The Blue Zone

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

The phone rang. Kate groggily opened her eyes.

It was light. Almost eleven. She must’ve been exhausted. She never slept this late. Greg was already gone. The phone rang a second time. Kate fumbled for the receiver. “Hullo…?”

“Kate? Hon…?”

The voice jolted through her like a shot of pure adrenaline. “Mom! Is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me. How are you, honey? They won’t let me talk a long time. I just wanted to let you know we’re all right.”

“Oh, God, I was so worried, Mom! I know about Dad. I know he’s missing. The WITSEC people were here.”

“They told me,” her mother said. “He’s been missing since last Wednesday. No one’s heard from him, Kate. We don’t know where he is.”

“Oh, God, Mom.” Kate shut her eyes, flashing to those horrible pictures of the night before. “Mom, I don’t know what you know, but Margaret Seymour is dead. Cavetti was here. They showed me pictures of her. They think it was Mercado’s people. Trying to extract information, maybe about Dad. It was gruesome, Mom. They tortured her. You have to be careful. They may know where you are.”

“We’re okay, Kate. They have us under round-the-clock guard. It’s just that we’ve had no word about your father.”

“What are they telling you?” Kate asked nervously, pushing back the fear that her father might truly be dead.

“They’re not telling me anything, honey. I don’t know what to think.”

“Me either. How’s Em? And Justin?”

“They’re okay, Kate,” her mom replied. “We’re trying to keep things as normal as we can. Em’s got a tourney this week. She’s doing well. And Justin’s Justin. He’s almost six feet now.”

“God, I’d like to hear their voices.”

“I can’t, Kate. There’s a WITSEC person here. They’re telling me I have to hang up now.”

“Mom…something else has happened you should know about. Something bad. Tina O’Hearn’s been shot.”

“Oh, Lord,” her mother gasped. “Shot?”

“On the street, just outside the lab. The police think it’s some kind of gang-related thing, but listen, Mom, I don’t believe that. She was closing up for me that night. I think they thought it was me.”

“Kate, you have to stay out of sight. You have to let these people protect you.”

“They are, Mom, they’re here. It’s just that-”

“How is she, honey?” Sharon asked. “Is she dead?”

“No, but it’s bad. She’s hanging on, but they’ve had to do a couple of surgeries. They just don’t know. Mom, I really need to see you guys.”

“I wish we could do that, Kate. I really do. There are some things I’ve been holding back for a long time now that you need to know. But, Kate-”

A male voice cut in on the line, instructing them that they had to hang up now.

“Mom!”

“Kate, stay safe. Do what they tell you. They’re making me go now. I love you, sweetie.”

Kate jumped up, cradling the phone with both hands. “Mom!” Tears filled her eyes. “Tell Justin and Em I love them. Tell them I miss them. That I want to see you soon.”

“We miss you, too, Kate.”

The line clicked off. Kate just sat there, letting the receiver fall in her lap. At least they were safe. That was the best news she could possibly have.

Then something occurred to her. Something important. Something Sharon had said that now, rolling it around in her brain, didn’t seem right.

Margaret Seymour. Cavetti had said that she’d been killed outside Chicago. Last Thursday. To gain information.

Thursday…

So how could her killer have used what he learned to find Kate’s father? He had disappeared the night before.