Lance’s footsteps pounded up the metal plank before he jumped the last few feet to the deck. Richard and Rick stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide as they watched the Baytown Police swarm the dock.

“Officer—”

“Where’s Skip?” he shouted, his steps not halting until he reached the two men. “When did you last see him?”

“Uh…uh…” Rick stammered, shaking his head in uncertainty, his eyes darting between him, his father, and the other officers.

Richard stepped up to him, a grimace firmly in place. “Fuckin’ hell.” Sighing heavily, he said, “Skip—”

“What? What about Skip?” Rick blurted, his brows lowered as he looked at his dad, confusion marring his expression.

“Boy, if the police are investigating a murder and they come hauling ass in here looking for someone, don’t you think they got a reason?” Richard bit out, staring at Rick. Turning back to him, he answered, “We got back to dock about an hour ago. Ain’t seen hide nor hair of Skip. He’s usually here this time of day, but not always.” Rubbing his calloused hand over his face, he said, “I’m sorry as hell, but I got no idea where he’s at.”

Lance turned around and shouted, “Burt, get in Skip’s office and check his computer.”

Mitch hurried up the plank as well and said, “Fastest search warrant I’ve ever seen. Judge Harris just sent the word to Mildred.”

Standing on the deck of the boat, feet apart and hands on his hips, Lance cast his eyes toward the bay. Would he have gone out on a boat? Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to see Harold Taylor walking toward the Carson boat.

“What’s goin’ on?” he yelled up.

“You see Skip leave this morning?”

Nodding, Harold replied, “He was here as I readied my boat, but I saw him get in his ol’ truck and leave real early. There was still a heavy fog out and he usually stays around in case he’s needed in the harbor, so it was strange.”

His gaze shot to Richard, still standing next to him, and he asked, “Old truck? What does it look like?”

“He’s got an old Ford…dark blue with some scratches on it. Had it for years, but figure it’s good to have around here for hauling all kinds of equipment—”

Calling into his radio, Mitch ordered, “Mable, get the license number of Skip Morton’s truck. Put out a BOLO and call it into Colt.”

“I’m going to the school to get Jade. I don’t want her unprotected,” he barked, jogging down the plank to the dock. Looking over at Ginny, he nodded as she called out she would ride with him. Hearing footsteps behind him, he glanced over his shoulder and heard Mitch order Grant to follow.

* * *

Blinking again, Jade gasped, “Diamonds? Di…what?”

“I don’t have time to waste time with you…just give them to me,” Skip said through gritted teeth. His eyes darted around again before he swung them back to her. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I’ve got to get those diamonds.”

Swallowing deeply, her chest heaved as he pulled a gun out of his deep coat pocket. “No…” she whispered, her mind racing to find an escape but seeing none. Her purse, with the bag of sea glass mixed with what she now knew were diamonds, lay on the desk.

“I need those diamonds,” he reiterated, his eyes shooting back to the children’s frames, before he moved slightly toward the windows. “Did they use them? Are they mixed in over here?”

“Yes,” she lied, desperate to keep him away from her and on the other side of the room. “They used all the sea glass I brought.”

He swung his gaze around before grabbing a canvas bag full of books from the floor, dumping the contents. “Put ‘em in here. Now.”

Not seeing a choice, with the gun waving toward her, she walked over on quivering legs, her hand shaking as she lifted it to take the bag. Following his instructions, she picked up the first frame and placed it in. The cold barrel of the gun jabbed her between her shoulder blades.

“Hurry,” he growled. “You don’t gotta be careful. Just dump ‘em in the bag.”

“Why? I don’t understand?” she said, trying to get the frames in and praying he did not notice that all of them were just covered in sea glass. “Did you kill George? Were you the one?”

“He messed things up…for both of us,” Skip replied. “If he had kept doing what he needed to, we’d both be rich.”

“On stolen diamonds?”

“This was just part of it. Hell, we had it made—”

Hearing a noise at the door, they both turned around, but with the door closed and no one visible through the narrow window, she had no idea if someone was there or not.

Bill’s in the building…please let him come looking for me.

Poking her again, Skip ordered, “Hurry. Get ‘em all in.”

The canvas bag was full as she placed the last frame into the top, gasping as he jerked it out of her hands.

“Come on,” he said, waving to the door with his gun.

“What are we going to do?”

“I’m not going to hurt you, but I gotta take you with me. You’ll be my insurance for making sure I get out of here.”

“I won’t tell—”

“Shut up.” Cocking his head to the side, he said, “Did you hear something?”

Shaking her head jerkily, she said, “No. There’s no one here but me.”

“Bill’s here…that’s how I got in.”

Heart pounding, her breath caught in her throat. Oh, God…Bill let him in!

* * *

Lance, listening to Mitch on the radio, drove past the Baytown Elementary School’s parking lot first, looking over to see Jade’s loaner car in the lot and an old, dark blue, pickup truck parked to the side of the building.

“Son of a bitch,” he growled, still listening to Mitch’s instructions.

“There’s a side road that the buses use…turn down there and we’ll come up behind the gym where there won’t be any windows.”

Following the road around the curve, he pulled behind the school and parked just as Mitch arrived as well. Seeing another truck, the bed partially filled with boxes, he alighted from his vehicle with Mitch, Ginny, and Grant on his heels.

“Colt and some of his deputies are on their way,” Mitch said, “since the school is part of Baytown but also the county of North Heron.”

“That’s Bill’s truck,” Ginny said, jerking her head toward the red pick-up.

Mildred’s voice came over their radios. “10-24, 10-29. Reported intruder at the Baytown Elementary School.”

His brows lowered as he looked at Mitch, who spoke into his radio. “Who called it in?”

“Bill…said he saw Skip inside the school and he’s got a gun.”

“Shit,” he cursed. Staring at the large, one-story building, he knew it would be a labyrinth. Grimacing, he looked at Mitch. “You know the layout?”

“For emergency purposes, we have the area school buildings coded and the floorplans memorized. Stay with one of us.”

With a nod toward him, they drew their weapons and slipped through the door.

* * *

Opening the door with a shaky hand, Jade stepped into the quiet hall. The peaceful school, normally so full of children’s voices and the excitement of the day, now lay eerily silent. The bright halls covered with children’s art were now dimly lit, the shadows casting fear through her.

A nudge from behind caused her to stumble slightly, and she was surprised when Skip mumbled, “Sorry.”

As he stepped into the hall behind her, he instructed, “Go left. Don’t know if Bill’s still here, so we’ll take the long way around to the back door.”

With hesitation in her step, she moved forward, eyes shifting right and left, wishing some idea of escape would suddenly occur to her. Turning the corner, she gasped at the sight of Bill as he jumped behind another corner.

Skip looked over his shoulder at the empty hall behind him as he dragged her along with him. “Where does this lead?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Pods…first grade…pod,” she stammered, as she tried to not think about the weapon in his hands while refusing to take her eyes off it.

“Pod? Jesus, this place is a maze.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to explain the concept of pods for organizing an elementary school before realizing how ridiculous that would sound. His fingers, wrapped around her upper arm, tightened as she stumbled. The heavy bag of sea glass frames banged against her leg as they moved around another corner.

A fire exit door was in the middle of the hall and Skip pushed it open, dragging her along, his gun now facing forward. “Fuck,” he muttered, when they entered a center courtyard. Sweat poured from his brow despite the cool weather.

A shiver ran over her as the breeze hit her. He turned his glazed eyes to her, his chest heaving.

“How do we get out?” he growled.

Realizing he assumed the fire door led to the outside, she looked around the school’s garden courtyard and shook her head. “We have to go back inside the school,” she said slowly, forcing her voice to stay soft.

Turning, he grabbed her injured wrist as he headed back toward the door they just came through.

She cried out as the sharp pain stabbed her wrist. Tripping, the canvas bag hit the back of her legs and she stumbled through the door, Skip falling forward as well. She tumbled on top of his body. Before she could react, hands grabbed her waist and lifted her upright while Skip attempted to scramble to his feet.

“Come on,” a voice yelled behind her and, twisting her head around, she peered into Bill’s eyes. Trying to back away, he held onto her arm.

“But you’re with him. You let him in!” she said, struggling.

“No, I’m not!” he cried. “I saw you in the classroom and called the police. I’ve been following, trying to figure out how to help.”

Accepting his answer, they darted around a corner just as a gunshot rang out in the hall. Instinctively throwing her hands up over her head, she felt a chip of cinderblock slice her arm as the bullet slammed into the wall.

“Shit!” Bill cursed. “What the hell is he doing?”

“He wants the diamonds,” she replied, barely able to hear her words over the pounding of her heart.

“What diamonds?”

Giving her head a shaky jerk, she whispered, “I don’t know.”