He belonged with me.
Not because of paperwork.
Not because of biology.
Because I had been there.
Every fever.
Every nightmare.
Every first day of school.
Every scraped knee.
Every bedtime story.
I was his mother.
And whatever happened next, I would make sure he never had to wonder whether that was true.
—
Tyler called seventeen times.
I didn’t answer.
Then he started texting.
CLAIRE PLEASE.
YOU DON’T HAVE THE WHOLE STORY.
DO NOT LEAVE THE AIRPORT.
WE NEED TO TALK BEFORE YOU SPEAK TO POLICE.
That last message made Priya raise an eyebrow.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“People who have done nothing criminal rarely
lead with that.”
Another message arrived.
THIS IS BIGGER THAN MY FATHER.
Priya and I looked at each other.
Then:
MASON IS IN DANGER IF YOU START DIGGING.
My entire body went cold.
I called him.
He answered before the first ring finished.
“Claire.”
“What does that mean?”
“Where are you?”
“What does that mean?”
“I need to know where Mason is.”
“You don’t get to ask me that.”
“Claire, listen to me.”
“No. You listen. If you send me one more vague threat involving my son, I will hand every message to airport police.”
“It isn’t a threat.”
“Then explain it.”
Silence.
In the background, I could hear airport announcements.
Tyler lowered his voice.
“My father didn’t start this.”
“Start what?”
“The hospital arrangement.”
I looked at Priya.
She was already taking notes.
“Who did?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you say Mason was in danger?”
“Because someone
knew you were on that flight.”
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What?”
“I got a message during boarding.”
Every hair on my arms rose.
“What message?”
“An anonymous one.”
“What did it say?”
Tyler hesitated.
Then he answered.
“Your wife and the boy are in row thirty-two.”
I looked across the restaurant.
Mason was coloring on a paper menu.
Vanessa sat beside him.
My heart began pounding.
“Why didn’t you come find us?”
“Because I thought it was a bluff.”
“You stood in the cockpit knowing your wife and child might be on your plane, and then proposed to another woman?”
