Running for his car, Talley radioed Metzger at the hospital. He told her that there had been a threat to Smith's life, and to put her ass outside Smith's door. He grabbed Jorgenson and Campbell from Mrs. Peña's home and told them to follow him.

Talley rolled code three, full lights and siren. He knew that Benza's people would learn what he was doing, and that this might jeopardize himself and his family, but he couldn't let them simply kill the man. He didn't know what else to do.

When they reached the hospital, Talley saw the knot of reporters coming toward him from the entrance. Talley hurried out of his car to meet Jorgenson and Campbell.

'Don't say a word. Everything is no comment. You got that?'

Their eyes were confused and overwhelmed as the reporters surrounded them.

'Let's get in there.'

As they entered the hospital, Talley glanced from face to face, from hands to bodies, hoping for a glimpse of a deep tan, a heavy Rolex watch, and for clothes similar to those worn by the men and woman he had seen in his parking lot. Everyone was a suspect. Everyone was a potential killer. Anyone could lead him back to his Amanda and Jane.

The hospital security chief, an overweight man named Jobs, met them at the admitting desk with Klaus and the ER supervisor, an older woman who introduced herself as Dr. Reese. Talley asked that they speak somewhere more private, and followed them past the admitting desk through a gate and around a corner into a hall. Talley saw Metzger standing outside a door not far away. Talley went directly to her, telling Reese and the others to wait.

'Is everything okay?'

'Yeah. It's fine. What's going on?'

Talley stood in the door. Smith was alone in the room. His head lolled to the side, then righted. Talley glanced back at Metzger.

'I'll be right back.'

Talley told Jorgenson and Campbell to wait with Metzger, then explained to the doctors.

'We have reason to believe that there could be an attempt made on Mr. Smith's life. I'm going to post a guard outside his room and have police here on the premises.'

Klaus made his face into a pinched, sulky frown.

'An attempt on his life? Like what you did in the ambulance?'

Reese ignored him.

'We work at an ER pace here, Sheriff. Things move quickly. I can't have that disrupted.'

'I'm the chief of police in Bristo. I'm not a sheriff.'

'I understand. Are my staff in danger?'

'Not with my officers here, no, ma'am.'

Klaus said, 'This is bullshit. Who would want to kill this guy?'

Talley didn't want to lie. He was tired of lying. He shrugged.

'We have to take the threat seriously.'

Jobs, the security chief, nodded.

'The world is filled with nuts.'

Talley worked it out that his officers would remain the primary guard outside Smith's room with Jobs's security personnel as supplement; if Smith was moved to another part of the hospital, the Bristo police would accompany him. They were still talking about it when Metzger called from her post.

'Hey. He's waking up.'

Klaus pushed past them and hurried into the room, Talley following. Smith's eyes were open and focused, though still vague. He mumbled something, then spoke again, more clearly.

'Where am I?'

The words were slurred, but Talley understood them.

Klaus drew out the penlight, peeled open Smith's eyes, then passed the light, first over one, then the other.

'My name is Klaus. I'm a doctor at Canyon Country Hospital. That's where you are. Do you know your name?'

It took Smith a few moments to answer, as if it took him a while to understand the question, then figure out the answer. He wet his lips.

'Smith. Walter Smith. What's wrong?'

Klaus glanced at the monitors.

'Don't you know?'

Smith seemed to think again, but then his eyes widened and he tried to sit up. Klaus pushed him down.

'Easy. Stay down or you'll faint.'

'Where are my children?'

Klaus glanced at Talley.

Talley said, 'They're still in the house.'

Smith's eyes tracked vaguely over. Talley lifted his sweatshirt so that Smith could see his badge.

'I'm Jeff Talley, the Bristo chief of police. Do you know what happened to you?'

'People came into my house. Three men. What about my children?'

'They're still in the house. So far as we know, they're okay. We're trying to get them out.'

Klaus grudged a nod.

'Chief Talley is the one who got you out.' Smith looked up at him.

'Thank you.'

His voice was soft and fading. Smith settled back, his eyes closed. Talley thought they were losing him again.

Klaus didn't like what he saw on the monitors. His face pulled into the pinched frown again.

'I don't want him to overdo it.'

Talley brought Klaus aside and lowered his voice.

'I should have a word with him now. About what we talked about.'

'I don't see as it would do any good. It will only upset him.'

Talley stared at Smith, knowing he could punch the right button because he could read Klaus as easily as he read a subject behind a barricade.

'He has a right to know, Doctor. You know he does. I'll only be a moment. Now, please.'

Klaus scowled some more, but he left.

'Smith.'

Smith opened his eyes, not quite as wide as before. Talley watched as they flagged closed. He bent close.

'I know who you are.'

The eyes opened again.

'Sonny Benza has my wife and daughter.'

Smith stared up at him, as blank as a plate, showing no surprise or shock, revealing nothing. But Talley knew. He could sense it.

'He wants his financial records. He's taken my wife and daughter to make sure I cooperate. I need your help, Smith. I need to know where he has them. I need to know how to get to him.'

Something wet dripped on Smith's shoulder. Talley's eyes blurred, and he realized that he was crying.

'Help me.'

Smith wet his lips. He shook his head.

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

The eyes closed.

Talley leaned closer, his voice raspy.

'He's going to kill you, you sonofabitch.'

Klaus came back into the room.

'That's enough.'

'Let me speak to him a few more minutes.'

'I said, That's enough.'

Talley posted the guards, then left. He drove again with the windows down, frustrated and angry. He punched at the steering wheel and shouted. He wanted to race back to the house; he didn't want to go back to the house. He wanted to crash through doors and keep crashing until he found Amanda and Jane. It was impotent rage. He pulled the Nokia from his pocket and set it on the seat. He knew it would ring. He knew the Watchman would call. He had no other choice.

It rang.

Talley swerved to the shoulder of the road. He was in the middle of nowhere, on the stretch of highway between Canyon Country and Bristo, nothing but rocks and road and truckers trying to make it to Palmdale before dawn. Talley skidded to a stop and answered the call, the Watchman shouting before Talley spoke.

'You fucked up, you dumb fucking cop, you fucked up bad!'

Talley was shouting back, shouting over the Watchman's words.

'No, YOU fucked up, you sonofabitch! Do you think I'm going to let you just murder someone?!'

'You wanna hear them scream? That it? You want a blowtorch on your daughter's pretty face?!'

Talley punched the dash over and over, never felt the blows.

'I got YOU, you motherfucker! I got YOU! You touch them, you harm one fucking hair, and I'll go in that house right fucking now, I'll get those disks, and I'll see what's on them. You want them in the newspaper? You want the real FBI to have'm? I don't think you want that, you COCKSUCKINGMOTHERFUCKER! And I've got Smith! Don't you fucking forget that! I've got Smith!'