Kate frowned. “I want to make one thing very, very clear. I want my nephew found, but I will not have innocent people in my state—or any other state, for matter—put in danger. Blow up another building in Tennessee, and I’ll shut down your entire operation.”

Flynn’s face flushed. “You can’t—”

“I can and I will. I did what you asked in signing that order with the FBI. But I’m now going to be included in all your briefings. Is that understood?”

“Senator, we need time—”

“You have two hours to come up with a course of action to find him. We’ll meet again at nine o’clock. I’m issuing a statement that I am closely monitoring the investigation by the FBI. I won’t hover, but I won’t be far either. Find my nephew, gentlemen. Bring him in safely.”

“Ma’am, please realize there is much more to discuss,” Flynn said. “All this needs to get to the top levels—”

“When my nephew is unharmed and safe and I know exactly where he is, we can discuss more. He needs to be your top priority. Am I clear?”

Kate did not wait for their response before walking away and reaching for her phone, glad that her back was to them so they could not see how badly her hands were shaking.

EIGHT

William felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him, Quincy’s voice repeatedly asking what was wrong. When he opened his eyes to the familiar feeling of his throat scratchy from crying out, he could see the driver of the van had pulled over to the side of the road and was looking at him in astonishment beneath the brim of his hat.

Rudd turned around in his seat, wearing an annoyed expression. “Again with the screams?”

A soft hand rested on William’s own. Lily looked up at him, sitting so close that her eyes were only inches away from his.

In his nightmare, he saw those eyes trapped in stone.

“Seriously, are you OK?” Quincy asked from where he sat forward in the back seat. “You sounded like someone set you on fire. What the hell were you dreaming about?”

“It’s OK,” William said. “Just a nightmare.”

“Well, get yourself together. We’re almost there.” Rudd motioned for the driver to keep on.

Lily removed her hand. William wiped his eyes and leaned in towards her. “Lily … you have to talk to me.”

As she had done in each of the several attempts he’d made in their overnight travel south, she once again turned away but scooted up next to him. She’d proven that she physically couldn’t get close enough to him, like a nervous child to a parent, but refused to communicate.

I’m a monster in the mountain, she’d said.

Lily’s eyes in stone. Eyes in the mountain? People dying in a hospital nearby. People dying as Lily watched.