Page 102 of Almost Dead (The Cahills 2)

But there was no sign of her son.

Instead, in the center of the room, lying faceup on the floor, was Tanya.

The dark, ominous circle of a bullet hole sat between her surprised eyes.

Chapter 18

“Where’s B.J.?” Cissy cried, her heart racing, feeling as if she might faint. Oh God, oh God, oh God! He had to be here. Had to. She stared at Tanya’s body, the blood oozing from the black hole in her forehead, the sightless eyes staring toward the ceiling of her bare apartment.

“Oh Lord…” the neighbor woman said, backing away as Cissy raced through the rooms, searching, her gaze scraping every nook and cranny of the tidy, one-bedroom apartment.

He had to be here. He had to!

“Call 9-1-1,” Jack ordered the retreating neighbor.

“Beej,” Cissy called, desperation creeping into her voice as an old cuckoo clock on the mantel ticked loudly. She hurried down the short hallway a second time, opening the bedroom closet door. Finding nothing, she dropped to her knees and peered beneath the bed skirt. Suitcases and a plastic tub of summer clothes were hidden there, but no baby.

She whispered, “Beej, where are you?”

What if he wasn’t here?

There were only so many places he could hide.

What if…Oh God…She hated to think it, but what if the person who’d shot Tanya had B.J.? She couldn’t think that way. Not yet. Pushing herself to her feet, she dashed into the minuscule bath. Heart thudding, half afraid that she might find his little lifeless body on the cold porcelain, she threw back the shower curtain, nearly ripping the plastic from its metal hooks.

“I’m looking outside,” Jack’s voice reached her.

Aside from a visible rust stain, the tub was empty. Cissy nearly sank to her knees. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. She just wanted her child.

Please, please, please keep him safe. Let me find him, she silently prayed, returning to the kitchen, keeping her eyes averted from Tanya’s body. Through the open sliding-glass door, she spied Jack outside in the small courtyard, where a rusting barbecue and pots of last year’s dead flowers had been stored. Rain poured down. But there was no child.

She swallowed back her fear. Whoever had killed Tanya wouldn’t take Beej. Wouldn’t hurt him. That made no sense.

Or did it?

A chill as dark as midnight touched her soul.

Jaw tight, skin stretched taut over his face, Jack walked back inside and shook his head. “I checked her car. Unlocked. Nothing.”

“He has to be here,” she said as if to convince herself. “He has to.” Willing her child to appear, she threw open a pantry door. Brooms, cleaning supplies, towels, and a few canned goods filled the shelves.

Jack’s hands grabbed hold of her shoulders as she stared into the empty pantry. “He’s not here.”

Her knees nearly gave way. “Oh no,” she whispered, disbelieving.

Cissy’s entire world spun. How had she let her son get caught up in this horrendous nightmare? How could she have let him be in jeopardy? If anything happened to Beej…Oh God, she couldn’t think that way. Wouldn’t. “We have to find him!” Where? Oh Lord, where was he? She couldn’t breathe, could barely hear over the panicked beat of her heart.

Jack pulled her against him and whispered into her ear, “We’ll find him, Ciss. I promise.”

Anger and frustration filled her. “How could you let B.J. go with Tanya?” Cissy demanded, rounding on Jack, ready to strike at anything, to accuse anyone.

He flinched. “Don’t go there, Cissy. Not now.”

“But I warned you. I told you she was…was…”

“You said you trusted her,” he reminded, throwing her own words back at her, and she knew he was right.

“Oh,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I’m just so scared. So damned scared for Beej.” Her insides turned to water, but she knew that Jack was right. B.J. was missing, most likely in the clutches of whoever had murdered Tanya. Horrible scenarios of her frightened child—in pain, in fear, lost and lonely—streaked through her brain. He would be looking for her, and she wouldn’t be there. Tears rained from her eyes. Cold, certain fear crawled through her as Jack steered her into the living room.

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