Chapter 72

“Perhaps he’s at work.”

“Do you have another number we can try?”

“Yes.”

Dialing the second number was more successful, and I listened to the warmth in his voice with growing displeasure.

“Den? Hi, babe.”…”Yeah, it’s Da’. Who’d you think it was?”…”Well, it’s me. I’m in London. Look, it’s really important that I get in touch with Uncle Lyn, but apparently he’s not home.”…”He’s where?”…”Well, what the fuck is he doing there?” He met my gaze. “Den says Uncle Lyn is in Brazil. Why would he—” Before I could respond to that, he turned back to the phone. “What?”…”What?”

I caught him before he could sag to the floor and held him up. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re alive!” He turned and buried his head in my shoulder. “They’realive! All three of them”

I took the phone from him and raised it to my ear.

“Day? Did you hear me? I said your dads are all right. And so is Maggie.” His dads? “Your Uncle Lyn flew down a couple of months ago to look for them—”