The old man stopped in an alleyway and motioned for them to follow him down a steep set of steps that led them to a bas.e.m.e.nt-like apartment. That was when Jeremy felt the first stirring of fear. The old man turned into a monster then. He'd slammed the heavy door, then locked it. Then Jeremy knew this was what his parents had warned him about. Kristen started to cry, then wet herself; she was so frightened. Being the big brother, he knew it was up to him to protect his sister. "Shhh," he'd said to her as the man locked the dead bolts on the door. She nodded, but she continued to cry silent tears. Her bottom lip quivered, and Jeremy put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her as far away from the monster as it was possible to get. She, in turn, wrapped her free hand around his waist.

"What do you want from us?" Jeremy asked.

The old man laughed, revealing decayed teeth, with several missing. "It ain't me that wants anything from ya, kid. Just shut up and be quiet, and this'll be over real quick-like."

Jeremy's pulse increased. He knew the old man was crazy when he started laughing hysterically. He took a cell phone from a small table, punched in a number, and said, "I've got two of 'em. "

"What are you going to do to us?" Jeremy shouted, not caring if anyone heard him. He wanted someone to hear him! Raising his voice as loud as he could, he yelled, "Look, you dirty old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you better let us go or . . . or my dad'll kill you!"

Sophie's vision instantly cleared. She was back in Toots's bedroom. She'd had her first clairsentience vision. Knowing time was running out for those two kids, Sophie practically flew down the steps to the kitchen.

"Okay, someone write this down or record what I'm about to tell you."

Officer Furdell removed a slender voice recorder from one of the many items attached to her police-issued belt.

"The kids left the bakery just as Jamie and Lucy said they did. A few yards away, they were approached by an old man. He reeked of alcohol. He told them he needed their help. They followed him to an alley. The alley is only a few blocks away from the coffee shop, where the parents were. They went down a set of steep stairs. It's a bas.e.m.e.nt apartment. One room. Filthy. It has one small window, but it's covered with something to block out the light." Sophie paused, trying to recall what else she'd seen in the apartment.

"Mrs. Manchester, Charleston has hundreds of filthy bas.e.m.e.nts that serve as apartments. Is there anything more specific? Did you see the children? Something that can validate what you've said," Detective O'Banyon asked.

Sophie shot Toots their secret evil-eye look, but she didn't comment. Now wasn't the time. Later, when the kids were safe and sound, then she was going to blast this redheaded b.i.t.c.h. Even more than she already had.

"Yes. The boy is tall and thin, with dark hair. He's just beginning to get peach fuzz above his lip. He's trying to protect the little girl. Her hair is long and brown. She was crying. Her hair was plastered to her cheeks."

Detective O'Banyon took a deep breath; then she looked at her watch. "Is that it? Can you tell me anything significant? An address, a sign, anything other than this generic c.r.a.p."

Toots took a step toward the detective, then saw the look on Sophie's face. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"The boy had on a navy blue T-shirt with a goofy-looking cartoon bird on it. I'm not familiar with cartoons. He had on khaki cargo shorts with deep pockets on either side. He wore a pair of black Crocs. The girl wore a pink skirt with a h.e.l.lo Kitty top. She wore Crocs, too. Hers were bright green with . . . with little pins placed on them." Sophie paused, eyeing the detective. "One other thing-Kristen wet herself. She does this when she's frightened. Is that significant enough for you, Detective O'Banyon?"

The detective quickly scanned her notes. "I don't know what to say, other than I owe you a huge apology. You've described Jeremy's shirt. It's not a cartoon. It's a game. Angry Birds. You'll find all versions of it on his Game Boy, according to the parents. Kristen wore the skirt with her favorite h.e.l.lo Kitty shirt." The detective looked as though she'd been blown away, Toots thought, and in a sense she had. Not many psychics were as good as Sophie.

"Well, don't just stand there and stare at me like I'm an alien. Get the h.e.l.l off your a.s.s and go find those kids. We're running out of time. Whoever took them is moving them to another location. Or do I have to prove that, too?" Sophie shouted, not caring if she p.i.s.sed off the cops.

"No. I do have one question. Would you do me the honor of riding in the patrol car with me? I think I might know this place."

"Why me?" Sophie challenged. "Afraid you won't be able to find them on your own?"

"Look, I'm sorry I doubted you. Ride with me and I'll tell you my reasons. Or not. It's up to you. As you said, we're running out of time."

Goebel spoke up. "Go on, Sophie. We'll be here waiting when you get back."

"Okay, let's go. And you'd better turn the siren on or drive as fast as you can, because some sick son of a b.i.t.c.h is on his way to pick up those children. If he gets to them before the cops do . . ." Sophie stopped talking.

Toots watched her. Sophie was having a vision.

"Those kids will never be found alive if we don't find them within the next hour. Now let's get the h.e.l.l out of here!" Sophie shouted as she raced for the front door.

Chapter 7.

Toots's house phone rang. She almost jumped out of her skin. The day had been quite strange, and she was on edge.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"Mom, it's me. There are police cruisers leaving your place. I saw them when I let Chester out. Is everything okay?"

"Abby, it's a zoo around here. Yes, we are all fine, but there are a couple of missing kids. They were last seen leaving The Sweetest Things, and, well, you can only imagine the rest."

"You're kidding! No, you wouldn't do that," Abby said. "Can you tell me the details?"

"I'd prefer to wait until there is some good news. The cops came here to question me, sort of. They thought Jamie or Lucy might've seen something, but they didn't. The parents are here visiting, and somehow they knew about Sophie and her abilities. A detective ran her through the mill, and Sophie is now with said detective trying to help locate the kids before it's too late."

"I thought you were going to wait for the good news!"

"Oh, Abby, you know I can't keep things like this to myself, especially after what you went through last spring."

"Chris and I are coming over. Be there in ten," Abby said before hanging up.

Two seconds later, Toots whirled around when she heard a tapping on the back door. Bernice almost broke her neck getting to the door. It was Robert, her paramour from next door.

Bernice lit up like a full moon. "Come in, Robert. We've just made a pot of that coffee you like so much."

Toots couldn't help but overhear Bernice. That's why she was going through that two-hundred-dollar-per-pound stuff like water. Not that she cared, but it was just Robert. He was a good old guy and totally smitten with Bernice. They spent their days walking back and forth to visit each other. Bernice would bring a pie. Robert would bring a recipe he'd clipped from a magazine. Bernice would prepare whatever recipe he clipped and turn around and bring that to him. It was hard for either of them to remain still for longer than an hour. Toots was sure she knew why they were doing all this back-and-forth stuff, and soon she was going to tell Bernice. Well, h.e.l.l, she was going to tell her now, while she had a minute before Abby and Chris arrived.

"Excuse me, Bernice, could you help me out?" Toots walked into the giant pantry.

"What do you want? I'm warming up an apple pastry for Robert. His sugar is low."

Toots rolled her eyes. Robert's sugar was fine. The old dude was as fit as a fiddle.

"You both need to stop this back-and-forth s.h.i.t, Bernice. It's driving us crazy. That d.a.m.n screen door gets slammed a hundred times a day. Now I want you to listen to what I am about to tell you. Then I want you to serve Robert his pastry before he keels over. You two need to screw, just do it and get it over with. I'll bet the bank Robert's as virile as a teenager. He has to be. Either that, or he's preparing for the Senior Olympics with all this d.a.m.ned walking. Now, do you get where I'm coming from, Bernice? And don't tell me Dr. Becker won't allow you to be s.e.xually active, because he says it's perfectly fine with him." Toots stopped to catch her breath.

"Then he's been discussing my medical status with you? I swear I will turn that man in to the American Medical a.s.sociation."

"Bernice, you signed over power of attorney to me last year when you had your surgery, so it wouldn't mean jack s.h.i.t to the AMA. Now, why don't you run out there, shake that skinny little a.s.s of yours while you serve Robert, then take him to bed. I know for a fact that Wade is out of town because Mavis has been tagging along with me all day."

Bernice, being Bernice, rolled her eyes, mouthed "F off," then shot Toots the bird before stepping out of the pantry. Toots burst out laughing.

"Mom, is that you?" Abby called out.

d.a.m.n, caught again. "Uh, yes, Abby, come in. I'm looking for some . . . artificial sweetener."

Abby peered around the door. "Mom, you are not looking for artificial sweetener. You wouldn't use that fake stuff if your life depended on it."

"Yes, you're right. I just needed an excuse to hang in here an extra minute. It's been an extremely long and tiring day. Come on, let's have some coffee, and I'll fill you in on what's happening."

Chris was already helping himself to a variety of the pastries from the plate in the center of the table. Goebel had made another pot of coffee. Ida went upstairs to change and missed most of the excitement. Toots guessed she had a million e-mails to take care of. Running a successful business was not all fun and games. Toots knew it to be a fact.

Mavis sat quietly at the table and slowly sipped her coffee. Bernice was practically salivating over Robert as she served his pastry. Goebel and Chris were at the opposite end of the table, speaking in low tones.

"Toots, this hasn't been a good day. Goebel filled me in on what's happening. I hope they find those kids before anything bad happens to them," Chris said between bites.

"I do, too." Toots had been there, done that, and certainly didn't want to go there ever again. Plus, she had that instance when Chris went missing, only to be found and accused of abducting Laura Leigh, that airheaded actress who was now getting $15 million a pop for all those ludicrous vampire films that were all the rage.

"They'll find them," Goebel said. "Sophie's with the detectives now. I think she was holding something back when she told that cop what she'd seen in her vision. I would bet anything Sophie knows exactly where to find those kids."

"Good, I hope you're right," Abby said. She poured herself a cup of coffee, took a sip, and wrinkled her nose. "Mom, is this that Dollar Store stuff you've been putting in the Kopi Luwak coffee tin?"

"You cheap old hag," Bernice said without missing a beat. "I thought I recognized this c.r.a.p."

Now that the cops were out of her house, Toots freely waved her middle finger about. "I have not bought coffee from the Dollar Store since I was married to Leland. That cheap son of a b.i.t.c.h actually liked it. So, Abby, to answer your question, no, I have not switched the good stuff with the bad. Here, let me have a taste."

Toots took a drink of Abby's coffee. "It tastes perfectly fine to me. Maybe you need more sugar. Here"-Toots added two hefty spoons of sugar to the cup-"try this."

Abby took a large gulp of the sweetened coffee. Her eyes were as big as saucers when she said, "Move!" She raced around the corner to the downstairs bathroom.

Ten minutes later, pale and trembling, Abby returned to the kitchen. "I wouldn't drink that coffee if I were any of you. It's bad. I think I was just poisoned."

At the mention of the word poison, Ida, who'd slipped downstairs without making a sound, was instantly alert. "What are you talking about?"

"Mom's Kopi Luwak coffee, the stuff she gets in Indonesia. Don't drink it," Abby cautioned.

Ida took a sip. "Abby, hon, there is nothing wrong with this coffee. Trust me, if it's laced with anything, I would be the first to pick up on it. Remember, Thomas was poisoned."

"If my recollection is correct, you wouldn't let us forget, Ms. Clorox Queen. You thought everything you touched would poison you," Toots said. They'd all been to h.e.l.l and back when Ida had OCD. She'd been pitiful, but recovered quickly when her new doctor paid extra attention to her. But that was in the past; and like she always said, "The past is prologue."

Ida gave her the single-digit salute as she drank her coffee, and read through what appeared to be a new stack of fan letters. "I'm not that way now, Toots, so hush. I have fans to respond to, not to mention a million requests to buy me out."

She probably did, Toots guessed. They'd all lost easily ten to fifteen years when they started using her new line of skin care for Seasons. Abby was using it now, and she glowed like a spring blossom.

"I wouldn't sell yet. You're having too much fun," Toots said.

Ida looked up from her paperwork. "I most certainly don't plan to, at least not anytime soon. I'm actually enjoying this, and not just the publicity. I like helping ugly people."

Coffee spewed from Toots's mouth like a geyser. "d.a.m.n, Ida, you're starting to sound more like me each day. I must be rubbing off on you."

Ida smirked. "Could be. Now one can only hope my cla.s.sy ways will do likewise to you."

"You two, stop it," Mavis said. "Now isn't the time to act like"-she wanted to say "children," but thought better of it-"two idiots," she finished.

"Mavis is right. Now isn't the time, so you just wait. When the time is right, I am going to really let you have it for that comment, Miss Cla.s.sy a.s.s," Toots said, but there was no real venom in her words. She was saying the words just to hear herself. Took her mind off those kids who were lost.

She prayed Sophie's vision was spot-on this time, because the lives of those two children just might depend on it.

Chapter 8.

As the police car sped along, Sophie looked down a second time to make sure her seat belt was fastened properly. She was having second thoughts about getting into the police cruiser with Detective O'Banyon, but she reminded herself that time was of the essence.

They sped through the side streets near Charleston's waterfront. She could barely read the signs as they whizzed by at full cop speed: KING STREET, CALHOUN STREET, MEETING STREET. Left, right, left. Sophie was totally ready to lose it, when Detective O'Banyon suddenly slammed on the brakes and practically did a one-eighty before coming to a complete stop on East Bay Street.

"Follow me," the detective said.

Sophie bit back a nasty comment, which was hanging on the tip of her tongue. She simply did as she was told, because just then it was all she could do to keep Toots's expensive coffee down after the harrowing ride. The kids, Sophie. Focus on the kids.

Taking a deep breath, Sophie trailed Detective O'Banyon. The redheaded cop removed a radio from her hip and spoke into it. All Sophie could make out was static, but she knew they were in the right location, that the kids were very close by. Actually, she could feel them, their fear, their sense of doom.

"Stop!" Sophie called out.

Detective O'Banyon and several more police officers turned to look at her. Not giving a flying frig what they thought, she said, "They are here. We are practically standing on them."

The other officers looked to the detective for further explanation. She held her hand palm up, indicating for them to be quiet. "Just listen to what she's saying," she admonished, then turned her full attention on Sophie.

Sophie took a deep breath and called up every psychic power she had. Closing her eyes, she waited for an image. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes and gasped.

Not wanting to lose whatever connection she had, she began to walk quickly away from the water. Then she started to run.

"Hurry!" she shouted out. Hopefully, they'd follow her, because they did not have a single extra minute to spare. As quick as the vision overtook her, it was gone. Now all she could see were dark alleys and the tall, stately mansions that shadowed them.

"s.h.i.t! Come on, come on," Sophie said out loud. She tried closing her eyes and opening them, anything to bring back the vision she'd just experienced. Sophie took a deep breath and felt her heart pound so hard against her chest that she thought it would explode.

The officers caught up with her. Gasping for breath, she pointed to the alley to her left. Before she knew it, the vision had overtaken her again. She turned in the direction her index finger pointed. Sophie didn't dare stop, because it was almost over.

At the end of the alleyway, Sophie turned around, her finger held out in front of her as if it were a Geiger counter. "Here!" she said in a loud whisper.

The cops and Detective O'Banyon circled her.

"Down there," she said, pointing to a set of steps that otherwise would've gone unnoticed. They were surrounded by banged-up metal trash cans and several dark green bags filled with G.o.d only knew what. There was barely enough room for the police officers to descend the steep flight of stairs single file.

Sophie knew that her work was finished. She saw her surroundings clearly and hoped like h.e.l.l she was right. If she wasn't, those kids were as good as dead. She'd seen it and knew it was up to her to lead the officers to them. She just prayed she'd hit the mark. Now was the time to trust her talent, not doubt it, she thought as she watched the cops move silently down the steps.

Chilled by the cool night air, Sophie crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she had on long sleeves instead of the sleeveless sh.e.l.l she wore. Goose b.u.mps dotted up and down her arms.

Below her, the cops shouted in harsh whispers, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Detective O'Banyon left her standing alone as she followed the blue suits downstairs. Curious, Sophie took a few steps forward, careful not to step on the garbage scattered at the top of the landing. a.s.saulted by the pungent odor of urine, mixed with enough alcohol to gag a maggot, Sophie looked down the staircase. The officers flanking the entrance had their weapons drawn, ready to aim at the front door. Detective O'Banyon knocked loudly on the metal door.

"Come out with your hands up now!"

Just like in the movies, Sophie thought, then mentally kicked herself for the comparison. There were children's lives at stake.