Billy hesitated. “Kit, I don’t want to leave you alone…”

“I’ll be okay!” Kit insisted. “Go ahead! I’ll catch up with you.”

Billy turned and took off, joining the sprint down Seventy-third Street to Riverside Park. The park was a narrow, scenic, four-mile strip of land between the Hudson River and Riverside Drive. It began at Seventy-second Street, where the West Side Highway became the Henry Hudson Parkway, and stretched four miles.

“Wait a second,” Jack instructed after they all reached the park’s entrance at Seventy-second Street, where a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt greeted them. “It’s so dark here it’s impossible to see a foot in front of you without a flashlight. Let’s spread out a little and cover this area just north of Seventy-second Street without losing sight of each other’s lights. If Georgina’s in the park, let’s hope she didn’t wander too far from the scene of the accident, which I gather happened right up there.” He pointed to the highway where cars were speeding past the spot that had changed Georgina’s life.

Silently, the four of them fanned out.

She’s got to be very close to here, Regan thought as she hurried down a grassy knoll toward the highway underpass. If Georgina’s grandmother was thrown from a car above, depending on which direction she was traveling, she either landed right around here, or on the other side of the underpass closer to the river. Georgina may have wanted to take Chip down by the waterfront where it’s even more isolated. And if she left him there and he woke up disoriented, he could end up falling in and drowning. I have to look over there now, Regan thought with a sudden urgency. She turned, about to call out to Jack. But a sound, almost imperceptible, made her stop in her tracks.

Several feet from Regan, behind a cluster of bushes, Georgina was on the ground facing the stone wall that extended up to the side of the highway. She had just flicked off her lighter. Staring at its flame as she heated up the brand and her total absorption in the task had put her into a trancelike state. With her right hand she was holding on tight to the handle of the scalding hot brand. Chip’s left arm was perfectly still on the ground. Narrowing her eyes, Georgina positioned the brand and aimed it at his skin.

“Stop!” a woman’s voice screamed as a light from behind suddenly illuminated the sickening sight.

Startled, a wild-eyed Georgina turned her head toward the source of the light, then quickly turned her attention back to Chip. But it was too late. Arms reached around her torso, pulled her up, and yanked her back away from Chip’s body.

Thank God, Regan thought, as they both fell backward to the ground, Georgina’s body landing on top of hers. Georgina, holding on to the branding iron more tightly than ever, started screaming as she twisted her body and flailed her arms, desperately trying to break free of Regan’s grasp.