He gave up.
They moved around the building.
“Aaron!”
Cole’s voice disappeared into rain.
Maya could not hear it, but she watched.
Then she pointed.
A figure sat against the rear wall beneath a narrow metal overhang.
Cole ran.
Aaron Barrett looked older than the nineteen-year-old inside Cole’s memory.
Of course he did.
Thirty-four now.
Dark hair wet against his forehead.
Short beard.
Blood along one temple.
His left arm pressed against his ribs.
One knee bent awkwardly.
But Cole knew him instantly.
A father does.
Even after fifteen years.
Even after anger.
Even after convincing himself the child no longer wanted to be found.
Aaron saw Maya first.
His entire face changed.
He tried to stand.
Pain dropped him back against the wall.
Maya ran.
She fell to her knees beside him.
Her hands moved furiously.
I’m okay. I found him. I found the wolf.
Aaron stared past her.
At Cole.
Everything stopped.
Cole had rehearsed imaginary reunions for years.
In some, he apologized.
In others, Aaron punched him.
In others, they said nothing and embraced.
Reality gave him none of those immediately.
Aaron looked at Cole and said:
“You got old.”
Cole laughed through a sudden sob.
“So did you.”
Aaron’s eyes filled.
He looked away.
Cole crouched several feet from him.
Not touching.
Not yet.
“You hurt bad?”
“Ribs.”
“Knee.”
“Head.”
“Ambulance is coming.”
Aaron looked toward Maya.
“She shouldn’t have brought you.”
Maya immediately signed:
You told me to find him.
Aaron signed back:
Only if you had no other choice.
I had no other choice.
Aaron had no reply.
Cole watched his son sign.
Fluent.
Natural.
Hannah’s language living inside him.
Then Maya pointed toward Cole.
He knows Grandma’s language.
Aaron closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he looked at Cole.
“Of course he does.”
Cole’s voice broke.
“Your mother would haunt me if I forgot.”
Aaron laughed once.
Then winced from his ribs.
Cole moved instinctively.
Aaron lifted a hand.
“Don’t.”
Cole stopped.
The old wound was still there.
Good.
At least it was honest.
Cole sat on the wet pavement several feet away.
Rain blew beneath the overhang.
He did not care.
“I know.”
Aaron stared.
Cole continued.
“I know about Dean.”
Aaron’s jaw tightened.
“He confessed?”
“Yes.”
“Convenient.”
“He has the ledger.”