Hunter groaned. “I’ll call you later.” Ten minutes later he was inside the Lodge, staring down at his bleary-eyed son.
Eli started with “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” He sat on the bed by his son. “First thing I need to know. You okay?” When Eli started crying, Hunter pulled him into his arms and held him close. Sometimes he forgot how young Eli was. Sometimes he forgot how sweet his hair smelled, how small his frame felt against him, but he never forgot how much he loved his son.
“Yeah.” His answer was muffled against Hunter’s neck.
“You sure?” he asked, holding his son tighter.
“I should have called you,” he said. “She...she said you wanted me to come to Granddad’s, so I went with her.”
He froze. “She?” He tried to pull Eli back, to look at him, but his son was clinging to him.
“Josie...” Eli cleared his throat. “She said you were working and she was going to take me home.”
Jo? It didn’t make sense. Jo didn’t want anything to do with Amy—she’d done her best to avoid all interaction with his ex-wife. Stirring up trouble like this, out of the blue, didn’t add up.
Eli was sobbing and Eli didn’t cry. Even when he was a toddler, he’d rarely had tantrums. Whatever had happened, his son was torn up about it. “What’s got you so worked up?”
“I didn’t want you to be mad at me.”
“Worried is more like it.”
“And M-Mom’s phone message. She was s-so worried.” He sniffed. “I didn’t mean to worry her like that. You can’t blame her or be mad at her or not let me see her anymore. It’s not her fault.”
Hunter sighed, hearing Amy’s words. “Eli, what happened?”
Eli sat back, frowning. “I told you.”
“Nothing else? You didn’t talk to Jo when she was driving you home?” In his gut he knew there was more to it. “Your mom is at the police station right now.”
Eli’s eyes went round. “Why?”
“She was talking about pressing charges against Jo, for taking you.”
Hunter saw fear on his son’s face, pure, unguarded fear. “She didn’t... B-but... All Josie did was pick me up. She picked me up and brought me here. That’s all.”
“She took you without talking to me or your mom. That’s a big deal. Some might say it’s kidnapping.” Hunter watched him.
“Kidnapping?” Eli was staring at him now, more tears appearing. “She brought me home. That’s all.”
He chose his words carefully, hoping to learn more. “Maybe. But she didn’t have permission. Did she say why?”
“She said... She said...”
Hunter took his son’s hand. “What did Jo say?”
Eli looked at his father, swallowing hard. “She said you sent her.” He cleared his throat. “You wanted her to pick me up ’cause you were working and she was supposed to take me to Granddad’s. That’s all.” His lower lip was wobbling. “You really think Mom will have her arrested?”
“I hope not.” He frowned. “No point, since you’re safe and sound. But I’m not too sure why she did it in the first place.”
“She...” He cleared his throat again. “She was acting a little weird.”
“Weird?”
“She smelled funny... Like Uncle Ryder does sometimes.”
“You’re saying she was drinking?” Hunter frowned. “Were you in danger?”