Claire smiled when she saw her son’s name on the caller ID. Today was Justin’s first day of college and he’d promised to call after his classes ended.

“Hey, sweetheart. Are you homesick yet?” She pictured him crossing the campus, hair disheveled, eyes rolling at her greeting.

“Sweetheart? I’ve never heard you call me that before. I think I could get used to it, though. I also think I’ll take you up on that invitation to come home. Do you still live in that little blue house on the corner?”

Claire froze. The voice that was most definitely not her son’s, the voice that had haunted her dreams for years now laughed at her and made her shiver in fear.

“Come on, sweetheart. Surely you’ve missed me, too?”

“I thought you were dead.” She found she could only whisper.

“Well, if I’d shot someone three times I’d probably think they were dead, too. If only your aim had been a little better.”

“Where’s my son? What have you done with Justin?”

Her only answer was the silence of a dead line.