A Son's Tale

SITTING IN THE BACK of the unmarked sedan with Sanchez, Cal watched the similarly unmarked sedan in front of them, keeping his eye on the back of his father’s head. Martin was riding with Frank.

For all of their blandness, their attempt to not draw attention, both cars were being driven by uniformed police officers.

Frank leaned forward, giving directions, Cal surmised, and Martin raised an arm, between Frank and the driver. Cal gritted his teeth, clenching every muscle in his body to keep himself from reacting.

They’d get through this. They’d go home together. And if need be, they’d move on. They knew the ropes.

He’d lost Morgan. Once Sammie was safely back in her care, there was nothing left for him in Tyler, Tennessee.

If Sammie made it back to her care. She’d brought Cal and Frank into Sammie’s life. And now her father had reason to use that choice as another sign of Morgan’s poor judge of character.

Frank had been a good influence on the boy. He’d never thought Frank’s past would be used against Morgan. It wasn’t like his father had an order to stay away from children. The man could work in a day care if he wanted to. If they’d hire him.

Frank just hadn’t wanted to bring more suspicion on himself. That was why he’d made a conscious decision to stay away from children.

They were a couple of blocks from the junior high where Sammie had his tryouts. Sammie was familiar with the area, Morgan had told him, because they’d played Little League on a field there. And he’d been in the school for various functions, like a banquet where he’d received an award for being the player with the most catches in his age group.

Thinking of Morgan hurt like hell. But he knew it was nothing compared to the pain she had to be feeling right now. Hang on, beautiful lady, he thought, over and over. Hang on. We’ll bring him home to you.

Cal was surprised when they pulled into the school parking lot. Martin got out and his father slid out right behind her.

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His father was handcuffed to the detective.

The twosome approached the car in which Cal sat.

Sanchez rolled down the window and Martin stuck her head in. “Your father wanted me to tell you that there’s a metal cover in the floor down the hall from the gym. It’s normally covered by a big rubber floor mat. Sammie saw a guy go down there once a while back. He’d thought it would be a cool place to go to take cover. Something about army guys and hiding out. Then when the thing came up with his mom and he was at the school for basketball tryouts he remembered the hole. He told Frank that he’d be safe there if they tried to make him live with his grandfather. That way he could play basketball when everyone was gone at night.”

Martin sounded doubtful.

“I’d have radioed ahead to have someone else check on his story, but he didn’t tell me this until about sixty seconds ago. We’re going in.”

“Be careful, Dad,” Cal said.

“Yep.”

Martin moved forward and Frank walked beside her with his head held high.

Completely helpless, Cal sat in the backseat of the police car and watched his father walk away.

* * *

PAPERS SIGNED, MORGAN SAT, wavering between numbness and despair, waiting for word, any word, from anyone. She no longer had energy to pace the room. Or make conversation. When she’d put her name on the papers and watched as Michael notarized them, something vital inside of her had died.

She wasn’t an optimist anymore. There wasn’t always a brighter side.

And still, she cared about little else than her son’s safe return. Whether he was in her custody or not, she would always be his mother.

Detective Rick Warner stopped by to see them. He told them little, only that they’d questioned Cal and Frank and had a potential lead on Sammie’s whereabouts. They’d let them know more when they could.

Someone else from the department offered food. Morgan declined. Her parents ordered and her father added something for Morgan, as well.

She wasn’t going to eat the salad he’d requested.

Cal and Frank had given the police a lead. What did that mean? What could it mean other than that her father’s investigator had been correct in the conclusions he’d drawn from his findings? Frank Whittier had been a danger to Sammie. And Cal had not only lied to her, but he’d also knowingly exposed her son to the potential danger his father represented.

So why did she ache for him still?