Chapter 5 - THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Noah stopped speaking to Daniel.
Whenever the man entered a room, Noah moved behind Elena or Margaret.
Cole noticed.
So did Marcus.
One afternoon, Cole sat beside his son in the garden.
Eli was building a dinosaur fortress nearby.
“Noah.”
The boy looked up.
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask you something?”
Noah nodded.
“Why did Mr. Cross tell you to find the silver bird?”
Noah's expression changed.
He looked toward the house.
“Because he said Mommy wanted me to.”
Cole felt his chest tighten.
“What exactly did he say?”
Noah swallowed.
“He said Mommy left me a secret.”
Cole waited.
“And?”
“He said if I found it, maybe Daddy would stop being sad.”
Cole closed his eyes.
His son had been manipulated through the one thing he wanted most.
A happy father.
Cole took a breath.
“Noah, listen carefully.”
The boy looked at him.
“Your mother loved you.”
Noah nodded.
“And nothing you find or don't find will change that.”
Tears filled the child's eyes.
Cole continued.
“And you are not responsible for making me happy.”
Noah began crying.
Cole pulled him into his arms.
“I'm your dad. I'm supposed to take care of you.”
Noah clung to him.
Then whispered:
“Mr. Cross said you'd hate me if I broke it.”
Cole's expression hardened.
But his voice remained gentle.
“I could never hate you.”
Noah sniffled.
“Even if I break Mommy's things?”
“Even then.”
Eli looked up from his dinosaurs.
“Even if he breaks a hundred?”
Cole smiled faintly.
“Even a hundred.”
Eli considered that.
May you like
Then nodded.
“That's good.”
