run. I donât take my phone with me when I run, you know?â She did know. Running was like meditation for him. He didnât like to be disturbed. She used to worry that he wouldnât be able to call her if he needed to. âWhen I got home I checked my phone before I went to take a shower. I didnât have any messages. Then, later, Kel called and asked when I was bringing Aidan home and we realized something went wrong. We came here and heâs gone. I donât have any messages on my phone, Lex. Not the one from Kelly, and not the one to her saying I could pick him up. Who could do that?â
âWas the door locked at your apartment?â
âNo. Iââ
âDonât like the jingling,â she interrupted him, remembering. âSo anyone could have come in.â
âI guess. Or maybe something happened with my phone. Maybe he was here alone and someone grabbed him up.â Ian took a shaky breath.
âI donât think anyone at the school would have left him standing here alone. If kids arenât picked up, theyâre brought back inside so a parent can be called.â
âWeâre going to start searching as soon as the police figure out a grid or something,â Ian explained, waving a hand of irritation at the group of officers. Kelly and Ron were surrounded by another group of official-looking people, being swarmed with questions.
âScrew that. Letâs go.â She was the one pulling Ian away. Her car was on the other side of the parking lot so it was easy for them to get out.
She started driving up and down the streets, looking for Aidan. The windows were down, as if theyâd be able to hear him yelling for help.
After the third block, Lexi began to really think about the situation.
A stranger wouldnât have just wandered into Ianâs apartment at the exact time Kelly sent that text. She had an idea. Maybe someone wanted to be . . . helpful.
âIan?â
âYeah?â
âIs Meeghan working today?â
âUm. Iâm not sure. Why?â She didnât ask why he didnât know his girlfriendâs schedule, though she did wonder.
âCall her. See if she has him.â Lex started driving toward Kellyâs house while he fumbled with his phone.
âI donât think she would have done this,â he said, holding the phone to his ear. âHey, itâs me. Do youââ
They were already pulling up in front of Kellyâs house. Lexi could see Aidan running around in the front yard while Meeghan sat on the steps with her phone in her hand.
âWhat the hell were you thinking?â Ian started yelling as he jumped out of the car. Lexi hadnât even gotten it in Park first.
âWhat the hell are you doing with her ?â Meeghan fired back as Aidan came over to Lexi looking upset.
âWhy are they fighting?â he asked, giving her a hug. Lexi already had her phone to her ear.
âHeâs at your house. Heâs fine. Heâs safe. Heâs home,â Lexi said to a hysterical Kelly as soon as she answered.
âOh my God!â Kelly cried. âThank you. Weâre on our way.â
âMommyâs coming,â Lex told her nephew and led him down the sidewalk, away from the screaming coming from Ian and his girlfriend.
âIs Meeghan a stranger?â he asked. âI wasnât sure. She said she was picking me up because Uncle Ian was out for a run. I figured it was okay because she was at my house before. Did I mess up?â
âNo, sweetie. You did not mess up. Sometimes grown-ups mess up. It was a miscommunication.â He laughed at the big word. Lexi smiled and rephrased for her smaller audience. âGrown-ups donât always tell each other important things.â She couldnât help but think of how true that was. All the important things sheâd never told Ian. She glanced over, seeing him still yelling. Ian and Lexi had