“It’s safe enough,” she said. “The police have already been here. I doubt if they’ll come back.”

“What about the owners?”

“It’s been empty for a long time. It’s for sale, but nobody wants to live in this neighborhood.” She laughed. “It should be safe for a while.”

“Maybe I could stay here sometimes. In the winter.”

“If you’re careful coming and going, you might be fine here,” she said. “The police are watching my house all the time now, and a couple of cops are hidden in the garage. Whatever you do, don’t go home.”

Adam looked closely at his mother. She had taken a big chance in meeting him here. “You could get in a lot of trouble for this,” he said. “Aiding and abetting a fugitive.”

“You’re my son,” she said, as if that settled the matter.

He nodded. “But I’ll have to leave the area eventually.”

She looked worried at that. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I might have to.”

“I brought you some things,” she said, reaching for a bag on the table. She opened it and looked inside. “There’s some more food in here, a cap, and some money.”

“Thanks. I don’t know how I can spend the money, but I can always use the food.”

She reached into the bag, paused and looked at Adam, and then pulled out something wrapped in newspaper. “I brought you this.” She pushed it across the table toward him. “You might need it.”

He lifted the heavy package, then frowned, peeled back the paper, and recoiled in horror at the sight of a pistol.

“I don’t want this,” he said, pushing it away.

She pushed it back toward him. “Just in case,” she said soothingly. “You don’t have to use it. It’s only for protection.”

He stared at the shiny weapon. He couldn’t trust himself with it. He was dangerous enough without a gun. How much worse would he be with one?

“It’s okay,” she said. “I want you to be safe.”

He nodded. He decided to take it with him, but if he got any crazy ideas, he would toss it deep in the swamp. He looked back at his mother, his eyes narrowing. “They said I killed Mr. Ronson.” He leaned in. “Did I?”

She nodded and sighed deeply. “Yes, you did, Adam. But remember, it’s not your fault.”

“I don’t want to kill anyone else.” He rocked himself back and forth in the chair, wringing his hands, looking toward his mother for help.

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. “You won’t. I talked to Dr. Zalora about you, and he thinks you’ll be fine now. As terrible as it was, it was something you had to get out of your system. I didn’t tell him I saw you. He would have to report it if I did, so I have to be careful what I say to him.”

He hoped Dr. Zalora was correct. If not, he would have the pistol, and he could always use it on himself. If he had the strength, that is.

“You’d better go now,” she said. “I’ll wait until you’re gone before I leave.”

He wrapped up the gun, dropped it into the bag with the rest of the supplies, then stood and went to his mother, giving her a hug.

She sat quietly at the table as he opened the door and stepped out. He took a last look at her, closed the door, and hurried across the lawn. He peered over the hedge to make sure the coast was clear and then hopped over, landing on the sidewalk.

He hurried cautiously up the street and scurried into the field of tall weeds. As he made his way back to the swamp, the bag weighed heavily on his arm, and the pistol it contained weighed heavily on his mind.

Chapter 34

Thursday, 9:37 a.m.

LISA KRUNK had been following the story of Adam Thorburn closely, and she’d managed to conduct interviews with just about everyone involved. Though she’d searched long and hard, she hadn’t been able to locate Adam. An interview with him would be like gold in the bank, and her ratings would soar even higher than they already were.

An interview with Virginia Thorburn would be the next best thing, and though Lisa had tried in the past, the woman always eluded her calls and never answered Lisa’s knock on the door.

Not today, though.

She needed to talk with Virginia. Lisa’s viewers depended on her expertise to keep them fully informed of the latest in breaking events. It was her determination that consistently put her stories at the top of the news.

There was only one choice—an ambush.

And luck was with her. As Don spun the van onto Mill Street and neared the Thorburn residence, Lisa spied Virginia Thorburn coming down the sidewalk.

She pointed frantically toward the woman. “Pull over, Don. That’s her.”

Don turned the steering wheel, touched the brakes, and the van jerked to a quick stop. His door swung open and he jumped out, opened the side door, and grabbed his camera. In one deft move the camera landed on his shoulder, the red light glared, and he was raring to go before Lisa could locate the cordless mike and climb from the van.

She smiled smugly at his eagerness. She had trained him well, and he knew every move she made, and every word she spoke, was worthy of being captured on video. And when she had a subject in her sights, he had better keep up with her. That is, if he wanted to continue getting the generous paycheck she provided him with every week.

Lisa hit the sidewalk, gripped the mike, and flicked it on. Virginia Thorburn stopped short, a frown on her face as Lisa strode toward her, Don at her side. The woman glanced around as if looking for a quick exit, then her shoulders slumped as she gave in and waited.

Lisa faked a wide smile and spoke into the microphone. “Good morning, Mrs. Thorburn.” She pushed the mike at the trapped woman and waited for a reply.

Lisa received a frown in return.

“I wonder if I might ask you a few questions,” Lisa said, the smile remaining on her stiff lips. “I’d like to get Adam’s side of the story.”

Virginia’s face softened noticeably, but she remained quiet.

Lisa was used to that. It always helped to stroke their ego a little to get her subjects to loosen up, and then when their guard was down, hit them with the tough questions.

“Mrs. Thorburn, I’ve done some research on you and your son,” Lisa lied. “Your undying dedication during some of his rougher periods must have been pretty hard on you.”

Virginia Thorburn nodded. The woman was loosening up.

Lisa continued. “Other newscasts have portrayed your son as some kind of monster. I know for a fact that isn’t true.” She paused. “Will you tell my viewers what Adam is really like?”

Virginia opened her mouth for the first time. She appeared to be thinking as she stared at the microphone pushed under her nose. “Adam is … a good son. He’s never caused any trouble to me, and I believe the stories about him have been exaggerated.”

“You believe he never killed anyone, Mrs. Thorburn?”

“I … I didn’t say that.” The woman fumbled for words, probably unsure how best to defend someone Lisa knew was a true barbarian. Adam was one of the most vicious killers Lisa had ever run across, but she wasn’t about to tell his mother her feelings. At least, not yet.

“I understand he has a brilliant mind,” Lisa said.

“Yes, he does. He hasn’t been allowed to reach his full potential. Maybe someday.”

Lisa smiled inside. Adam would reach his full potential all right—in prison. If he lived long enough. She stifled her thoughts and said, “We’d like to see that.”

Virginia bit her lip and remained silent.

“Perhaps if he gave himself up, things could be different,” Lisa said.

“Adam has to make up his own mind about that,” Mrs. Thorburn said, glancing at the camera. “Since I have no contact with him, I can’t persuade him either way.”

“You haven’t see your son since he became a fugitive?”