We sat at the breakfast table dutifully putting food into our stomachs, and Marshall told us that he now believed Coral Lee was holed up at Funtime with Robert. That she’d been at Funtime since the second time she called me.

“She knows the place. She feels safe there, and she understands, better than anyone, how completely isolated it is,” Marshall said. He was tearing through the food. “Plus, she’s sick, so how much energy does she have to travel? Not to mention Lexie’s rehab must have close to wiped her out. Squatting there is free.”

His new plan was simple. When I walked up to the carousel to meet her, Coral would have to leave Robert alone. I would distract her long enough for Marshall to sneak up the hill past us and find the hidey-hole. He’d spent time learning the area on Google Earth and in his maps app with the help of Mariah Denton.

“That was . . . challenging,” he said, and his tone made it clear this was an understatement. “She doesn’t own a computer, never has, and she couldn’t get her head around the idea that satellites are taking pictures of . . . well, everything. Wanted me to zoom in on her old house, then the Kroger.” He buried his face in his hands briefly. “Anyway. Once I got her on task, she pretty much pinpointed it for me. I’ll find Robert and evacuate him while you keep Coral busy.”

“No,” Trey said. “I don’t want Bree to meet her at all. That woman is insane. She could be armed. She could—”

“She has no interest in hurting me,” I interrupted. She didn’t. She wouldn’t. I was a mother, like her. I reminded her of her own child. I was the mother Lexie had never gotten to be. No, she wanted Trey. She’d take Robert. But not me. More important, he was arguing the wrong things. Marshall’s plan was too easy and too reckless both. “Robert can’t be there, Marshall. She wouldn’t hide him so close. Her whole leverage is that if I send the cops instead of bringing Trey to her, she’ll kill herself and leave Robert to—” I blinked back tears. “If he’s that close, the police would surely find him.” I remembered Spencer, spasming and foaming, and I shuddered. “She wouldn’t bluff about this. She means him harm if I don’t give her Trey.”