Page 29 of What Remains

Mac nodded. “More than likely, retrieving them from wherever she’s squirreled them away.”

“Because sheknowswe can’t refuse her.” Driver’s fists balled. “That’s the only reason she pulled this stunt.”

“Take it easy,” Mac said, his tone still mild. “There’s no need to get intothatnow.”

“I’m sorry?” Roni looked from Mac to Driver and then back again. “You knowwhyshe did this?”

Okay, that was a surprise. He’d imagined Driver had told her. Flowers certainly had talked himself hoarse on the drive here and told him exactly whatthatwas.

But that was the trouble with guilt of which he had a lot of firsthand experience. Talking didn’t necessarily help. Guilt was the blood Lady Macbeth just couldn’t wash away.

“Look,” he said, making it a point not to so much as glance in Flowers’s direction, “whatever history is between you guys and Shahida is your business. What’sourbusiness is what do we do now? Because we already have a very big problem.”

They listened as he explained about the numbers, keeping it short and simple. After a moment’s silence, he said, “You know where this is going, right? She already snuck in more than she ‘fessed up to, and now she’s trying to strong-arm you into taking even more.”

“We don’t have the room,” Mac said.

“Maybe,” Flowers said, “if me and Meeks stayed behind?—”

“No,” Driver said at the same time that Mac said, “Absolutely not. We are positivelynotdoing leaving anyone behind. That is a setup for disaster.”

“Yeah, Flowers,” Meeks said, “volunteer yourself.”

“Get real. We’re adults. These are just boys.” Flowers shook his head. “But, man, IknewI shoulda gone that diet.”

“Mind you, I’m not volunteering,” Meeks said, “but Flowers does make a good point.”

“About a diet?” Flowers asked.

Meeks rolled his eyes. “We got to get rid of two adults or even three, but that still might not be enough room.”

“So, we need a bigger boat,” John said.

Mac blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“Jaws,” Flowers said. “Great flick. It’s criminal how underappreciated Roy Scheider is.”

He really liked this guy. He could imagine cracking a couple brews, popping some corn, and sitting through, say, a Humphrey Bogart marathon. Better yet, Cary Grant’s Hitchcock movies. But what John said was, “We need more vehicles.”

“Which we ain’t got and haven’t a prayer of getting, not in time,” Mac said.

“Unless Shahida brings backanothervehicle,” Roni said. “She’s not stupid.”

“Oh, no? Shall I simply chalk this up to her impetuousness?”

“No,” John said, “you should chalk it up to the fact that she knows you won’t do anything about it. Nothing to her, anyway.”

“Whatever she does, we can’t leave kids behind.” When they all looked at Flowers, he shrugged. “We just can’t.”

“I’m open to suggestion,” Mac said.

They all thought about that for a second, and then John put a hand to his head. “We are so stupid.” When they all turned puzzled looks, he said, “We’re so focused on all or none. Why don’t we think in halves?”

“I don’t understand,” Mac said.

“I do.” Roni smiled up at John. “I think it’s the only option.”

Driver frowned. “I still don’t?—”

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