Audra reached for the remote control, was about to switch the TV off when the anchor’s tone changed. He studied a sheet of paper that someone had placed in front of him.
‘Leaving events in Silver Water for a few moments,’ he said, his words faltering as he read, ‘we have a breaking report of multiple deaths in a mass shooting at a luxury home in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin. The name of the homeowner has not yet been made public, but we’re told he is a very prominent, very wealthy public figure in the tech industry. Details are sketchy, but it appears one or more gunmen entered the secluded property sometime between six and seven p.m. and opened fire on the occupants. The number of casualties is unclear at the moment, as is the fate of the shooter, or shooters. What we do know is that all the victims were adults, and the lives of three young children were spared. More on this breaking story as we get it.’
The anchor moved on to a political rally in Washington DC, protestors marching along a city street, waving placards and chanting. Audra switched the television off.
‘Was that Danny?’ Sean asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Audra said.
‘I hope he …’
Sean couldn’t finish the thought, the idea too big for him.
‘Me too,’ Audra said.
She kissed Sean’s head, took in the smell of him, still pure despite the hot shower he’d had earlier.
Mitchell had accompanied Audra inside the guesthouse, let her put the kids down for a sleep while they talked out in the corridor. Whiteside had been arrested on the spot; they’d been looking for him since Collins’ body had been found at his home that afternoon. Now he was somewhere in the same hospital, having his arm set and his other wounds tended to. Audra had made Mitchell swear not to let him take his own life. Make sure he stood trial for what he’d done. He would be placed on suicide watch, Mitchell had assured her.
The days ahead would be difficult; Mitchell had warned Audra of that, even though she didn’t have to. The questions would be unending, the authorities and the press lining up to squeeze every drop of information from her. But for now the world was quiet. She savored the peace while she could.
‘Will we still go to San Diego?’ Sean asked.
‘I don’t think so,’ Audra said.
‘Will we go back to New York?’
‘Do you want to? Your father’s there.’
Sean thought about it for a moment, then said, ‘No, I don’t want to go back there.’
‘Me neither,’ Audra said.
‘So where will we go?’
He turned his head to look up at her and she saw the man behind his eyes.
‘I don’t know,’ Audra said. ‘But we’ll figure it out. Together.’