Page 25 of Graveyard Dog

“That’s it!” Izzy said, pointing again. “That’s the vehicle that almost ran me over the other day.”

“You’ve seen this man before?” the agent asked.

“No.” She wanted to cry. Why hadn’t she paid closer attention? “All I saw was the grill as I was jumping out of theway and then the color of the car as it sped past. I never saw the driver.”

The man on the screen lifted Emma out of the wheelchair and put her in the passenger’s seat.

“She looks catatonic,” Izzy said. “She’s such a fighter. Why isn’t she trying to get away?”

“That’s a lot to ask of a child,” Carson said.

Izzy knew that. To expect that of a five-year-old was completely unfair. But this was Emma Walsh they were talking about. She had more gumption than a tween in Sephora. Had the man threatened her? Drugged her? Izzy’s vision darkened again. She pressed a hand to her mouth as the vehicle sped off.

“East toward St. Francis,” the agent said as she stepped out. “I’ll just be a minute.”

Michael eased closer to Izzy. She put a hand in the crook of his elbow. He let her.

The agent filled her partner in and came back. “More agents are on the way, as well as several state troopers. How about we get that phone?”

Izzy nodded and followed her out to the elevators, not loosening her grip on Michael’s arm. She looked at the families as they walked past, some happy, some tired, some worried.

Her world was crumbling at her feet, but everyone around her was going about their business like nothing had happened. A couple laughed at something shared on a phone call. A child tiptoed to get a drink from a water fountain but couldn’t quite reach it. His mother had to lift him. Everyone was just living their lives. No one shattering into a thousand shards of glass.

The agent pushed the button to summon the elevator but stepped away again when she got another call. Five seconds later, she whirled around, her jaw hanging open in astonishment. “We’ve got her.”

Chapter Six

At least once a day, I walk outside and say,

“Computer, end program.”

Just in case.

—Meme

When Michael first pulled up to the scene, Izzy saw the fire trucks and smoke and went into full panic mode. She pressed her hands over her mouth as her gaze darted frantically from one bystander to another, her breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps.

Michael watched helplessly as she jumped out of the car before he stopped and ran toward the ambulance. He slammed on the brakes, still several yards from the scene, threw the car in park, and followed Izzy into the thick of it.

A cop tried to stop her, but she ducked past him and forced her way through the throng of people to get to her daughter. They’d been informed she was in the ambulance.

When Michael got to the crime scene tape, the cop standing guard had learned from his mistake. He held up a hand—one he clearly wanted to lose—and shoved Michael back when he got too close. Or, well, he tried.

Michael obliged, stopping just long enough to lie through his teeth. “My daughter is in that ambulance.”

“The kid in the hospital gown?”

“Yes. She was abducted. I don’t know how she ended up here.”Herebeing a house fire on the west side of town. Did Ross start the fire? Had he tried to kill them both in some kind of murder/suicide thing? The mere thought weakened Michael’s knees.

Having given the officer enough of his time, he ducked under the tape and looked for Izzy’s dark hair. The cop tried to stop him again until he heard a woman’s voice. “He’s with me, Officer,” Carson said at his back. Unlike the agent, Michael had zero concerns about breaking traffic laws to get here. So, naturally, he’d beaten her.

He left Carson to deal with the cop and charged forward. He found Izzy sitting in the ambulance beside Emma, rubbing her back.

Emma sat staring straight ahead.

“Emma, sweetheart, can you hear me?”

She had swipes of blood on her face and hands.

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