Kingman didn’t stand a chance at winning the party nomination. He hadn’t won a single primary yet, not even his home state—his best result a second place finish. And Jepson’s wife said Kingman had just about spent all the money in his campaign war chest. Tonight’s debate might just be his last hurrah.

An idea entered Keith Jepson’s mind. Jon and Annie Rafter lived not far away. The Rafters hired Jepson to help them find and legally adopt a newborn child. So far the Rafters had jumped through a million hoops and signed almost as many papers. But Jepson had one last document they needed to sign before the adoption could go through. And the document was in his briefcase in his car outside.

If I leave now I could probably drive to the Rafters house and have them sign the document and still get back before the debate ends. My wife will never know I left the VFW hall, Jepson thought, grinning inwardly.

Luckily he sat on a chair on the end of the row. He wouldn’t have to make a scene and crawl over anyone getting out. The attorney stood up and, careful not to walk in front of a filming camera, slinked to the foyer and out the door.

Jepson climbed into his red BMW, started it up and headed out of town via the levee road. He figured he would arrive at the Whitcomb Bed and Breakfast Inn in just under ten minutes, maybe less if he tromped on the gas.

He debated whether to speed or drive the limit, and finally decided to obey the law. He had plenty of time to make it back to the VFW hall. What could possibly go wrong?

Chapter 24

Carrying the journal in her left hand, Annie entered the parlor. Arcadias shadowed her from close behind, aiming his Glock at her back. “Sit down next to your husband and read aloud everything you read while up in the attic. And then read the next entry,” Arcadias commanded.

Annie sat down next to Rafter, whose hands were immobilized together with plastic cuff ties. She flipped through the journal until she came to the first entry she’d read earlier. She cleared her throat and read aloud the entry where Rose and Bobby found the secret room. She found the entry just as exciting and interesting as the first time she read it.

Annie then read the next entry where Bobby and Rose talked about the conversation Rose had with her mother regarding the secret room. When she finished reading it, her heart sped up as she anticipated reading the next entry. Despite the fact she and Jon and Ned Hoxley were hostages, she found herself excited to find out what happened to Rose and Bobby next. Their tender romance enthralled her.

Annie looked up. Every eye rested on her except for Colette’s. She lay on the floor; her feet propped up to help fend off shock. A moan occasionally rose up and escaped her quivering lips.

Annie began the next entry.

****

In the backseat of the 1938 De Soto 4-door sedan, Rose sat in the middle between Bobby and his younger brother Ned. Clive Hoxley steered the De Soto down Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge, his wife next to him, her face streaked with tears, red-rimmed eyes hiding behind sunglasses.

They traveled east into a blinding sun. An unsettling quietness filled the car. Dread at what terrible fate might lay ahead for Bobby spirited away all attempts at conversation.

Rose rested her head against Bobby’s arm. She reveled in the strength of his shoulder, the intimacy of her body sitting close to his. A strange mix of emotions ran through her head. She was proud of Bobby for his patriotism, for wanting to serve America and fight for her people. But nightmarish thoughts continually flashed in her head. She kept seeing a flag-draped coffin and a color guard, sad people dressed in black, a firing party raising their rifles to fire a salute to the fallen serviceman—Bobby, her Bobby.

Rose wanted to cry out but held it in. She had to be strong for Bobby’s sake. She wanted to send him off feeling confident and strong. How could he fight for his country and his life when his girl was back home blubbering?

Clive pulled into a parking lot next to the bus station and parked the De Soto. They all piled out and crossed the street into the station. Rose felt her heart speed up and pound so hard her head rattled.

She dreaded saying goodbye to Bobby. And yet she was going to have to say goodbye soon. The farewell approached as surely as the coming second.

Rose looked around and saw other families tearfully sending their sons off to war, and possibly their deaths. Her heart went out to them as she saw them hug farewell. And then Rose felt a sudden surge of anger well up.

She silently cursed America’s enemies: Germany, Japan, and Italy, as well as their power-hungry leaders—Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito, and Benito Mussolini. These egomaniacs didn’t think twice about sacrificing human lives and destroying families. All that mattered to them was acquiring more power.

Bobby and his parents went up to the ticket counter. Rose hung back with Ned.

“He’ll be okay, Rose. Bobby is gifted at everything. He’s smart, and he’s always been the best athlete in school. He’ll come back,” Ned said.

Rose simply nodded her head. She didn’t think her voice would cooperate.

Bobby and his parents hustled back over to them. “We barely made it in time. My bus leaves in three minutes,” Bobby said, stuffing his ticket into his pocket. He turned his attention to Ned, punched him playfully in the shoulder before wrapping him up in a bear hug.

Rose stared at the floor tiles.

Bobby came over to her a moment later and took her hand. He led her several feet away into the center of the noisy station. Travelers milled around them, but Rose hardly noticed. She struggled to find her voice. “I guess this is it, huh?”

“You make it sound like I’m not coming back.”

Rose pulled off a locket from around her neck. She handed it to Bobby. “I don’t expect you to wear it. That would be strange. Just keep it in your pocket. There’s a picture of me in it. This way I’ll always be with you.”

Bobby took it and shoved the locket into his pocket along with his bus ticket.

“If I find the treasure box and its key, I’ll take a picture of what’s inside and send it in one of my letters to you.”

Bobby shook his head. He looked at her intently, as if he were memorizing her features. “You’re my treasure, Rose. And you’re worth far more to me than an old box of gold coins.” He placed her hands on his chest. “You’re in my heart, Rose. Wherever I go you go. Even when I’m 30,000 feet in the sky over Europe somewhere, you’ll be there with me in the plane’s belly, in the clouds and in my heart.”

Rose smiled and ran a hand through his hair, mussing it slightly. She’d always loved his hair. “You’re precious, Bobby Hoxley. I love you so much.”

Bobby pulled her closer and kissed her. Rose thought his lips never tasted better. She didn’t care that they were making a scene in the middle of the bus station. The moment was magical, like something from a movie. She didn’t want it to end.

“You’re going to miss your bus, Bobby!” Clive Hoxley said.

Bobby pulled back. He winked at her. “Wait for me, Rose,” he said, and then turned and ran for his bus, a bus that would begin his ill-fated journey into a world war.

Chapter 25

Arcadias leaned up against a wall next to the marble fireplace and processed everything Annie just read. He hadn’t yet changed from the clothing he’d worn while exploring the crawlspace, and looked and felt like a grownup version of Pigpen.

He looked over at his brother. “We need to find and search the secret room.”