“Tomorrow, you’ll see,” Maggie whispered.
“Goodnight” was all Ellie said.
The next morning, after a quick breakfast of bad coffee and stale pastries, they headed to the car. Maggie was bouncing in excitement.
“Too much coffee?” Ellie asked.
“I’m going to pick up my kid.” Maggie shot a look at her friend. Honestly, people without kids never understood the bond a parent formed with her children. Sometimes, Maggie wanted another child,but sometimes, she suspected her stress and heart couldn’t contain two such bonds.
Ellie was silent as they drove through the early-morning streets. Finally, a block from Leon’s house, Ellie said, “I hope you’re right.”
Maggie glanced at her only long enough to smile. She knew she was, but knowing something—even knowledge that was marrow-deep—wasn’t the same as being able to explain it to another person.
Leon’s neighborhood was one of those overpriced, carefully manicured developments that could be anywhere in the U.S., no soul, no substance. Every driveway was paved; every house was the same basic model. Even the shrubs were matching.Behold my wealth,the neighborhood’s design said clearly.
Maggie slowed the car so they crept up on Leon’s house. He ought to have been gone, and his wife was always off to the gym earlier—that had been her routine when she was Leon’s employee, and Maggie doubted it had changed much. Craig would likely be home alone. “I’m going to park in the street in case Craig and I need to get away quick. You slide into the driver’s seat and—”
“They lied,” Ellie said. She gestured toward the front door of the McMansion in front of them. “Thatishim, right?”
Craig was walking down the steps of the oversized front porch.
Maggie nodded, swiping at the tears that were dripping down her cheek. Then, she was out the door. “Craig!”
She started running toward him when her son stood as if frozen in the very manicured front lawn. “I’m so sorry. I was trapped after the accident and…” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek and forehead. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call or—”
“Who are you?” Craig pulled away and stared at her.
“What? I’m your mother. What do you mean—?”
“My mother died. What sort of sicko are you?” Craig glared at her like she was monstrous.
“It’s me.” She reached out to her son.
Craig took another two steps back toward the house and shoved a hand in his pocket. “Look, I don’t know who put you up to this, but you’re sick.… I mean, pretending to be my dead mother? You don’t evenlooklike her.”
“Iamher. I’m me, I swear. I didn’t die, obviously. I was held captive, but as soon as I could, I escaped so I could find you.” Maggie knew in some part of her mind that his reaction was because of magic, but shefelther son’s fear and rage. He was wrecked emotionally, and it made her want to wail.
She noticed his pocket light up. He’d shoved his hand into his pocket to use his phone.
Craig yelled, “Dad? There’s someone at the house—”
Maggie knew better than to react with violence. She did—but she still tackled her own son to the ground and tried to get the phone away from him.
“No! You have to listen.” Maggie tried to get the phone even as he tried to twist away. “Listen to your mother!”
Her ex-husband’s voice came through the phone. “If you stayed in the damn house, this wouldn’t be an issue.”
Apparently, she’d turned it to speaker phone when she’d tried to take it.
“Help!” Craig cried out. There were tears on his cheeks. Her son was terrified.
Of me.
“Craig?”Leon continued to yell. “I’ve called the police. Get inside.”
From somewhere behind her, Maggie heard Ellie’s voice, a car door slam, but all she could think was her son would believe her if she explained well enough. Hehadto. Once he did, they could escape Leon.
Instead, Craig punched her and scrambled away.
