Terror made it so hard to think, but I had to. Grace’s life, Michael’s, my parents’—everyone depended on me. I had to make sure Lena was captured. If I waited by the vans, maybe when the last of the catering crew went in, I could enter through that back door. If I did, and I managed to get through the kitchen, I could use the service elevator to get to the upper floor. From there, I could see everything.

My hand touched the scissors again, a comforting weight in my pocket. Comforting, until I thought about using them. Then rational thought faded and my body tensed, trying to override my plan and run, run, run.

When I saw Lena, I’d find someone else’s phone to call the police. No heroics. Nothing like that. I’d get in and get out. Michael would be cleared, and the three of us would be back where we were supposed to be. I swear, I promised, I’ll never take a single normal day for granted again. Please, please …

Moving like a marionette, I walked along the edge of the parking lot. One of the catering guys looked up, and I waved at him in a nice evening, nothing to see here kind of way. He nodded and dragged a loaded plastic bin off the van parked by the door. As he joined the ranks of cooks lugging equipment into the museum, the service captain checked his clipboard and followed them. They must have been cleaning out the final bits and pieces.

At the far end of the parking lot, three empty vans afforded me some slight cover. The gala would start in the next hour or two, the front of the museum would be lit and crowded, but back here there was a soft darkness, diluted by the lights at the edge of the parking lot and the light coming from the back loading door. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, trying to ease the knot of terror. Back here, I couldn’t go look for Lena, but I was safely hidden. I’d just wait for the right moment.

Only three guys were left, messing around with the van. They were almost finished, and when they were, I’d sprint to the door. I shifted from one foot to the other. It was colder up here than it would have been in Texas, but I hadn’t thought to bring more than a light cardigan. One of the guys pulled something out of a pocket and offered it to the other one.