Page 94 of Under Water

“Yes,” I tell her. “And try to keep them there.”

“Yeah, there’s no way I can do that without tipping them off. And it looks like they’re getting ready to leave.”

“Fuck, West. Hon, please don’t let them go.”

She hesitates. “Wait! I could throw my keys into the back seat of his car.” Her voice sounds like she’s walking now. “The back window’s open, and I have an AirTag on them.”

“If you weren’t married to Henry, I would propose literally right now,” I gasp.

There’s silence, and then it sounds like she’s running. “Done.”

“He didn’t see you?” I ask. I know I need to get off this call. I need to call Rune. Or the police. Someone who can do something.

“Uh…no. Okay, he’s at his car. He stuck the kid in the front seat, and he just got in. He doesn’t know the keys are in there.”

I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down. “I need you to call the police and let them know about the AirTag, okay? I’m going to call Rune, and then I’m going to head to your work.”

“Got it. Drive safe.”

I’m not going to drive safe. I’m going to drive like a goddamn maniac because I’m not capable of doing anything else right now. But I manage to dial Rune just before I pull out onto the street, and he answers.

“They found his chair,” Rune says. It’s obvious he’s been crying. “And his phone. I was tracking it. I thought maybe he was at the school still since he couldn’t fit the fucking chair in his car and…and he left everything. He has Elio and⁠—”

“We found him.”

Rune chokes. “What!”

“Neal took him to the café where North’s sister works. Westin recognized him.”

“Oh my god, she has him?”

“No,” I say, and he lets out a growl. “But she threw her AirTag into his car before he left, and she’s calling the police right now so they can track him, okay?”

Rune lets out a heavy sob. “Fuck. You’re serious?”

“I’m so serious. She’s calling the police to let them know.” Okay, Jesus, now I’m crying. I take a trembling breath. “I’m heading to the café now to meet West. How far away are you?”

“Uh…the one on Ninth?” he asks, sounding just a bit more put together.

“Yep. And Blackwood.”

“Two minutes. I—oh shit. Black-and-whites are heading that way,” he says in a rush.

“Go. I’ll meet you there,” I tell him. The last thing I want to do is hang up, but I’ll drive better if I don’t have him in my ear.

Dropping my phone, I hit the gas and somehow make it to the café just as a couple of officers are climbing out of their cars. Westin’s in front of the building talking to an officer who got there first, and a second after I pull in, Rune’s SUV peels up next to mine.

He’s an absolute fucking mess as he gets out, and I manage to catch his arm before he can rush Westin, and he immediately snaps out of his hyperfocus. His hand links with mine, and we approach as the officer looks over.

“I’m the dad,” Rune says, voice thick. “Elio—he’s my son.”

“Hey,” Westin says very quietly. She offers me something like a smile, then holds up her phone screen to show the AirTag being tracked. “He’s heading toward Hotel Circle.”

The officer passes a hand down his mouth, then nods. “If you’d come with me, we can follow the location.” He turns to Rune. “You two can follow behind, but I will ask you not to interfere until we’ve secured your son. His other father⁠—”

“He’s not,” Rune says sharply, then closes his eyes for a beat. “Neal is not his other father. He’s my soon-to-be ex-husband, but he has no real relationship with Elio. The school let him go with him, even though Neal was not on any of his paperwork.”

The officer’s eyes darken. “His other parent?”