Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25 Hours later, Dan stared out at the pounding rain. The palm trees were bending like dancers. From here he could just make out the white line of the surf. The sun had set long ago. They were trapped for the night. "Not exactly blowing over," he said. "More like blowing." "Who knew?" Alistair said sheepishly. "I haven't been watching the weather. As soon as I get a clear signal, you can call Nellie. There's plenty of room here for you to spend the night." Alistair was staying in the only finished house on the island, on the edge of the construction site. It had been planned as a resort, but the Ekaterinas had bought it as a site for a possible stronghold. They were still deciding whether to finish it, but, in the meantime, Alistair came now and then. The house had one large room downstairs that

was open on all sides and had a double-height ceiling. Alistair had closed sturdy wooden shutters when they had come up from the beach. Upstairs was a complete living area, with two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a small kitchen. The rain was still pattering lightly while they finished a meal of vegetables and rice. Alistair tried Nellie on his phone and she answered. He put her on speaker. "Who is this?" she barked. "It's Alistair Oh, Ms. Gomez. I'm calling to tell you that Dan and Amy are here with me and—" "Are they safe?" "We're safe, Nellie!" Amy called. "I'll come and get them." "No need. The weather—" "I don't care about the weather! Where are you?" "Nellie, we're on an island. We'll be back in the morning," Amy said. She could hear real concern in Nellie's voice. "We're sorry we didn't leave a note."

"We can talk about the fact that you totally freaked me out for an entire day another time. Right now I'm coming to get you." "Ms. Gomez— Nellie— I'm afraid you will have to wait until morning," Alistair said reluctantly. "I swear I will deliver the children to you myself." "Don't bother. I'll be there tomorrow morning." After Alistair gave her directions and assurances that he'd fed them dinner and Dan had chimed in about the sad lack of dessert, Nellie said a reluctant good night and she'd see them tomorrow. Early. "Now, I think it's been a long day and we should all retire," Alistair said in his formal way. "You'll be safe here tonight." A few minutes later, Amy did feel safe as she snuggled under the cotton quilt. Alistair had loaned them each one of his soft white cotton T-shirts to wear to bed because their clothes still smelled like fish and saltwater. The wind and rain had stopped, and a fresh breeze wafted through the window. Amy fell asleep listening to the faint

rustling of the palms. Far away, a motor softly purred out on the dark sea. She was so tired that she hoped she wouldn't dream. At first she thought she was still hearing the whisper of the leaves outside. The noise was so soft. She turned over and felt herself slipping back into sleep. She could still smell the smoky trace of their dinner…. She sat up. She could smell it now. She could see the wisps of smoke curling in the moonlight. Panic shot through her. But she couldn't seem to move. She was seeing another night, another time. Fire. Amy holds her mother's hand. She cries as they run down the stairs to the first floor. "Get the children out!" her father shouts. He's in the den, pulling books down off the shelves. Looking for something… "Daddy!" she screams. She holds out her arms and he stops for a second. "Angel," he says, "go with Mommy." "No!" She sobs as her mother pulls her away. "No! Daddy!"

"Arthur!" her mother shouts. But she continues on with Amy and Dan. Cool night air, damp grass against her bare legs. Her mother leans over her. She takes Amy's face in her hands. "Look at me," her mother says, the way she always does when she wants Amy to listen hard. "Take care of your brother. I love you." Amy screams, begs her to come back even as her mother races back into the burning house…. She was so intensely part of the memory that it wasn't until she started to cough that she realized fully this wasn't a dream. The house was on fire! Alistair appeared in the doorway. She saw the shadows of flames flickering on his face, and it sent a jolt through her body. Alistair was there that night, too. He had damp towels in his hands, just like her mother had on that night so long ago. He closed the bedroom door and put the wet towel against the crack. Then he bent over double, coughing. He was standing next to the fireplace, his face in shadow. Pants ironed to a knife-crease. Gray suit, bright yellow tie. He coughed politely. "Let's calm

down. We are only here to take what is ours." Dan sat up in bed, coughing. The sound of his distress helped Amy to move. She threw off the sheet. Alistair rushed toward Dan. He pressed the wet towel against Dan's face. He put an arm around him and started to lead him to the window. "Hurry!" he called over his shoulder to Amy. When she got to the window, she saw smoke rolling out from below. She looked behind and saw the eerie sight of smoke blasting through the cracks surrounding the closed door. There would be no escape that way. "The ledge," Alistair said. Outside the window was a ledge wide enough to stand on. She heard the sound of shattering glass as the window blew out in the room next door. Alistair stepped out on the ledge and held out a hand to Dan. "Come on. The wind is blowing the smoke the other way. You can breathe out here." Dan stepped out onto the ledge. He gulped in the fresh air. Amy stepped out next. The wall