Love and Obsession
Chapter 11
Soft music streamed from Hikari Sushi and Hibachi's speakers and DJ and Steve sat at their table, sipping drinks and grilling pieces of meat and fish on the built-in tabletop grill as they talked about their day. Steve spent his day working, consulting with clients and renovating kitchens and DJ had worked in the office and assisted the Vet with some patients, then she and Kimmy talked on the phone until Steve picked her up for their date.
"So, you talked to Kimmy again, eh?"
"Yeah, she said she wants to organize my bridal shower."
"Something tells me she's planning something other than just a simple party." Steve raised an eyebrow when DJ told him about Kimmy wanting to have male entertainers dance for them and wrestle in a pool of Jell-O.
"Jealous, are we?" she teased as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Uh, no." he lied, but deep inside, he was burning.
"Don't worry! I told her 'no Jell-O wrestlers or strippers.'"She assured him.
"That makes me feel much better."
"I love you and not the other guys, you know that, right? No one else comes close."
"Good."
He leaned toward her and pulled her into a loving embrace. Then she looked into his eyes and smiled as she pressed her soft, smooth lips against his and kissed him. Some of the other patrons of the restaurant stared at their show of affection, but neither seemed to notice. It wasn't until the smell of burning meat and fish filled their nostrils that they finally pulled apart and took their food off the grill.
"We'll continue this when we get home." Steve whispered suggestively in his fiancée's ear. DJ simply grinned and they ate and drove back to their apartment.
Stephanie and Josh found Gia near the coffee stand Gia's mother's shop had set up and walked toward her.
"Gia, hey, thanks for the invitation." Stephanie said. Gia raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Now it was Stephanie's turn to be confused.
"The letter..."
"I never sent any letter."
"You didn't? That's weird."
Before Gia could respond, a very panicked and out of breath Michelle came running toward them.
"Stephanie...Josh! Sadie...Matt..." she gasped.
"Michelle, what's the matter?" Josh asked.
"Someone took them...I left them in the bounce house for two minutes because I had to use the bathroom, but when I came back, they were gone." Michelle held her hands to her face and began to sob. The guilt was too much for her to take and she sank to her knees. "I'm sorry!"
"You're not in trouble, Michelle." Stephanie assured her.
"But it's all my fault! If I hadn't let them out of my sight, they wouldn't have vanished."
She was trembling by now, as were Stephanie, Josh, and Gia, fearing for the children's safety.
"We're gonna find them." Josh said. "Don't give up on them, whatever you do." The girls nodded their heads in agreement, then they split up to search. Michelle went with Stephanie and Josh and Gia went their separate ways. They searched the entire park, but Sadie and Matthew were nowhere to be found. They met back up with the rest of their group and informed Joey and Elise, then everyone went back to the Tanner house and contacted the police and the rest of the family. A cop arrived within minutes and Joey let him in.
"Evening, sir. I'm Detective Norris." The Detective introduced, flashing his badge. He was a 6'1" tall African-American man with a muscular build and dressed in a black suit and a maroon-colored tie. "I'd like to ask you some questions."
"Sure. This way please." He led Detective Norris into the kitchen and offered him some coffee, which he politely declined and the family sat at the table as he began his questioning.
"What are the children's full names and ages?"
"Sadie Pamela Rose Miller," Stephanie told him. "and she's seventeen months,"
"and my son is Matthew Adrian Jacobsen. He's six." Elise added.
"Date of birth?"
"Matthew's is June 26, 1993. Sadie's is May 19, 1998." Joey replied. Norris continued questioning the family, asking them where they were when the children disappeared and the last time the children were seen.
"Do you have recent photos of the children?" Stephanie and Elise reached into their purses and pulled out pictures of their kids and handed them over.
"Thank you. Do you have any idea who may have wanted to abduct them?" came Norris' next question.
"My ex-husband, Harry Theodore Jacobsen, goes by Ted. We've been divorced since he was sent to prison for domestic violence and drug distribution. When he was arrested, he threatened that when he got out, he'd take our son and leave the state so I couldn't see him again." Joey looked at his girlfriend. She had told him about her ex-husband and his criminal behaviors, though he still didn't know the full extent of it.
"I understand why he would take Matt, but why would he take Sadie?" He asked.
"I don't know, but I don't think he's acting alone."
"I agree with Josh. Do you think Karla had anything to do with this?" Gia said.
"Who is Karla?"
"Karla Gray, Josh's ex-girlfriend. She's been causing trouble for us ever since Josh and I started dating, then it got worse after Sadie was born. She's been stalking us and even made threats to hurt me and our daughter." Stephanie also mentioned the day her car was vandalized and the mysterious letter she received from someone who claimed to be Gia and pulled the letter from her pocket and handed it to the Detective. He studied it for a bit and sealed it in an evidence envelope and completed the interview, feeling with absolute certainty that they weren't involved in the abductions.
"Thank you very much for your cooperation. We'll be in touch." He said, then he got in his patrol car and drove off.
Detective Norris and many other officers scoured the park and surrounding area for clues and witnesses. One witness reported that they saw two security guards talking to the boy: a petite female with light brown hair and green eyes and an average sized man with sandy blond hair and brown eyes, another said that the kids were playing with a German Shepherd, and a third witness saw a blue car speeding away from the park. Though she didn't know what model the car was, she was sure it was a Saturn and she saw a brief glimpse of the license plate, remembering the letters B-R-I and the number nine, but the car left before she could get the rest.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit motel room outside the city, Matthew lay curled up in a corner, shaking and sobbing as he held Sadie in his arms to try and protect her. She wailed and cried out "Mama" until she became tired from crying so much that she could no longer produce tears.
He kept his arms around her as he laid her down on the bed they were sitting on and he was fixing the blanket over her when he heard what he thought were footsteps on a creaky floor in another room. The noise grew louder and louder until he could make out the figure of a young woman. He leaned closer to the toddler and wrapped his arms around her. He made a promise to himself that he would never let the strange person near her.
"Don't be afraid of me, kiddo. I'm not gonna hurt you." She said gently to him. He stared at her suspiciously, but to his surprise, she simply knelt down at the foot of the mattress and offered him some candy. He refused it and backed farther away from her.
"What's wrong? It's just candy. I didn't do anything to it."
"I just want my mommy and Joey." he whimpered.
"I know. Stay patient and you'll see them soon." She patted him on the head and got up and left the room.
Still no internet at home, but I'm already working on the next chapter. I don't know when I'll update, so patience is much appreciated. Thank you!