Little Boy Lost
Chapter 21
Nestor Watersmith was furious. The little brat had seen him. Damnit all to hell. That complicated things. Didn't make it impossible but definitely complicated things.
He'd been hoping to get into the house unseen but all that was out the window now. Now he'd have to come up with something else.
The incensed man really didn't have it figured out much beyond getting into the house, only having had the time it took to get from the jailhouse to the Hardy's home to formulate a plan. His escape had been an unexpected blessing; one he intended to take full advantage of.
Poor Erma. His beloved wife. Still stuck behind bars, being treated like a criminal just because she dared love a child. A child they considered their own. Well she considered it. Nestor? It was just something he'd gotten to make her happy.
He never intended to take the kid but after their own blond haired boy, Jason Watersmith, died in a house fire, Erma had become despondent and Nestor was desperate to do whatever it took to get his loving wife back. And when he'd seen little Joe Hardy, a smaller but rather similar version of his own dead son, the man had to have the boy for Erma. So he took him.
Again, rare luck allowed the child to be walking unattended when Nestor spied him and once again, as the man spared a thought about his 'luck', he decided the good Lord himself was behind the blessings. Now he just had to get the brat back.
His mind worked rapidly and he smiled. It would be brilliant. He'd use the child as a bargaining chip to get his wife freed and once they were a family again, he'd take them somewhere secluded and kill them. Erma could not live without the kid nor Nestor without her and now that the Hardys were back in the picture, he knew they'd receive no peace so this was the only way. The only way he could guarantee that they'd never be separated again.
He'd kill Erma first as he didn't want his wife's last memory to be watching the kid die. And then he'd off the brat and himself. But first things first though, he had to get Jason.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
"Fenton?" Laura pulled her husband away from the children, "What are we going to do? We can't stay here. You know he'll come after Joey, you know it!" Her bright blue eyes were wide with worry and fear. She'd only just gotten her baby back.
The detective turned towards her and gently grasped her forearms. "It's okay, Laura," he assured her softly, "Like I told Joey, he isn't getting near either of you."
"That's wonderful," the pretty blond was caustic, "but now, really, what are we going to do?"
Fenton glanced towards the children who were standing together watching them with large eyes, "Well, firstly, nothing that is going to scare them." Looking slightly chagrined, Laura raised an eyebrow, bidding him to continue. "And then you're going to start getting the boys ready for bed while I call the police and find out what's going on. Afterwards, I'll come upstairs and give you a hand."
"But-" she opened her mouth to protest but Fenton shook his head slightly.
"No buts. If we try to leave this house we'll just be putting ourselves in the open. There is too much that a psychopath could do while we're on route somewhere else. Plus this is our house. No one knows it better than we do and once I put the alarm on, there is no way Watersmith is getting in here." The sound of police sirens in the background made him smirk, "But if he tries, we're going to nail his ass to the wall." He hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted it as he looked deeply into her eyes, his voice held no less conviction than it had moments before when he was speaking to Joe, "He isn't getting past me. I promise."
Feeling somewhat mollified by his certainty, Laura let out a shaky breath and gave a small nod with her head. "Okay," she whispered. "Okay."
…
"Good," the detective flashed her a cocky smile as he winked and then turned back to his sons, "Now that that's all sorted, why don't you boys head up stairs with your Mom, while I make a few phone calls and see what I can come up with."
Joe opened his mouth and then cast his older brother a tentative little look. Taking it that he wanted to say something but was unsure, Fenton addressed the child directly. "Joey? Something on your mind, son?"
The kid blushed and glanced down at his stocking clad feet. To Fenton's mild amusement, the little boy actually ground one of his toes into the carpet. It was only when Frank gave him a gentle prompt in the way of a poke in the shoulder, did Joe lift his head and ask quietly, "Can you put the alarm on first?"
Fenton's heart broke for the traumatized child but rather than answering him, he just gave a sad smile and moved towards the front door. Making sure his son could see, he carefully set the alarm and then glanced back. He rose an eyebrow in an unasked question and Joe gave him a quick smile and even quicker head nod.
"Good," he grinned, closing the alarm cover and giving his family his full attention again, "Okay, get your little cabooses upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up in a few minutes."
"Cabooses?" The children giggled as they hurried up the stairs with Laura following close. Frank added, "That's a good one, Dad!" and then disappeared with the sound of running feet.
Heaving a heavy sigh, Fenton waited a moment longer and then hurried towards his study – he had some phone calls to make.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
"Our Daddy is pretty silly," Joe giggled as he followed his brother into Frank's room.
"Yeah," Frank agreed, "he's pretty cool."
As Laura turned on the water in the tub, Frank yanked open a bureau drawer and pulled out two sets of pajamas. He looked at his brother, "Batman or Spiderman?"
Joe's eyes widened in awe. "You got both of them?"
Frank rolled his eyes, "Well, duh, which one?"
Bright blue eyes darted from one set to the other. He worried his lip but couldn't seem to make up his mind. After a whole half minute, Frank sighed and shook his head. "Why don't you just wear the Spiderman ones? You're not Batman material." Joe frowned, crossed his arms and refused to take the offered clothing.
"And why not?" he demanded angrily.
"'Cause," Frank explained, his voice tinged with slight frustration, "Batman's older that's why!"
"Older?" The frown grew puzzled as the kid tilted his head to the side, "how'd you know he's older?"
"Because he's older than Robin," Frank announced matter-of-factly. Joe considered him for another moment, then shrugged and took the Spiderman pajamas.
"Okay," he agreed amicably and then Laura's voice was calling Frank into the bathroom.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
Joe watched his brother go, a look of growing trepidation on his face.
Was he supposed to get naked in front of Laura?
His heart started to pound.
What if she wanted to stay in the room?
Sure, in his heart he knew she was his mom but – still, he hardly knew her!
His breath hiccupped as his eyes darted to the window, half afraid he'd see Nestor looking in at him, and then back towards the bathroom. Could this day get any worse?
And then the door opened and Laura stepped back into the room.
"Frank, put your dirty clothes in the hamper," she called over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her. "Not on the floor." She turned towards Joe and the smile died on her lips. "Baby? What's wrong?"
Relief flooded the child as he realized he was wrong. Laura wasn't going to stay in the bathroom with him.
As the woman dropped to her knees in front of him, he shook his head, managing a weak smile for her. "M'okay," he mumbled, sniffing hard and wiping away one traitorous little tear.
Mirror blue eyes appraised him for a moment, and then Laura reached out and cupped the side of his face gently. Joe leaned into her touch, sighed wearily and closed his eyes.
"You know what?" He forced his eyes open at the softness of her voice. "Why don't you just change into those pajamas and call it a night? I think your bath can wait one night."
Joe met his mother's concerned gaze. "Really?"
Laura smiled warmly, "Really. And," she added, "Frank thinks it'd be a good idea for you to sleep with him tonight. If it's okay-" Arms flung tightly around her neck cut Laura off mid-sentence. Joe couldn't believe that Frank was going to let him sleep with him and he was so relieved his body actually shook.
"Yes, please! Please!" he murmured against her warm throat and felt her arms return his hug no less vigorously. Joe didn't care if they thought he was a big baby, he really didn't want to be alone tonight. Not for his first night in this house after two years, and not with the knowledge that Nestor Watersmith was out of jail and would come after his family.
This way, if nothing else, he might be able to keep Daddy from hurting Frank. Joe wasn't sure how yet, but at least now he'd have a chance…
"All right then," Laura pulled away from him and stood up, "what say I go get an extra blanket while you change and get in bed?"
Joe nodded, waited for her to leave the room and then quickly got out of his clothes and into the pajamas. They were a bit too big but he wasn't going to complain.
He slipped into the bed, pressed his back against the wall and waited for his brother to get out of the bath.
Joe tried to keep his eyes open. He really did. But ten minutes later when a freshly bathed Frank emerged, the blond boy was fast asleep.
A block from the house, Nestor Watersmith watched the lights turn off upstairs. He lit a cigarette, took a deep breath in and slowly let out the smoke.
It was party time.