Jack didn’t wait for anything else. He ran. The gate came up fast. Beyond it, the lane outside the park was quiet and still in a way that made his panic feel louder. Then he saw him. Eli was walking back through the gate alone, head down, hands in his pockets. Jack stopped so hard it nearly hurt. Relief hit first. Then fear.
Because even from a distance, he could see Eli had been crying. Jack crossed the space between them in seconds. “Where the hell were you?” Eli looked up, and whatever Jack had meant to say next died immediately. His son’s eyes were red. Jack put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey. Talk to me.” Eli swallowed hard.