She appeared a minute later with three large suitcases in tow. He had to get out to load them in the trunk. He did not tell her that they could not travel with so much stuff. She would have to learn that her new life was an austere one. The lesson could wait. He was happy just to have her in his car. As they pulled away from her house, she leaned over and kissed him.

“You’re my knight in shining armor,” she said.

“You’re my Guinevere,” he replied.

Guinevere and Lancelot. And poor Arthur.

They headed north toward Fresno. Amy asked where they were going, but did not seem interested in his response. As he drove the long stretch of Interstate 5, she snuggled close and dozed. He could not resist reaching over and touching her soft face. It never seemed to disturb her. There was nothing in life that brought him more joy than watching her sleep beside him.

He kept an eye on his rearview mirror. A few times he imagined they were being followed. There was this one car—it appeared to stop when he did. Headlights were not always easy to tell apart. He might have just been paranoid.

Dawn was around the corner when they reached Fresno. He was in and out of the trailer in minutes. To hide his changed appearance, he told Lupe he’d had cosmetic surgery. He wore a hat, dark sunglasses, and heavy bandages on his face. He also told Lupe she could stay there as long as she liked. He had paid for the place through the next year. She gave him and Jimmy a big goodbye kiss. But he did not invite her outside to meet Amy. The less Lupe knew the better.

Jimmy was overjoyed to see them. He chatted in an alien tongue as the sun rose. Amy was in great spirits. There was no denying how much she loved her son. With the three of them together, Matt felt a profound sense of comfort. The morning air was free of yesterday’s stress. The Connors against the world—they were embarking on a great adventure. His fatigue melted into euphoria. The warmth of the sun felt like magic on his heavy eyes. Amy offered to drive but he told her to relax with Jimmy. Soon the two of them were back asleep.

He kept the dough in the trunk. Amy had asked to see it.

No, he had told her.

He did not want her to see that it was only a third of the ransom.

He was not a complete idiot.

A test, a test … Something would present itself.