“I’m sorry, Commander Merrill,” Gregory said through the speakerphone in the dashboard, “but your wife can’t come to the telephone right now. Perhaps later.”

So Merrill could hear Gregory, the Mercedes was doing twenty miles per hour on a dark, rural road. From the back seat, Merrill secured his grip over Rosario’s mouth. “Then let me speak to Chino, please.”

“Again, my regrets, Commander. Chino also is unavailable.” A pause. “Your timing is excruciatingly bad. The situation has changed, you see.”

Merrill drew his breath. In spite of his innuendo, the prick wanted politeness. With his free hand Merrill repositioned O’Malley’s computer to give him a better view of the screen. He hit Page Up several times to give him a wider view of the city. “In what way has the situation changed?”

Now it was Gregory’s turn to be silent a moment. “You ought to come here and see for yourself.”

“I’m trying to do exactly that. Where the hell are you?”

“Gently, Commander, gently. This is not such an easy place to find. It would be better if you let us come get you.”

Merrill saw he could spring his own trap immediately instead of fishing for a better moment later. He watched Rosario’s eyes in the rear view mirror. “I have O’Malley’s computer map. If you give me the address, I can pull up the location right now.”

“O’Malley — “Gregory’s voice trailed off.

“Not every aspect of the situation has changed. Did you think you were done with him?”

“We had our reason to hope.”

“Because you blew him all over the airport? It just happened that I was there!”

“Commander Merrill, please! It just happened that we let you live!” Now Gregory rattled off an address. In his own confusion Merrill was watching the panicky movement in Rosario’s eyes. He tightened his grip on Rosario’s mouth. The situation had changed? His timing was excruciatingly bad? What did that mean? What were they doing to Amy?

“Spell it.”

Gregory did. Merrill typed it and pressed Enter. The map showed a small house at the end of a cul-de-sac.

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” With his free hand Merrill indicated to Rosario to disconnect. Merrill put a gun to his temple and twisted him around so he could see the computer screen. “Chino’s house?”

“No se.”

“Take me to the real house!”

“Si. La casa de Chino.”

Merrill pointed. “Not this house.”

“No! La casa de Chino esta muy grande!”

Merrill tapped his watch. “How long? How far?”

“Cinco minutos.”

“Go! Hurry!” Merrill turned off the computer. Amy! “Amy!”

It had leaped out of him. Rosario turned around in his seat. Merrill pounded the top of the seat with his fist. “Go, go, go!”