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31
Hay Adams Hotel
SATURDAY MORNING
Mason Lord smiled when the twins came out of their room, each with one of their small hands in their father’s and the other pulling kid-size carry-ons, both black with a large fire-breathing dragon on the side. Ramsey walked them to the front door, where they left their carry-ons beside Ramsey and Molly’s bags. Ramsey called out, “Em, your mom will be back in a minute. You about ready?”
There was a pause, then Emma said in a breathless voice, “Just about, Dad. I’m saying goodbye to Vincenzo. He said to thank you and Grandfather for the lovely meal with his parents last night.” She paused and her chin went up. “He thinks we make a great team. He wants to play with me again. Maybe he can come to San Francisco or I can go to Milan.”
Ramsey was momentarily stopped cold by that guileless announcement, but not really surprised. The two kids were good together. He gave the age-old parent response. “We’ll see.” He said to the boys, “Come on up on the sofa with me and we’ll listen to Surprise Dragon until your mama gets home. We can finish it on the plane ride with your grand—” He paused, then, grinning at Elizabeth Beatrice, “grandparents.” He pulled out his cell phone and punched up the audiobook. Cal and Gage bounded up to their father’s knee, Cal always on the left, Gage always on the right.
When the narrator began, Ramsey said to Savich, “Does Sean like to listen to audiobooks?”
Savich sipped his cup of tea and stretched out his legs in the oversized chair. “Not as much as Sherlock or me reading to him. We try to get into the parts. If he’s not laughing at us for trying to sound like Russian spies, he’s transfixed.”
Elizabeth Beatrice said with a smile, “And that way he knows he has your attention.”
“Exactly.”
Mason looked down at his watch, said to the room at large, “Molly’s late. Her ten minutes was up five minutes ago. It’s a good hour’s drive to Dulles.”
Elizabeth Beatrice said, “Molly knows you’re a stickler for being on time, Mason, so I’ll bet she’s having trouble finding the trail mix the twins like. Give her another few minutes before you text her.”
Mason turned on the sofa and took her hand, kissed her fingers. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Would you like some more coffee?”
He shook his head. “All right, I’ll indulge her. We can listen to this Triston trying to ride his dragon.”
“The dragon’s name is Tulip,” Cal said.
Savich asked Emma, “Are the Rossis leaving today?”
“Vincenzo said they’re flying to New York tomorrow, to sightsee for a couple of days before they fly back to Milan. They’ve been invited to visit Juilliard. They’re even giving a party for him.” Emma paused a moment. Savich saw a blush stain her cheeks. “Maybe I’d like Juilliard better than Stanislaus.”
Ramsey said, “I don’t know, Em, Stanislaus is pretty famous and has an impressive campus. I could give them a call, see if they want to throw you a party.”
Savich said, “Actually, I could make that happen, Emma.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I have big-time connections at Stanislaus.”
Ramsey said, “Now that’s something she won’t forget, Savich, will you, Em?”
“That would be wonderful. Thank you, Uncle Dillon. I wonder if Vincenzo would attend Stanislaus rather than Juilliard?”
Mason said, “This isn’t like Molly. She’s probably wondering why I haven’t texted her already.” But he didn’t text her, he punched in her number, frowned, punched off and tried again. “It sent me straight to voice mail. Why isn’t she picking up?”
“I’ll try to text her,” Ramsey said and typed in a message to Molly. “That should get her attention. She usually answers right away.”
Emma said, “Maybe Mama’s phone is out of juice.” She frowned. “But no, that never happens. She’s always careful, thinking about any emergency.”
Mason was staring at his iPhone. “I’ve tried three times.”
Savich felt a punch of concern. He sat forward, pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket, and tapped the single key for Sherlock. “It’s ringing.” Her voice mail came on. He looked up, met Ramsey’s eyes, tried again. He stood. “There’s something wrong.”
Emma’s face turned white. “Do you think those horrible people couldn’t get me so they took Mama and Aunt Sherlock? What will they do with them?”
“Emma.”
It was her judge father’s voice, the one she and the twins rarely heard, calm, deep, commanding. Emma swallowed, quieted.
Savich found Sherlock’s cell phone on the location app they shared. “Sherlock’s phone is close. It’s only two blocks from here, west of us on H Street, but it’s not moving.”
