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Hez followed her when she turned and plunged through murky water. The mud encased her ankles, and she caught a glimpse of leeches beside a cottonmouth that slithered away. She shuddered and yanked her feet free of the muck.
Hez made a sound of disgust behind her, and she turned to see him fall onto one knee in the swampy water before recovering. He muttered and swiped a muddy hand over his face, leaving a trail of brown over one cheek and down his neck. Once she was sure he was okay, she plunged on through the swamp. The water rose above her knees, and she kept an eye out for gators. This was not the best situation, and she would have to check for leeches when she got out of here.
The bank on the other side drew nearer, and the water level fell to her calves, then to her ankles until she stumbled up the slippery slope of mud. Her feet gained purchase on the weedy dry ground, and she paused to locate the platform she’d built with Jess. There it was, ten feet to her left.
“You there, Aunt Savannah?”
“I’m near the platform, but I don’t see you.”
Hez slogged out of the water to join her. “Any sign of him?”
She shook her head as she scanned the treetops. He’d been wearing a green shirt this morning, which would easily blend into the remaining leaves. A movement ten yards away caught her eye, and she saw a gator under a tree. Simon sat in a fork of the tree and was waving his hand. “I’m here!”
“I see you.” She ended the call and started that way.
Hez picked up some sticks and threw them at the gator. He then found a heavier branch and wielded it like a baseball bat, whacking the undergrowth and water as he approached the gator, shouting at it the whole time. It hissed and lumbered away. While he had the gator distracted, Savannah ran to the tree and reached up toward the boy. “Lower yourself down, and I’ll help you.”
Simon’s tearstained face peered down through the leaves, and he nodded. He shut his eyes and hugged the tree trunk as he lowered himself toward her waiting arms. She grabbed his calves and helped ease him down to the ground. With a rock in each hand, Hez moved closer with his attention on the fleeing gator.
Once he was on the ground, Savannah palmed the boy’s face. “What were you thinking to come out here alone?”
His gaze dropped away from hers. “I—I wanted to explore.”
He was lying. She took a step back and held out her hand. “Give me your phone.”
His blue eyes darted back to her face, and he bit his lip. He reached slowly into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out his phone. It didn’t have a lock on it, so she was able to see what was on his screen with one swipe. It was the page for the public library in town.
She turned the phone around to face him. “What’s this about?”
His chin came up. “I want to find my dad, Aunt Savannah. I thought maybe I could find something at the library. I’m ten, so my dad was dating Mom eleven years ago, right? I thought there’d be pictures or articles mentioning the school or my mum.” He balled up his hands. “You should have told me about her. I know she’s in jail.”
“I saw the article on your iPad when you went missing. And you’re right, Simon. I wanted to tell you, but I knew it would be hard to hear.”
Hez moved closer. “I’m defending your mom, and we’ll get to the truth. I know this is all confusing, but you have to trust us. No more running off, okay?”
The boy hung his head and scuffed a muddy shoe on the weeds. “Okay.” His eyes were full of tears when he raised his head. “I haven’t even gotten to see Mum.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Hez said.
But Savannah saw the doubt in his eyes. They both knew Jess would never agree to let Simon see her in that place. And there was no way she’d reveal her son to the community like that.
* * *
I stare at the insides of my eyelids, willing myself to sleep. I’ve barely slept the past few nights, and I need rest. A storm is coming, and I will need every ounce of energy and focus to survive it.
I try every relaxation trick I’ve ever learned. I clear my mind, focus on a peaceful place, and relax every muscle in my body one at a time. I even count sheep. None of it works. My brain insists on staying on high alert, attuned to every little night noise—even though I know that the hooting of the owl outside and the hiss of the wind on the roof mean nothing.
The real danger is miles away at TGU. I put it there, ironically enough. I planted the bomb that will bring down the whole rotten edifice. But somehow the fuse was lit too early, and now I’m trapped here, waiting for the explosion.
When will the bomb go off? That’s out of my control—but it will happen soon. Savannah and Hez now have all the pieces to the puzzle. Once they manage to put them together, it will all be over.
Can they be stopped from solving the puzzle? That question has tortured me through many sleepless hours. Brute force won’t work. That would simply draw attention from the cops who caught Hernando Morales and nearly got me. The last thing I need is an entire state-federal task force scrutinizing the same puzzle pieces.
I may be able to misdirect Savannah and Hez. If I can just point them in the wrong direction for long enough, it may be possible to salvage the situation. But I will need to know exactly what they’ve already figured out so I know what truths need to go into the lie I will tell. And I will need to tell the lie in exactly the right way at exactly the right time.
I can’t just ask them what they know, of course. I’ll need to be subtle. Just raising the subject with Hez could tip him off. If I play my cards right, I may be able to get the information I need from Savannah. She used to trust me. Maybe she still does.
All I can do now is wait for the right moment. And try to get some sleep.
