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isn’t. I’m not going to let it. I’m going to make sure Charlie comes home to his mother.”
    O’Brien’s thick shoulders relaxed and he nodded.
    Dirk prayed it was the truth.

Chapter Four
    Meg sat next to her father on the living room sofa. “Have you told Mom yet?”
    â€œNo, and I don’t intend to. You know how she worries. She would be gravely upset and there isn’t a damn thing she could do.”
    Her dad had always been protective of her mother. Patsy O’Brien was a frail sort of woman, though not nearly as weak as her father believed. Still, he was right. Her mother would be inconsolable. If she were there, she would only make the situation more difficult for all of them.
    Meg looked up to see Dirk walking into the living room. She had always loved the way he moved, the long, impatient strides tempered by a sort of sauntering grace. She liked the way he wore his jeans, low on his hips, the faded fabric washed to a softness that outlined the muscles in his legs.
    He walked up in front of her father, who slowly rose from the sofa. Her dad was over six feet, but Dirk was taller.
    â€œI’ve given you some time with your daughter, time to sort all this out in your head. Now I’ve got some questions you need to answer. Questions I hope will get us closer to bringing your grandson home.”
    â€œAll right.”
    Both men sat down, her dad returning to his place beside her on the sea-green, pillow-backed sofa, while Dirk sat down in a matching overstuffed chair.
    Dirk leaned forward. “Let me start by saying revenge is sometimes a motive in kidnapping cases. Is there anyone you can think of, Mr. O’Brien, who might have taken Charlie to get payback for some kind of wrong he believes you’ve done?”
    â€œNo, of course not.”
    â€œYou might want to give yourself a moment to think about that, sir. Your grandson’s life depends on your honesty.”
    Her dad released a slow breath. “I’m a businessman, Reynolds. I’m worth a good deal of money. Have I made enemies along the way? Yes. Is there someone among them who would go after my grandson for revenge—I don’t know. I don’t think so, but there’s no way to be completely sure.”
    â€œFair enough. Let me ask you this: Is there anyone who might be trying to recover his money from a loss he feels you’re responsible for?”
    Her father frowned, pursed his lips, then started nodding. “Yes, I see what you mean. Most of the companies Burton-Reasoner owns have been profitable, but there have been a few that failed. If the doors were closed and someone lost his job—his paycheck—perhaps he would feel the ransom money was simply what’s owed him.”
    Dirk nodded. “His lost wages plus all the pain and suffering he’d endured.”
    â€œI suppose it’s possible.”
    â€œAny of those failed companies in this area?”
    Her father started to shake his head.
    â€œWhat about Solar-Renew?” Meg reminded him. “They closed down two years ago. I remember there was a lot of grumbling among the employees when it happened.”
    â€œYes, yes, you’re right. A couple of the top execs lost their jobs. Marcus Dunham and Bob Algreen were older, close to retirement age. I don’t know if they were ever rehired anywhere else.”
    â€œI need their contact info. And a list of all the employees who lost their jobs when the plant closed down.”
    â€œI can do that,” her father said. “Tomorrow, I’ll call—”
    â€œTonight, sir. If it’s possible. Time is of the essence in a case like this. It’s going to take a while to process the information.”
    Her dad flashed him a look she could have sworn held a hint of respect, rose from the sofa and pulled out his cell.
    â€œMy secretary makes a small fortune,” he said. “A few evening hours won’t hurt her.”