We all looked at one another and shrugged. We all seemed to be in the room. “Maybe Betsy?” Auggie suggested.
“Get her here,” Bill ordered and Bernie leapt up from his seat and headed out the door. “Okay!” Bill barked, pounding the table. “This is command central. I want reports every thirty minutes from each one of you; sooner if you pick up something. I’m going to check out some sources I have. Carl, you’re to stay here and act as relay. Auggie, I suggest you try and get some rest. It could be a long haul. Now get going!” he snapped and everyone leapt to their feet to begin their duties.
I took Auggie up to our room and put her to bed, but I knew she wouldn’t sleep. “I’ll let you know of the slightest detail,” I promised and closed the door behind me. Betsy had just arrived and I asked her to sit in with Auggie and keep an eye on her. I had just gotten downstairs to the dining room when Betsy came up behind me, tugging at my arm.
“She needs to talk to you. It’s important. I told her she must tell you.”
I bounded up the stairs to our room and found Auggie lying down, blankets twisted, her eyes huge with fear. She motioned to me and I went to the side of the bed and bent over her. I thought she was going to hug me but pulled my head down close to hers.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered and I pulled back, not sure of what I’d just heard. She nodded and the fear told me she was afraid she would miscarry.
“Stay calm. Betsy, call the doctor. Don’t give him any details about what’s going on here, but I want him to spend the night and keep an eye on Auggie.” Betsy nodded and went to find the number. “It will be okay, darling,” I said. “We’ll spend Christmas all together, all four of us,” I reassured her and left to do my part.
***
It was, without comparison, the longest night of my life. Bill kept urging me to get some rest, but I felt as though a clock was ticking and as long as I stayed awake, my boy would stay alive. I knew that was unfounded, but I wanted to keep a mental link to him in any way I could.
The dining room table became communication central. Men came in with all sorts of equipment and phones were plugged in and wires run. Betsy kept sandwiches and coffee coming to keep people awake and there was a constant buzz in the room as the various men checked in with progress reports. I wracked my brain to process through the various scenarios that I thought Linc might use. Not only was I a trained doctor, I was his blood. He was a sick version of me. I tried to imagine the worst that Father would do, and then factor that by ten.
About midnight, Earl Kinsey showed up at the door. He came to the table, tracking snow and mud across the floor, and to me, it was the sight of progress in saving my son. I could have kissed him.
Earl sat down, exhausted and while he directed his conversation to me, it was intended for everyone in the room. “Okay, here’s where we are. I got in touch with a few of my dad’s old contacts; got them out of bed. They weren’t worth much, but they put me in contact with the guys who were. Worth, they were pissed, to say the least. They don’t like it when someone puts something over on them. They’re flying a couple of guys down in a private jet and they should be here any time. They’re offering a deal. They want a million bucks for their trouble.”
“Done!” I exclaimed.
“Oh, that’s not all. They want Linc. Alive. They gotta make an example outta him or they look bad. You get that? That means you can’t call the cops,” he said, looking over at Bill.
“No problem,” Bill muttered, busily reading some feedback from one of his many meters.
Earl continued on. “They figure he’s holed up with some broad. That’s his MO. He hides behind them, their identity and then knocks ‘em off when he’s done with them. He can keep that up forever. He’s got that kind of charisma, I guess.”
“He does,” I verified.
“Well, the guys comin’ down have a few ideas of where he may be and I told ‘em they got to bring the kid in alive or the deal is off. They’re okay with that. So, you might say there’s a bounty on Linc’s head and a reward on Ford’s — but you can’t say nothin’ to no one. Got it?”
“Earl, I’ll take care of you, my friend.”
Earl held up his hand. “Say no more, Worth. I’ve always looked up to you. It’s my pleasure if I can help in any way. Now, I’m goin’ over there and lay down on that sofa. When they give me a call they’re in, I’ll go and pick them up. Just going to rest my eyes.” I nodded and shook Earl’s hand.
“Good friend to have,” was Bill’s only comment, but he relayed the new information to everyone in the loop.
Brandon called and relayed that he’d put out the word and had a handful of leads. They were all men who had committed petty crimes and were unidentifiable. Unfortunately, all but three of those were dead but Brandon had men deployed to interview those three. That was one more lead being investigated.
One of Bill’s men called in and he’d been through the hotels, motels, bus station, airport and turned up nothing. Bill told him to keep checking, to go into southern Indiana and as far as Lexington and Evansville. Linc was too smart to be tracked too close by — but he needed to be close enough for the three o’clock meeting.
Bill came up to me. “Worth, dammit, you go and get some shut eye. Your son’s life tomorrow might depend on how clear you’re thinking. We can’t have you pissed and tired at the same time. We might very well lose both of you.”
That brought a shocking thought to me. “Bill, what if he goes after Mother? Or Auggie’s dad? He’ll figure they’re complicit and if he hurts Ford, he knows none of the rest of us will rest until he’s dead.”
“That’s why you get the big bucks,” Bill said and signaled one of his men standing by to go over and stand watch. “Tell me if you see anything at all and check the parking lot for that set of matching tracks.” The man left and again we were left to the flashing of lights on meters and phone recorders.
I laid down on the lounge chair and tried to sleep. The next thing I knew, I looked at my watch and it was eight a.m. The light was slow in waking me; it was the shortest day of the year. I was startled that I’d slept and deathly afraid of having lost mental contact with Ford. “Bill?”
“Nothing more yet. Guys from Chicago arrived and went off with Earl. For once I’m glad I’m dealing with hit men who are professionals. Believe me, Worth, if they find him before we do, he won’t be around for Christmas.”