A Son's Tale

“We’ve been watching courts all over the city,” Martin said. “And baseball fields, too, just in case he shows up. We’re getting calls on the number we gave at the press conference, but so far all the leads have been false. Most of them usually are. We just wait for that one that isn’t.”

“I can’t stand much more of this,” Morgan said, looking like she might be sick.

“We’ve still got teams out canvassing, but if there’s anything you can think of, anything else we can go on…”

Morgan’s cell phone rang. Probably Julie checking in.

She pulled it out of her pocket and glanced down.

Her head shot up and the frenzied look on her face as she stared at Cal had his heart beating faster. “It’s an unknown number,” she said. Her hand was shaking.

“Put it on speaker,” Martin directed.

Pushing a button on the cell and then another one, Morgan said, “Hello?”

“Mom? It’s me, Sammie.”

Martin stood. Cal sat forward. Morgan turned white. “Sammie? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Mom.” The little boy sounded tired, but not panicked. Or in pain.

“Where are you?”

“I’m not far from home. I’m actually on my way there, but I wanted to call first to let you know I was coming.”

“Where are you?”

“On the corner of Vine and Banta. I’m borrowing some kid’s phone.”

Morgan looked at Martin, who nodded and dialed her own cell. Speaking softly she gave Sammie’s location to whoever was on the other end of her call.

“Keep him talking. A squad car is two blocks away and they are on their way to pick him up,” Martin told Morgan.

“Where have you been?”

“Just around,” Sammie said. “I had a plan, but then I saw you on TV with Grandpa, and I didn’t know what to do. I was just trying to show you that I was old enough to make it on my own… .”

His voice broke. “I’m sorry, Mom…I swear, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The boy was crying openly now.

“I… You looked so weird and all and I…well, I’m in big trouble, huh?”

“Yes, Sammie, you are,” Morgan said, but she was crying, too. And shaking so hard the phone was not steady at her ear. “I love you, sweetie.”

“I love… Mom?” Fear entered the child’s voice. “There’s a cop car stopping right by me. Am I being arrested?”

“No, Sammie, they’re bringing you home to me. Just get here quickly, okay?”

“Maybe they’ll put on the lights and siren,” Sammie said earnestly. And then added, “That’d be cool. Before I get in trouble for life.”

“They’ve identified him,” Martin said, her phone still to her ear. “He’s wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday and there’s another kid with him, on a bike. Let Sammie know that the officers are going to approach him.”

Morgan did so. “Thank the young man for sharing his phone with you and go with the officers, Sammie.”

“Okay, Mom. I’m in trouble, huh?”

“Just come home, Sammie.”