we’d get there in time.

As the truck screeched to a stop in front of the shop, I jumped out and hit the ground running.

“Lee!” Nat yelled.

I knew, without even looking over my shoulder, that he was chasing after me, and I guessed that Horse was bringing up the rear. Heart pounding, I planned on hitting the front door with everything I had and ripping Freddy to bits.

I ran even harder when I heard the primal screams coming from inside.

30

I blindly burst through the door of the shop, tripped over the body sprawled out on the floor, and fell to my knees.

The screaming was deafening.

“The stench,” God groaned.

For once, he wasn’t exaggerating. The odor of rotten eggs made my eyes sting. Farty Freddy was definitely in the house.

“Lee!” Strong hands grabbed me under my arms and hauled me to my feet in one fluid motion.

Off-balance, I leaned back against Nat as I stared at the sight in front of me in awe.

A man, who I assumed was Freddy, was curled on the ground in the fetal position, covering his head with his arms while Loretta kicked at his chest, Marlene stomped on his ankles like she was making wine, and Armani poked at his barely-protected face with a purple instrument designed for self-pleasure, not an implement of torture.

“Well, that’s something you don’t see every day,” Nat chuckled.

From behind him, Horse asked, “Templeton? You okay, buddy?”

Looking around, I realized that it was Templeton that I’d tripped over when I’d entered. He was propped up against the stand of Ricky the mannequin, a gash on the side of his head and a glazed look in his eyes. “Templeton!” I cried, kneeling down beside him.

“Ladies, I think he’s had enough.” Nat cautiously waded into the frenzied fray to end the attack.

Slowly, all three women retreated. Breathing heavily from their exertion, they glared at the man who remained curled in a ball.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t move,” Nat warned him. “Somebody should probably call the cops.”

“I’ll do it!” Armani declared.

“Templeton, darling!” Loretta wailed, wobbling toward him on her now broken stilettos.

Horse helped her kneel beside her wounded beloved. She cradled his head against her barely contained bosom.

“What happened?” I asked, hoping Aunt Loretta wouldn’t inadvertently smother her lover.

“He was electrocuted,” Loretta cried.

“Freddy used a taser on him,” Marlene clarified. She looked to Horse. “I think he might have done the same to Bruno at the fabric shop.”

“I’m on it.” The mobster’s henchman rushed out of the building.

“He grabbed me as I was about to walk into work,” Marlene explained. “Said he was going to trade me for Loretta.”

“Another excellent deduction on your part,” God murmured from my bra.

“He tasered Templeton when he tried to intervene when he saw Freddy dragging me inside,” Marlene continued. “I think he hit his head when he fell.”

“Looks like it,” I agreed, eyeing the wound on Templeton’s brow.

“Loretta and Freddy had a screaming match,” Marlene revealed.

“And then we pounced!” Armani declared, rejoining us.

“More specifically, Loretta stomped on him,” my sister corrected.

A tearful Loretta confirmed. “Years ago, Genie told me that all my stilettos were good for was stomping on a man’s instep. She always gave the best advice. Do you girls remember her?”

A chill ran down my spine. I barely remembered the woman who’d lived a few doors down from the Bed & Breakfast but, suddenly, she felt very important.

“All I remember is that she had a fondness for short skirts and high boots,” Marlene chuckled.

“She still does,” Loretta revealed with a fond smile. “Eugenia Bay is one-of-a-kind.”

“Eugenia Bay?” I repeated weakly.

“Cops found Bruno in his car at your job,” Bruno announced to Marlene as he reentered The Corset. “He was unconscious, but they think he’s going to be okay.”

“Eugenia Bay,” I said more loudly. Then, I ran out of the shop as I gained crystal clear clarity about what had happened and what I needed to do. I don’t know why I’d blanked on it for so long, but I knew, without a doubt, that Eugenia Bay had been the name scrawled on the note. And I knew I had to get to her as soon as possible.

“Lee!” Nat called after me as I raced away from the store.

I skidded to a stop when I remembered I didn’t have a car. Turning around, I found that Nat had chased after me. “I have to go.”

“Go where?”

“To save her.”

“Eugenia Bay?”

I nodded and revealed, “It was her name on the slip of paper I found with the teacups. Let’s go!” I started sprinting toward his truck, but soon realized he wasn’t following. “Nat?”

He looked painfully conflicted as he said, “I can’t, not until the cops get here. I can’t leave them alone with that Freddy guy.”

I nodded, knowing he was right to want to protect Loretta, Armani and Marlene. “Then give me your keys.” I held out my hand, palm up.

He shook his head. “I also can’t let you go after a serial killer alone.” His voice was laden down by worry and guilt.

“Sure, you can,” I wheedled desperately.

“No, Lee. I won’t.” His resolve was firm.

“Please!” I begged.

“Why can’t Delveccio’s goon keep Freddy in line?” God piped up from my bra. “I’m sure he’s up to the job.”

Marlene, who’d stepped out of The Corset, called, “What’s going on?”

“Ask Horse if he can stay with you until the cops arrive,” I shouted back.

“I ain’t goin’ nowhere!” Horse boomed back without her having to relay the question.

I shot a questioning look at Nat. He nodded and ran toward his truck.

“Tell Brian Griswald to meet me at the Bed & Breakfast,” I told Marlene, and then chased Nat.

Marlene sounded concerned that I’d lost my grip on reality when she reminded me, “But the Bed & Breakfast was blown to smithereens.”

The ride to the old neighborhood was tense. Nat white-knuckled the steering wheel as we sped across town. The only time the silence was broken was when I gave driving directions to Nat. As we pulled onto the street where I’d grown up, I told him, “You can wait in the car.”

He shot me a look. “And leave you to fight the big bad serial killer all alone?”

“It’s that house,” I said, pointing. “The one with all the rose bushes.”

As soon as we’d slid to a stop, I leapt out of the car, ran up the stairs of the house, and started banging on the front door. “Genie? Genie, it’s Maggie Lee, Loretta’s niece. Open up.”

“I smell smoke,” God announced as Nat came up behind me.

“Do you smell smoke?” I asked the man.

“I think so. I’ll take a look around back.” He jogged away.

I rang the bell and banged on the door again. “Please don’t let me be too late,” I muttered. “Just answer the door.”

“Fire!” Nat shouted from the other side of the house. “I’m calling 9-1-1.”

I turned to climb down the steps and was aware of the door opening behind me. As I started to spin back, the hair at the back of my head was grabbed and I was yanked backward into the house.

Crying out in pain, I squirmed wildly, trying to free myself from the punishing grip of my captor. I kicked and scratched, fighting for my life, but he was stronger and had the advantage.

I heard the metal clang of the deadbolt as it scraped into place, locking us into the house together.

“You and I have unfinished business, Maggie Lee,” Walden snarled, wrapping his free hand around my throat.

31

For a moment, hearing his voice and being choked made me feel like I was twelve years old again. I remembered the familiar sensation of terror. Just like I had years before, I wildly flailed my limbs, desperate to shake off my attacker, dying to breathe.

I dimly heard pounding on the door. “Lee! Lee, are you in there?”

I wanted to answer Nat, but couldn’t. My throat hurt and my lungs burned.

“Eyes. Nose. Throat. Groin!” God coached in a desperate attempt to keep me fighting for my life.

Pinned as I was, with my back to Walden, I couldn’t strike any of those sensitive spots.

“Stomp his instep!” the lizard boomed.

I tried, but missed. I was growing tired. My thrashing was weak. The world was dimming.

“Lee!” Nat shouted from outside the house, clearly panicked. I heard a dull thud, then another.

“Hang in there, Maggie. I’ll stab him in the eye!” the lizard pledged. I felt him scramble up the side of my head and make the leap onto Walden’s face so he could jam his tail into my would-be killer’s eye.

His words echoed in my head, “Stab him. Stab him.”

“Aaah!” God screamed, and I knew he’d been sent flying.

I heard another dull thud.

Fighting to stay conscious and upright, I fumbled for my pocket. My fingers closed around metal. Grasping the sewing scissors Marlene had given me, I used the last of my strength to drive them backward, sinking them into Walden’s thigh.

Howling in pain, he released me. I fell to the ground hard and gasped for breath.

“Breathe, Maggie. Breathe!” God urged in a pained voice.

“Help!” a woman groaned weakly. “Help!”

The door burst open as Nat knocked it off its hinges. He stumbled inside and dropped to his knees beside me. “Lee!”

“I’m fine,” I rasped. “Get Genie out of here.” I pointed in the direction I’d heard her voice coming from.

“Help!” she called again, as if on cue.

“I’ll be right back,” Nat pledged before hurrying to find the other woman.

“You need to get out of here,” God urged. “It’s getting smoky. Stay low.”

I began to weakly crawl on my hands and knees toward the open doorway, eager to get some fresh air.

“That’s it,” God coaxed. “You’re doing great. Almost there.”

I could hear the wail of approaching sirens as I got myself out the door.

Nat stepped outside right after me, a moaning Genie in his arms. I noted she was still wearing thigh-high boots and chuckled, which sent me into a paroxysm of coughing.

“Easy,” God soothed. “Take it easy.”

It wasn’t long before I was back on my feet, surrounded by a collection of cops, firefighters, emergency personnel and concerned neighbors.

An oxygen mask was slapped over my face “just in case” as Nat tried to explain to Detective Brian Griswald what had happened. The first ambulance rushed off, taking Genie to the hospital, and I was seated in the other one while a young paramedic monitored my vital signs.

“Wait here,” he ordered, and jumped out to confer with his coworker.

I closed my eyes and leaned back, exhausted. We’d come so close to catching Walden, but now, he’d escaped again.

I jumped, startled, when the back doors were closed with a bang, effectively locking me inside.

When the driver climbed in the front and started the engine, I told him, “I’m not going to the hospital.”

He ignored me and fired up the siren, too.

“Hey!” I shouted, moving closer to where he sat. “Stop! Let me out of this thing!”

The vehicle lurched forward, and I fell to my knees, thrown off-balance by the sudden movement.

“Stop right now!” I ordered angrily, pulling myself to my feet.

I caught a glimpse of his face as he turned. “Walden!”

That’s when he tased me.

32

“Maggie! Maggie, wake up,” God was pleading softly. “Open your eyes. Just open your eyes.”

I moaned in response, but kept my eyes closed.

“Good girl,” he sighed with relief. “Much better. You were out for a long time and I was starting to get worried.”

“I’m okay,” I reassured him. That was a lie. My whole body simultaneously ached and tingled as a result of being hit by the charge of electricity.

“Where are we?” I groaned. “What’s going on?”

“Walden’s got us prisoner,” the lizard revealed.

Despite the buzzing in my head, I forced myself to open my eyes, and a sharp pain shot through my skull. It was dark, and squinting at shadows didn’t do much to acclimate me. All I could tell was that I was in the back seat of a car and night had fallen. Gritting my teeth against the throbbing in my head, I asked, “Where’s Walden?”

I tried to sit up, and found that my wrists were bound in front of me. “What the…” I struggled awkwardly until I worked myself into an upright position. “Where are we?”

“Please tell me you won’t panic,” God bargained.

“Panic about what?” I reached for the door handle and realized they’d been removed,. I was trapped. That seemed like a good enough reason to be concerned.

“It’s not going to do any good to be consumed by worries. We have to come up with a plan.”

“You’re scaring me,” I confessed. “What’s going on?”

“We’re parked at the end of the driveway.”

“What driveway?”

“Home.”

“Why would he bring me home?” I asked, totally confused. “Do I smell gasoline?”

“I think he intends to burn you alive here.”

“Why would you think that?” I gasped with terror, realizing the fumes probably weren’t a figment of my imagination.

“Because it’s what he said he’s going to do,” the lizard admitted. “Only, you didn’t hear him because you were unconscious.”

“But…” I started to protest. An overwhelming sense of fear squeezed my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I collapsed back on the seat, the effort of sitting up proving to be too much for me in the face of certain death.

“Don’t give up,” God urged.

“What about Delveccio’s men?” I reasoned desperately. “He’s got guards around here. Surely, they can see and stop this.”

“Walden used some drugs he found in the ambulance on them,” the lizard admitted.

“How did he get the drop on them?”

“He walked up carrying you, claiming you needed help. He seemed like a savior, so they dropped their guard.”

“Well, what about Alejandro?” I asked, my voice cracking under the stress.

“He hasn’t shown up yet.”

I pounded my bound fists against the window. “Help! Help! Alejandro, help!”

The llama didn’t magically appear.

“Where’s Walden?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” the lizard admitted. “He poured gasoline on the car and then walked away.”

I forced myself to take some slow, even breaths to manage the panic I was feeling. “Someone will find us,” I said with more conviction than I was feeling.

“Sure, they will,” God agreed, sounding even less convinced than I felt.

I pounded on the window again. “Help! Help!” Then, I lowered myself onto my back and began kicking at the glass. There had to be some way to escape.

“Maggie?” a disembodied voice called. “Is that you?”

“Rowdy?” I called, struggling to sit up again as the lizard scrambled to my shoulder.

“Help!” God screamed hysterically. “He’s trying to burn us alive!”

“Rowdy,” I said, trying to sound reasonable. “Go get help! See if you can get a message to Herschel. Send help.”

“I’m on it!” the raccoon chittered.

I stared into the darkness, silently hoping she’d be fast.

“Perhaps all is not lost,” God breathed hopefully. “The raccoon’s resourcefulness matches her annoying attitude.”

As though to prove him wrong, a flame appeared outside the window. Walden held a cigarette lighter. The dancing light illuminated his expression of ghoulish glee. He was going to enjoy killing me.

“If he lights the gas, there will be no way for anyone to get here in time,” God worried aloud.

I glared at Walden defiantly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear. “If you can save yourself, now is the time,” I told the lizard without moving my lips.

“I’m not leaving you.” He patted my cheek softly with one of his tiny feet. “I am here.”

“Maggie Lee! Maggie Lee! I am here to serve!” The high-pitched whistle of Alejandro shrieked through the shadows.

Instinctively, Walden turned toward the approaching noise.

Alejandro slammed his body weight into the man, sending him crumpling to the ground. The flame of the lighter arced through the air.

“No!” God wailed.

It hit the ground and ignited a trail of liquid that led to the car.

We were doomed.

“Put it out!” God screamed at the llama. “Stomp it!”

But Alejandro couldn’t. Somehow, Walden had managed to grab one of his legs and tripped him. The llama fell to his knees.

“Help! Help!” I shrieked, even though I knew it was pointless, watching in horror as the flame grew closer to the car.

“I love you, Maggie,” God declared, pushing himself against my cheek.

And then, our hero appeared.

Some people think angels are clothed in white. My angel was shrouded in blue. With three, heavy stomping steps, he extinguished the fire.

I gasped a shuddering sigh of relief.

He smiled at me, flashed two thumbs up, gave me a quick wave, and disappeared into the night.

“Emery!” I called, but the man in the blue medical scrubs was already gone.

“Take that!” Billy, the goat, bleated angrily, head-butting Walden just as he tried to get to his feet, knocking him over.

“Nobody messes with Maggie!” Matilda, the pig, squealed, throwing herself across his chest and pinning him to the ground.

“Lee? Lee!” Nat yelled, sprinting out of the shadows.

“Let us out! Let us out!” I begged the one helper who had opposable thumbs and was capable of opening the car door.

He ripped it open and pulled me free of the vehicle. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you,” he panted.

I leaned against him heavily and watched as Alejandro, Billy and Matilda stood guard over the serial killer who’d tried to kill me.

33

Almost nobody believed me when I told them that a hospital orderly had shown up out of nowhere in the nick of time to extinguish the fire. Not the cops who’d taken my statement, who assumed I was confused and traumatized after being kidnapped and almost burned alive, and not my family, who thought the stress I’d been under had taken a toll. They’d all nodded indulgently and changed the subject, urging me to get some much-needed rest. Only Nat and my mom took me seriously.

“Emery is a good man,” she’d whispered in my ear before turning in to bed. “You’re lucky to have him looking out for you.”

Since she was using my bedroom, I slept, fitfully, on the living room couch, with God curled up on the coffee table beside me. I awakened with a start, feeling like I was being watched. Sitting up abruptly, I found both the cat and dog eyeing me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing, Sugar,” Piss assured me.

“Talk need we have to a,” DeeDee panted.

I stared at the Doberman. Having not yet had coffee was messing with my ability to translate her speech pattern.

“She said, ‘We need to have a talk’. At least, that’s what I heard,” God supplied helpfully.

“Okay,” I murmured.

“You need to stop leaving us behind,” the cat lectured. “You get into too much trouble when we’re not there to help you.”

“Guard others can girls the,” the Doberman added.

“Okay,” I agreed, too tired to argue with them.

“Hungry!” DeeDee whined.

“What else is new?” God muttered.

I scooped him off the table and deposited him on my shoulder before following the cat and dog into the kitchen. I fed them both and let them outside before I turned on the coffeemaker and watched it drip, thoroughly enraptured.

“Morning,” a voice called softly.

I turned and smiled at Templeton. A bandage covered the gash on his head, but he looked much better than he had slumped over in The Corset. “Good morning.”

“Do you think it would be safe to give you a hug?” he asked. “Or do you think that us both being tased would lead to setting off an electric shock?”

“Let’s test it and see,” I said with a grin.

We embraced tightly.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I admitted tearfully, my cheek resting against his shoulder.

“Ditto, my dear.” He leaned back and looked deeply into my eyes. “Are you really okay?”

“I am,” I sniffled.

“I should start breakfast,” he murmured, pulling away and turning toward the refrigerator. He glanced back at me and added with a wink, “I’m thinking anything except eggs.”

“Sounds good to me,” I chuckled.

Loretta, sans fake eyelashes, click-clacked into the room. “Feeling better, Maggie?”

“Yes.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “No more imaginary men coming to your rescue?”

I shook my head. There was no point in arguing that Emery had been real.

“Not that I mind a good fantasy involving a heroic man.” She patted the butt of Templeton, who was bent over fetching something out of the fridge, for emphasis.

“Not before breakfast,” he drawled dryly.

While I poured three mugs of coffee, she sat down at the table and lamented, “I can’t believe Freddy is a murderer. I didn’t like that Donna woman, but I didn’t want her dead. I have terrible taste in men. That’s something you and I have in common, Maggie.”

I stared at her, unsure if she was aware she’d just insulted both me and her lover. I shot a look at Templeton. He just shrugged.

“Good morning, everyone,” Griswald declared as he marched into the kitchen. He ran an assessing gaze over me while he got his coffee. “I’m surprised you're up so early.”

I shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“You deserve a long rest after helping to recapture three criminals,” Griswald remarked.

“Any news on Karla Nestor’s condition?” I asked, sipping from my cup. To save me, Brian had been forced to shoot her. The last I’d heard, Karla was being operated on. I’d secretly hoped she’d die on the operating table.

Griswald frowned. “She pulled through, which is a good thing for my nephew. As soon as she woke up, she started trying to negotiate a deal for herself.”

“Do you think she’ll get one?” Templeton asked.

“I hope they throw the book at her!” Loretta declared.

“Time will tell,” Griswald replied.

It was such a mild and ambiguous response that I got the impression he knew more than he was saying. My stomach clenched at the idea of her going free. “What about Walden?”

“He’s in slightly worse shape,” Templeton revealed. “The stab wound you delivered with the scissors is infected and he has a couple of busted ribs.”

“Probably from Matilda’s body slam,” God whispered. “She deserves something special for making him suffer.”

“But he’ll go back to CU soon enough.”

“CU?” Templeton asked curiously.

“Criminal University,” the retired lawman said bitterly. “Prison is where he learned both his arsonist skills and how to steal and use tasers. He must have been a great student.”

“Is here Nat! Is here Nat!” DeeDee barked from outside.

I got up from the table and opened the kitchen door just as he was about to knock on it.

Holding a large plastic food container, he grinned when he saw me. “Morning, Lee. You look better.”

“The rejuvenating powers of sleep,” I replied, ushering him inside.

“Coffee?” Templeton offered.

“That’d be great.” He held up his container. “I brought banana bread.”

“Yum!” Loretta held out her hands, demanding he give it to her, which he did with a slight bow.

He settled into the seat beside Griswald. “Just thought I’d come over and see if anybody needed anything.”

“I need to get my car,” I said quickly.

“Is it still at the zoo?” Templeton asked.

“If it hasn’t been towed yet,” I said, taking the piece of banana bread that Loretta held out.

“I can take you,” Nat offered.

“That would be great,” I acknowledged.

“What’s great?” Aunt Susan asked, walking in.

“Nat’s going to take Maggie to retrieve her car from the zoo,” her husband answered.

Susan nodded and gave me a pointed look. “And then, you’ll return Mary?”

I tensed. “Like my mother’s a pair of shoes I decided I didn’t really want?”

The room fell tensely silent as Loretta, Templeton, Griswald and Nat watched our exchange.

“You’re the one who took her out without a plan,” Susan said snippily. “You should be the one to bring her back.”

“I took her to keep her safe,” I reminded my aunt.

“Mary can stay for another day or two,” Loretta interjected herself into the discussion. “Now that Walden isn’t a threat anymore, we could do something fun together.”

“She needs to get back to her routine,” her sister replied firmly. Then, she turned her gaze on me. “You know that, Margaret.”

Knowing something and liking it can be two very different things, and I felt conflicted. I liked having my mother around when she was lucid, but I also knew that without the routine the mental health facility provided, that my mother was prone to lose her grip on reality. “I’ll take her when I get back,” I agreed, then stood up and walked out of the house.

34

“Morning, toots,” Mike squawked the moment I stepped outside.

“Hey.” I tore off the corner of the slice of the banana bread I still had and tossed it to him.

Picking it up, he beat his wings and flew off as I made my way to the remains of the paddock, where the donkey, pig and goat were standing.

“Good morning, Maggie!” Irma brayed.

“Morning,” Matilda oinked.

The goat just stared at me balefully.

“Thank you for rescuing me last night,” I said to Billy, tossing him a piece of the bread.

I threw the last of it to Matilda, who squealed with delight.

“Should I be insulted that that’s what you think of my baking?” Nat asked from behind me.

I shook my head. “They helped to save my life and deserved the best of rewards.”

“You have quite the team pulling for you,” he noted.

“I do,” I murmured, remembering that he’d broken down a door to get to me. “Are you okay after yesterday?”

“My shoulder and heart are a little sore, but nothing time can’t heal,” he admitted.

“Your heart?” I asked, wondering if he’d strained something exerting himself.

“I damn near had a heart attack when we realized Walden had stolen an ambulance with you in it,” he admitted. “That was a tough few hours while you were missing. Everyone was hopeful when they found the ambulance, but he must have stolen the car that he used to bring you here. Have to give the guy credit. He was a resourceful criminal.”

“CU,” I murmured.

“Do you want to get into some fresh clothes, and I’ll take you to the zoo?”

I glanced down and realized I was still in the outfit I’d worn the day before. “Good idea. Can we stop at Delveccio’s on the way there?”

He frowned slightly. “Sometimes I think you’re trying to get me killed, Lee.”

Still, he did drive me to the mobster’s home, first.

As soon as I stepped out of his truck, Horse hurried over. “Good to see you’re in one piece.”

“Thanks,” I chuckled.

“Boss is back,” the bodyguard said. “He’s in the garden.”

Nodding my understanding, I signaled for Nat to wait in the truck with Piss and DeeDee. I walked around to the back of the house in search of the mob boss.

He spotted me first. “I see you survived your clashes with the felons.”

I nodded. “Is Bruno okay?”

He tilted his head and gave a one-shouldered shrug. “His ego took a beating, but he’ll survive. Maybe he’ll pay more attention to his job than your sister.”

I studied him while he spoke, noting he looked tired and that there were new tension lines between his brows. I intentionally didn’t comment on the relationship between the bodyguard and my sister.

Delveccio nodded with a slight grin of approval.

“We’re going to have to table school for a week or so while we get things figured out,” I told him. “The girls wanted me to invite Dominic over for lunch tomorrow.”

He shook his head.

I held my breath, wondering if the events of the past two days would mean the end of the relationship between the children. I could understand that he wanted to protect his grandson, but I was prepared to argue that the company of my nieces was good for the boy.

“Bring them here and we’ll make pizzas instead.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Sure. We can do that.” After a beat, I asked, “Is there anything you need from me?”

“Need from you?”

“You seem tense.”

“It’s under control,” he told me coolly.

I noted that he hadn’t denied something was wrong, but didn’t pursue it. “I’ve got to go pick up my car from the zoo.”

“Is that why Hunting is chauffeuring you around?” the mobster asked.

I nodded.

“Not because you and he…”

I shook my head.

“Because I’m sure Gino wouldn’t mind,” Delveccio said with surprising gentleness. “He’d want you to be happy.”

A lump rose in my throat at the mention of my ex-boyfriend and his ex-bodyguard. All I could do was nod.

“You join us for pizza tomorrow,” the mobster ordered. “Punching the dough will do you some good.”

Chuckling, I nodded my agreement and walked away.

“Everything okay?” Nat asked as I climbed back into his truck.

“It’s good,” I said. “The girls are going to be making pizza tomorrow.”

“Simple joys,” he murmured.

We rode in silence to the zoo. I was relieved to see that my car was still where I’d parked it. “Thanks, Nat,” I said as I slid out of the truck.

“No problem,” he replied easily.

I stared at him intently. “No. I meant, thank you for everything.”

He nodded solemnly.

The cat and dog jumped out of the truck and followed me across the pavement toward my car.

“Kill! Kill!”

Two black missiles dove at us from the sky. Instinctively, I ducked and raised my arms to protect myself, DeeDee cowered on the ground and Piss swiped at thin air with her outstretched claws.

Pam and Dora, the falcons, shrieked with laughter as they swooped above us.

“Not funny, guys,” I complained.

“Funny not!” DeeDee barked at them.

“Where have you been?” I asked the birds. Mike had followed us from home to the zoo and back again, but I hadn’t seen the falcons since they’d saved us from the lion.

“We decided we’re going to stay here,” Pam explained.

“It’s better than the lame farm, and they feed us better,” Dora expanded.

I nodded, knowing that none of the other animals would miss the pair. “I hope you’ll be happy here.”

“Come visit us,” Pam invited.

“We won’t let the big cats get you,” Dora cackled, and they flew away.

“Don’t I them like,” DeeDee said as I opened the back door of the car.

“Nobody does,” God assured her from my bra.

“Shotgun!” Piss called, leaping into the car and climbed into her claimed front seat.

DeeDee sprawled out in the rear. “Hungry.”

I glanced over at Nat, who was sitting in his truck, watching the whole thing unfold. I knew he wouldn’t leave until he saw me drive away, and I suspected he was going to follow me all the way back to the house to ensure I arrived safely. I waved at him and climbed behind the steering wheel.

I started the car. “Let’s go home.”

35

“You need to get some rest, Maggie,” Mom told me, gently wiping some stray hairs off my cheek.

I’d brought her back to the facility, and we were in her room. To my surprise, she didn’t seem unhappy to have returned.

“I’m okay,” I assured her.

She shook her head. “You spend too much time taking care of everyone else.” She looked around the space. “That’s why it’s better that I’m here.”

“Mom,” I protested. “I love having you at home.”

She shook her head. “I’m a lot of work and a constant source of concern for you and Susan. You shouldn’t spend your whole life worrying about me.” She kissed my forehead and gave me a reassuring hug. “It’s all okay, Maggie May.”

I blinked back tears as we embraced.

“Now, go home,” she said gently. “I’m tired from all the family drama and you must be, too. I need a nap.”

While I waited, she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up under her chin. I tucked her in and kissed her cheek like I did for my nieces. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you more.” She smiled and closed her eyes.

As I was heading for the exit door of the building, I tried to avoid the man in a shirt and tie, who I recognized as an administrator. I failed.

He called out, “Miss Lee?”

I stopped to face him, bracing myself to receive a lecture about the removing of my mother without permission in the middle of the night. Technically, he wouldn’t be wrong. I just didn’t want to hear it. I tried to school my expression into one of neutral politeness.

“I was just wondering if your mother traveled with anyone,” he said carefully.

“Traveled?” I asked, confused.

He leaned closer and confided, “The power outage knocked out our security cameras and another patient…um…traveled at the same time as Mary.” He pulled out his phone, scrolled quickly through a couple of pictures, and held it out for me to see. “He’s missing. Have you seen him?”

I stared at the intake photograph of the blue-eyed man, shocked. “He’s a patient?”

“Yes,” the administrator confirmed. “His name is Emery.”

“He wasn’t with my mother,” I managed to choke out. “If you’ll excuse me.”

I had to hold back the hysterical laughter that welled up in me.

I hadn’t been saved from the fire by an angel cloaked in blue. I’d been saved by a mental patient.

The End

Don’t miss Maggie’s next misadventure: The Hitwoman and the Missing Date. Here’s a quick peek!

You just know it’s going to be a bad day when the guy you’ve hit on is trying to bash your head in.

My name is Maggie Lee. While I’m not exactly a champion in the arena of courtship, this particular dating development wasn’t my fault. PMS was totally to blame.

“Duck! Duck! Duck!” the little white mouse urged from my purse.

“Duck, duck, goose!” the drunken lizard in my bra slurred.

Neither one of them was much help as I scrambled to get away from my attacker.

A note from JB:

Thank you so much for reading The Hitwoman and The Jailbreak. If you enjoyed it, could you please take a moment to leave a quick rating and/or review?  It would be much appreciated.

Hugs and murder,

JB

The Hitwoman and The Missing Date

Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman 49

Maggie Lee has never been an enthusiastic fan of PMS.

(Obviously you know that PMS stands for the Psychic Matchmaking Service developed by her friend Armani Vasquez.)

When a couple matched by PMS mysteriously disappears, Armani enlists Maggie’s grudging help to find them.

As she retraces the steps of the pair’s day-long date, Maggie investigates a myriad of mysteries that may have led to them going missing, all while dealing with exhaustive disruptions.

Can Maggie find the missing lovebirds? Or is she too distracted to realize that she, herself, is in danger of being disappeared?

Order The Hitwoman and the Missing Date

Oh Shoot!

A Kiki Long Mystery Free Prequel

Ever since her husband disappeared seven months ago and it came out that he’d been embezzling funds from the town, pet photographer Kiki Long has been keeping a low profile.

But now it’s time to focus on creating a new life for herself.

Risking the wrath of the town’s residents, Kiki attends the annual Pride Falls Fair where she’s regarded with a mix of animosity, curiosity, and pity.

When a participant in the pie eating contest drops dead due to poisoning, Kiki realizes that the pictures she captured at the fair could hold the key to figuring out the mystery of his death. But it’s not like she can go to Sheriff Rockland with them. He still considers her to be a suspect in her husband’s disappearance.

With the help of her cat, Kodak, Kiki sets out to prove that her friend, who baked the deadly pie, did not poison it. Can she catch the killer? Or will this new development be what lands her in prison?

Get Oh, Shoot! for Free

Psychic Consignment Mystery Series

Sun, sea, and murder…

Escape to the beach town of Sarasota, Florida, visit an inherited consignment shop and meet the Concordia sisters in this cozy mystery series with a twist.

Bea, Winnie and Amanda use their powers to run a store brimming with unusual merchandise and even quirkier clientele while solving mysteries and falling in love.

Check out the Psychic Consignment Mystery Series

Now available on Audio

One Woman’s Junk

Gently Used, Still Works

Another Woman’s Treasure

Something Old, Something New

Cursed Chicks Club

What do you get when you combine a witch who doesn’t know her own power, a possessed cat and a dragon, all traveling in an RV caravan trying to break a curse?

Chaos and Adventure! Love and Laughter!

Follow Ravena and her friends as they try to right the world of wrongs, one magical moment at a time.

Visit the Cursed Chicks Club!

Also by JB Lynn

HITWOMAN BOOKS IN ORDER

Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

The Hitwoman Gets Lucky

The Hitwoman and the Family Jewels

The Hitwoman and the Neurotic Witness

The Hitwoman Hunts a Ghost

The Hitwoman and the 7 Cops

The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple

The Hitwoman’s Downward Dog

The Hitwoman’s Act of Contrition

The Hitwoman Hires a Manny

The Hitwoman and the Sacrificial Lamb

The Hitwoman and the Chubby Cherub

The Hitwoman and the Mother Load

The Hitwoman Under Pressure

The Hitwoman Plays Chaperone

The Hitwoman Takes a Road Trip

The Hitwoman in a Pickle

The Hitwoman and the Gold Digger

The Hitwoman's Juggling Act

The Hitwoman and the Fallen Angel

The Hitwoman Goes to Prison

The Hitwoman and the Exorcism

The Hitwoman Plays Games

The Hitwoman Owes a Favor

The Hitwoman and the Teddy Bear

The Hitwoman and the Body

The Hitwoman Pays a Debt

The Hitwoman Plays Courier

The Hitwoman’s Girls’ Night Out

The Hitwoman's Getaway

The Hitwoman vs The Security Guard

The Hitwoman Investigates

The Hitwoman Gets Her Man

The Hitwoman and the Ninjas

The Hitwoman's Charity Case

The Hitwoman's Egg Hunt

The Hitwoman's Dying Wish

The Hitwoman and the Sitting Duck

The Hitwoman and the Flash Mob

The Hitwoman Gets Caught

The Hitwoman VS the Training Schedule

The Hitwoman VS the Embezzler

The Hitwoman Spirals

The Hitwoman’s Reunion

The Hitwoman’s Knight Fight

The Hitwoman's Evil Ex

The Hitwoman and The Jailbreak

The Hitwoman and the Missing Date

A Kiki Long Mystery

Oh, Shoot!

Shoot First, Ask Questions Later

Shoot The Moon

The Cat, The Witch, and the Dead Dude

Thankful, Grateful, Busted

And don't miss the Psychic Consignment Mystery series

One Woman’s Junk

Gently Used, Still Works

Another Woman’s Treasure

Something Old, Something New

Cursed Chicks Club

Once Cursed, Twice Shy

2 Spells Too Many

3 Times A Charm

Mind Your Own Magical Beesness

4 Wonky Jinxes

About JB Lynn

Author of the never-ending Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman series, JB Lynn (you can call her Jen) is a Jersey girl, who was transplanted in Florida for a while and is now putting down roots in North Carolina. When not dabbling with paints, taking photos and exploring the mountains with her rescue mutt, she writes the Kiki Long Mysteries, the Psychic Consignment Mysteries and the Cursed Chick Club series because she’s got a soft spot for hijinks, humor, and heart.

Make sure sign up for her newsletter for sneak peeks and exclusive content.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to others. If you’d like to share this book (and the author hopes you’ll want to), please purchase an additional copy for each person. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at jb@jblynn.com.

Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

For more info about my books, visit:

http://www.jblynn.com

And don’t forget to follow/friend me! Be sure to introduce yourself!!!

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