‘‘Why the hell not?’’ he demanded. ‘‘I’m not stupid. I won’t shoot anybody with a stupid screw or anything.’’

‘‘Because we like to play with it.’’ Phillip smiled. ‘‘And we’re bigger than you. Here.’’ He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and found a five. ‘‘Go on down to Crawford’s and get me some bottled water. If you don’t whine about it, you can get some ice cream with the change.’’

Seth didn’t whine, but he did mutter about being used like a slave as he called his dog and headed out.

‘‘We ought to show him how to use the tools when we have more time,’’ Ethan commented. ‘‘He’s got good hands.’’

‘‘Yeah, but I wanted him out. I didn’t have the chance to tell you last night. The detective tracked Gloria De-Lauter as far as Nags Head.’’

‘‘She’s heading south, then.’’ He lifted his gaze to Phillip’s. ‘‘He pin her yet?’’

‘‘No, she moves around a lot, and she’s using cash. A lot of cash.’’ His mouth tightened. ‘‘She’s got plenty to toss around since Dad paid her a bundle for Seth.’’

‘‘Doesn’t look like she’s interested in coming back here.’’

‘‘I’d say she’s got as much interest in that kid as a rabid alley cat has in a dead kitten.’’ His own mother had been the same, Phillip remembered, when she’d been around at all. He had never met Gloria DeLauter, but he knew her. Despised her.

‘‘If we don’t find her,’’ Phillip added, rolling the cold can over his forehead, ‘‘we’re never going to get to the truth about Dad, or Seth.’’

Ethan nodded. He knew Phillip was on a mission here, and knew he was most likely right. But he wondered, much too often for comfort, what they would do when they had the truth.

ETHAN’S PLANS AFTER A fourteen-hour workday were to take an endless shower and drink a cold beer. He did both, simultaneously. They’d gotten take-out subs for dinner, and he had his on the back porch alone, in the soft quiet of early twilight. Inside, Seth and Phillip were arguing over which video to watch first. Arnold Schwarzenegger was doing battle with KevinCostner.

Ethan had already placed his bets on Arnold.

They had an unspoken agreement that Phillip would take responsibility for Seth on Saturday nights. It gave Ethan a choice for the evening. He could go in and join them, as he sometimes did for these movie fests. He could go up and settle in with a book, as he often preferred to do. He could go out, as he rarely did.