Then the word came through, clear and certain.
“Roadkill.”
The room went silent.
We had Jake on the line.
And he was dying.
That single wordset everything in motion. The call was traced, and the scramble to save him was immediate—police rushing to the scene, helicopters lifting into the air, the FBI relaying information in real time. Scott and I did the only thing left to us: we clung to Jake’s voice, keeping him talking. This was our one chance to save our son, and the clock was already running.
“A helicopter is over the house now. There’s a car in the driveway,” Scott whispered in my ear. The FBI was feeding him information as it came in. “They think he’s still inside with Jake.”
The kidnapper?I mouthed.
Scott gave a single nod, listened to instructions over the phone, then raised his voice so Jake could hear. “Jake, is anyone in there with you?”
My hands were shaking so badly I had to brace my elbow against the counter to keep the phone from slipping. “Jake,” I said, forcing my voice steady, “did you hear Dad? Are you alone?”
“No.”
“No?” Cold rushed through me. “You’re not alone? Who’s with you?”
There was a pause. A wet breath. Something shifting faintly in the background.
“Him.”
I grabbed Scott’s arm, my heart beating way too fast.
“Where is he?” I whispered, fighting panic.
“Downstairs.”
Scott stepped back in front of me, his eyes fixed on mine, the other phone still pressed to his ear. He listened for half a second, then spoke fast and low. “They’re asking if he can see him. If he can hear him.”
I swallowed, my mouth bone-dry. I’d taken to repeating the questions because Jake seemed to respond better to my voice.
“Can you see him right now?” I asked, forcing a calm I didn’t feel.
Another pause. Longer this time.
“Not anymore.”
Scott turned away immediately and relayed it to the FBI, his voice clipped and controlled.
“They want him to hide,” Scott said, his fear ratcheting up. “Bathroom, closet, anywhere he can lock.”
I leaned into the mouthpiece, desperation slipping through despite my effort to keep my voice steady. “Listen to me, Jake.You need to hide. Right now. Can you crawl somewhere? A closet? A bathroom? Anywhere you can lock the door.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“He knows where to find me.”
Scott’s eyes widened. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Get him off the phone now! Hang up!”
“No.” I covered the receiver, refusing to let go while my son was still on the line. Still breathing. Still here. “He needs us.”
