Tyler’s face flickered. “That’s — Mom, that’s crazy, that’s not—”
“Get my phone. My photos. I saved the warning. I saved it because you were leaving for college and I was scared. Look.”
With shaking hands, Tyler scrolled to the saved image.
The warning. The photo.
The face now shouting behind my basement door.
I watched my son’s world tilt.
“That’s… that’s not Aidan,” he said weakly. “The name says—”
“The name says Marcus. And last month a different warning called him Ryan. And before that, Devon. He uses a new name every time, sweetheart. He used a new name for you.”
“No.” Tyler’s voice broke. “No, he — we’ve been together three months, he wouldn’t—”
“Tyler.” I made my voice as gentle as I could with a 911 operator still on the line. “Has he asked you for anything? Money? Passwords? Has he asked you to co-sign anything, or add him to anything, or take out any kind of loan?”
The silence that followed was the worst silence of my life.
Because my son’s face crumpled.
“He said—” Tyler’s voice was tiny now. “He said his financial aid fell through. He asked if I’d… if I’d add him to my account, just temporarily, so his mom could send money somewhere safe. I was going to do it this week. I have the forms in my bag.”
The forms were in his bag.
We’d been one week away.
PART 3
