Chapter 58

Veronica, increasingly jumpy from frequent blocked-number calls threatening to kill her, recalls seeing Naomi tailing her and confronting her in a supermarket. Convinced Naomi is behind the threats, Veronica keeps her phone on despite fear, especially because Jeremy needs to reach her.

Jeremy calls, stranded at work, and asks Veronica to watch Teddy for two hours. Veronica agrees and heads to the house, where Teddy greets her warmly and shows off his rock collection. Holding Teddy’s hand reminds Veronica of her missing son, Dominic, whom she believes is alive though out of reach.

As Veronica spends time with Teddy, she is struck by how strongly he resembles Clay, more than Jeremy, which reignites doubts about Teddy’s paternity despite Jeremy’s asserted DNA proof. The resemblance creates a new urgency for Veronica to resolve her lingering questions.

Veronica produces a DNA test kit she has carried since she first saw Teddy. She convinces Teddy to play a “game” predicting breakfast by cheek swab, collects and dries the sample, and secures it in the kit’s envelope. She asks Teddy to keep it secret, framing it as a surprise for Jeremy.

Teddy agrees and mentions he is good at keeping secrets and has a “secret code” with his mother and father. Veronica pockets the sample and resolves to mail it first thing in the morning, determined to settle the question of Teddy’s paternity.