Easter's Lilly (46 page)

“
Not yet,” Hector said. “We really need to see John.”

“
Let’s go check out that bedroom,” Max said to me.

Hector looked at him in amazement. “You and Diego are just the same. Leave her alone for five minutes.” I laughed.

“
I’m going to go check on the boys.” I got up from the table and left. They were all muttering something in Spanish as I went to the boys’ room. I noticed a breeze, as I got closer to the door and my heart started to race. I quickened my pace and saw Chris sleeping peacefully in his crib. I looked over at Dieguito’s bed and he was gone. The window was wide open with the light blue curtains were blowing in the wind. “MAX!” I screamed. “MAXWELL!” All the men came running down the hallway. “He’s gone, Dieguito’s gone!”

Max and Hector drew their guns and Max said to Diego, “Stay with Lilly and the baby.” They ran outside the back door and started chanting his name, “Dieguito, Dieguito…” The sound was deafening.

I knelt down on the ground and grabbed his teddy bear. Whoever took him, left it behind. I put my face against the side of the bed. Diego stoked my hair and then picked me up off the floor and sat with me on little Diego’s bed. I put my head on his shoulder as he comforted me. All of a sudden, all the other stuff was no longer important. A little time had passed and Max and Hector returned without my son. Max reached for me and Diego passed me to him like a rag doll. “I called the FBI and the police, baby girl. We’ll find him.”

“
Who?” I asked Max. Then I looked at Hector. “Who would do this?”

“
I don’t know,” Hector said. “Could be Johnny, could be his brothers…”

“
Could be Elizabeth,” Diego interrupted.

“
Let’s not rule out Jorge’s influence,” Max reminded us. “I don’t want to speculate. I want to find him. And when I do…”

“
We know,” Diego said. “No reaction time.”

* * * * *

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