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Meet Greta. A 30-something single-mom living in Chicago proper, ghostwriting for a man she has never met.  She’s miraculously completed the monthly manuscript deadline and received a new laptop, a crisp $1 bill, and a note saying he’s ready for a public appearance—only Greta has to go on a hunt around the world to find him!

Missed a chapter? Read Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

“This is a publicity nightmare!” Jen threw her brown messenger bag into the booth and sighed as she sat down. "And, the nightmare sent me a package that arrived this morning."

"Really?"

"Nothing exciting, just signed forms and a note,” though she grinned when she added 3 sugars and a creamer to her coffee, “The note was on stationary from the Chicago Omni Hotel." She raised her eyes and met mine.

"Is it a clue?" I resituated the crayons in front of Owen who was now tired, grumpy, and fidgeting with the empty sugar packets.

"Not sure, "she took another long sip of coffee, "all it said was that he was: Sending another package tomorrow. Contents are fragile."

The waitress arrived with our drinks and food. Thank God. I was close to running to the kitchen to get it myself.

"Interesting." I took the paper wrapping from the straw and put it in the milk carton placing it in front of Owen.  Urging him to drink, "What do we do now?”

She grinned, "Go to the Omni."

Jen rolled her eyes ready with a retort but got a call on her cell phone.

"No Brian! He cannot stay overnight by himself." She turned away from me and got up from the table. “I'll come back and get him. No Brian. That's it." She pushed the power button to end the conversation.  "He wants to go out tonight with Alana." She strained to smile again.  Alana.  The new girlfriend. The one he left her for.

“Let’s do a sleep-over.”  I took her arm, “Bring Mitchell.  We’ll all hang out and watch television, and visit.”

Jen smiled weakly.  “But we have a mystery to solve.” She held up the neatly hand written note from Clamming.

I looked down at my son.  The unplanned miracle of life that has changed the person I once was…

“Jen, how can I just go gallivanting all over town when…”

“When what?  You are just walking into a hotel.  It isn’t dating.  It isn’t even shopping around.  It’s investigating.” She said the words like I was five-years-old. “We’ll take the kids with us.  Call it an adventure.”

I raised my eyebrow. “You know I’m only doing this because I like you.”

“You love me,” Jen teased standing from the booth.  “See you at the Omni in a half hour!”  Racing towards the door she blew me a kiss and was gone.

“Adventures, Mom?”

“I guess we are buddy. I guess we are.

Bethany Hiitola lives in a far north suburb of Chicago with her husband, son and new daughter.  Throw in the animals, and it is a full house of chaos.  Somehow, Bethany still manages to reach for her dream of writing—all between diaper changes, nap times, fixing meals, and work projects.  Oh and giving her husband the attention he deserves.  More details are at her website:  www.bethanyhiitola.com

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