"Your Son's Alive," the Boy Cried Outside the Car

CHAPTER 2 - THE ALLEY

"If this is a trick, it's a cruel one."

Charles crossed the street before Olivia could stop him.

The driver called after him, but Charles raised one hand and kept walking. The boy hurried ahead, sneakers splashing through shallow puddles. Olivia followed last, her heels slipping once on the wet pavement.

The alley smelled of rain, old brick, and restaurant grease from the next block over. There was nothing there now except two dented trash bins and a rusted service door.

The boy pointed to a low steam grate.

"He sat there," he said. "He was coughing. He asked me what day it was."

Charles looked down. A paper coffee cup lay on its side near the wall. Beside it was a folded napkin, protected from the rain under the grate's metal lip.

The boy picked it up and handed it over.

Charles unfolded it with stiff fingers.

Three words were written in dark blue ink.

Dad. Dock 14. Alone.

His chest tightened so sharply he had to put one hand against the wall.

Olivia let out a breath behind him. "Anybody could have written that."

Charles looked at the handwriting again. Liam had always made his D too large, as if he began every note with too much force. This one did the same.

"What's your name?" Charles asked the boy.

"Evan."

"Where are your parents, Evan?"

He hesitated. "My mom's working."

That answer held more than it said.

Charles turned to Olivia. "Why did he say you told Liam not to come home?"

Olivia folded her arms. "Because he's a child repeating something he barely understands."

Evan's face flushed. "I heard you on the phone."

Olivia's voice sharpened. "You have the wrong person."

But Evan stepped closer.

"You gave my mom money," he said. "You said if Liam came back, everything would fall apart."

Charles felt the alley tilt around him.

"My mother?" he asked quietly.

Evan nodded.

Before Charles could speak again, his phone rang.

He almost ignored it. Then he saw the screen.

Unknown number.

He answered.

For a second, there was only breathing.

Then a man's voice, weak and hoarse, said, "Dad... don't bring Olivia."

The line went dead.