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1AQuestionofRightsUnfortunately,acrimewasabouttobecommittedbutatthatmomentLesleywasunawareoftheimpending(,)event,whichwouldaffectherlifesodrastically(,)forthenextyears.Forthemomentatleast,herholidayatthecottagehadbeenideal.Shehadspentmanyidlehoursrelaxingonthedeck,reading,eatingasandwichwhenshewashungryandintheeveningwatchingtheskyturnfrombrilliantorangetopeachandfinallytopalepurple,eventuallythelightbecomingdim.Itwasaboutthistimethatthemistwouldbegintorisefromthecoolwaterhidinginthedenseforestthathugged(,)theshoreline().Lateeveningdew()glistened(,)oneverybushandsoontheloons'()callwouldresound()acrossthewater.Shedecidedtotakeonlastdipinthelake.Asthecoolnightairtouchedherarms.Shegavealittleshiveranddecideditwastimetomoveinside.ThiswastobeherlasteveningaloneasJeff,herformermate,wouldbereturningZactoherearlyinthemorning.Asthecaseinmanymarriagesthesedays,problemshadarisenbetweenLesleyandJeff,buttheydidnotextendtoZac.Hewasagoodkid,justenteringkindergarten.Thecouplehadcometoamutualagreement,asdictatedbythelegalcustody(,)agreement.ItstatedthateachparentwouldshareZac'scareeverysecondweekendandthishadbeenherweekendtobealone.;;Jeffwasanarchitect,withahigh-profilereputation,whoworkedindowntownToronto,apartnerinaprivatecorporationwhichmostlydidconsultantworkforthe2university.Lesleyscompanyhadbeenhiredtoadvertisethenewsciencecomplexinordertoraisecorporatemoneyfortheproposedbuilding.Shelikedherworkandsheharboredasecretambitiontomanageherdivisionofthecompanysomeday.Afterawhirlwindcourtshipandafairytaleweddingthecouplehadsettleddowntoanurbanlifestyle.However,afterthreeyearsandonechildthedreamlikemarriagecamesmashingdown.Onedisadvantageofbeingyoungandambitiouswasthatbothofthemneededtodevoteuntoldhourstotheirbusyschedules.Asaresultoftheselatehours,LesleybecamesuspiciousofJeffsafterhoursactivities.Sheaccusedhimofmakingherpartofalovetriangle.Thewholemiserablescenewastosettheproceedingsforanuglydivorceinmotion.Daydreamingaboutthoseearlierdayswouldnothelptonight.Sowithashrugofhershouldersshetackledtheadvertisingassignmentsheneededtocomplete.TomorrowwouldbeabusydaywithZacarrivinghome.Thenextday,asthemorningworeon,Lesleybecamemoreandmoreagitated(),andhermoodbecameapprehensive(,),whenJeffdidnotappear.Whennoonhourarrivedandhestillhadnotappeared,shestartedmakingsomephonecalls.NoneoftheirmutualfriendshadeitherseenortalkedwithJeffthatday.Untiltoday,Jeffhadalwaysbeenverypunctualaboutreturningtheboyattheappointedtime.Lesleyfeltaknotforminginherstomachasacrazythoughtpersistedatthebackofhermind.Shewasabsolutelysuresomethingwaswrong.Jeffsatwithhisheadbowed.Hewasundecidedwhattodo.Thedomesticarrangementwithhisformerwifewasprovingtobeawkward.Hewasfrustratedatbeingabletoseehissononlyonweekendsandfelthewasalwaysmaking3concessionstoaccommodate(,)Lesleysworkschedule.Everymeetingwasturningintoacompetitionfortheboysaffection.HisonedesirewastotakeZacawayforgood.Theenormousdecisiontoundertakethisplanappearedtobepresentingitself.TodayhewoulddepartforaconferenceinCalifornia.Thisappearedtobeamarvelousopportunitytotaketheboyandleavethecountryforgood.Hebetthathecouldpacksufficientbaggageintohisvehicleandthendisappearsacrosstheborder,gainingentrytheHegavelittlethoughttowhatsoeverofthefactthisactcouldleadtohisconvictionifhewastrackeddownbythecops.Meanwhile,forLesleythenightmarecontinuedtounfold(,)astherealityofthesituationdeepened.After48hours,thespokesmanforthedistrictpolicedepartmentassuredhertheywouldinvestigateZacsdisappearance.Herfaiththatjusticewouldberealizedwasfaint.Theshockofthepasttwodayseventsmadeherrealizethatpossiblyhersonwouldbecomeonemorestatisticinthemissingchildrenfile.Thepolicecompletedapreliminarysurveyafteraskinghundredsofdetailed()questions.Hotlinesprovedfruitless().48Meanwhile,overthenextyeartherewerecountlessvisitsandinterviewsatthepolicestationandherhome.ThepoliceappearedtobemakingnoprogressintrackingZacswhereabouts().Asthedayspassed,Lesleysfrustration()mountedandshefeltasenseofalarm.Eventually,shedecidedtotaketheinitiativeincontinuingthe4searchandshebegantousewell-establishedchildfindagencies.Attimes,boostedbyhopes,sheappearedtobeontherighttrailwithasenseofdisgust,butherhopesweredashedatthefinalmoment.Theseobstacleshope.AfterZacspicturewascirculatednationwide,telephonecallsfollowedfromstrangersreportingsightings()ofaZaclookalike.Monthbymonthherplanevolvedintoacampaignequaltoafull-scalebattleplan.Shepaidanexceedinglyhighfeeforspecializedhelp,suchastheservicesofanattorney.LesleybecamedeterminedtotargeteverymajorcitywhereJeffnormallycontractedbusiness.Asthemonthssloppedby,Lesleysexhaustionbecamenoticeableinhereyes.Hercheeksbecamehollowpits.MostdaysshefeltasthoughshedidnothaveanounceofenergyleftbecauseproofofZacsexistenceseemedimpossibletofind.Anotheryearpassedandherhopesdimmed.Unexpectedly,lateinAugustapromisingleadbroughthertoLosAngeles.Theinteriorofthebarwasdark.HerquesttolocateJeffandZachadtakentwoyears.ShehadpaidprivateinvestigatorsinAmericancurrencytohelpherlocateherex-husband.Inherhandbagshecarriedthenecessaryproofthatwouldidentif