“Promise?”
Marcus had learned long ago not to make promises he couldn't control.
But something in the child's eyes made caution feel like cowardice.
“I promise you're not going with him.”
She nodded.
Then she came close enough to touch the faded patch on Marcus's vest.
It showed a lantern surrounded by small silver wings.
“What's this?”
“My riding group.”
“Are they all big?”
Marcus almost smiled.
“Some of them.”
“Are they scary?”
“Only before breakfast.”
For the first time, Chloe's mouth twitched.
A tiny almost-smile.
And Marcus felt his heart crack in a place he had forgotten was still breakable.
Then a woman's voice cried out from the end of the aisle.
“Chloe!”
The girl spun around.
“Mommy!”
Sarah Bennett came running.
She wore jeans, mismatched sneakers, and a pale blue sweater that looked as though she had thrown it on without checking whether it was inside out.
Her face was streaked with tears.
She dropped to her knees.
Chloe flew into her arms.
Sarah held her so tightly that the child disappeared against her.
“Oh, sweetheart. Oh, thank God.”
“I screamed, Mommy.”
“I know.”
“I ran away from him in the store.”
“You did exactly right.”
“And I found Marcus.”
Sarah froze.
Marcus felt it from across the aisle.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
She had changed.
Of course she had.
The young woman Marcus remembered had been twenty or twenty-one, quick to laugh and constantly brushing dark hair from her face.
This Sarah was in her early thirties.
Her hair was shorter.
There were tired shadows beneath her eyes.
But Marcus recognized her immediately.
She recognized him too.
“Oh,” she whispered.
Marcus rose.
Gary had been telling the truth about one thing.
Sarah knew exactly who he was.
The officers asked Sarah to come with them to speak privately.
Before she moved, Sarah looked at Marcus.
“Please don't leave.”
It wasn't a demand.
It sounded more like someone asking him not to disappear before she found the courage to explain something.
Marcus nodded.