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She braced herself for a screaming lecture as she dialed.
“Endicott House,” her mother’s voice responded.
“Hello, Mother? It’s me,” she said. “I wanted to let you know—”
“Oh, Livvy. I thought you’d never call.” Her mother’s voice disintegrated into hitching sobs.
“Mother, I’m fine,” Liv assured her. “I told you, the last time, that I’m just lying low while we—”
“It’s your father, Livvy,” her mother said brokenly.
An icy cold slice of fear cut her in half. She sank down onto the couch, her knees rubbery. “What about Daddy?”
“He had a massive heart attack, the day after you disappeared.” Her mother stopped, to drag in a long, jerky sobbing breath. “The shock…it was just too much for him. You know all those episodes he’s been having. That was the straw, Livvy. The last straw.”
“How is Daddy now?” she demanded. “Is he conscious?”
“I’ve been with him, night and day,” her mother said faintly. “I haven’t eaten, haven’t slept. I came home to shower, change.”
“Mom?” she said more sharply. “Daddy. Tell me. How is he now?”
“Blair’s with him now,” she said, her voice taking on more strength. “Blair’s been a rock for me. An absolute rock.”
“What’s Daddy’s condition now?” she repeated desperately.
“Come home. Please, Livvy.” Her mother’s voice choked. “I’m begging you. He drifts in and out, but he keeps asking for you.”
Liv leaned forward, doubling over. “OK,” she whispered. “I will. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it today, but—”
“Then you’ll be too late. I understand that…personis more important to you than your own family, but Daddy is dying, Livvy.”
Liv’s mind raced in circles. “I’ll get there,” she promised rashly. “As soon as possible. Where is he?”
“He’s in the critical care unit of the Chamberlain Clinic. North wing, second floor. When can you be there, Livvy? So I can tell Daddy.”
“Not less than maybe four hours. Mother, listen carefully. There are people after me, people who are trying to kill me. Sean’s been helping me figure out who and why, and we’re making progress, but—”
“Livvy. Listen to yourself. I cannot believe that at a time like this, all you can think about is yourself. It’s just me, me, me, and meanwhile, Daddy is hooked up to life support, gasping his last.”
“Please, Mother,” she said, with forced patience. “Stay with me, here. I will get myself to the clinic, but I need for you to arrange for a police escort to meet me there. Please, take this seriously. Please.”
Her mother harrumphed. “Shouldn’t be hard to convince them to come,” she said acidly. “They’re extremely interested in talking to you.”
“Got to go, Mother. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Livvy! Wait! At least tell me where you—”
She hung up, and sat rocking back and forth. A plan, a plan.
Tam was absorbed in her work, and might not notice if she slipped away. Assuming Liv could disarm the security system and open the garage, that Sean had left the keys in the ignition, that he’d left a full tank of gas, or even a half tank. That she could scrounge up some cash. That was a whole lot of hopeful assumptions.
Her license, IDs, credit cards, debit card, gas card, were all lost. Comical, that she was wearing over a thousand dollars’ worth of clothes on her body, and she didn’t have a cent to her name.
Amazing, how helpless a person was without her wallet.
She stumbled up to the tower, tear-blinded. Good old gruff, benevolent, closed-minded, pig-headed, tender-hearted Daddy. He’d been using his clutch-the-chest trick for a decade. For a while, it had worked, but she’d gotten wise, hardened herself against his wiles.
She’d hardened too much. She felt like crap for dismissing all his “episodes.” If he died before she could say goodbye—
