Chương 4
The oldest male disaster on earth.
“You thought you could handle him.”
“I told the firm the assignment was based on false information. I closed it. I told Derek the trail was cold.”
“And then?”
“He hired somebody else.”
Emily’s throat tightened.
“I found out because I saw the second investigator outside your building.”
“So what did you do?”
“I stayed.”
She looked at him.
“You stayed.”
“I watched him. Not you.”
“That distinction probably comforts you.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Denise shifted slightly but did not interrupt.
Adrian stared at the floor for a moment.
“I should have told you that first week.”
“You shouldn’t have spoken to me at all.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Because you did more than speak to me.”
His face tightened.
Emily’s voice nearly broke, but she forced it steady.
“You came into my apartment.”
“I know.”
“You met my sister.”
“Yes.”
“You slept in my bed.”
“Yes.”
“You let me tell you what Derek did.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Emily saw the answer before he gave it.
“Yes.”
“And every single time I told you I was scared he’d find me, you already knew he was looking.”
“Yes.”
The room was very quiet.
Noah made a small sound against her chest.
Emily kissed the top of his head.
She did it because he was there.
Because that was one thing she could do without uncertainty.
Then she looked at Adrian.
“Get out.”
He nodded.
Before he reached the door she said, “Wait.”
He stopped.
She hated that part of herself too.
The part still asking.
“Why did you disappear?”
Adrian kept his back to her.
“Derek found out I lied to him.”
“How?”
“He followed me.”
Emily felt a slow, terrible pressure behind her ribs.
“When?”
“Four and a half months ago.”
“Before you left.”
“Yes.”
“What did he see?”
“He saw me leave your building.”
Emily stared at Adrian’s back.
“He knew.”
“He suspected.”
“About the baby?”
“Not then.”
“So you ran.”
Adrian turned.
“I thought if I cut contact, he’d focus on me.”
“You thought wrong.”
“Yes.”
The admission came without defense.
“Six days ago he was waiting outside my grocery store.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“He hit me because I wouldn’t get into his car.”
His hands curled once.
Then opened.
Emily almost admired the restraint.
Almost.
“He told me you were gone because you’d finally figured out what I was.”
Adrian looked sick.
“I didn’t know.”
“That is not an apology.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that.”
He nodded.
Emily looked at the black-and-gold pen beside her water.
“Did you know he found me before today?”
“No.”
“How did you get here?”
“I’d been following him.”
The room went still again.
Emily stared.
“You were what?”
“For three days.”
Rachel muttered, “Oh, for God’s sake.”
Everybody looked at her.
Rachel lifted both hands.
“Sorry. Continue.”
For the first time all day, Emily laughed properly.
It lasted two seconds and hurt her stitches.
Then she cried.
Not dramatically.
Her face folded, and she turned it into Noah’s blanket because she did not want Adrian watching.
He did not move toward her.
When she could speak again, she said, “You don’t get to protect me by doing the same thing he did.”
“I know.”
Emily glared at him.
He corrected himself.
“You’re right.”
“Leave.”
This time he left.
For the next twenty minutes, Emily did nothing except hold her son.
Denise filled out no forms.
Rachel checked the IV site that no longer needed checking.
Outside, someone laughed near the nurses’ station.
A baby cried in another room.
Life continued with offensive normality.
Eventually Emily said, “I need a lawyer.”
Denise nodded.
“I can give you legal-aid contacts.”
“And I want to know what my options are before anyone puts anybody on Noah’s legal paperwork.”
“I can arrange that.”
Rachel stood.
“I’ll print a clean worksheet too.”
Emily looked at the clipboard.
“No.”
Rachel paused.
“Leave that one.”
“The one he signed?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“No.”
Rachel accepted that answer.
Emily was discharged the next afternoon.
She did not go back to her apartment.
Denise helped arrange a temporary stay at a domestic-violence safe residence operated through a local nonprofit. Emily hated the phrase safe residence. It sounded like a place where nobody left toothpaste in the sink.
In reality it was a converted townhouse with two families, a television nobody could agree on, three mismatched high chairs, and a washing machine that made a grinding sound during the spin cycle.
It was safer than her apartment.
That was enough.
Her younger sister, Natalie, arrived carrying four grocery bags, a diaper bag, and enough anger to power municipal lighting.
“You had a baby yesterday,” Natalie said. “You are not allowed to have an international espionage plot.”
“It’s not espionage.”
“A private investigator dated you after being hired by your abusive ex to find you.”
“When you say it like that, it sounds bad.”
Natalie stared at her.
Emily sat carefully on the couch.
“I’m joking because if I don’t, I might bite somebody.”
“That would be understandable.”
Noah slept through the conversation.
Natalie looked down at him and immediately lost half her fury.
“Oh, he’s tiny.”
“He was larger yesterday.”
“That is not how babies work.”
“I haven’t slept.”
“That part I believe.”
Natalie washed her hands and sat beside Emily.
For a little while they talked about Noah’s nose.
Neither woman knew whose nose it was.
That felt like mercy.
Adrian did not call.
He sent one message through Denise.
I will not contact Emily directly. I have records related to Derek’s attempts to locate her, including my original contract, email instructions, invoices, and notes. I will provide them to her attorney or law enforcement if she wants them.
No explanation.
No declaration.
No request to see Noah.
Emily read it four times.
Natalie read it once.
“At least he’s learned punctuation.”
“He always had punctuation.”
“I’m trying to hate him productively.”
May you like
Emily handed back the phone.
“I don’t know if I hate him.”
