My friend Lillian had known me since we were nineteen.

She had sat beside me after the adoption, watched me fill notebooks with everything I remembered about Tobias, and driven me to appointments when leads seemed promising.

When she answered, I managed three words before my voice broke.

“I found him.”

She was silent, then asked, “Are you safe?”

“Yes.”

“Is he safe?”

I glanced at Tobias, standing with the letter in his hands.