Into the Whirlwind Read Online Free PDF Page A

never quite escaped his Texas roots. “So what have you got so far?”
    â€œNot much. Little boy disappeared between two and three this afternoon. Took him out an upstairs bedroom window. I found some footprints leading out through the alley. Meg’s dad’s on his way over. I need to talk to him, see if he knows anything that might help.”
    â€œIf he’s got ten mil in ready cash, he’s the target.”
    â€œI’ll be working that angle. In the meantime, I need you to take a look, see if the house is being watched. If it’s clear, we’ll knock on some doors, ask a few questions. See if somebody saw a vehicle out of place in the neighborhood or someone loading something into the back of a car. We need to figure out who took the boy and where they have him now.”
    â€œGive me the address.”
    Dirk rattled off Meg’s address. “If they’ve got a man out there, I don’t want him to know we’re doing anything but gearing up to pay the ransom.”
    â€œIf he’s out there, he won’t see me, but you can bet I’ll see him. I’ll keep you posted.”
    â€œThanks, Luke.”
    â€œStay on the straight and narrow with the babe, yeah?”
    â€œI hear you. I’m not going down that road again.”
    Luke ended the call at the same time Mrs. Wills appeared, coming back in from the family room.
    â€œAny news?” she asked.
    â€œWe’re working on it,” Dirk said. “Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? You won’t do Meg or Charlie any good if you’re exhausted.”
    The woman glanced toward the stairs. “I’d rather stay here. Maybe I could just sleep in one of the guest rooms. Do you think that would be okay?”
    Dirk looked over at Meg. Tears were back in her eyes. Damn, he hated seeing her this way.
    â€œOf course you can stay.” She wiped away a drop of wetness. “I’ll wake you up if anything happens, okay?”
    Rose nodded, turned, and lumbered toward the stairs. He’d considered asking Meg how much she trusted the older woman, but unless Rose Wills was the best actress on the planet, she was grieving for the boy nearly as much as Meg.
    A firm knock sounded at the door.
    â€œThat’ll be my dad.” Meg took a deep, steadying breath and started for the entry.
    Dirk stepped in front of her, blocking her way. “Let’s make sure.” He strode to the door and looked through the peephole, saw a tall man on the porch with powerful shoulders, once-red hair turning gray, a firm jaw, probably early fifties, looked younger, obviously kept himself in shape.
    Dirk stepped back out of the way. “It’s him.”
    Meg unlocked the door. She looked up at her father and burst into tears. “Daddy . . .” She went into his arms and they closed firmly around her. Maybe her father’s money hadn’t been the problem between her and Dirk, but clearly this man was an important part of Meg’s life.
    O’Brien’s laser-blue eyes zeroed in on him, took in his slightly too long hair, the faded blue work shirt and muddy jeans he hadn’t taken time to change out of. The look of contempt the man sliced his way said Edwin O’Brien was at least part of the reason Meg had refused to give their relationship a chance.
    â€œIt’s all right, sweetheart,” her father said. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to get our boy back.”
    Meg sniffed and wiped her eyes. She forced the semblance of a smile as she turned to Dirk. “Dad, this is Dirk Reynolds, the private investigator I told you about.”
    Instead of extending a hand, her father gave a faint nod of his head. “Reynolds.”
    Dirk was forced to respond in kind. “Mr. O’Brien.”
    Meg didn’t miss the insult. She was tall, and as she pinned her father with a glare, seemed to grow even taller. “Dirk’s here because I asked him