ke

ndows with a cruel brilliance. I woke up on the sofa in

rubbing

e night before c

l for Aver

ai

fight Aver

d cold, settled

mess

had mes

d been so fragile, threatening to swallow a whol

d walked into

ent was de

" I cal

ans

the master b

noc

ou up? I orde

enc

d the

ck

p this. Ope

hin

prick at the ba

emergency key from my safe, and

e key in an

ck cli

the doo

om was

d was

tine, the sheets pulled t

e no one had

et door

pt

ve

phone and dial

aled is disconnected or

d at th

onne

rni

ately di

my assistant answered. "Track her p

What's

ne. Just

n't w

ck of the Maybach,

places. Central Park. The Met. The library.

ing every resource my hockey franchise and personal empire could afford, my voi

one b

as L

d up from your building at 5:00 AM. Drop off was

od ran

that

in the league's locker

profile problems w

ress," I said,

screeching U-turn, igno

my knuckles white, as we spe

nondescript brick bu

eptionist. "Avery Mont

sturbance!" a security gua

ng!" I shoved my Black Card and my franchise

oking calm but stern. "Mr. Kni

I demanded, my

ut thirty minutes ago,"

her maiden name stung. "What

rivacy laws," the nurse said. "But she le

a thick mani

ook

king so badly I a

l open right the

hings f

e papers. Signed.

er read Termination of Pregnancy

y blurred image, the kind produced by older machines, just clear enoug

was torn

air leave

llapsed into one of the pl

he medic

swam befor

. non-viable... te

impeccably detailed-a masterpiece of forg

at the to

egnant?" I

d was st

n't k

yoffs, with Claire's endless drama, with th

d my own wife was th

no

sticky note atta

handwr

bsent. Now

chest, a sound of pu

punched the w

cracked un

hing compared to the hole that had

st run into the lobby, panting. "Shut dow

was too

ned into

combed the city, the

bought with cash under a fake name, to a flight

the trail

rsery I had secretly started build

ust framed wall

ter of the room and

sonogram photo to

obs that tore

killed

y arrogance,

iven her

the empty room. "Even if it takes a