“It was so nice to speak to him,” Mary Jo said, clueless to the drama unfolding in the car. “How is he doing, by the way? I haven’t seen him in so long.”

“He’s doing fine,” Sebastian replied, his voice measured. “What did Paul want?”

“Your new phone number. He said he was having trouble getting in touch with you, and I explained what was going on with the identity theft. Anyway, he said he’ll send you the information you wanted by email.”

“He tell you what information?”

“The introductory information on how to meditate with grace.”

Sebastian’s face stretched tightly across the bone, his skin paling in shock or fear, or both.

Mary Jo chuckled. “I had no idea you were so Zen, Sebastian.”

Ellie saw Sebastian swallow twice, three times.

“I’m trying,” he said, his voice stripped of color. “I’ll be on the road for a good part of the day. Thanks for letting me know.”

Sebastian terminated the call and stared out the window. He looked like he was coming apart at the seams. Ellie saw him blinking behind his sunglasses. His left hand gripped the raised storage compartment between them so fiercely that his knuckles formed white half-moons. Ellie was about to speak when he said, “Drive faster.”

CHAPTER 36

SEBASTIAN DIDN’T REALIZE they had arrived at the Wellness Center until Faye asked, rather timidly, “Where would you like me to park? Out front or in the garage?”

“Garage,” he replied distantly, his attention locked on his phone, on what had consumed him during the entire drive here: a photograph of Grace published on a web page for the Los Angeles Times, a story headlined BLOOD WORLD CLAIMS YET ANOTHER VICTIM.

What had seemed like a routine kidnapping, complete with a ransom demand, was actually Paul’s way of getting a message to him.

And now my daughter’s life is on the line.

But how had Paul known about Grace? About Ava? Paul must have followed me one of the times I went to Ava’s house and . . . watched her. That was the only logical explanation. And how had Paul known Grace was a carrier? Or was it just a sick coincidence? Knowing Paul had Grace made him want to—

No, he told himself. Don’t think about that. Stay focused.

Grace looked so much like her mother. Same beautiful black hair and angular face and fierce “Don’t hand me your bullshit” eyes. Only Grace’s eyes were blue, not brown, and the color stood out against her light brown skin, not a blemish anywhere. And, Sebastian was willing to bet, she was smart, like Ava, and determined.

Hang on, Sebastian thought, eyeing Grace’s smiling face. Find a way to hang on until I bring you home—and I will, no matter what it takes, no matter what it costs.

Faye slid into a parking spot next to the private elevator.

“Stay here,” he said, in a tone that left no room for discussion.

She nodded, kept quiet, looked straight ahead. After he’d hung up on his secretary, Faye kept asking him if he was okay, if there was anything she could do. “Yeah,” he told her. “You can start by shutting up.”