“Oh, for God’s sake,” Duckworth said. “Come on, Maureen, let’s get some dinner.”

“We’re going out,” Maureen told Trevor. “Come with us. We’ll get this all sorted.”

“I’ll pass,” Trevor said, exiting the kitchen.

“What will you eat?” Maureen asked. “I haven’t made anything. There’s some—”

“I’m not five, Mom,” he said. “I’ll figure something out.” They heard him stomp up the stairs.

“It’s like having a teenager all over again,” Duckworth said.

“How could you do that to him?”

He raised his palms. “I’m telling you, he’s overreacting. I’m sorry it happened, but he’s blowing it all out of proportion. Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

“I don’t even know if I want to go now.”

“Come on. Do I still get to pick?”

She eyed him warily. “Fine. Pick.”

“Let’s go to Knight’s.”

Maureen’s face fell. “You’re not serious. That’s not a restaurant. It’s a dive.”

“They have good wings,” he said. “And there’s something there I want to have another look at.”

She shrugged. “Give me five minutes.”

Maureen managed to tread more lightly going up the stairs than her son had moments earlier. It wasn’t her intention to be a sneak. It was just that, in her stocking feet, she didn’t make a sound when she reached the second-floor hallway and started heading to the bedroom she shared with her husband.

The door to her son’s room was ajar, and she could hear him talking on his cell phone.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Trevor whispered. It sounded to Maureen like an angry whisper.

“You certainly don’t have to do it on my account,” he continued. “Yeah, well, maybe what we’re doing now is the right thing.”

Maureen held her position in the hall.

“I don’t like being dragged into something that involves my father. Promise Falls’ most famous cop. God, I thought your eyes were going to pop out of your head when you saw the picture of that dude’s back.”

Maureen didn’t detect any admiration in his tone.

“Fine,” Trevor said. “Do whatever you want . . . Yes, yes, I’m still coming. I’ll meet you there.”

Then, a very clipped “Bye.”

Maureen continued down the hall to prepare for dinner out with her husband. But she wasn’t thinking about what she would order.

What did Trevor think wasn’t a good idea?

Twenty-Two

TWENTY-TWO

CAL

“PACK?” Jeremy said, sitting up on the bed.

“Yeah,” I said. “I think the only way to keep you safe is to get you out of here.”

He swung his feet down to the floor. “What should I pack?”

I shrugged. “Your stuff.”

“My mom usually puts everything in my case when we go anywhere.”

“Whatever you brought when you came from home, bring that.”

“How long will we be gone?”