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45
Bellagio
Las Vegas
SUNDAY
Ramsey held the phone against his ear, drew a deep breath. Emma was asking him questions he had no answers for. He knew she was scared, and she deserved to know whatever he could tell her. He kept his voice matter-of-fact. “Yes, we met with Rule Shaker and Eve, but no sign of her husband. Shaker seemed surprised, denied everything, seemed astounded we’d suspect him because the last thing he wanted, he said, was another war with your grandfather and that’s what it would mean if he was stupid enough to take Molly. He reminded us if anything happened to her the cops would be all over him and Eve once they had the confessions in their hands. We had no way to force him to say anything else, and Savich couldn’t arrest him, so we had to back off.” Ramsey imagined her frowning the way she did when she didn’t agree with him.
“But, Dad, there’s no one else, unless it’s Eve and she wants revenge against Mom. Eve hates her, you know that. But why would she wait six years? I mean she got married only last year, she should be over it. It’s got to be Rule Shaker, Dad.”
“But she doesn’t hate you, Emma, and you were their first target.”
Emma chewed this over. “Okay, but what about Eve’s husband?”
“His name’s Rich Doulos. I don’t know if he’s a criminal.”
Emma said, “I’ll bet he is and he fits right into the family and Eve into his. Why wasn’t he there with Eve? I mean they’re married, right? You and Mom have been married forever and you don’t ever like to be apart.”
Ramsey swallowed. “That’s a good point, Emma. We’ll have to check on that, but it could be as simple as Doulos having obligations in Palm Beach and Eve has casinos to run here. Your uncle Dillon has been working on MAX, his FBI data mining program. He’s looking for the jet that took your mom and Sherlock out of Washington and the company that owns it. He’s looking at the records of a man called Pope, who was with them. And of course he’s looking at Eve’s husband, Rich Doulos, and if he’s left Palm Beach.” Such a paltry number of facts they had to work with so far, and time was running out, he knew it in his gut. And what would happen to Molly and Sherlock? No choice, he had to keep it together. “Now tell me what’s going on there, Em. How are you doing, sweetheart?”
A pause, then, “I’m okay, Dad.”
He said nothing, waited her out.
Then, the words spilled out in a rush. “I’m scared, Dad, I’m scared all the time, wondering what’s going to happen to Mama and Aunt Sherlock.”
“I am too, Em,” Ramsey said simply. “But we have to keep faith. A whole lot of people are working to find them.”
“I’ll try.”
“All right, now tell me about the twins.”
“They love Granddad’s gym. They wrestle with each other until they’re exhausted, with Gunther supervising, of course, showing them moves and holds. They sort of understand, but not really, then they jump all over Gunther, and I swear to you he has as much fun as they do. I’ve never heard Gunther laugh before, Dad, until he started playing with the twins. He has a really big laugh. The twins love it.
“Mr. Miles made too many chocolate chip cookies for them, which they stuffed down until he cut them off. I put them to bed a while ago and read them their favorite story, you know, The Last Train to Beaverville. I’m trying really hard with them, Dad, but they want you and Mom.”
Ramsey could hear Molly’s voice miming the beaver characters. He always chimed in with the mean voice of the beaver villain, Mr. Mogul. “What have you told them?”
“I told them Aunt Sherlock needed Mama to help solve a case about stolen trail mix, and Mama was the perfect one to help her because she knew all about the trail mix and the suspects. Cal laughed, but Gage didn’t; he gave me that look of his. He’s starting to worry, Dad, he knows something’s wrong.” Her voice wobbled. “I don’t know how much longer we’ll be okay here. I nearly cried tonight when I tucked them in and kissed them good night. It was close. The twins don’t need that.”
He closed his eyes a moment. “I’m proud of you, Em. I swear we’ll find your mom. Will you believe that?”
“Yes, Dad.”
Emma’s voice sounded mechanical, but what else could he say? “I love you, Em, try to sleep, okay? I’ll call again in the morning.” He paused, said again, “Have faith, sweetheart.” Ramsey punched off his cell, looked up to see Mason’s eyes on him.
Mason said, “Emma’s an amazing kid, Ramsey. She’s got your guts and Molly’s positive outlook. She’ll hold up.”
But that was the point, Ramsey thought. Emma was a kid, she shouldn’t have to hold up, and he should be there with her. “Miles fed the twins and Gunther wrestled with them. From the sound of it he really got a kick out of it so I imagine on future visits it’ll be the gym for Gunther and the twins.”
Mason nodded. “Gunther is one of a kind.”
They had all settled into the living room of the large three-bedroom suite at the Bellagio in the early evening. Elizabeth Beatrice’s head rested on Mason’s shoulder, but she wasn’t asleep, Mason could tell, she was listening to them, thinking. He said, “While you were speaking to Emma, Ramsey, my man Linc called to report Shaker and Eve haven’t left The Sovereign. They’re still in the penthouse apartment. They’ll contact me if either of them makes a move.”
Savich said, “I got a text just now from Agent Brenda Lawless from the Miami Field Office—yes, I know, she puts up with a lot with that last name. As far as she knows Doulos is at home, but she hasn’t got eyes on him yet. His house sprawls over a huge property with lots of trees and lots of ways in and out, including beach access and a dock with mooring for a fifty-foot yacht. She’ll call me when she knows for sure. The Miami SAC says he’ll keep up surveillance for as long as we need it.”
Mason heard Elizabeth Beatrice’s breathing even out. She was falling asleep against his shoulder. He looked down at her hand, and at her engagement ring, elegant and simple and not what he would have chosen for her. But it was what she’d wanted. He had to admit the plain wedding band she’d picked out to go with it looked perfect on her long slender finger. They were young fingers, so very young. What would happen to her when he died? What sort of life would she live? Mason shook his head. He hated thinking about all the years that separated them, knew he’d only worry more about that as the years passed by.
