“What did he do?” I asked.

“He got a phone call a few minutes ago,” Dylan said. “He started screaming at Valerie. Then he threw his glass against the wall of the villa.”

I pictured the expensive rental in Maui, now stained with sticky juice and broken glass.

“Did he hurt either of you?” I asked, my voice dropping.

“No,” Dylan said. “But he’s packing his bags. He says we have to leave tonight.”

“Tonight?” I asked.

“He says his credit cards aren’t working,” Dylan whispered. “He’s yelling at the front desk on his other phone. Valerie is locked in her room crying.”

I looked out at the dark silhouette of my father’s land.

The concrete slab was a grey rectangle in the grass.

“Dylan, listen to me very carefully,” I said.

“Okay,” he said.

“I am going to get you and Chloe out of there.”

“How?” he asked. “Dad said we’re all flying back to Dallas first, then driving. He’s furious, Mom. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“He won’t be taking you anywhere,” I said. “I’m booking you a flight directly to Austin.”