I would like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, followed and/or marked this story as favorite. This is the final chapter. Writing this fanfic was a literary journey. I enjoyed every second. Love to know what you think of the conclusion. Leave me a review. Thanks!
"Good, now start at the beginning and tell us why you and your wife took Leo Nash-Davis."
"Theresa and I met and stated dating in college. She was studying to become a vet's assistant. I was studying accounting. We married a year after we both finished our studies. I was working for one of the big banks. A few months after we married a good job came available at the bank's head office in Toronto. I applied for the position, interviewed and was offered the job. We packed everything up and moved to Toronto. Theresa always wanted to become a mother. We tried for a couple of years, but she simply did not become pregnant. Our doctor sent us to a specialist who recommended IVF treatments. Twice we tried the procedure with no luck. That was the first time I started noticing Theresa was not right. She wasn't the happy, full of life girl I married. It was as if she was replaced by this obsessed tyrant. Every waking hour her mind seemed focused on having a child. She took her temperature every morning and tracked her periods. She was testing her urine for hormone level spikes. Sex, it became nothing more than a baby making tool. Month after month she didn't become pregnant. We started quarrelling all the time. Then one day everything stopped. We tried for over four years. Nothing happened and then suddenly she was pregnant. Devon was born seven and a half months later. He was our beautiful little miracle. He had Theresa's eyes and lighter skin tone and my mouth and jaw line. Theresa went back to her old self once she had Devon. We stopped arguing. Devon was almost seven years old when we noticed he seemed to suddenly have no energy. He was falling asleep in the middle of the day. We made him a doctor's appointment. A week later the doctor's diagnosed Devon with leukemia. He started treatment the next day. Eight months later we buried our son. He simply did not respond to treatment and the cancer claimed his life. Neither one of us could even bring ourselves to tell our families. Theresa slipped into a depression. I thought it was part of the grieving process. She would come around in time. She did, in time, seem to improve. Then one day she came home from work angry. She claimed the hospital had lied when they said Devon had died. She said "Those doctors at the hospital took our Devon and gave him to someone else to raise.". He was alive. She had seen him alive. I thought she had lost her marbles, but then she showed me a picture, on her cell phone, of the boy she had spotted at a park. I found myself wondering if she was correct. Did the hospital lie? The boy...he was the image of Devon. Theresa skipped work the next day and went back to the park. The boy showed again, after school, with an older black woman. Theresa took more pictures and followed the two when they left. She found out where the child was living. I have to admit, I went with her, one afternoon, to get a glimpse of this boy. We parked a few houses away from the home he was living in and waited for him to come along. He just looked exactly like Devon. I became sucked into Theresa's vortex. We followed and watched Leo for weeks. Then suddenly he wasn't around. We eventually discovered he was spending his summer in Barrie with his father. While all this was happening the bank offered me a promotion, but it meant moving back to British Columbia. I decided to take the position. A fresh start. I knew I had to get Theresa away from this other boy. She was becoming obsessed. It was making her sick. We sold the house and packed everything up and had it shipped out west. Then a few days before we were due to drive to Vancouver, Theresa spotted Leo. He must have come down to visit his mom for a day or two. I didn't see any harm in letting her see him for a couple of days. We were leaving the province. I did a bit of research on the internet. I located the address of the Davis's cottage in Barrie. My vehicle was in the shop. I left it there for a couple of days to have some work done on the engine. Thought it would be a good idea since we were going to drive to Vancouver. I rented a CRV. I wanted to take my canoe and do a little fishing and I though it would be a good vehicle to hull the canoe to Barrie. I rented a campsite for a couple of nights. I found a piece of shoreline that was quiet. I hid the canoe there before we went to the campground. I'm not sure why really. Theresa thought it would be easier than dragging it back and forth between the lake and the campsite. Once we settled at the campsite we drove to the Davis's cottage. I used the back roads. Theresa wanted to see some to the countryside and enjoy the scenery. . We spotted Leo and Theresa took some pictures. The next day I took Theresa out in the canoe and did some fishing. I thought it would get her mind off of Leo. I talked to her about the move back to British Columbia. We still hadn't told our families of Devon's death. I told Theresa again we needed to deal with letting them know. A day and a half later we packed up the campsite. Theresa asked to see Leo one last time. I didn't see any harm. We drove over to the cottage, parked a short distance away and watched. At one point Leo went inside the house alone while his dad stayed around back. The boy was alone in the house. It was the first time we ever witnessed him alone. Things just happened so fast in the few minutes that followed. I didn't even think. I was just acting on impulse. I got sucked into my wife's belief that Leo was Devon. Theresa got out of the car and told me to follow her and bring my baseball bat. I always kept it on the floor behind the driver's seat. Protection, you know, for if you are ever car jacked. The front door, of the cottage, wasn't locked. Theresa put on a pair of gloves she pulled out from her pocket and just waltzed right inside the home. I followed her but only to get her to leave. Leo was in the washroom. When he came out, Theresa ran up behind him and injected him with something in a syringe. She must have taken it from the vet clinic where she worked. It was the first time I had ever seen her with a syringe. Leo fell into a heap. I don't know what I was thinking. I handed Theresa my bat, picked Leo up and headed out of the house. I don't think I even touched a single thing the couple of minutes I was in the house. As we were walking across the front lawn with Leo the dad spotted us and yelled for us to put his son down. He ran over and grabbed Theresa by the arm. When she screamed I lost control. I put Leo down on the ground, ran over, and grabbed my bat out of Theresa's hand. I think at that moment I really believed Leo was Devon. I know I kept thinking that this guy broke up my family. The dad managed to duck the first couple of swings I made and then he took off towards the beach around the back of the cottage. I think he was attempting to go inside the house to call for help. I caught up to him and well you know the rest. I was sure the guy was dead. I couldn't leave him alive. He was a witness."
"Do you have any idea what you have done? What you have done to Leo's Family?" Tim Gilbert stated.
"When we first snatched the child I think, at that moment, I did believe he was Devon. For a short time I became caught up in the concept of having our son back in our lives. As time passed by I realized Leo wasn't Devon. They were two different children. My son loved basketball. This boy enjoys baseball. Devon's favourite food was lasagna. Leo likes chicken soup. Devon liked the colour green."
"I take it that Leo likes a different colour."
"Blue...I tried to change him. You know, make him into Devon. In the end I think all I did was bully him into submission."
"Why didn't you drop Leo off at a police station when you came to your senses? You could have driven away. Chances are we may never have discovered your true identity."
"Theresa...she couldn't lose Devon a second time. Leo was from a broken home. I thought we could give him a more stable home life. I guess I figured both of his parents could have more children."
"You built the canoe yourself. In the pictures we found you seemed very proud of your accomplishment. Why set it adrift with Leo's shoe"
"I never intended to leave the canoe. I even planned to take it with us to B.C.. I drove down to the shore to retrieve it after we took Leo. Theresa suggested we throw his shoe inside the canoe and set it adrift. She said it would make everyone think that Leo had drowned. No one would look for him. I didn't want to leave the canoe. I mean I spent a long time building...I mean...I was proud of my work. I wasn't really thinking clearly. In the end I helped Theresa wipe it down with a couple of towels and set it adrift."
"Why wipe it down?"
"Fingerprints...Theresa and I didn't want our prints found. Theresa even washed the inside down with some type of household cleaner. We rinsed it out with some lake water, threw the boy's shoe inside and set it adrift."
"Why does Leo have no knowledge of being drugged?"
"Theresa, she said the drug she gave Leo tended to have some effects on patient's memory. It made memories just before the drug being administered a bit fuzzy. Leo couldn't remember the events, of the last few hours, before we took him from the cottage. It made it easier to convince Leo of his father's death and his mom's willingness to give him up for adoption."
"Did Theresa go along with this whole adoption story?"
"She seemed to at first. Early on I heard her tell him the same story a couple of times. Later, after Leo lived with us for a few weeks, she started mentioning stories of when Devon was young. She didn't seem able to distinguish between the two boys. I do know once Leo came into our lives, Theresa went back to normal. She acted the same way as when Devon was alive...happy and full of life. I guess I enjoyed having my wife back to her old self."
"Didn't anyone in your own families question Leo's resemblance to Devon?"
"No, we sent photos of Devon to family through the years and we took him most years to Vancouver either for Christmas or for a couple of weeks during summer vacation. We never told our families Devon died. As far as they all knew Devon was alive and well. Leo looked identical to Devon. As far as I know, nobody ever suspected Devon was Leo."
"I would like the answer to a question." Mr. Jessop said.
"What do you want to know?"
"How did the police locate Leo?"
"An anonymous tip phoned to the Vancouver PD's crime stoppers line lead to Leo's whereabouts. The individual's identity is unknown. It is the way the crime stoppers program operates."
"I have no more questions at this time Mr. Jessop. I'll schedule a meeting through your lawyer if more questions arise in the future."
Mr. Jessop simply nodded.
A few minutes later outside the prison walls Public prosecutor Tim Gilbert, Detective Bailey and Officer Stockwell stood behind a parked police car.
"Tim...what..." Detective Bailey trailed.
"Mrs. Jessop is ill and she does need extensive mental therapy. I am not arguing with Dr. Tran. Was she sick before she and her husband abducted Leo? Yes, she was ill at that point. The question here is how sick was she when she participated in the crime. Was she aware of her actions? The answer to that question, I believe, is "yes". You heard Mr. Jessop. Theresa was the one who stole a drug filled syringe from her employers. She intended to steal Leo. She planned the kidnapping. As much as Mr. Jessop likes to think he is in charge, she played him."
"What do you want to do with this information?" Detective Bailey asked.
"Find the vet clinic that employed Mrs. Jessop. Have their books audited. If a drug vial is unaccounted for it will show. We'll start there."
The next afternoon investigators located the information Public Prosecutor, Tim Gilbert, requested. There was more to Mrs. Jessop than met the eye. She was mentally ill, but she did plan the crime.
"What do you want to do with this information Tim?" Detective Stockwell questioned.
"We speak to Dr. Tran and then we call a meeting with Mr. Jessop."
Dr. Tran had originally stated that Mrs. Jessop was manipulative. The evidence did not lie. Mrs. Jessop did plan Leo's kidnapping and she did play her husband into participating. The problem surrounded her mental state during the time of the crime and when the police placed her under arrest. No one disputed she was suffering from mental disease.
As Dr. Tran explained. "Mrs. Jessop was ill at the time of the kidnapping. I know the evidence clearly shows she planned the kidnapping. She was aware she was abducting Leo. The problem lies with her reason for taking the child. She truly believed Leo was Devon. Even now, in her mind, Leo is Devon. She feels she only took what belonged to her in the first place. You are walking a very thin line gentlemen. Even if she becomes well enough to stand trial it will be difficult to obtain a guilty verdict."
A meeting was held with Mr. Jessop, his council, Dr. Tran, Tim Gilbert, Dr. Bailey and Officer Stockwell the next day. Tim Gilbert presented a revision to the original "deal" to Mr. Jessop and his lawyer.
"Through mutual agreement Mrs. Jessop will still be admitted to a prison hospital in British Columbia until her extradition to Ontario. In Ontario she will be placed in a prison hospital for an undetermined amount of time. If and when she's deemed fit to stand trial all the original charges against her stand. In exchange, for his co-operation, Mr. Jessop will have some, of the charges, against him reduced, but he will agree not to appeal his sentence at trial. He will not interfere with his wife's care."
Two months after their arrest, Julian and Theresa Jessop returned to Ontario to face charges. The deal struck with Julian Jessop, was presented to and accepted by the court. Julian's next court appearance, to enter a plea, was set for late fall. Traci, Dex and Leo attended a meeting, ahead of time, with the prosecuting attorney in preparation for the court date. He told them he intended to do everything possible to keep Leo from taking the stand. With the amount of evidence already collected and with more evidence likely unearthed, in the future, he was quite sure Leo's testimony would not be required. As it turned out Julian Jessop entered a plea of "guilty". There was no trial. Leo was free from having to face either Julian or Theresa Jessop again for a very, very long time. Hopefully for ever.
Life slowly slipped back to "normal" for Leo, his family and friends. Life would never be exactly the same as "pre" Leo's abduction but, together as an "extended" family, they did move forward to a more relaxed and pleasant place. Leo's disappearance made every member of his extended family more cautious, especially with all of their children. Maybe sometimes they were a little too over protective, but everyone had experienced, first hand, how it felt loosing a child. Everyone realized they were lucky to have Leo back in their lives. Really it was a miracle from God. Many abducted children are never seen or heard from again.
Traci and Leo, using the internet, located a bakery in Vancouver that delivered wonderful cakes. They picked out a vanilla and butter cream cake and sent it to the precinct where Officer Chung and Officer Stockwell worked. Leo kept in touch with Officer Chung. Once a month he sent her a letter and a picture. She kept every single correspondence. Normally she did not stay in touch with victims but, Leo was a special case.
Traci, her mom and Leo baked two large cakes and took them into the 15th a few days after he arrived home. Leo was happy to see his "extended" family and Frank made him an honorary member of the Toronto PD.
The Davis family and Leo baked cupcakes, together one evening, about a month after he returned. The next day they drove to Barrie, for an afternoon, and delivered the cupcakes to the Officers of the Barrie PD precinct where Detective Adams worked. The cupcakes were a huge hit with the Officers. The Staff Sargeant made Leo an honorary member of the Barrie PD.
Leo responded well to both individual and family therapy. A big part of his improvement may have been due to the willingness of both Traci and Dex to co-operate with Leo's therapist. Even Mrs. Nash, his Grannie and Granddad Davis and Jerry attended a session on occasion. All were willing participants.
Dov kept Leo's web page operating for three more months. He and Traci went in and programmed LOCATED across the page a few days after Leo returned. It was, without a doubt, almost as good a day as when Leo returned. Three months later he deleted the page from the web.
For months, after Leo's recovery, Chris would occasionally apologize to Traci. Usually she rolled her eyes and told him she never did blame him for what happened to Leo. Eventually he came to terms with the issue and it was never mentioned.
Two weeks after Leo returned Andy started wearing her engagement ring in public. She had shown her family and wore it when she was not at work, but never around her fellow police friends. She felt uncomfortable letting Traci see a symbol of such happiness. Sam understood he had struggled with the same concept for weeks before giving the ring to Andy. They both knew they would simply "feel" when the right time arrived for Andy, to wear and show the ring. Sam had placed the ring on her finger and proposed on Valentine's Day. He had taken Andy for a gourmet dinner at "Reds" restaurant downtown. After dinner he drove her to his home where a bottle of champagne was sitting on ice. He poured them each a glass, guided Andy over to the centre of his living room, went down on one knee and proposed. He had chosen a beautiful eighteen karate gold ring with a single sapphire placed between two diamonds. The sapphire represented the month of July. Traditionally, in Canada, the birthstone for July is a ruby, but no matter how hard Sam tried he just didn't see Andy wearing a ruby. It was an East Indian jeweller who suggested a sapphire. He could tell that Sam was Christian and Canadian based on the type of stones and style of ring he was asking to view. The jeweller had smiled and told Sam that birthstones were not religious. How the various stones became associated with the months of the year is not really known. There are a few legends, but none of the stories are really religious. They are not mentioned in the Bible. The Hindu stone for the month of July is a sapphire. Sam had smiled when the jeweller had brought out a number of sapphire and diamond rings for him to view. He knew the second he laid eyes on the one ring it was Andy. It was not an elaborate setting, just a row of three stones. One centre sapphire with one slightly smaller sized diamond on each side. The sapphire represented the month she had come barreling into his life. The diamonds represented the two of them. The three stones in a row represented how many children he saw them eventually having together. The gold ring was for eternal love.
A "Welcome Home" backyard bar-b-que pool party was organized, for Leo and his Division 15 family members, a month after he came home. Surprisingly it was Gail who did all the planning. Mind you she did tell everyone what to bring as a food contribution, and she did order Sam and Jerry to chef the bar-b-que. Then again she did host the event and supply the drinks. Well technically she hosted the event. It was held at her family's home, when her parents were conveniently away on a two-week vacation. As Traci said to Andy, "When the cat's away the mice do play". The party was a huge success. Oliver brought his wife, who he had reconciled with, and his daughters. Chris brought his latest "new" girlfriend. Dov came alone, but Nick brought his three nephews he was babysitting for the day. Andy came with Sam. Noelle and Frank brought baby Chloë and Luke brought a girl he met recently at a coffee shop. Leo had a great time and made friends with Nick's nephews and the Shaw's youngest daughter.
As for baseball, Leo asked if he could play, for the league, in Barrie the summer he returned. The therapist encouraged Dex to allow him to play. "Leo is ready to play and he knows where he wants to play. You are the one who is unsure of the situation. Sign him up to play in Barrie. If he wanted to play in Toronto, he would not have asked to play in Barrie. He knows there are options. He is a smart boy."
Fifteen months after Leo's return.
Traci and Jerry drove up the driveway of the Davis's new cottage on the shore of Lake Simcoe in Barrie, Ontario and parked. Mr. and Mrs. Davis sold their original cottage a few weeks after Leo returned. It was time. The original cottage held many memories. Many good, but too many recently were not happy. It was where Dex almost lost his life and Leo's kidnapping occurred. Fate seemed to intervene, when a similar cottage in size, style, condition and location came available, on the market, the day after the Davis's listed their cottage. Mr. and Mrs. Davis smiled knowingly at each other after their first tour of the new cottage. It was perfect. The structure was still on the shores of Lake Simcoe, yet far enough away from the original cottage and its memories to not be an issue. The Davis's purchased the cottage, the day it went on the market, for $30,000.00 less than what they received for their cottage two days later.
"It looks like Mr. and Mrs. Swarek are already here." Traci said as she turned to Jerry and smiled.
"You love to say Mrs. Swarek to me don't you Trac?"
"I like watching your reaction every time you hear "Mrs. Swarek."
"There is no reaction."
"Yes there is a reaction. You smile, shake your head and rub your chin."
"I do not." Jerry said as he rubbed his chin.
"Hmm...hmmm."
"Okay! It's subconscious. Trac...I never thought the day would come where there would be a Mrs. Swarek. Sammy...he...all the years I have known him has been the "love them and leave them" type of guy. He...ran from...even the remotest sign of commitment. It's odd seeing him with a wife."
"You have to admit, she is good for him."
Jerry smiled, "Yes...that she is."
"Are you ready for this sweetheart?" Jerry asked.
Traci shook her head and smiled.
"The Davis Family and I are in a good place. Losing Leo, for all those months...it gave everyone a different view on life. It made us all silently re-evaluate what was important. Things we argued or held grudges over, in the past, are no longer important. I guess we all "grew up". It's true...maturity brings peace. Yes, I am ready. Let's go see Leo."
Jerry smiled as he exited the vehicle.
"You're wearing my ring."
"I think it is time to tell them we're engaged." Traci said as she smiled.
Fifteen months ago The Davis Family promised Leo they would have a huge fishing party when Leo returned home. They kept their promise, and that fall Leo invited his Mom, Jerry, Grandma Nash, Aunt Andy, Uncle Sam and his Aunts, Uncles and cousins on the Davis side to the new cottage for a huge fishing party and fish fry. The event was such a success that the Davis Family decided to make it an annual get-together.
Leo came running up to his mother and Jerry when he spotted them walking around to the back of the cottage. Mr. and Mrs. Davis had driven Leo and his Grandma Nash to the cottage after school Friday evening. The Fishing Party was held the next day.
"Mom! Jerry! Come on, get a fishing rod. We are heading out, in the row boats, in a few minutes."
Jerry and Traci both smiled.
"I'm ready buddy. Lead the way." Jerry said.
"Mom! You coming too?"
"Oh, I don't..."
Mom! Pleeeeeeease! Aunt Andy is coming to fish."
"Alright then...I guess I will have to give this fishing thing a try this year." She said smiling.
A few hours later, and after a very successful fishing trip and feast, almost everyone sat around the fire pit sipping Irish coffees. There attention was completely focused on Leo, Dex and Sam.
Everyone watched amused as the trio attempted to set up the Christmas gift Traci purchased for Leo the Christmas he was lost.
A few moments later cheering and clapping erupted as the vinegar and baking soda rocket shot into the air with a large pop.
Traci and Dex glanced at each other and smiled. They may not have been "great", but they did make a son together who was amazing. They were in a good place together.
Two weeks later
It started with a phone call from Superintendent Peck to Detective Nash. A third three-year old child vanished, without a trace, from the same park in Toronto, within a four month period. At the moment everything, concerning the three cases, appeared identical including the children's physical characteristics. It was possible they had a serial predator. They needed to catch this individual. Superintendent Peck wanted one of her best detectives to take over as the lead investigator. Not only one of her best, but one who could relate to the devastated families. Someone with first hand knowledge of both sides of this type of crime. That officer will read the families, neighbours and witnesses differently. That officer will view all the evidence differently. That officer will be the one to solve this case. Detective Traci Nash was that officer.
"I need you. I know I am asking you to work, even more so for you, a very emotionally challenging case. You have a very unique insight to this type of crime. Am I asking you to exploit that knowledge? Yes, I am. I will not force you to work this case. I will understand if you wish to pass. I am now asking; do you want this task? Are you up to this task?"
Traci took a deep breath and then replied, "Yes Ma'am, I believe I am."
"I'll bring these children home. I'll close this case." Traci thought as she prepared to head to the crime scene.
It started with a phone call. It always started with a phone call.
In case anyone is wondering I am Christian. I saw, in my mind, what type of ring I wanted Sam to give Andy and I attempted to work with the traditional birth stones, I am familiar with in Canada but, I was unable to make the ring right. I started researching and discovered the Hindu birth stone chart. Light bulbs went off.
This story came to me when I saw a poster for a missing child. After writing this story I believe I am more aware of these posters. I now take a minute and really look at the child's face. I urge all my readers to do the same. Perhaps someone from the fanfic family will help to re-unite a child with their real family.
Let me know what you think. Leave me a review.
Thank-you and Take Care
Paintedpony48