Calli’s jaw dropped, and she barked a laugh. “You watched Tangled? No, wait, you liked Tangled?”
“Of course. Show me someone who doesn’t!” They both laughed, then he added, “Okay, your turn.”
“All right.” She looked up at him with suspicion, then said, “I love the costumes. If I ever . . . Well, the prince in all white next to Ella’s flowing and glittering dress . . . Well, it gave me the feels.” She shrugged. She’d almost said if she ever married again but decided to leave that one alone.
Dom hugged her. “See, that wasn’t so hard.” He looked around at the nearly empty auditorium and added, “We should probably go.”
“Yeah,” she answered. Reaching down to grab her purse, she noticed the light on her phone blinking inside.
Dom started walking toward the aisle as she pulled out the phone and looked at the notifications. Four missed calls, two voice messages.
“Shit,” she said and dismissed the lock screen as she moved to the aisle. Nine text messages.
“What’s wrong?” Dom asked.
Calli didn’t answer, but opened the messaging app. All nine messages were from Jax. She scrolled to the first.
Jax:Mom, Kent and I need you to pick us up.
8:46 p.m.
Calli’s brows dropped. They were with their father this weekend. He’d never give up his time. She kept reading.
Jax:Mom?
Jax:Mom?!?
8:58 p.m.
Oh no, she thought. Jax never bugs me like that when I don’t answer right away.
Jax:Mom, I just called, but no answer. I don’t want to tell you this over text. Please call.
9:05 p.m.
Oh shit! Her mind raced with the worst possibilities. She kept scrolling.
Jax:I called again. Kent and I really need you right now.
Jax:Mom?!?
9:08 p.m.
“Calli, what’s up?” she heard Dom ask, but it sounded distant.
Jax:Ok. We’re at the Minneapolis PD. I don’t know where you are, but you need to come get us.
Jax:Dad got arrested.
Jax:Kent is freaking out! Please hurry.
9:19 p.m.
Calli looked at the time: 9:36 p.m. She immediately pressed the phone in the corner of the message window and looked up at Dom. This wasn’t how she wanted to tell him, but it appeared she had no choice. As the phone rang, she said, “We have to go to the police department. Now.”
“Calli? What’s happening? Are your parents okay?”
“Yeah . . . ” She held up a hand as Jax answered. “Jax, what’s going on?”
“Mom,” he breathed as if overly relieved. Then he rushed his explanation, “Dad got pulled over. He had a couple of drinks at dinner. They made him do a bunch of things on the side of the road, then cuffed him and loaded him into the back of a car. Detective Harris told me to follow him to the police department in Dad’s car, but they won’t let me take it. Something about impounding.”
“It’s okay, honey. I’ll be there soon. How’s Kent?”
Dom looked at her worried, but wearily, and seemed to be backing away as if she’d slapped him.
“Hang on, Jax.” She covered her mobile and asked Dom, “Can you take me over there, please? I’ll explain on the way.”
“Yeah.” He turned and climbed the stairs toward the doors.
She followed but turned her attention to her son on the phone. “I’m back.” They’d dallied long enough that the crowds leaving the Orpheum had thinned. They rushed past the upstairs concession, jogged down the stairs, and speed walked through the lobby to the street. Outside, they stopped at the crosswalk to wait for the light.
“Yeah, Mom, he’s gone kinda silent. Just locked up, like he totally forgot how to talk. I think he’s freaked out. He wouldn’t answer any of the questions Detective Harris was asking. I got a pop from the machine, and he won’t touch that either.”
That was strange. Kent consumed sodas like they were water. She couldn’t keep them in the house if she bought them. Calli squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose against the immediate headache that had formed behind her eyes. When she opened them again, the light switched to walk. They did. “Okay, okay, I’m on my way.” She ended the call.
Dom led the way silently, and Calli nearly had to jog to keep up with his long strides—not that she minded presently. How the fuck could Bennett drink and drive with her boys in the car. How the fuck could he be so careless. How the fuck could he—Mr. Prestige himself—expose them to the Minneapolis PD. Where the fuck was his little trollop, Zoe? Before ducking into Dom’s car, Calli yelled her frustration at the garage, and it echoed back to her from the cement walls.
Inside the car, Dom eyed her sideways with his mouth pursed. “Doin’ all right there?”
“Yeah . . . I mean, NO!” Her nails dug into her palms.
Dom backed out, not asking more.
At length, Calli sighed out loud, then shifted in her seat to face Dom, tucking the seatbelt under her arm. “I am so very sorry about this,” she said.
He listened as he pulled onto Hennepin toward the police department.
“I was almost ready to share all this with you, but it seems I don’t have a choice now.” She laughed without humor. “Not exactly how you should hear all of this.”
“Calli, I’m confused. Just tell me what’s going on.” His voice was short, like he was exasperated or had simply lost interest. It wasn’t the concern he’d first shown when she was reading the texts. What conclusions had he already drawn?
She fidgeted with her hands, and not looking at him, she said, “You know I told you I’d been burned and had trouble trusting?”
“Mmm,” he said.
“Well, I was married . . . for a long time.”
She saw a piece fall into place for him. “That’s why your card said Callista Stockton originally. I guess I should have seen that coming. So why are we going to MPD?”
“Well, my ex-asshole got arrested for drunk driving tonight.” Calli chewed her lip.
“Why did he call you?”
“He didn’t. My oldest son did. My boys were in the car.” Calli watched for his reaction.
Nothing. His face was as blank as a freshly cleaned whiteboard. “Say something?” she asked weakly.
His Adam’s apple worked. “There’s nothing to say. Let’s just get there so you can take care of your kids.” He looked away, out the window.
~ ~ ~
After Dom dropped Calli off at the front door, she ran inside and to the reception desk. “I’m looking for Officer Harris. My ex was arrested. I’m here to get my sons.”
“One second,” the young uniformed woman said and picked up the phone. “Yeah, Dave. The mom’s here.” She hung up. “He’ll be right up.”
As she waited, Calli watched the door for Dom. She moved out of the way as a pair of policemen led a blond boy, couldn’t have been much older than Jax, by in cuffs. Blood ran from his soon-to-be black-and-blue nose. Calli shivered.
“Mrs. Stockton?” Officer Harris’s voice called.
“No. I mean, I was.” She stopped, then said. “I’m Callista Lindley, Bennett Stockton is my ex-husband. Where are my sons? Jackson and Kent?”