Em Gessen

No one was home, of course.

Priscilla says Alan had blocked Priscilla's number.

And he had fired his lawyer.

Priscilla tried everything, including sending a copy of the judge's order to my father.

Eventually, it occurred to her to use her old Zimbabwean number to send the order by WhatsApp.

And within minutes, two blue checkmarks appeared, indicating that Alan had read the message.

His response?

She says he blocked her old Zimbabwean number too.

Priscilla had spent two and a half years trying to get her son back, and he was gone.

Again.

Again.

Sure.

Thank you for your call earlier today.

I would like to clarify a few items.

Alan acknowledged that the detective had advised him to communicate through his lawyer, but he was determined to make his case.

According to him, this was not a kidnapping.

They have a home in Massachusetts, Allen's email explained.

O studies violin there, and all his toys are there, so of course they'd be coming back.

They had just gone to Canada for a short winter vacation.

There'd been too much litigation, not good for the kids.