One of the men reached out and patted him all over. Feeling nothing, they rushed him up and into the car.
Once inside, they forced off his shoes, inspecting them thoroughly, patting him down once again.
The car took off with such force that William had to steady himself. “I’m OK—”
The entire car then violently shuddered as it pulled around the corner. William whipped his head around to look out the back window.
Smoke poured through the windows of the hotel room, the door flying off its hinges as the room exploded in a rain of fire.
The mass of beetles swirled above the treetops. Lynn had come out to observe them as they hovered, dipped and soared, thinking of Don’s last words as the signal dropped out.
“Something is controlling us.”
It continued to send shivers through her like a fever, an ailment finally diagnosed.
It had been so long since she’d experienced it that she’d forgotten. She liked to pretend that she had imagined it, like a barely recalled moment of a nightmare that seemed so real that only the morning light through the curtains could prove it was false. That she’d been wrong to even think it ever existed.
She’d realized its absence not long after she’d returned from Colorado with William. Even in the chaos and uncertainty of that time, she’d felt different: lighter, warmer, like a burden had been lifted.
She could have easily dismissed the vacancy, believing it had been replaced by relief that her grandson was alive. That his return, at last, relieved her of the dark lining she’d carried with her all her days. Something she never even recognized was there until it was gone.
Lynn often tried to explain it to Tom, but struggled with the words. How does one describe that throughout your entire life, a shadow existed within you, on the periphery of your vision, on the verge of everything; something as familiar as blinking and breathing? And then, with her grandson returned, it was gone.
In the many years that followed, she’d forgotten it. After all, there was a new life to build. Trust to rebuild. Protection to give. Wounds to heal. Work to continue.
But now she knew it had never left her. It had been asleep and suddenly woke.
One person might understand, but she wasn’t about to call the man who began her descent down this frightening path. She hadn’t talked to Dr. Steven Richards in more than a decade. She had to close that door firmly, to salvage her marriage.
She’d convinced herself that fear and secrets no longer ruled her life. It was no wonder that the shadow she’d never even realized hung on her like a heavy coat was gone as well.
It now returned with a wicked oppression. The chains on all of them had returned—
“Lynn!”
At the sound of Roxy’s voice, she rushed back through the screen door to see her emerge from the study, pointing. “Come right now.”
Lynn practically ran inside and down the hall, seeing billowing smoke smearing across the Memphis skyline on the TV screen.
“What’s happening?”
“They just broke in with this. They say William is in Memphis. They say he was in some motel room and some witnesses said they saw police rush him out. There’s been some kind of explosion…”
“Explosion?” Lynn walked up to stand directly in front of the screen. “But you heard he’s got out?”
“That’s just what these people said. They live in an apartment nearby and they say they saw him lay down on the street and the police got him. My God, Lynn. I can take a lot, but this… I just want him home.”
“Where’s my phone? I think my purse is in the kitchen. We can be in Memphis in three hours. I’m not sitting around anymore.”
Roxy clapped her hands. “That’s my girl. There’s your phone. Looks like it’s blowing up.”
Lynn picked up cell on the desk, seeing multiple texts from Anne and Brian.
We’re heading to Memphis, Mom. We heard what happened. Please keep watching the news.
Don’t come, Nanna. It’s a circus. You can’t be here. Don’t let Roxy convince you otherwise.
“Why am I always made out to be the bad influence?” Roxy asked, reading over her shoulder.
Please be careful. Please keep me posted, Lynn texted back.
“Lynn, what in the world is going on?” Roxy said, following Lynn out of the study. “Is this maybe the time to call the Illuminati, see what they know?”
“The Corcillium, Roxy. This is exactly why I can’t tell you anything.”
“Sorry. Old habits. Could they know something? Or would you even tell me?”
“I can’t reach them. I’ve tried. Where is my purse? My keys are in there.”
“You probably left it upstairs. So you do still speak with them, then? I’m just trying to come up with anything that could help. Remember that I know nothing.”
“You know that I trust you implicitly. But what’s happening with William right now is exactly why I can’t drag you in even further. You have to stay here.”
“You can’t tell by my face, but I’m laughing inside. So I sit in front of the TV and call you every five minutes? He may not be my blood kin, but I feel like he’s my own grandson. Chris’s parents are dead. I’m the other de facto grandmother he never asked for.”
“I think I left my purse in the pantry.”
“I was just in there looking for the Oreos, it’s not in there. I’m telling you it’s in your bedroom. I don’t want to stress you out any more, but I guess we’ve crossed that threshold. I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Kate? Surely her connections in Washington could get you some answers.”
As they clambered up the stairs to the bedroom, Lynn’s chest tightened. It hurt every single time when she thought of her oldest daughter. Her strong, stubborn, brilliant girl. The last she’d spoken with Kate was Tom’s funeral, and even at that, she’d come to the mass at the cathedral, sat with the family but did not speak, and left with just a kiss on Lynn’s cheek, saying, “I’ll always love you, Mama.” Then, she was gone. She was so much like Tom that with his passing, it felt like two of the great loves of her life were dead to her.
“I’ve tried to call her. She doesn’t pick up.”
“Stella?”
“She’s trying her law enforcement sources. But no one, even in the FBI, seems to have any answers.”
“Well, not to make this day even more of a mess, but I think the reporters have found you,” Roxy said, stopping at the window on the stairs. “Did you take down that no trespassing sign?”
“No,” Lynn said, squinting. “I didn’t.”
“Then call the cops—”
“That’s a town car. Now there are two.”
“Could it be Kate…?”
A third dark town car pulled up. Then, all the doors opened at the exact same moment, and men in black suits began to step out.
“Oh crap.”
“Go upstairs and lock the door,” Lynn ordered.
“Hell if I’m hiding up there.”
“Forget the bedroom. Where do you park the truck—?”
“I traded it in for the Honda, remember? Couldn’t climb it in anymore. It doesn’t matter, Lynn. I’m not going anywhere.”
As they hustled down the stairs, Lynn pointed down the hall. “Go out through the back door. Right now!”
“Good luck with that—”
They heard the kitchen screen door open and a deep voice call out. “Mrs. Roseworth?”
Lynn waved Roxy down the hall, but instead, Roxy practically tripped on Lynn’s heels.
“Mrs. Roseworth—”
“You are not able to enter this house without a warrant!”