And for the first time that morning…
she looked like she wanted to believe him.
But then her phone rang.
Both of them froze.
The screen showed one name.
Dean.
Mara immediately grabbed the phone.
She stared at it.
“Don’t answer,” Caleb said.
She looked at him.
“He’ll know something happened.”
“He already knows.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
Caleb swallowed.
“I saw him yesterday.”
Mara went still.
“Where?”
“At the pharmacy.”
Her breathing changed.
“What did he say?”
“He asked why I was buying vitamins.”
Mara’s face lost color.
“He knew?”
“I think so.”
The phone continued ringing.
Finally, Mara answered.
“Hello?”
Dean’s voice came through the speaker.
Cold.
Calm.
Too calm.
“Where are you?”
Mara looked at Caleb.
“Running errands.”
“With who?”
She hesitated.
“Caleb.”
Dean laughed softly.
“I asked where you are, not who you’re pretending to protect.”
Caleb felt his mother’s hand tighten around the phone.
“What do you want?”
Another pause.
Then Dean said something that made both of them freeze.
“I know you saw Evelyn.”
Mara stopped breathing.
“You don’t get to involve strangers in family matters.”
“She’s a doctor.”
“She’s someone who doesn’t understand our situation.”
“Our situation?”
Dean’s voice hardened.
“Mara, you know what happens if you make things difficult.”
Caleb felt his mother go pale.
“Dad?”
Dean heard him.
The silence on the other end lasted only a second.
Then Dean spoke.
“Caleb, give the phone to your mother.”
“No.”
Mara looked at him.
“Caleb—”
“No.”
