Chapter 6 - Tomorrow Morning
The street went silent.
Even Grant seemed to realize what he had admitted.
Diane recovered first.
“We were taking the baby to my sister’s for two days so Claire could rest.”
Claire looked at her. “You never told me that.”
“You would have said no.”
“Yes.”
Diane blinked, thrown by the answer.
Claire continued, “Because he’s my son.”
Grant stepped forward. “He’s our son.”
Officer Ramirez raised one hand. “Stop.”
The suitcase was removed from the trunk but not opened further until consent and legal authority were sorted out. The airline itinerary, however, was already visible in a clear folder tucked into the side pocket.
Two seats.
Diane Mason.
Noah Mason.
No ticket for Grant.
No ticket for Claire.
Departure: 7:10 a.m.
Destination: Phoenix.
Claire stared at the page.
“Your sister lives in Oregon,” she said.
Diane’s mouth tightened.
Grant jumped in. “Plans changed.”
“To Phoenix?”
“Mom has friends there.”
Claire turned to Ramirez. “They were taking him.”
Grant exploded.
“Nobody was taking anybody!”
Noah startled awake and began to cry.
Claire immediately turned away from Grant, rocking the baby gently.
That small movement seemed to settle something inside her.
She no longer wanted explanations.
She wanted distance.
Officer Patel asked whether Claire had somewhere safe to go.
Claire hesitated.
Her sister Rachel lived forty minutes away, but Claire had not spoken to her in almost six months.
Grant had spent years explaining why Rachel was “toxic,” “jealous,” and “bad for the marriage.”
Claire now wondered how many of those conclusions had actually been hers.
“I have a sister,” she said.
Grant’s head snapped toward her.
“No.”
It was only one word, but everyone heard the command inside it.
Claire looked at him.
“You don’t decide that.”
His expression hardened.
Officer Ramirez stepped between them again.
By 1:43 a.m., Grant was taken into custody for investigation related to the assault and interference with the emergency call. Diane was not arrested that night, but officers told her she could not approach Claire while the immediate protective order was being arranged.
As Claire climbed into Rachel’s car outside the hospital, she expected relief.
Instead, Rachel handed her a sealed envelope.
“I didn’t know when to give you this,” her sister said.
Claire stared at it.
“What is it?”
May you like
Rachel swallowed.
“Grant’s first wife mailed it to me two months ago.”
