getting clipped by a yellow pickup.
“Are you taking a break? You usually don’t get off until 3:30 on Mondays.”
“No, I’m finished for the day. They cancelled all the shows.”
“Really? Because of Henderson?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I guess. You’re going to pick up the boys today after school, right? I can get the girls later after the Christmas pageant practice.”
“I completely forgot. I have an appointment at 3:00 with KTXL. They missed the show this morning and asked me to bring a tape.”
“See, I knew everything would work out. But who’s going to get Ben and Luke?”
“Can’t you do it? You’re off now.”
“I wish I could, but I’ve got something I can’t get out of.”
“I can get Danny to pick them up. It’s one of the perks to having a student as a tenant.”
“Why can’t Matt do it?”
“He’s been suspended.” I dug in my bag for my keys.
“What?”
I extended my right arm across Elizabeth, protecting her from a speeding car. “I’m off to get him now.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened, but I knew she wouldn’t inquire.
I raised my right hand, keys dangling. “I promise to find out the details and let you know as soon as possible so you can do that interceding thing you do.”
She shrugged. “I guess I can pick up the boys. I’ll reschedule.”
“Don’t worry. Danny’ll get them. You keep your appointment. You deserve a little pampering.”
Elizabeth hesitated. “I don’t feel comfortable with Luke riding with Danny.”
“Come on, Elizabeth! What do you have against him? Just because he was raised in foster care doesn’t make him a pedophile. I trust him enough to let him rent the room above our garage. He’s a good kid. Ben loves him like a brother.”
Elizabeth pressed her lips together. “Okay. I’ll plead the blood of Jesus over them.”
Not a pleasant visual. “Please, enough gore for today. My stomach is still spinning from the thought of Henderson being murdered.”
“That explains the police around the set. I thought he had a heart attack.”
“Me too, but the detective thinks otherwise.” I jolted at the “King Tut” ringtone. Two calls in one day? Something had to be wrong. “I need to take this.”
“Mari, don’t let Jack suck you back in.”
“Don’t worry, I’m so over him.”
“Call me later.” Elizabeth jogged to her car.
I nodded and answered my iPhone. “Jack.” I tried to mask the anxiety in my voice. The line crackled, then an explosion muffled Jack’s words.
Numbing tingles shot through my chest.
“Jack? Are you okay?”
No answer. A second blast ripped through my ears. I panted for air, my world closing in as the line went dead.
CHAPTER NINE
12:05 p.m.
Lyndon University Parking Lot
WITH TREMBLING HANDS, I opened the door to my BMW and slid in the driver’s seat.
Stop overreacting. Jack is fine. He’s always fine.
I trudged through the muddy waters of my mind for a logical explanation to what I’d just heard. Frazzled nerves and near starvation could bring on hallucinations, couldn’t they? Besides, satellite reception was unstable in Egypt and archaeologists never used dynamite. Why did he call?
I started the car and set my phone in the docking cradle, my pulse settling right above resting. Thoughts of my prodigal teenage brother smothered my irrational fear. Jack was fine. He had to be. Matt, on the other hand, was where I needed to focus my worry.
Nausea replaced hunger as I exited the parking lot and passed fast food row. The smoldering volcano within started to bubble. How could Matt do this? Not only would his reputation be tarnished, but his recklessness reflected on the entire family.
Ten minutes later I drove into the Winton Hall Preparatory School parking lot, signed in as a visitor, and slipped down the hall to the office hoping no one knew the reason for my visit. I knocked on the door and held my breath.
“Come in.” The older woman behind the desk eyed me with her penciled
“Are you taking a break? You usually don’t get off until 3:30 on Mondays.”
“No, I’m finished for the day. They cancelled all the shows.”
“Really? Because of Henderson?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I guess. You’re going to pick up the boys today after school, right? I can get the girls later after the Christmas pageant practice.”
“I completely forgot. I have an appointment at 3:00 with KTXL. They missed the show this morning and asked me to bring a tape.”
“See, I knew everything would work out. But who’s going to get Ben and Luke?”
“Can’t you do it? You’re off now.”
“I wish I could, but I’ve got something I can’t get out of.”
“I can get Danny to pick them up. It’s one of the perks to having a student as a tenant.”
“Why can’t Matt do it?”
“He’s been suspended.” I dug in my bag for my keys.
“What?”
I extended my right arm across Elizabeth, protecting her from a speeding car. “I’m off to get him now.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened, but I knew she wouldn’t inquire.
I raised my right hand, keys dangling. “I promise to find out the details and let you know as soon as possible so you can do that interceding thing you do.”
She shrugged. “I guess I can pick up the boys. I’ll reschedule.”
“Don’t worry. Danny’ll get them. You keep your appointment. You deserve a little pampering.”
Elizabeth hesitated. “I don’t feel comfortable with Luke riding with Danny.”
“Come on, Elizabeth! What do you have against him? Just because he was raised in foster care doesn’t make him a pedophile. I trust him enough to let him rent the room above our garage. He’s a good kid. Ben loves him like a brother.”
Elizabeth pressed her lips together. “Okay. I’ll plead the blood of Jesus over them.”
Not a pleasant visual. “Please, enough gore for today. My stomach is still spinning from the thought of Henderson being murdered.”
“That explains the police around the set. I thought he had a heart attack.”
“Me too, but the detective thinks otherwise.” I jolted at the “King Tut” ringtone. Two calls in one day? Something had to be wrong. “I need to take this.”
“Mari, don’t let Jack suck you back in.”
“Don’t worry, I’m so over him.”
“Call me later.” Elizabeth jogged to her car.
I nodded and answered my iPhone. “Jack.” I tried to mask the anxiety in my voice. The line crackled, then an explosion muffled Jack’s words.
Numbing tingles shot through my chest.
“Jack? Are you okay?”
No answer. A second blast ripped through my ears. I panted for air, my world closing in as the line went dead.
CHAPTER NINE
12:05 p.m.
Lyndon University Parking Lot
WITH TREMBLING HANDS, I opened the door to my BMW and slid in the driver’s seat.
Stop overreacting. Jack is fine. He’s always fine.
I trudged through the muddy waters of my mind for a logical explanation to what I’d just heard. Frazzled nerves and near starvation could bring on hallucinations, couldn’t they? Besides, satellite reception was unstable in Egypt and archaeologists never used dynamite. Why did he call?
I started the car and set my phone in the docking cradle, my pulse settling right above resting. Thoughts of my prodigal teenage brother smothered my irrational fear. Jack was fine. He had to be. Matt, on the other hand, was where I needed to focus my worry.
Nausea replaced hunger as I exited the parking lot and passed fast food row. The smoldering volcano within started to bubble. How could Matt do this? Not only would his reputation be tarnished, but his recklessness reflected on the entire family.
Ten minutes later I drove into the Winton Hall Preparatory School parking lot, signed in as a visitor, and slipped down the hall to the office hoping no one knew the reason for my visit. I knocked on the door and held my breath.
“Come in.” The older woman behind the desk eyed me with her penciled
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