“Do a search of wherever O’Hara was living in Richmond, plus any desk or computer files he kept in the office. As soon as we hang up, I tap into the highway patrols of Virginia and neighboring states. Not that it will do much good when all I can say is ‘be on the lookout for a man, woman, and child traveling in a nondescript vehicle’.”

“A man with a woman and child riding in the back seat,” Ethel added. “Susan would want to belt him in but not risk his being hit by the airbag. And she’d want to stay beside him.”

“Good point,” Bradshaw conceded. “What are you going to do now?”

“Wait. Hope. Even pray. But I think whatever happens will happen soon.”

“You’ll keep me posted if you’re doing more than that?”

“Cory, isn’t that why you have Douglas Gray spying on me?”

Silence.

“It’s all right,” Ethel said. “I would do the same. But tell me this. Did Douglas approach you with an offer to watch me or did you seek him out?”

“I contacted him.”

“And has Rudy Hauser been in touch again?”

“Just to offer the Bureau’s assistance. I guess I should take him up on it.”

“Don’t.”

Another pause, and then Bradshaw asked, “Why not?”

“Because his case isn’t your case. He’s still got the Parker suicide sticking in his craw. We have an agent’s widow and child to protect. That’s what the Secret Service is known for, protecting the lives of others, whatever the cost. So, to hell with the twenty million dollars, Cory. Saving Susan and Davie is the only priority now.”

Chapter 32

Ed O’Hara turned onto the single-lane road that had degenerated into water-filled ruts and potholes.

Susan clutched Davie’s hand tighter. “Why are we way out here?”

“Safest place to be. Just a little farther, and then we can explain everything.” He drove another hundred yards until a metal gate barred the road. “I need to unlock this. Stay put.”

He fished through his suit coat for a key and then reached under the seat to retrieve a black umbrella. He opened the door, released the umbrella’s catch, and bolted into the rain. The car idled, wipers running full speed and headlights illuminating the agent fumbling with a chain and padlock.

Susan tried the door handle. It was locked. O’Hara must have set the doors to childproof status. She thought about crawling over the seat back and getting behind the wheel, but O’Hara kept glancing at her. He swung the gate on squeaky hinges, dodged puddles on his return, and shook the umbrella before collapsing it. Then he dropped it on the passenger seat. He drove forward, leaving the gate open behind them.