Page 24 of Silent Echo

“Hear me out. Penelope already knows we’re on to her, so there’s no risk of my revealing that. The sister might respond better if I’m there. Who knows what Penelope has told her. Remember what Rebecca said about the story of Sebastion’s real mom being a drug addict and dangerous? If she sees for herself that I’m not that, she might tell us the truth.”

“I don’t know—”

“Honestly, what could it hurt at this point? Are you confident that you’ll be able to convince her that Penelope was lying? I really think I need to be there.”

Charlotte heard Agent Preston sigh. “All right. I’ll swing by and get you. Be there in fifteen.”

Charlotte went to her photo album on her phone and scrolled through, finding as many pictures of her and Sebastion as she could. She’d show them all to Penelope’s sister as proof that she’d been a good mother to him. She stopped and ran her finger over a photo of the two of them—Sebastion sitting on her lap. She missed him so much it hurt. She ached to hold him again, to kiss his cheek, and to inhale the sweetness of his skin. Her baby. Dare she believe that she might bring him home?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Icall my sister. “Change of plans. We’re leaving town today.”

“What? I’m not even going to get to meet my nephew? Where are you going?”

“It’s better if you don’t know for now. I’ll call you once we get settled. Sebastion’s mom is in town, and I can’t risk her finding us.”

“I understand, but I’m so disappointed. The boys were really looking forward to meeting Sebastion too. How are you getting … Wait, someone’s at the door. Be right back.”

I hear voices in the background. Sounds like two women.

“Pen, I gotta go. It’s the FBI! I’ll call you back.”

Panic seizes me. The FBI! How did they find Nora? That means they know I’m Cathy Miller. Shit, shit, shit! We need to get to the bus station fast. I’m about to order an Uber but then freeze. Can they track my phone? No, no, there’s no way they could know my burner number. I go to a browser and look up the Greyhound schedule. The next bus leaving from the Florida Mall is at 2:10 pm. It’s a sixty-eight-hour trip so it will take us two and a half days. This is going to be agony, but there’s no other option. I’ll turn it into an adventure. And really, it’ll be educational. Think of all the states Sebastion will get to see. I’ll pack lots of good snacks and some cozy blankets and we’ll be fine. My anxiety subsides. This is a good plan. The trip will give me time to plan our next steps before we arrive in Los Angeles. I’ll find a motel that accepts cash and won’t insist on identification. Now that Charlotte knows that Sebastion is alive, I’m going to haveto come up with new identities for both of us, but it shouldn’t be that hard now that I’ve done it once. And Mexico is close to California, so if worse comes to worst, we can disappear over the border and never be found. I’m quite sure two hundred K will be enough to keep us living in comfort there.

Sebastion is finishing up the French toast I ordered from DoorDash with the prepaid credit card I bought. I pick up a fork and take a bite. “Yum. So, listen, buddy. We’ll get going in a little bit and head to California. Isn’t that exciting?”

“Uh-huh,” he says, not taking his eyes off the show.

“I’ll just pack up our stuff. When your show’s over, I need you to get dressed. I’ll put your clothes out on the bed.”

As I gather our things together, I wonder if Charlotte is here too and how much she knows. I pick up my phone and call Rebecca.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Rebecca, it’s Cathy.”

“Don’t you mean Penelope?” Her voice is cold.

“What?” I play innocent.

“Don’t even. The FBI was here. I can’t believe you kidnapped that child. His poor mother. Do you have any idea what you put her through? She’s devastated.”

So, Charlotte was here. “What did you tell them?”

“I’m not giving you any information. But you should turn yourself in. Sebastion doesn’t belong to you. You’re a horrible person and I hope—”

I end the call. Screw her. What does she know about horrible people? Charlotte probably charmed her with her beautiful face, expensive clothes, and perfect hair.You already gave me all the information I need,Rebecca, I mutter under my breath, making a face. This means that they have my old address and have already gone there. Luckily, I cleared out. But now they’re at mysister’s house. Will Nora believe Charlotte and give them this address? I can’t chance it. I go to my Uber app and order a car.

I walk over to Sebastion and turn off the television.

“Hey!”

“Sorry, bud. But we have to go now. Throw on these clothes, no time to even brush your teeth. We need to leave.”

Ten minutes later, we’re in the car on our way to the bus station.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

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