Dark Horse

57

Okay," Landry said. "Here's how we're playing it. I'm going in first with the uniforms."

I let him talk, not caring what he said, not caring what his plan was. All I could think of was Molly.

If someone had harmed that child…

I thought of Chad and Erin running at large. If they had come back to the house-

"Elena, did you hear me?"

I didn't answer him.

He turned in at the driveway and ran the car onto the lawn. A radio car turned in behind us. I was out of the car before it was stopped.

"Dammit, Estes!"

The front door was open. I went through it without a care to what danger might be on the other side.

"Molly!"

Landry was right behind me. "Seabright? It's Landry."

"Molly!"

I took the stairs two at a time.

If someone has harmed that child…

L andry went toward Seabright's home office. The house was eerily silent, except for a small, faint sound coming from beyond the office doors.

"Seabright?"

Landry moved along the wall, gun drawn. In his peripheral vision, he saw Elena bolt up the steps.

"Seabright?" he called out again.

The sound was growing more distinct. Singing, he thought. He sidled along the door, stretching his arm as long as he could to reach the doorknob.

Singing. No, more like chanting. "All I ever wanted was a nice life."

Molly!"

I had no idea which of the closed doors belonged to her. I stood to the side and opened the first one I came to. Chad's room.

If someone has harmed that child…

I shoved open another door. Another unoccupied bedroom.

"Molly!"

If someone has harmed that child…

The third door opened an inch and hit something. I shoved at it.

"Molly!"

If someone has harmed that child…

The doors to the study fell open, revealing a gruesome tableau. Krystal Seabright stood behind her husband's desk, covered in blood. Blood streaked her bleached hair, her face, the pretty pink dress she had been wearing when Landry had seen her earlier. Bruce Seabright was slumped over his otherwise immaculate desk, a butcher's knife sticking out of one of perhaps fifty stab wounds in his back, neck, and head.

"Jesus God," Landry murmured.

Krystal looked at him, her eyes glassy and wide.

"I only ever wanted a nice life. He ruined it. He ruined everything."

I f someone has harmed that child…

I pulled back, took a deep breath, and rammed the door with my shoulder as hard as I could.

"Molly!"

The block on the other side of the door gave a few inches, enough for me to wedge into the opening and shove it a few inches more. Someone had piled half the furniture in the room as a blockade.

"Elena!"

Molly ran into me full force. I fell to my knees and caught her in my arms and held her as tightly as I had ever held anyone in all my life. I put my arms around Molly Seabright and held her while she cried, and held her for a long time after that.

For her… and for myself.