“Are you serious?” I whispered, feeling the absurdity of the situation. “Cole? He—”
“He’s in the lobby, they’re loading him into a cruiser. I’m still here. I don’t know the details yet, but it looks like the whole thing was a scam. He was siphoning money from the company. It’s… it’s huge.”
My mind raced. The image of Cole, handcuffed, being led away was so vivid I could almost see the badge glinting under the fluorescent lights, could almost hear the murmurs of coworkers. I imagined the kids watching from the doorway, their faces blank, not understanding why their father was being taken away.
“Mark, I—” I tried to speak, but the words tangled. The only thing that came out was a strangled, “Thank you.” I could hear the kids in the background, the faint whine of Maya’s baby monitor, the clink of a spoon against a bowl.
I hung up, grabbed the jacket that lay draped over a chair, and rushed out the front door. The air outside was crisp, the early autumn wind tugging at my coat. I could see the office building in the distance, its glass façade reflecting the pale sky.
