“What are you talking about? I have to go get Timmy.”
“Jared texted me. This is incredible news, but he’s safe with Eddie. And you, Kate, are a wreck. I don’t want you behind the wheel. Not right now.”
“Are you insane? I am going to go see my little boy.”
“I’ll go.”
I turned to see Laura in the doorway. For such a big mansion, word traveled fast.
“Not alone you aren’t.” I wasn’t going to argue with the fact that I was too rattled to drive. Eric was right. But there was no way I was letting Laura go out on those streets by herself. For all I knew someone was lying in wait at the house.
“I’ll go with her,” Cutter said. “We’ll call you as soon as we see him. Okay?”
I hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. Okay, this is good. This is a start. Go,” I said. “Please, go now.”
They did, and I let myself sag against the doorframe, Fran’s words running back through my head. “He drugged her,” I said. “Fran said she sounded strange. Like she’d been drinking.”
“He doesn’t want her to be able to defend herself,” Jared said, joining us in the room.
I looked to Eric again. “Why did he let Timmy go?”
“I don’t know. He probably thought that Allie would be more cooperative if her little brother wasn’t in danger.”
I nodded. That made sense. But still… “Maybe he’s not as far gone as he seems,” I said. “Maybe he was willing to take Allie in order to get whatever Lilith’s minions are promising him, but he wasn’t willing to hurt a child in the process.”
“It’s possible,” Eric said. “But I don’t think so. I heard his words. I saw his eyes. I think the Bruce we brought into this school was an act. I think that boy’s been damaged for a very long time.”
“There’s always hope,” I said.
“And that’s why I love you,” Eric said, with everyone in the room listening. Not that our past was a secret. But right then, after everything that had happened, it felt like a flashing neon light.
I took Stuart’s hand again and twined our fingers. “Whatever his reason, it gives us an advantage. Eventually, the drugs will wear off. Probably faster than he expects. And she’ll be able to defend herself, right? Allie’s come so far, of course she’ll be okay.”
Eric drew in a breath, then slowly let it out. “Kate, I know you’re scared. I am too, but you have to think of this as a mission.”
His words were like a slap in the face. But he was right, and it was a slap I needed. I wasn’t acting like the Hunter I was trained to be. I was acting like a mom, spinning what-ifs about how her kid would handle herself. All well and good if I was a mom sending her daughter off to prom.
But in this situation, acting like that mom could get my daughter killed.
I let go of Stuart’s hand, then moved to the doorway. I hit the emergency button by the door, knowing it would call everyone in the building to this location. Then I leaned against the doorframe and waited.
Less than two minutes later, I stood in that doorway and looked at the faces now gathered in Stuart’s room and briefed them on the situation.
“And that means you all have jobs. For that matter, you all have the same job. I want suggestions from all of you on how we can find her, and I want them now. And when I sayall, I mean everybody including you two,” I added, pointing to Ren and Ana.
Everyone stood silent.
I held out my hands. “Well? Start throwing things out. I don’t care how stupid. This is brainstorming. We need to start formulating a plan.”
I glanced sideways at Eric and shook my head in mock disapproval. He smiled and nodded. Apparently I was back on the right track.
Ren thrust his hand up.
“You can just call it out, Ren. No need for propriety.”
“What about Quiric? He might know.”
“But why would he tell?” Jared asked.
