Chapter 3 - THOMAS
Thomas looked exactly like the son I remembered.
Gray sweater.
Dark jeans.
Hair neatly combed.
Eyes tired.
He walked into the hospital room carrying nothing.
No flowers.
No diaper bag.
No clothes for Mason.
Nothing a frightened father would normally bring.
He looked at me.
“Mom.”
I didn't answer.
His eyes moved toward Mason.
“Is he okay?”
I wanted to believe the concern in his voice.
I desperately wanted to.
But I had heard him say:
You took his clothes off?
And:
It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
I crossed my arms.
“What happened to your son?”
Thomas swallowed.
“I don't know.”
“That's not good enough.”
“Mom—”
“No.”
My voice shook.
“I spent thirty-four years believing I knew you.”
He looked away.
“Please.”
“Did you hurt Mason?”
His face went pale.
“No.”
“Did Ellie?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He said nothing.
“Thomas!”
His eyes filled with tears.
“I can't.”
“You can't?”
“I'll lose everything.”
“You already lost your son's safety.”
His face crumpled.
For one moment, I saw my little boy again.
Then the man beside him stepped forward.
He was tall, perhaps fifty, wearing an expensive navy suit.
“Mrs. Russell, perhaps this conversation would be better handled privately.”
I stared at him.
“Who are you?”
“Richard Kane.”
“Thomas's supervisor?”
“Yes.”
“What does a supervisor have to do with my grandson?”
Richard smiled.
It was the wrong smile.
Too calm.
Too rehearsed.
“I think there's been a misunderstanding.”
Detective Reed appeared behind me.
“There has.”
Richard's smile disappeared.
“Detective.”
“Mr. Kane.”
They knew each other.
That terrified me.
Detective Reed stepped forward.
“Why did your company have access to a camera inside the Russell nursery?”
Richard didn't answer.
Thomas looked at him.
“Don't.”
Richard turned sharply.
“Thomas.”
“You said you'd handle it.”
“I am handling it.”
“No.”
Thomas shook his head.
“You said nobody would get hurt.”
My heart stopped.
Detective Reed looked at him.
“Nobody would get hurt?”
Thomas realized his mistake.
“That's not what I meant.”
“Then explain.”
Thomas looked at me.
“Mom…”
“Tell them.”
His lips trembled.
“I was trying to pay off a debt.”
I felt as though someone had punched me.
“What debt?”
“Work.”
“What does that mean?”
Richard stepped forward.
“Thomas is under considerable pressure.”
“Pressure doesn't break a baby's ribs.”
Silence.
Thomas closed his eyes.
Then he whispered:
“They told me Mason wasn't supposed to be touched.”
I couldn't breathe.
“What?”
Thomas started crying.
“They said they only needed photographs.”
“Photographs of what?”
“Mason.”
“Why?”
He looked at Richard.
Richard's face hardened.
“Enough.”
Detective Reed stepped between them.
“Mr. Kane, you're not leaving.”
Richard laughed.
“You don't have authority to detain me.”
“We'll see about that.”
Thomas suddenly grabbed my hand.
His fingers were ice cold.
“Mom, I never wanted this.”
“What did you do?”
“I borrowed money.”
“For what?”
“To save the company.”
“Your company?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward Mason.
“My company was never mine.”
The room went silent.
Richard turned toward the door.
Two officers blocked his path.
“Mr. Kane, you're going to stay here.”
Thomas whispered:
“They've been using families.”
My stomach turned.
“What families?”
He looked at me.
“I don't know.”
“Thomas.”
“I swear.”
“What does Mason have to do with them?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“He was supposed to be the last one.”
A nurse suddenly ran into the room.
“Detective!”
Everyone turned.
She held a tablet.
“We found something in the medical records.”
“What?”
“There was an emergency visit for Mason six weeks ago.”
Thomas froze.
“I was never told about that,” I said.
The nurse looked at Thomas.
“You were listed as the father who brought him.”
Thomas stared at the floor.
I whispered:
“You lied to me.”
He didn't answer.
The detective took the tablet.
“Where did you take him?”
Thomas finally looked up.
“A private clinic.”
“Which one?”
He hesitated.
Then he said a name.
And Detective Reed's expression changed immediately.
May you like
Because apparently…
that clinic had been closed for nearly two years.
