The doorbell rings. Ned goes to answer it, returns with Kyle, and a plate of cookies. He and Gordon shake hands. Kyle gives condolences. “I thought I’d walk Julia back through the press scrum,” Kyle says.

“They didn’t bother me,” Julia says. But she doesn't want to linger. The silence is awkward.

“You look like you were in a fight with someone,” Ned says suddenly to Kyle.

“I fell. In the greenbelt. Jogging,” Kyle says.

“I could use a good run. Can you tell me what route you take?” Gordon asks.

Kyle tells him, standing at the back window, pointing to the greenbelt, his voice sounding just a shade odd. “Yes, you can just run along there… The path follows the creek. There are mile markers…”

“Well, I know metric,” Gordon says.

It’s not the time for a joke, and the comment feels leaden and dense in the air, and no one says anything more but goodbye.

*  *  *

Locked in her bathroom, Julia opens her phone, starts the game, and rereads the message from MagickMan. She sends to him: I’m not part of this. You’ll have to take it over. He can’t do it anymore.

You are part of this because you’re part of the solution. You and I have to talk. Bring Ned if you can. Meet me at the abandoned house. Tonight. 8 PM. I’ll make it worth your while.

She knows where he means. Why won’t this man leave her alone? She closes the game.

24

From Iris Pollitt’s “From Russia with Love” Adoption Journal

2002

I was trying not to be paranoid.

The warning woman wasn’t on the plane.

Blur: airport, customs, nice hotel in Saint Petersburg. Kyle unpacking, not looking at me. “Don’t be mad at me, Iris,” he said.

“You didn’t believe me.” I got under the sheets, turned my back to him. I craved sleep; I wanted to look my best for Grant, for the officials, for anyone who was watching. They would not shake me.

“I did. I just wanted to calm you down, and if I went along with what you were saying, we might not have made our flight. How would that have looked? American couple misses flight to adopt child because of airport fight with weird stranger?”

I closed my eyes. He snuggled next to me. I felt his warm breath on my neck.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” I said. My eyes felt hot. (Your dad is the love of my life, and it’s important to me that you know that.) “I think that woman sat near us in the airport café. She might have been one of those Russians who disapprove of Americans adopting Russian babies. Remember I told you about that article I read about it?” I hadn’t, but Kyle wouldn’t remember and wouldn’t want to say he doesn’t.

“OK,” he said, his lips close to my ear.