“Frankie?”
“Oh Jesus,” she was still whispering, “Cal?”
“Frankie where the fuck are you?”
“Boathouse –” she started then he heard Vi, her voice tight, high, something weird in it.
“Is that Joe?”
“Yeah,” Frankie whispered.
“Give it to me,” Cal heard Vi demand and then he heard a tussle. Finally, Vi came on the phone. “Joe?”
“Baby, where are you?”
“Joe!” she squealed.
“Jesus, Violet, keep it down,” he heard Frankie hiss.
“Oh Joe, Jesus, honey, oh God,” Vi whispered then he heard a tortured sob.
“Buddy, hold it together and tell me where you –” he stopped talking when he heard the phone moving around and then he was back to Frankie.
“Hart told her you were dead,” Frankie explained and Cal clenched his teeth because this was a cruel thing to do to anyone, especially Vi; because he could still hear Violet’s sobs; because he was getting no information; and lastly because they were on the phone but it sounded like they were unsafe.
“I’m alive. Where are you?”
“He took us to a boathouse. North. We’re on the lake. We climbed out the window, went through the trees and broke into another house,” Frankie answered.
“Hart’s not there?”
“No, he’s –” she was cut off by Vi.
“Let me talk to him.”
“Girl, we gotta –”
“Frankie,” Cal cut in, “stay on the line.”
“Let me talk to him!” Vi demanded.
“Shit,” Frankie muttered then he heard a faraway, “here.”
Cal’s teeth were still clenched and he was glaring at Benny who still had Ricky against the wall with a loose hold at his throat but his eyes were locked on Cal.
“Joe –” Vi began.
“Honey, I know you’re freaked but you gotta give the phone back to Frankie,” Cal told her.
“Why?” Violet asked.
“Because she’s got her shit together and she can lead me to you.”
“But I know exactly where we are. Dad had a boat up here. We’re –”
He heard Frankie cut in. “Violet, I hear somethin’.”
“Where are you?” Cal asked urgently.
“Oh God, they’re here,” Violet whispered.
“Violet, God dammit, where are you?” Cal shouted but the line was dead. “Jesus fucking Christ!” Cal roared, snapped the phone shut, got into Benny’s space to shove him aside and wrapped his hand around Ricky’s throat. “Where’s Hart’s boathouse?”
Ricky’s eyes were bugging out and his hand came up to claw at Cal’s arm but he managed to gag, “Boathouse?”
“Boathouse!” Cal barked in face.
“Don’t know. Swear to God… don’t –” he stopped speaking and started full on gagging, Cal released him and stepped back.
He flipped the phone back open and dialed home. Colt answered on the first ring.
“Colton.”
“Colt, ask Kate what her grandfather’s phone number is.” Cal ordered.
“Sorry?” Colt asked.
“I don’t have a lotta time. Ask Kate what Vi’s father’s phone number is.”
“Hang on,” Colt said and then Cal heard him calling Kate and the phone was jostled.
“Joe?” It was Kate saying his name, his second favorite way of hearing it.
“Hey Katy,” he said softly.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“Mom?” she asked, her voice tense.
“Gettin’ there,” he replied vaguely. “Now listen to me. I need your grandfather’s phone number.”
“I’ll go get my phone,” she said quickly.
So Kate. She didn’t ask questions. She wasn’t messing around. She knew he needed something and she was getting down to business.
“That’s my girl,” he whispered.
“Everyone here is really freaked out,” she told him and he knew she was walking and talking.
“Tell them they can relax,” Joe said and he heard her short, surprised giggle.
“Jeez, Joe, that’s what you always say.”
God he loved that kid.
“I know you’re in a hurry but can you hang on? Keira wants to talk to you,” Kate asked.
He couldn’t but he would.
“Yeah, tell her it has to be fast.”
“Right,” she said into his ear and then the phone was away from her mouth when he heard her say, “It has to be fast, Keirry.”
“I’ll be fast,” he heard Keira promise, then in the phone, “Joe?”
Tied for second.
“Hey, honey.”
“Joe,” her voice broke on his name then the tears were audible.
“Come here, darlin’,” Cal heard who he guessed was Cheryl whisper and the phone moving.
“It’s me. I’m back,” Kate said. “I got the number.”
“Give it to me,” Joe replied and listened to it as she gave it and repeated it. When she was done, he said, “We’ll be home soon, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“Love you, baby.”
“Love you too, Joe.”