Page 21 of Wait for Me

That private investigator that Logan had sent… There was no way he’d find out anything beneath the surface.

She had told him the truth about her name, her hometown, and her day job. Yes, she had earned a master’s degree in linguistics. Yes, she was a certified translator. However, she also had other training.

Other…things.

“Right, Mom?” Little Jonas tugged at her blouse.

It reminded her of when he had been a baby, clinging to her shoulders and chest as she carried him everywhere on her hip.

She missed those days of motherhood.

How many more years of Jonas’s life would she miss?

Would Jonas grow up remembering happy moments with her at all, or would he always think of her as the mother who had left him.

My boy is growing up faster than I can keep up with his life.

Soon, she’d head back to France, to her undercover work, and this dream family vacation would simply be a memory marker, a vapor once again.

“What is it, love?” Marie asked gently, not wishing for her moment with Jonas to end. Maybe if she could remember this time, she wouldn’t feel too bad later.

“I can eat a whole fish!” Jonas said. It seemed to be a repeat of something Marie had missed hearing. “Right, Mom?”

“Depends on the size of the fish. Some fish are so huge that they could feed many people.”

“Wow. Can God make such a big fish?”

“God made all fish, love,” Marie said. “He is the Creator of all. He also created you and me.”

“And Daddy too,” Jonas added.

Marie nodded. “And Daddy too.”

Logan pocketed his iPhone. “And Daddy what?”

Marie didn’t answer.

“God gave me Mommy and Daddy,” Jonas said.

Logan grunted as his iPhone pinged again. He was back on it, swiping, tapping, disappearing into his business zone. Pretty soon, he let go of Jonas’s hand.

The look on Jonas’s face pulled at Marie’s heart.

In the distance, another tour bus disgorged more people. If they didn’t hurry, there would be no place for the Urquhart family to sit anymore.

They had to find three empty seats at any table before lunch was served. One parent had to stay with Jonas while the other parent went to get drinks and plasticware. Mrs. Ping wasn’t with them because she had opted to check out the Mendenhall Glacier instead. And Logan wasn’t helping.

Marie felt like she had to…

And she did.

She stepped in front of Logan and peeled that phone off his ear. She turned it off, and slid it into her own purse. “Your son is more important.”

Logan looked stunned.

Positively stunned.

Chapter Ten

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