Kelly didn’t answer, but thought that this time she might let him.

Madison tried to scream but a hand clamped over her mouth, stifling it. A man’s face hovered above her. She lashed out, striking him with her arms and one good foot, tears rolling down her face. She’d escaped the boat, only to have something happen here in the hospital. What the hell was going on? Where were the guards?

Suddenly, her mother appeared over the guy’s shoulder. He was one of her rescuers from the boat, Madison realized, overcome with relief. Her mother shoved the guy aside and whispered in her ear. “It’s okay, sweetheart, you’re safe. But we have to go.”

“What? Go where?” Madison asked, confused, craning to see if Bree was still in the chair beside the bed. She was gone. “Where’s Bree?”

“Already outside, honey. Please, Mr. Maltz is saying we need to hurry.” Her mother looked anxiously over her shoulder at the guard. He was standing by the door, peering down the hallway.

“I don’t understand. Aren’t we safe here?” Madison started to shake.

Her mother rubbed her arms. “It’s just a precaution. We’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Shift change,” Maltz said, voice flat. “It’s time.”

“We have to go now, Maddee.” Her mother held out a pair of baggy sweatpants she’d brought from home, as if Madison was a toddler and needed help getting dressed. Madison glanced at the guard, then held the back of her gown closed with one hand and let her mother pull on the pants. She’d cut off the left lower leg to make room for Madison ’s cast.

“What about my medicine?”

“I have pills in my purse.” Her mother smiled weakly, clearly trying to be reassuring. “They were going to release you tomorrow anyway.”

“But I thought the police wanted…”

“It’s time.” Maltz held out a wheelchair, and without thinking Madison lowered herself into it. The hallway was empty, lights dimmed. She heard some chatter at the nurse’s station around the corner, a bark of laughter. He was leading them toward the stairs, not the elevator, she realized.

“My ankle. I can’t…”

“I’ll carry you.”

“What? No-”

“ Madison, please be quiet!” Her mother’s voice was low but urgent. For the first time Madison realized that she didn’t sound drunk. She hadn’t heard that clarity in months.

Maltz soundlessly opened the door to the stairwell and wheeled her in with one hand. He put on the brakes and scooped Madison up. She felt awkward, embarrassed. She couldn’t figure out what to do with her arms, putting them around his neck was too weird so she ended up crossing them over her chest.

The stairs exited on the far side of the parking lot, away from the ambulance dock. A white van idled at the curb. The panel door slid open, and another guy reached for Madison. Something about the entire situation felt wrong. She wondered why her mother assumed they could trust these guys. If her father had sent them, why hadn’t he shown up yet? But she saw Bree already inside, tucked between two of them, her face drawn and scared. Madison swallowed hard and let herself be pulled in. They maneuvered her onto the long banquette lining the rear of the van. Maltz helped her mother inside and closed the door. Madison noticed they kept the headlights off until they were out of the parking lot.

“Where are we going?” she asked after ten minutes of silence. She’d never been in this part of California before, everything was unfamiliar.

“Somewhere safe,” Maltz said.

“Is my father meeting us there?” She saw her mother exchange a glance with Maltz. “What?”

“Nothing, honey. It’s just-”

“Dad’s missing,” Bree interrupted. “That’s why we had to leave.”

“So it’s not over,” Madison said. Fear tightened a noose around her neck. She struggled to breathe.

“Calm down, honey.” Her mother bent forward, reaching awkwardly to stroke her hair. “I’m sure he’s fine. We’re just being extra careful.”

It wasn’t fine, and Madison knew it. She shook off her mother’s hand and let the tears come as the city lights receded.

A half mile back, a sedan followed them through every turn.

Twenty

“This is ridiculous. There’s nothing here.” Jake threw a stack of papers back on the table. They’d spent the past few hours tearing apart Randall’s apartment. The more time passed, the more it looked like Randall’s departure hadn’t been voluntary. They both knew it, though neither had said it aloud.

“He must have told you something. You practically lived together the past few days,” Syd said.

“Not exactly. Most of the time I was driving all over God’s green earth looking for Mack Krex,” Jake grumbled. He plopped down on the couch and wished a coffee place were still open. He’d already ransacked Randall’s cupboards and found nothing but tea. “What kind of guy doesn’t drink coffee?” he muttered, checking his watch. Midnight already. He experienced a momentary flash of irrational rage at Randall. They rescued his daughter, and then the guy disappeared. Jake knew it was their own fault. It should have occurred to them to keep better tabs on Randall, but still. Everything about that guy was bad luck.

“Randall drinks it, but he doesn’t make it himself. He’s hooked on lattes.”

Something triggered in Jake’s brain. He lunged to the kitchen and fumbled through cabinets.

“What the hell?” Syd asked, hands on her hips.

“The mugs. That was how he got info in and out, something about coffee mugs.” Randall had three of everything: plates, mugs, utensils. Apparently he didn’t do a lot of entertaining. Three travel mugs with the facility logo lined the shelf above the plates. Jake grabbed one and twisted the bottom. Nothing happened. He strained harder, but it didn’t give. “Damn. Maybe if I had a knife…”

“Or maybe it takes some finesse. Randall wasn’t exactly he-man,” Syd said, reaching out and taking it from him. She held it to the light and examined it. Removed the lid and scanned the inside. After turning it over in her hands, she pressed on a spot beneath the handle. The bottom popped off.

“Impressive,” Jake said.

“What can I say? Spy stuff.” Syd grinned. “But bad news. There’s nothing in here.”

Jake grabbed the other two and repeated the trick, opening the bottoms. Empty. “Maybe there’s another compartment.” Jake tapped one on the edge of the counter.

Syd raised an eyebrow. “It’s a coffee mug, Jake, not a cryptex.”

“So he gave them info on flash drives. Let’s check those again.”

“I’ve checked them all twice. They’re blank, if there were files on them they’ve been erased.”

Jake set the mug on the counter and looked at her. “You knew this guy. Where would he go?”

“With his daughter missing?” Syd shook her head. “Nowhere. Whoever kidnapped Madison probably has him.”

“Why not grab him in the first place then? Saves them a step.”

“They needed his access to the facility. And now, apparently, they don’t. He must have handed over whatever he was supposed to get for them.”

“Shit,” Jake said, remembering their last conversation, the look in Randall’s eyes after he watched the video of Madison being tortured. “So they probably killed him.”

“Probably. Unless they still need him for something.”

Jake examined her. “You don’t seem too torn up.”

Syd met his gaze. “I gave up on mourning people, Jake. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, nothing you can do.”

“That’s…” Jake tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t hurt her feelings.

“Cold? Maybe. But in my line of work, I learned to distance myself.” Syd shrugged, seemingly unperturbed. “Besides, Randall might be fine. He’s a smart guy, you never know.”

Jake looked around the apartment. He hated to admit it, but suddenly being here with Syd was creeping him out. Her tone was unsettling, monotone and flat like she was a pod person or something. More than anything he wished he was in bed with Kelly, arms wrapped around her waist. Preferably naked. “So you want to call it a night, head back to Benicia? They probably noticed by now that we’re gone.”