“We’re checking that out right now. One of the other partners knows, but he’s in a meeting.”

“Well, interrupt the meeting. Right away. And call me back please.” It was an order.

“Yes, Mr. Master.”

“Call me back.” Goddammit. His pulse was suddenly racing. If necessary, he would climb up the fireman’s ladder or scale the sides of the building, but he was going to get Maggie out of there. No question. Only he had to know which building.

He tried Maggie’s cell. Nothing. He started to walk back toward the World Trade Center. Minutes passed. More and more people were coming up the street. He’d give Maggie’s office a couple more minutes, no more.

His cell went again.

“Daddy?” It was Emma.

“Hi, honey.” He tried to sound unconcerned. “Aren’t you in class?”

“I’m just going back in. Daddy, is everything all right? Are you anywhere near downtown? What’s happening down there?”

“I’m out in the street, sweetie. There’s some kind of fire in the World Trade Center. But I’m quite all right.”

“Is it, like, bombs or something?”

“Could be.”

“Where’s Mommy?”

“In a meeting.”

“She’s not down there, is she?”

He hesitated, but only for a second. “Why ever would you think that?”

“I don’t know. I called her cell and she didn’t answer.”

“You know she always turns her cell off when she’s in big meetings.”

“I know. I just …”

“She’s in Midtown somewhere, honey. Everybody’s fine, go back to class.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

She hung up. He redialed Maggie’s office immediately.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Master, we’re still trying to get that information.”

“Now I want you to listen very carefully,” Gorham said. “If any of the children call, nobody is to tell them that their mother is at the World Trade Center. This is really important. You have to tell them she’s somewhere in Midtown. I can’t have the kids going crazy at school, when there’s probably no need. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mr. Master. I get it,” she said.

“Call me back with the information about where she is,” he told her. “I need to know.” Then he hung up.

But ten minutes passed, and still she didn’t call.

Dr. Caruso was glad to be out of Doug’s office. He’d changed his mind just a couple of minutes after he’d got back there. Not that he was worried about his safety, but it occurred to him that there must be a lot of people injured in the North Tower. No doubt the emergency services would cope efficiently, but he was still a doctor. All right, an obstetrician, but a doctor nonetheless. He’d decided to go down to see if there was anything he could do to help.

It hadn’t taken him long to find a fire chief.

“Thank you, doctor. Would you stick around?”