Page 26 of Silent Echo
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
W e arrive at the bus terminal with time to spare. Sebastion is fidgety and cranky.
“I’m tired. And it’s hot. I wanna go home.”
“Why don’t you read a book?”
He makes a face.
“Fine. You’ve already had too much screen time today, but I’ll make an exception.
” I pull out my iPad and load one of his games.
The Wi-Fi is turned off, so it can’t be tracked.
I hand it to him with earbuds, and he’s blessedly content for now.
No one tells you how hard parenting is, but most parents aren’t under this type of stress.
Once we’re settled in Los Angeles, things will be great again.
My phone buzzes, and I look down. Nora. “Hey,” I answer.
“Penelope! What have you gotten yourself into! The FBI is looking for you. They say you kidnapped that boy.”
I look around the crowded station. “It’s complicated. I can’t really talk here. But it’s not what you think. I rescued him.”
“Honey, please come back. We can figure this out together. His mother is beside herself. She thought he was dead all this time. How could you do this?”
It occurs to me that they could be tapping this line now.
What if Nora is cooperating with them? I end the call.
I need to get rid of the phone. Think, think.
We’re sitting close to the counter, and I strain to hear where the woman at the window is going.
She’s going to New Jersey, and her bus leaves at the same time as ours.
I watch as she struggles with her bags and wrangles two small children.
Luck is with me as the group sitting beside us gets up and leaves.
She takes their place. When her back is to me, I slip the phone into the front pocket of her purse.
I’m getting really good at this. I should write my own book about disappearing one day.
Five minutes later, they leave. Problem solved.
That should divert them until we’re on the bus headed to California.
I tap my foot, waiting for the minutes to pass, my eyes trained on the entrance as each new person walks in.
Just another hour before we can board our bus.
I’ll make Nora understand. She’ll be on my side when I explain what an absentee mother Charlotte was to Sebastion.
How she sent him to school sick, how she was so cold when he wanted her attention.
Also, my suspicions that she has a problem with alcohol.
Nora won’t be able to deny that he’s much better off with me.
She’ll bring the boys out to see us after the trail has gone cold and the FBI has given up.
I’ll have to pick up another phone along the way.
But for now, I’m relieved nothing in our possession can be tracked. We’re almost home free.