"That's Mr. Donovan," the woman said. "Real pleasant gentleman, and his son was a charmer."

"Did you hear him call the boy by name?" Galen asked.

She wrinkled her forehead. "Larry, I think."

"Barry?"

She smiled. "That's it."

"What room is he in?"

"Forty-two. But he checked out earlier this evening."

"Could I see the room and look around?"

She lost some of her friendliness. "Why?"

"I'm hoping to find some clue to where he's going next. I need to find him." He gestured at Elena. "They're in the middle of a very nasty divorce and he's taken their son."

The woman glanced at Elena. "I'm sorry. I could see you were upset."

"Yes, I am. Could we see the room? We'll be only a few minutes."

"I'll have to go along and stay while you're there."

"Fine." Galen turned toward the door. "Let's do it."

The motel room was really a suite with a living room, bedroom, and kitchenette. The maids had obviously not cleaned up. There were newspapers on the coffee table and soda glasses on the sink.

And on the nightstand a piece of paper with a tiger and flowers scrawled in orange crayon. She picked up the paper and agony shot through her.

I saw lions and tigers.

"Take it easy," Galen said beside her. "There's an envelope

underneath it." He picked it up and opened the envelope. "It has my name on it. It seems we were expected." He scanned it and handed it to Elena. "No help."

Galen,

Sorry we missed you. Good work, though.

Judd

"We can't do anything more here," Galen said gently. "Let's go back to the cottage. Ready, Elena?"

She nodded jerkily and thrust the note back at him. Then she carefully smoothed Barry's picture and carried it to the door. "I'm ready. You're right, there's nothing more we can do."

I saw lions and tigers, Mama.

"Thirty million," Judd said crisply. "Not a penny less."

"You're crazy," Chavez said. "I won't pay more than ten."

"Yes, you will. Thirty million is a drop in the bucket to you. You can get that on a small shipment of coke to Miami."

"Because I can get it is no sign I will."

"What I'm selling you is priceless. You can't get it anywhere else."

"I won't pay it."

"Did you get the photograph I sent you?"

"Yes."

"The next one I send you will show you a dead boy. Then no more dreams of a father-and-son business. No more child to mold."

"You would kill a child?"

"Did you check my background? A kill is a kill. Do you want the boy or not?"

"Fifteen million."

"I need more than that. As you probably found out, I'm very hot. It will take a lot of cash to cool me down. Thirty."

"I'll think about it."

"I'll give you twenty-four hours. I'll call you tomorrow." He hung up.

"Judd," Barry called from the bathroom.

"Coming." He stood in the doorway and looked at Barry in the tub. "Problem washing behind your ears?"

"No." He floated the rubber crocodile on the water. "I was just lonesome. Are you ever lonesome, Judd?"

"No, I guess I like my own company too much."

"I miss Mama and Dominic."

"Aren't you having a good time?"

He nodded. "But I worry about Mama."

"Sometimes it's best to get used to being without people. Then it doesn't hurt so much."

He shook his head emphatically. "Not Mama. When she had to go to the city to work, I never got used to it. Maybe we should-"

"Your mama wants you to have this adventure. She'll be disappointed if she thinks you're not happy."

Barry frowned, troubled. "I guess so."

"Then get out of that tub before you turn into a prune." Judd grabbed a bath towel and held it for him. "You need to get to sleep. Tomorrow we're going to a petting zoo. Would you like that?"

Barry's face lit up. "Oh, yes. Will they have llamas? I saw a llama once."

"I have no idea. I guess we'll find out together."

"And I can talk to Mama and tell her about it?"

He draped the towel around him. "Absolutely."

"That's good." He ran out of the bathroom.

Well, there wasn't much else good in this entire scenario, Judd thought wearily. The whole business was making him a little sick. Not that the nastiness of it would cause him to back down.

Thirty million dollars was good. Being free to live his own life was good. He could swallow the filth and do whatever was necessary.

"Come on, time for bed." Galen helped Elena out of the car. "Judd will call tomorrow and maybe we'll get another clue as to where he is."

"Yes." She clutched Barry's drawing as she started up the stairs. "He promised, didn't he?"

"Yes." He led her through the dark house to her bedroom. "And he'll keep his promise." He took the drawing from her clenched hand and set it on the nightstand. He started to unbutton her shirt.

"I can do it."

"Sure." He finished unbuttoning her shirt. "But you've had a knockout punch. Let me."

She didn't care. It didn't matter.

He quickly undressed her and tucked her beneath the blanket. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get you a couple aspirin." He gave her the aspirin and then slipped into bed beside her. "God, you're cold." He cuddled closer to her. "Try to go to sleep."

She closed her eyes. "Lions and tigers. Barry has a book about a tiger named Sarina. It was a very playful tiger, and I wondered if the writer shouldn't have given a hint about how dangerous they are. But I thought it was okay because you don't run into tigers every day."

"Very rarely."

"But Barry has run into a tiger, and no matter how playful he seems, the danger is there. There's no telling what Judd could do."

"Nothing's happened yet. I agree Judd is an enigma, but we have to hope for the best."

"The best is for him to give me back my son. He's not going to do that."

"No."

"I'm going to sleep now. It hurts to stay awake. It's so lonely. Dominic is gone, Luis is gone, and now Barry."

"How many times do I have to tell you? You're not alone. You'll never be alone again. Trust me."

"I'm sorry. I'm whining. I'll be better in the morning. Good night."

"Don't close me out. Let me come in. I'll warm you."

He was warming her, but not enough to melt the ice. "Good night," she said again.

He gave an exasperated sigh and his arms tightened around her. "Okay, but I'm here for you. Know that."

She nodded. In some remote part of her mind she knew that as truth and it brought her comfort. She had to get over this deadly malaise. It made it difficult for her to function. It was an enemy. "I'll be better. I have to be better. I have to get Barry."

"You'll be tough as nails after you get some sleep." He pressed his lips to her temple. "I promise you."

Chavez called at four in the morning.

"He wants to talk to you," Galen said. "You're not in any shape. Let me handle him."

She shook her head and took the phone. "We have nothing to talk about, Chavez."