Poppy felt the tears start. “I’ll miss you, little Katie,” she said, sniffing.

“Don’t cry,” Katie said. “You can come visit me. We’ll play Chutes and Ladders and I’ll show you all my dolls.”

“Right,” she said dully. “That’ll be great.” I’ll never see you again, little Katie…

Poppy pulled free and stood up. She wiped her eyes and said, “Okay. First step is to get in touch with your dad. You wouldn’t just happen to like know your phone number, would you?”

Katie rattled it off.

“You’re one smart girl,” Poppy told her.

“My Daddy made me memorize it, in case I got lost.”

All right. But what next? She wondered if she was smart enough to figure out how to work this without getting caught. What would Paulie do… ?

16

John picked up on the first ring, almost knocking the receiver off the kitchen wall in his mad rush to get to it. He didn’t want it waking Mom.

“Mr. Vanduyne?” A male voice, low-pitched, official sounding.

“Yes? Who’s this?”

“This is Sergeant James Waltham, Falls Church Police Department. Sir, do you have a daughter named Katie?” Oh, no. Oh, please, God, no!

He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. He reached out blindly with his free hand, found the back of a chair, and dropped into it.

Finally… “Yes?”

“We found a bottle of pills that seem to belong to her.”

“Pills? What about Katie? Do you have Katie?”

“No, sir. Just her pills. Do you know where your daughter is?”

“She’s been—” No. Don’t tell him. “She’s been on a trip. Where did you find them?”

“At a murder scene.”

“A murder—? My God! She’s not—?”

“No, sir. No child victim there. But we did find some children’s clothing—a Holy Family school uniform and—”

“Oh, God!”

“Sir, just where is your daughter?”

“Look. I’ll be right down. Just tell me where you’re located and I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Sgt. Waltham spelled his name and gave John the police department’s address. John hung up and called Decker’s private number. He repeated to Decker almost word for word what he’d been told.

“What’s it mean, Bob?”

“I wouldn’t even hazard a guess right now. But this might be a major break for us. You stay put. I’ll go down there and see what—”

“Not on your life! I know her clothes! I can identify them!” Didn’t Decker realize that he had to see that blazer and jumper with his own eyes, touch them, bunch them in his hands?

“No. Stay there. You might get e-mail—”

“I gave you my password—you monitor my e-mail. I’m going to Falls Church. See you there!” And he hung up.

As John stepped toward the hall closet to grab a jacket, his cellular phone began to trill. He snatched it off the counter.

“Is this Mr. Vanduyne?” A woman’s voice this time— young but husky.

Two calls in a row with the same question. But who had his cellular number?

“Yes. Who’s this?”

“Got someone who wants to talk to you.” A rustle, a rattle, and then a child’s voice.

“Daddy?” John knew that voice, but for an instant his mind refused to identify it. Wasn’t possible, couldn’t be… some sort of cruel trick…

“Daddy, it’s me—Katie.” And then the kitchen swam around him.

“Katie! Dear God, Katie, is that you?” He realized he was shouting but he couldn’t help it. He thought he’d burst with joy.

“Is this really you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where are you—how are you?”

“Fine.” Fine… she always said fine. The bastards had cut off her toe and she was fine. “I’m coming home.” John sagged against the wall and tried to keep from sobbing. “Oh, Katie, I’ve missed you so! Where are you? I’ll come and get you right now!”

“Now’s not a good time.” The woman was back on the line. “You can get her tonight.” John’s mind whirled in confusion. What was going on? Where was the catch?

“But how… why?”

“Let’s just say the real kidnapper is dead and I’ve got Katie and I wanna give her back. But I don’t like wanna get locked up, know what I’m saying?”

The real kidnapper is dead… ? She has to mean that murder scene in Falls Church where they found Katie’s pills… what has that poor child gone through?

“You want money? I’ll give you whatever I have. I’ll—”

“Don’t want your money, guy. I got a sweet little girl here who can’t wait to get back to her daddy and I’m gonna like see to it she gets there. Come to the Maryland House on Ninety-five. Wait upstairs by the phones around nine o’clock. I’ll meet you there with Katie. And no cops, okay? Let’s do this so’s we both walk away happy. See you at nine.”

“Wait!”

Another rattle and then Katie’s voice. “Bye, Daddy!” A click and she was gone.

He stood there, pressing the receiver against his ear, listening to the electric silence, searching for an echo of her voice, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Finally he turned to hang up and saw his mother standing in the doorway.

“Katie?” she said, digging at her neck. “That was Katie?”

He could only nod. He threw his arms around her.

“I heard you shouting,” she said. “It sounded like you were talking to—”

“She’s alive. Mom! That was her! She’s alive and she’s okay and I’m getting her back. Mom. Katie’s coming home tonight!”

17

Agent Samson caught him in the White House parking lot. Bob Decker was just unlocking his car door when he spotted him running across the pavement, waving a sheet of paper.

“What is it, Rick?”

“The Vanduyne taps!” he said, puffing as he reached the car. “I thought you should see this.” Bob scanned the sheet and couldn’t resist a tight smile.

The whole plot was crumbling. Looked like there’d been a falling out among the kidnappers and someone wanted to cover her ass.

“Where was she calling from?”

“The place she mentions for the switch—the Maryland House?”

“What’s that?”

“A traveler’s stop on the median on Ninety-five. You know, tourist info, burgers, yogurt.” He cleared his throat. “This sounds like a kidnapping. How come we’re involved in—?”

“Friend of Razor’s,” Bob said.

Samson nodded. That was all Samson needed to know, all he’d ever know. He was monitoring a line tap and was to transcribe all conversations. Beyond that, he was in the dark.

“She called on his cell phone,” Samson said. “Probably thought no one would be listening on that. Nobody seems to realize how unsecure they are.”

Bob nodded, half listening. No use sending anyone out to the Maryland House now. The woman would be long gone by the time anyone got there. Better to wait for her tonight.

He wondered if Vanduyne would tell him about this call. He decided not to hold his breath. The woman had said no cops and the doc wanted his kid back.

All right. He’d get his kid back. And Bob would get the woman. Put her together with whatever went down in that Palls Church house where the child’s pills were found, and he’d probably have this thing sewn up before the weekend was over.

He imagined how it would feel to stroll into Bethesda Naval Hospital tomorrow night and tell Razor his godchild is safe and the assassination conspirators are either locked up or on the run.

Sweet. Very sweet.