Bri and Don had lunch some days later to talk about the issue.
"Don, look," Bri began, "Frank's s got a job, and is a good man."
"That doesn't mean anything"
"Yes it does!"
"We have no way of knowing how reformed he is!"
"I know him pretty well, Don"
"I've met people, who were married to murderers and didn't even know it!" Don argued, and then threatened "Either you throw Frank to the curb, or I'll take you to court for sole custody of Doug"
"Don! Don't be unreasonable!"
"That's my final offer." Don got up from the table, and started to walk away "I'll see you in court."
0980980990
"You can hold anything against her" Diana told Don and Robin when they next met with her and explained what Don had found. "It's going to be a little nastier than last time."
"We can take it." Robin assured her.
"Good" Diana replied. "Let's get started."
890980909
"Damn him!" Bri seethed as she showed the papers to appear at court to her new husband. They talked in the modest living room, as Doug showered. "Custody trials are horrible! The lawyers put everything under a microscope!"
" My former parole officer will happily testify, as will my boss."
"That's a start. I'll have to borrow more money from my brother" Bri said. "It's hard enough doing joint custody. I can't lose my son!"
Frank comforted her with an arm around the shoulder.
After dinner, Bri decided to tell Doug the situation, but without revealing Frank's past, or bad mouthing Don.
"Your father and I are going to discuss with a Judge whether, since you're older, you should spend even more time with him" she told the boy.
"Why?"
"Your father feels that as you get closer to manhood, you'll need to be near a male authority figure more often"
"Doesn't Frank count as one?"
"He could..."
"I like things the way they are" Doug declared.
"Really honey?"
"Yeah. I'll tell Dad"
080980909809
"Dad, I like things the way they are" Doug told Don the next time the boy was over. "Cancel the meeting with the judge. I've got two male authority figures."
"It's not that simple."
'What do you mean, Dad?"
"What did you mother tell you about the meeting with the judge?"
"That you wanted me to be with you more time so that I could have a male authority figure, but Frank is one too."
"Buddy, there is stuff that, well, your mother didn't mention."
"Like what?"
"Well, Frank made some mistakes in his past."
"What kind of mistakes?"
"He burglarized a house, and went to jail for it." Don decided to tell the boy the truth.
"Really?
"He's not the role model I want for you."
"He's a great guy!" Doug protested.
"He's a criminal!" Don emphasized. "An ex con!"
"Why would mom let him live with us?"
"She believes that he has reformed, I have my doubts" Don said diplomatically.
"Mom would never let a bad person into our lives." Doug argued. "Maybe he used to be a burglar, but now he changed."
"Sometimes people can fool others" Don tried to explain.
"Mom says she's got special instincts to let her know when something or someone is dangerous for me."
"Sometimes, that instinct can go haywire."
"Haywire?"
Don's phone rang. Sighing, he answered it. "Eppes?" He listened, hung up,and told the boy, "I gotta go, but we'll talk about this later."
Just when Don was able to come home, about a day later, Doug looked distraught.
"Mom's missing!" he told him.
"Missing?"
"I keep trying to call her all day but she doesn't answer or call me back."
"Have you talked to Frank?" Don asked.
"Yeah. He says that he hasn't seen mom either, but that the cops won't look for her yet. Can't you do something?"
"I'll talk to Frank"
"Do it now!" Doug demanded "It's Sunday. He'll be home."
"sure" Don called Frank's cell, which Bri had given.
"Hello?"
"It's Don. Have you seen Bri?"
"Not all Day. I've called her friends, and the cops, but they say its too soon. She was doing an article on human trafficking for a woman's magazine. Bob has contacted a PI to look into it."
Days passed, and Bri did not appear. Doug refused to go to school.
"I wanna help look for her!" Doug demanded for the third morning in the row, still in his pajamas.
"The police are doing everything they can." Don tried to assure him "And you Uncle has a PI on the Job too."
"Why aren't you helping the cops?"
"Because your mother and I use to date, so I'm not allowed." Don said.
"Uncle Bob is offering a reward for information, and is having his assistant put up posters."
"Your mother would want you to go to school."
"That's not true!"
"Go get dressed" Don, looking at his watch, already dressed, ordered.
"I'm not going to school until we find mom."
Don and Robin looked at each other. How could they tell the boy that the more time passed, the less likely Bri's being alive was?
"Doug" Don put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "We all have jobs to do. Yours is to go to school."
"But my mom is missing!!"
Don decided that Doug had to be told the truth. He took a deep breath before he began, "Buddy, sit down. We need to talk." The boy sat down reluctantly.
"Doug, I've seen a lot of cases of missing persons." Don began. He paused for a moment, his eyes leaving his son. "The more time passes, the less likely it is that they are alive."
"Mom could be dead?" Doug asked.
"I'm sorry Buddy. But it's a possibility."
"What if someone kidnapped her because they know Uncle Bob is rich?" Doug was in denial.
"There would be a ransom note buddy." Don explained quietly.
"Aaron told me about this lady trapped in some nut's tool shed for like twenty years" Doug said. "Couldn't that have happened to mom?"
"Those cases are rare, buddy." Don told him gently.
"Mom's out there!" the boy said stubbornly. "We gotta find her!"
"Buddy, you need to face the possibility that maybe she might not be found alive, or at all."
"No! She's alive!"
"I don't have court until tomorrow. I could take the day off," Robin offered, feeling sorry for the boy.
"Do that.I'll come by later." Don relented, and turned to the boy, "You don't have to go to school, but have Aaron get today's homework for you"
"I wanna help!"
"You can stand by the phone?" Don suggested. "In case someone calls with updates."
"Okay!"
"And you can work on your homework while you do that." Don wanted to keep the boy's routine as much as possible.
9798798
Later, the two detectives working Bri's case came to see him in front the building where he worked.
"We were just told that you and Ms. O'Brian were in a custody dispute." One of them, a woman in his late twenties remarked. She wore a dark blue pantsuit.
"Yes. I was concerned because her new husband had a record." Don replied.
"We know. A B and E."
"I didn't want that kind of role model for my son."
"It would have been the second time you two were in court." the other detective, with a blonde goatee said. "I've been divorced. Custody cases are hard, and expensive."
"But worth every penny." Don said.
"How was the court case going?"
"My lawyer had just filed the papers, we haven't even had a hearing yet."
"Where were you the weekend of her disappearance?"
"I spent most of it at work."
"Well, we'll be in touch, Agent Eppes." the goateed detectived told him, and he left with his partner.
Don sighed, and called his son.
"Anything new, Buddy?" he asked.
"Uncle Bob put a video in Youtube, and got a friend of his to put Mom on the news!" Doug replied.
"That's good."
"I'll email you the link to the Youtube video. It's also on his website." Doug said.
"Send it right over."
"Okay."
"Good job, Buddy."
0980809090
Don, for his son, decided to watch the youtube clip.
It had Bob sitting on a director's chair, with a lavender background, and him talking.
"I'm Bob O'Brian. You probably know me from my role as Tim Perth in Santa Barbara. Today, however, I play another role; that of a very worried brother. Some days ago, my sister, Brianna O'Brian." Bob put up a recent picture of Bri. "went missing while doing a writing assignment for a magazine. I am offering one hundred thousand dollars, for anyone with information leading to her location. No questions asked. She's got a twelve year old boy, who misses her terribly. If you know anything please call the LAPD missing persons division at 213-555-2376 or at 310-225-4444. Thank you." With that the message ended.
Don saw the comments, and noticed a lot of sympathy and well wishes for Bob.
Time passed and there was no word. Nothing. Moreover, Don received another visit from the police.
TBC