Page 91 of Countdown

“There,” Vince said. He pointed to a man who’d shoved closer, not seeming to care about the dirty looks he was getting. “Maybe?”

Raina’s gaze was frozen on the boy. Her son. The child she’d carried in her body for nine months and given birth to. Then gave up to protect him.

“Raina?” He kept his voice low. Soft.

She jerked her gaze to his, tears glistening, determination in the set of her shoulders. He squeezed her fingers, then gestured with a subtle point in the direction of the guy he wanted her to look at.

She narrowed her gaze on the man. “I don’t know, Vince. No, I don’t think—” She pointed. “Him.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE

Raina spotted the man moving toward the boy who’d just finished his run. But he stopped and crossed his arms as another man raced to Michael, anger in every step.

“That him?” Vince asked.

“No. He’s too short and his skin is too dark.” The man grabbed Michael by the bicep and spun him around. Michael’s eyes went wide, then his chin dropped to his chest.

“I’d be willing to bet that’s his father,” Raina said. “I’m guessing Michael snuck out.”

“But why are they even here? If they weren’t going to let him participate, why bring him? That just seems cruel.”

“I don’t know. Parenting is tough enough, but when you have a kid as gifted as Michael, it was probably a compromise. Right now, I’m thinking Michael’s okay, which is great, but I don’t see anyone who even remotely resembles Kevin. I thought it might be that guy over there, but ... it’s not.” She sighed. This was a bust. But she wanted to get close enough to hear his voice. Just once.

Vince’s phone vibrated and he pulled it from his pocket. “It’s Gabrielle,” he said.

“Okay, see what she wants. I’m just going to get a little closer.”

“Don’t go too far.”

“I’m not.” She slipped closer with Vince right behind her, his phone pressed to his ear.

“No!” The boy’s shout pulled her to a stop.

Vince said, “Uh-huh. Okay. Raina?” She looked at him. “Does the name Simon Baldridge mean anything to you?” he asked.

Raina turned the name over in her mind while she kept an eye on the scene unfolding between the father and son. “No, never heard of him.” She hesitated. “I’ve heard of Christopher Baldridge. I think he’s the guy running for governor of California. Any relation?”

Vince spoke into the phone once more, and she focused back on Michael. He pulled away from his father’s grasp and shoved his board into the man’s hands, before spinning on his booted heel and exiting through the gate, straight into the thick of the crowd. Raina gasped and darted after him.

His snow boots didn’t slow him down one bit.

“Michael, wait!”

He either ignored her or couldn’t hear her, as he never slowed. The crowd didn’t seem to understand what was going on, but they didn’t stop the boy’s forward momentum.

“Raina!”

Vince’s voice in her ear nearly caused her to trip. Then she remembered the device. She looked back over her shoulder and spotted Michael’s father trapped by a line of reporters, who’d descended like vultures. She didn’t see Vince either. “Where’s security for Michael? He’s all alone and running off!”

“They’re looking for him. How far ahead is he?”

She darted around a mother and child. “I don’t see him! Vince, I’ve lost—no wait. There he is.” A figure dressed in a ski patrol jacket broke off from the crowd and fell into stepbehind Michael. But something was wrong with his uniform. His pants didn’t match the others’. Goggles were raised and on top of his head. A head she recognized. Raina knew exactly where Kevin Anderson was. “I see him, Vince. I see Kevin! He’s going after Michael!”

“Where?Ican’t seeyou!”

“Head toward the ski lodge. The one near the parking lot.” An event van pulled up next to Michael, and the driver got out to open the door to unload his passengers while Kevin closed in from behind. “Hey, Michael,” Kevin called. “Wait up.”

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