The Big Bad Wolf

for the parties he hosted, sometimes a couple a week. His extravaganzas were famous for their surprises—surprise guests, like the coaches of the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Heat; hot musical and comedy acts from Las Vegas; politicians and diplomats and ambassadors, even right up to the White House.
    “Guess we’re tonight’s surprise special guests,” Mahoney said, and grinned at me.
    “Flown in all the way from Dallas,” I said. “With our entourage of fourteen.”
    The guests, the nature of the glitzy party itself, made the operation tense, which was probably why Mahoney and I felt compelled to make a few jokes. We’d talked about waiting, but HRT wanted to go in now, while we knew the Wolf was there. The director agreed, and had actually made the final decision.
    A guy in a ridiculous sailor suit was vigorously waving us away from the dock. We kept coming. “What’s this asshole on the dock want?” Mahoney asked me.
    “We’re full up! You’re too late!” the man on the dock shouted to us. His voice carried above the music blasting from the back part of the mansion.
    “Party doesn’t start without us,” Ned Mahoney called back. Then he tooted the horn.
    “No, no! Don’t come in here!” Sailor Suit yelled. “Get away!”
    Mahoney tooted the horn again.
    The cruiser bumped a Bertram speeder, and the guy on the dock looked as if he were going to have a stroke. “Jesus, be careful. This is a private party! You can’t just come in here. Are you friends of Mr. Manning?”
    Mahoney tooted again. “Absolutely. Here’s my invitation.” He pulled out his ID and his gun.
    I was already off the boat and running toward the house.

Chapter 100
    I PUSHED MY WAY through the crowd of very well-heeled partygoers making their way to candlelit tables. Dinner was being served now. Steak and lobsters, lots of champagne, and pricey wine. Everybody seemed to have worn their Dolce & Gabbana, their Versace, their Yves Saint Laurent couture. I had on faded jeans and a blue FBI windbreaker.
    Coiffed heads turned and eyes flashed at me as if I were a party crasher. I was.
The party crasher from hell. These people had no idea.
    “FBI,” Mahoney called from behind as he led his heavily armed teams into the crowd.
    I knew from Sterling what Pasha Sorokin looked like, and I headed his way.
He was right there.
The Wolf had on an expensive gray suit, a blue cashmere T-shirt. He was talking to two men near a billowing blue-and-yellow-striped canopy where the grills were working. Enormous cuts of meat and fish were being prepared by smiling, sweaty chefs, all of them black or Hispanic.
    I pulled out my Glock, and Pasha Sorokin stared at me without moving a muscle. He just stared. Didn’t make a move, didn’t try to run. Then he smiled, as if he’d been expecting me and was glad I’d finally arrived. What was with this guy?
    I saw him flash a hand signal to a white-haired man whose arm was draped around a curvy blonde less than half his age. “Atticus!” Sorokin called, and the man scurried over faster than kitchen help.
    “I’m Atticus Stonestrom, Mr. Manning’s lawyer,” he said. “You have absolutely no reason to be here, to barge into Mr. Manning’s house like this. You’re completely out of line, and I’m asking you to leave.”
    “Not going to happen. Let’s move this private party inside. Just the three of us,” I said to Stonestrom and Sorokin. “Unless you want the arrest to take place in front of all these guests.”
    The Wolf looked at his lawyer, then shrugged as if this were no big deal to him. He started to walk toward the house. Then he turned, pretending he’d just remembered something. “Your little boy’s name,” he said. “It’s also
Alex,
isn’t it?”

Chapter 101
    SHE WASN’T DEAD!
How good was that? How amazing?
    Elizabeth Connolly was lost in her own world again, and it was the best place. She was walking a perfect beach on Oahu’s north shore. She was picking up the most amazing seashells, one after the other, comparing the textures.
    Then she heard shouts—
“FBI!”
She couldn’t believe it.
    The FBI was here? At the house?
Her heart pounded, then nearly stopped, then pounded again even harder.
    Had they finally come to rescue her? Why else would they be here? OhmygoodGod!
    Lizzie began to shake all over. Tears spilled down her cheeks. They had to find her and let her out now. The Wolf’s arrogance was about to burn him down!
    I’m in here. I’m here! I’m