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Papa! Papa! The screams followed him up the stairs.

Jean-Guy, help!

He reached the door that would take him on deck.

“Jean-Guy! Jean-Guy, wake up.”

His eyes flew open and, disoriented, he looked into the worried eyes of Reine-Marie.

“Are you all right? You were screaming.”

“Annie? The kids?”

“Are fine. They’re in Montréal. It was a nightmare.” She sat on the side of the bed and held his frigid hand, rubbing it slightly. After a quiet moment, she asked, “Do you want to tell me?”

“No. No. A dream, that’s all.” He gave her a thin smile.

“I’ve had dreams like that too. Where Armand and the children are in trouble and, try as I might, I can’t get to them. It’s awful. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Oui. Merci.”

He watched her go and knew Reine-Marie Gamache had never, would never, have a dream like he kept having.

There were worse things than trying and failing.

Armand’s breath came in shudders. He felt lightheaded, as though this could not possibly be happening. Still, he raised his chin and held the cold eyes of the gunman. And waited.

“Will that be fries with your—”

He didn’t hear the bullet, but he felt the impact as it lifted him off his feet.

Armand’s eyes flew open and he spasmed, his shoes kicking the seat in front of him.

“Hey!” The man turned and glared, then turned back with a muttered “Fucker.”

“Désolé,” said a momentarily disoriented Gamache.

Gaston Comeau looked over, then turned away. Not wanting to get involved.

“We’re beginning our descent. Please fasten your seat belts.”

Armand rubbed his face.

“I got you some corn chips.”

Armand leaned forward and stared beyond Comeau to the familiar Montréal skyline as the plane came in to land.

Home.

CHAPTER 57

As he walked through Trudeau Airport, satchel over his shoulder, Armand called Jean-Guy for an update.

“We’ve contacted the major botany departments in Wageningen University in the Netherlands, Uppsala University in Sweden, and Göttingen in Germany. As well as ones in Rome and Belfast. No one knows Miss Wolcott.”

“Did you get the other search warrant?”

“We did. No calls were made. And we didn’t find anything in the search history or emails.”