Chapter 25

twenty-five

PAUL

Half an hour later, I was still sitting on the sofa, thinking about Liam. Since Amy had come into my life, dating hadn't been an option. It wasn't until tonight that I could imagine myself spending time with someone else.

Liam was kind, sweet, and patient, and Amy adored him. Maybe, after we were living our normal lives, we could see if there really was something special between us.

But for now, we had to live under the same roof and keep away from the terrorists. If that wasn't enough to give me sleepless nights, then waiting to see if I was related to a stranger would do it.

A loud thump from upstairs brought me to my feet.

Amy hadn't been sleepwalking since we arrived, but that didn't mean she wouldn't start. My biggest worry was that she'd come out of her bedroom and forget she was in a different house. Stairs could be lethal at the best of times, and to a six-year-old who was still asleep, they were even worse .

I ran out of the living room and met Liam on the stairs. "Is Amy okay?"

"She was still asleep when I left my room."

I lifted my hand to my chest. "Thank goodness. I thought she was sleepwalking. Did you hear the bang?"

"Sorry, it was me." Liam's face was pale. He looked more stressed than I'd seen him in days.

"Are you all right?"

"The FBI called me a few minutes ago. The terrorist cell sent Alex Quinn a photo of Amy. They're threatening to hurt her."

My eyes widened. "But she's only a little girl."

"It doesn't matter. They want the program Alex developed, and they'll stop at nothing to get it." Liam handed me his cell phone. "Do you know where this photo was taken?"

I looked at the image. It could have been taken anywhere; a shopping mall, a supermarket, or any building where there were plenty of people and products. Instead of focusing on the building, I studied the clothes Amy was wearing.

My eyes widened. "This must have been taken in Milwaukee. In one of the stores at the airport."

"That's what I thought. Unless the man who tried to kidnap you took this photo, he had help."

A sick feeling settled in my stomach. Just when I thought my life couldn't get any worse, it had. And right at the center of all the fear was a stranger who could be my brother—and a little girl who saw her mom in the stars.