Something tight snapped in his chest.
By the third message, Ethan was no longer walking.
He was sprinting.
“Dad… I’ve been sitting here a long time… my teeth hurt… my hands won’t stop shaking… she said if I move, it’ll be worse…”
The fourth message was mostly crying. Broken words. Apologies that made no sense for a child to give.
The fifth message made his vision blur.
“Dad… I feel sleepy… I’m scared to fall asleep… my teacher said when you get too cold… sometimes people don’t wake up…”
Ethan didn’t remember leaving the hotel.
He only remembered the valet handing him the keys to his black sedan and the city lights streaking past as he drove far faster than he ever allowed himself to.
He called his wife.
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