Lee ignored the gibe. "I'll be here.On the porch."
"You seem to think there's more than one person in on this, Condor."
"I know there's more than one person in on this." "All right," the whisperer said. "No tricks. Remember, I can shoot the boy while he's still standing on the porch."
"I hear you."
"And make sure you don't have any cars cruising too close to that town house. I see anything the least suspicious and there won't be any kid.Got it."
"Yeah, I got it."
"Just watch your step, Condor. If something goes wrong, it will be real easy to terrorize a woman with three kids for a long, long time to come. The exchange will be at ten. One hour from now. And like I said--"
"Don't worry. Nothing is going to go wrong. But do you want to know something?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"What?"
"You watch your step. 'Cause if anything happens to that kid, if he has one little scratch on him, I won't scalp you. I'll send an arrow piercing straight to your heart. Now I think we understand each other."
"Yeah, Condor, you and I understand each other real good. You would try something if you could, Condor. But thanks to your lady friend, I don't think you'll take any chances. Still, just to keep her on edge--and you in line--I think I'll keep the little boy for a while."
"What?" Lee demanded hoarsely. Bryn started pulling on his arm.
"You heard me. The exchange is going to be Sunday. I'll give you a call in the morning and set the time.
And remember, I'll be watching you both. I'll be watching her darkroom. And do you know what I want to see, Condor?Nothing, except two people coming and going from work. Got that?"
Bryn had heard. She wrenched the receiver back. Tears had formed in her eyes. And she started shouting hysterically. "No! I want Adam today. So help me God, I don't care about your pictures. I want my nephew! Please, please--"
She broke off, strangling on her tears.
"You get him Sunday, Miss Keller. Just so long as you and the rock star behave. Be home; you'll hear from me by nine."
The line went dead. Bryn heard the dull buzz.
"No!" she screeched, throwing the receiver so that it fell to the floor.'We, no, no!"
"Bryn... Lee began, but she was totally out of control, unable to believe that she was going to have to endure the torture and torment of four more long--unendurably long--days without having Adam back.
The grief, the horror and the fear ripped and wrenched through her; she was crying and laughing--and she needed a scapegoat to be able to accept the horror she needed to accept, so she turned on Lee with a vengeance, pounding her fists against his chest with all her strength.
"It's you! He knows you want to pull something, so he's keeping Adam away from me. It's you.... It'sall your fault, Lee. Oh, damn you, damn you, damn you!"
"Bryn, stop it!Bryn!" He tried to hold her, but she had a strength born of her terror and fury. She was like a wildcat, hysterical, tearing into him. For a moment he allowed her to scream and cry and curse him with knotted fists flying, praying it would help. But she seemed to grow more hysterical by the second.
"Bryn!" She didn't even hear him. He closed his eyes for a minute, feeling all her pain and aching to relieve it. Then he closed his arms around her, forcing her to the floor and pinning her there.
For a minute she fought him, still wild, flailing and shouting.
He held her firmly, hands at her wrists, knees about her hips. "Bryn..." he said more softly, and at last she went still, staring at him with dull and tear-filled eyes.
"I can't do it," she murmured pathetically. "I can't wait. I can't walk around normally when Adam..."
"Bryn..."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
A soft, feminine voice had broken in.Barbara's, as she knelt down beside them. "Bryn, you're going to wake Brian and Keith, honey, if you haven't already. You've just got to be strong, for them. You don't want them scared to pieces now, do you?"
Bryn gazed at Barbara. She had forgotten that her friend was there. And beyond Barbara's shoulder, she saw Andrew.Watching her with so much empathy and concern.
And above her...was Lee.Holding her, not hurting her. Tolerating her...no matter what she did to him.
She started to weep quietly. He shifted his weight and pulled her into his arms, soothing her as if she were a child. His fingers tenderly smoothed her hair back, gently caressing her cheek.
"Adam is fine, Bryn. You know that; you talked to him. The waiting is hard. I know how hard, Bryn. But we've got to handle it. We've got to."
"I can't, Lee. I feel as if there's a knife in me--" "Hush. You can. You're strong, Bryn. You'll do it." Was it his faith in her? Or was it just that the boys chose to come down the stairs then?Brian and Keith.The older two.