Million Dollar Marriage. Maggie Shayne

her pocket and she grabbed for it quickly, shut it off, and looked toward the couple in the bed. But the sound hadn’t pierced their drug-induced sleep. Glancing down at the beeper, she saw a familiar number on the digital readout.

      “It’s the hospital. I have to go. They wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t an emergency.”

      Lily nodded. And she looked almost…relieved. “Go ahead. I’ll be fine here.” Lucinda glanced worriedly at Matthew and Claudia. “If you’re concerned,” Lily went on, “then send Ryan up on your way out.”

      She nodded. “All right. I’ll do that. Tell Holden…” She paused as Lily’s brows went up. “Never mind,” Lucinda said, and she hurried out of the room.

      It was a crazy thought. An utterly ridiculous idea. Ludicrous. But Holden couldn’t get it out of his mind. It lingered there. Even while his mother was opening up the doors to admit Sam Waterman, a private security consultant Uncle Ryan had used before. Even while Sheriff Wyatt Grayhawk filled Sam in and the two of them concluded their questioning of the guests and gave the last of them the okay to leave. Even while the local cops were checking the trunks and back seats of the cars one by one before letting them pass out through the front gates.

      As soon as the sheriff and Sam finished questioning him, Holden headed back upstairs to Matthew and Claudia’s room. But when he burst through the door, he saw Uncle Ryan standing near the window, Lily wrapped in his arms.

      They looked up when he entered, and Holden could see the tear tracks on Lily’s face. Less evident, but still visible, was the worry in his uncle Ryan’s. “How are they doing?” Holden asked, glancing toward the bed.

      “Resting. I hate to think about what will happen when they wake.” Ryan shook his head. Holden nodded in full agreement and took another look around the room.

      “She had to go back to the hospital,” Lily said.

      He glanced at her sharply. “Who?”

      Lily just scowled at him. “You know perfectly well who. Lucinda Brightwater.”

      “Oh. Her.” Holden averted his eyes. He disliked Lily’s opinion of him, though he did nothing to discourage it. She seemed to agree with his own conclusion that he was too much like his old man to be trusted. Especially with nice girls…like Lucy.

      “Has the sheriff learned anything new?” Ryan asked.

      “No, not yet.” Holden looked at his cousin Matthew as he began to stir. “It’s still so soon. Look, something’s going to turn up.”

      Matthew’s eyes opened. He looked around, disoriented, blinking. Then he closed his eyes tight again. “Oh, God, Bryan…”

      “It’s all right, Matthew.” Lily rushed to the bedside.

      “It’s not all right. God, my son—” Matthew sat up in the bed, his head in his hands.

      Holden went to him. Moving Lily gently aside, he took Matthew by the shoulders. “Listen up, cousin.”

      When Matthew didn’t respond, Holden gave him a shake. Lily started to protest but Ryan held up a hand and she went still. “Dammit, Matthew, listen to me. You have to pull yourself together. Look around here. Look at your wife, for God’s sake.”

      Matthew looked sideways at Claudia. She lay curled in the fetal position, her eyes moving rapidly beneath lightly closed lids, her hair mussed, her breathing uneven and jerky.

      “She’s gonna need you, Matthew. She’s gonna need you solid and strong. This thing could take some time, and it’s gonna be rough on her. You go falling apart, and she’ll never get through it, you understand me?”

      Matthew lifted his head slowly, eyeing Holden. “Yeah. I understand.”

      “No more smashing glass or swinging shotguns around like a lunatic, then.”

      Matthew nodded. “What the hell do you suggest I do instead?”

      “Wait,” Holden said. “Your father has Waterman and Grayhawk turning over every rock. The FBI is going to be getting involved, as well. There’s not a damn thing any of us can do beyond what’s already being done. At least not until the kidnappers make contact again to set up an exchange.”