Page 129 of Sweet Little Thing

“Sounds like it.” I wasn’t sure I believed her. With the way she was handling her personal life, that kid had more drama coming in his future. That would either send him off the tracks or make him want more drama. “Could you put me through to my father, please?”

She paused. “Oh, I would. But he’s in Europe. I assumed you knew.”

Europe? “No, he didn’t mention it. Where in Europe?”

I heard her shuffling around, and her voice sounded muffled as if she were covering something up. “Switzerland, I think. He’s taken Wills to get settled into the boarding school.”

He had Wills in Switzerland to enroll in a boarding school. He was eight years old. Who the fuck sent an eight-year-old to boarding school? “Are you sure?” I asked her, still thinking therehad to be some miscommunication.

“Yes. I know,” she whispered. “I didn’t think it was even legal to send an eight-year-old off like that. But he did. I thought you knew. Wills’ mother knew. She sent over the signed paperwork.”

Hilda knew. She fucking knew and didn’t tell me.

Just when I thought she couldn’t be any more disgusting, she does this.

“Thank you.” I forced out the words before ending the call.

I wanted to hit something or throw the man I had believed was my father against a wall over and over. I wanted to make him beg for compassion. None of that would help Wills now. I had to take a deep breath and not think about how scared he had to be, not worry about his safety where he was. If I did, I would go crazy. Wills needed me to be smart and to move quickly.

I never imagined taking my time would lead to this. I was trying to be safe. Make sure when I went after custody of my son that, I had the power to win. But now it was time to move. To strike. To fucking get my son back in the United States.

Driving toward my lawyers’ firm, I called and let them know I was on my way and that

there was a development that would require immediate action. I’d tell them more when I arrived. While I was on the phone with my counsel, I thought about calling Beulah. Hearing her voice and talking to her about what had happened would help me focus. Now, more than anything, I wished I had brought her with me. I needed her.

The phone rang, and like all the numbers I had called trying to reach Wills, there was no answer. Slamming my phone down in the passenger seat, I focused on the road and went over all my options to get Wills back. Beulah would call soon. She was just busy. Gerry could be having a bad day. She was fine.

When she called, I would convince her to come here. Maybe that was what she had wanted to begin with, why she had gottenquiet and withdrawn. My not bringing her had hurt her feelings. I should have fucking thought about that. Once I had her with me, I could focus more on the situation instead of worrying about her. Wills was my son, and having Beulah a part of his life now was important for all three of us. Wills was going to need Beulah just as much as I did.

I glanced over at my phone feeling anxious and thought about calling Gerry now. No, I had to keep my focus on getting Wills back. If Beulah hadn’t called me by the time I was done at the law firm, then I would call Gerry. Beulah would be on a plane headed here by tonight.

Chapter

Eighty

Beulah

Although he was miles away, I still felt time closing in on me.

Stone had texted and called today. Both times, I hadn’t been able to respond. I didn’t want to lie to him, and I would have to if I texted or spoke to him on the phone.

Kissing him goodbye, knowing it was the last time I’d kiss him, had crippled me emotionally. I’d been on the verge of tears all day. More than once, I had thanked Geraldine for the job and all she’d done for me. How her friendship meant so much, and I cherished it. I hadn’t been able to tell her I was leaving and not getting to say goodbye to her had been hard.

Stone’s words had replayed in my head helping remind me why I was doing this. Why I had to do it. There was no other choice. My baby needed me, and I would protect it at all costs. Even walking away from those I had come to love.

I made my last day with Geraldine count. I spent time doing all the things I had been wanting to get to. I made her favoritemeals, and we sat outside like she loved to do. I listened to her stories and laughed, enjoying the moment. This would be my last memory with her, and I had soaked it all in.

Once she went upstairs for a nap, I made extra meals and placed them in the fridge, I did extra deep cleaning and got rid of all the outdated food in her pantry. Lastly, I called Shay and asked her if she could fill in tomorrow for me here. I had written a letter for Geraldine, and I knew once she read it that she would let Stone know. He’d get someone over here to stay with her until he found a replacement.

After work, I went to see Heidi. It was unexpected and much later than I had ever visited before. Heidi had been my number one priority for so long. Having someone who needed me more was odd. Thankfully, Heidi was safe and happy. I would one day make sure Stone was paid back for her care. She had never been his to take care of, but he had done it for me.

Leaving town meant distance between me and Heidi. She was happy with her friends and her home. Taking her from all that would be unfair. I wouldn’t go so far that I couldn’t visit her on Sundays, but I didn’t want to stay in Savannah where there were chances that I would come across people in Stone’s world.

When Heidi came out of her room and saw me walking down the hall, she beamed at me and ran to hug me fiercely. I held onto her tightly, trying not to cry. Visiting her several times a week had become our norm. But we had survived before with Sunday visits only. We could do it again.

She was the one person I couldn’t leave without telling her why. She depended on me, and I wanted her to understand why my visits were going back to one day a week.

“Beulah, you surprised me!” she said excitedly. I loved it when I got to do this and knowing these visits would now end made my chest ache.

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