Free Without a Trace by Nora Roberts

sixteen.”
    “Played?”
    “Nothing.” He shook his head and tried to relax. “I spent a few days there with Charlie a few years back. Last thing I saw of the States was O’Hare Airport.”
    “Now it’ll be the first thing you see again.” She had a magazine in her lap, but instead of opening it she just ran a thumb along its edge. “I’ve never seen much of America except New York. I’ve always meant to. Flynn brought Caitlin to visit a couple of years ago, just after her mother died.” She let out a long breath. “They were both like lost souls. We went up the Empire State Building and to Rockefeller Center and had tea at the Plaza. Flynn bought her a little windup dog from a street merchant. She slept with it every night.” The emotion came so quickly, she could do nothing to block it. “Oh, God.” She pressed both hands to her face. “Oh, God, she’s only six.”
    There hadn’t been a woman in his life to comfort in too many years to count, but he hadn’t forgotten how. “Take it easy.” His voice was soft as he put an arm around her. “They’re not going to hurt her. They need your brother’s cooperation too much to risk it.”
    “But what are they doing to her inside? She must be so frightened. The dark— She still can’t sleep in the dark. Would they give her a light? Do you think they’d give her a light?”
    “Sure they would.” His hand stroked her hair just as his voice stroked her fears. “She’s going to be fine, Gillian.”
    Tears ran down her cheeks even as she struggled to calm herself. “I’m sorry. The last thing I want to do is make a fool of myself.”
    “Go ahead.” His hand ran rhythmically over her shoulder. “I don’t mind.”
    With a watery laugh, she fumbled for a tissue. “I try not to think of her too much. I try to concentrate on Flynn. He’s very strong and capable.”
    “And he’s with her. He’s taking care of her.”
    “Aye, they’re taking care of each other.” God, she needed to believe that. She needed to believe that before long she’d see them, whole and healthy and safe. “We’re going to get them out, aren’t we?”
    There were no promises in this kind of game. He knew that better than most. But she was looking at him now with brimming eyes and such desperate trust that he had no choice. “Sure we are. Didn’t Charlie tell you I was the best?”
    “He did.” She let out a little breath. Control was back, but she didn’t have as tight a grip on it as she would have liked. If she didn’t think about something else, every minute that passed seemed like an hour. “Tell me about your family. Do you have brothers?”
    “No.” He drew his arm away, because it would have been entirely too easy to leave it around her. “Sisters.”
    “How many?”
    “Three.”
    “That must have made life interesting.”
    “They were okay.” His lips curved as he lit a cigarette. “Chantel was the brat.”
    “Every family has one,” she began. Then it hit her, and she sat up straight. “Chantel O’Hurley? Chantel O’Hurley’s your sister? I’ve seen her movies. She’s wonderful.”
    The pride came, more intense than he’d expected. “She’s okay. Always leaned toward the dramatic.”
    “She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
    “And knows it.”
    “Then Maddy O’Hurley’s your sister, too.” More than a little stunned, Gillian shook her head. “I saw her on Broadway a few months ago. She’s very talented. The stage just lights up when she’s on it.”
    It always did, Trace thought. “She’s nominated for a Tony.”
    “She deserves it. Why, the audience nearly brought down the roof when she went into the number at the endof the first act. You should have seen …” Her words trailed off when she realized that he should indeed have seen but, for reasons yet unknown to her, hadn’t. “Your third sister?” she asked, wanting to give him both time and room.
    “Abby raises horses in Virginia.” He crushed out