“Come on, sweethearts,” I said, trying to keep my voice light and steady.

“Let’s go look at the big bed in the other room.”

Noah looked at the wall panel, then at me, his eyes wide and analytical.

“Someone is watching us,” Noah said softly.

“No one is watching us,” I lied, pushing them gently down the hallway.

The guest bedroom was large and cold, with a gray wool blanket spread over a king-sized mattress.

I closed the heavy wooden door behind us, muffling the sound of Alexander’s sharp voice in the living room.

“Stay here,” I told them, kneeling down so I was eye-level with both of them.

“Just play on your tablets for a minute. I need to help your dad.”

Lucas nodded, already pulling his device from his backpack.

Noah just watched me, his small mouth pressed into a thin line.

I squeezed his shoulder, then slipped back out into the main living space.

Alexander was standing in front of the screen, his phone held to his ear.

“I don’t care what the server status says, Marcus,” Alexander snapped into the receiver.