Only the Curious Have Something to Find

Chapter 15

Note: Hey, guys! I'm not gonna be home from Friday to Monday (and I won't have a computer this time), so I'm updating now! Sorry…I travel a lot :D But thankfully it's not for 10 days this time!

Enjoy!

--

Lassiter paced back and forth in front of the phone on his desk. Juliet and Gus sat on his bed, watching him. "Call them again," Lassiter said to Gus, who had the over-used phone sitting in his lap.

"Lassiter, man, we called their house fifteen times in the last hour. They're obviously not home."

"Maybe they are now."

"You think they got home within these four minutes we didn't call?"

Lassiter looked at Gus harshly, "They might have."

"Guys, stop it. You're letting the worry get to you. Just stay calm, I've been in this situation before." Both Gus and Lassiter stopped and turned to their female friend.

"Oh, Jules. I totally forgot…I-I'm sorry." Both started to say in some form.

Juliet held up her hand. "Don't be, it was five years ago. We just need to be strong for Shawn right now. That's what he really needs. It's what he's going to need for a long while after this if it's…if it's bad."

"You're right." Lassiter whispered, falling down into his desk chair. "I'm just so…"

"I know, man. Me too." Gus bit his lip, not sure why he was allowing himself to say what he was about to say, but continued on anyway. "Mr. Spencer has been like another father to me…really since before I could talk. I mean…he's like another friend to me. I love the guy." Gus looked down, tears filling his eyes. Juliet reached over and rubbed his arm affectionately.

"He'll be OK, Gus. I'm sure of it."

"Did you say that to Karen five years ago?" Gus asked seriously, turning to his girlfriend with a look of desperation on his face.

Juliet looked at Gus for a moment, "No." She said quietly, looking down. "No, I didn't. And he wasn't."

"Was it because you didn't want to get Karen's hopes up? Or because you knew he wouldn't be?" Juliet looked deep into Gus eyes and could feel her heart breaking. Gus was just so desperate for the older man to be OK that he would believe anything, even things that insinuated supernatural power. But then again that was because he'd known Shawn all his life and he was living proof that such things existed.

But despite all this, Juliet didn't have a response. She didn't know why she hadn't said it to Karen all those years ago. She just hadn't. With tears filling her eyes she reached over and wrapped her arms around Gus, and a moment later Lassiter joined the hug too. They all sat there for a moment, tears in their eyes and grief in their hearts.

When they pulled back Lassiter scrubbed at his eyes and quietly said, "Call them again, Gus."

--

Henry Spencer wasn't surprised to find his son not home when he returned from work. It was normal for Shawn to hang out with Gus, or now, any of them, until long after Henry got home. But what he was surprised to find was the answering machine filled with messages and a ringing phone beside it.

Snatching the phone up he tiredly said, "Spencer residence." He got no response, just a long pause on the other end. He found himself getting agitated. "Look, if this is some kind of prank I'm a cop and I can find you and arrest you."

This time there was a quick intake of breath at his response. "Mr. Spencer?"

"Gus? What the hell—you better not be the one who left fifteen messages on my machine."

He heard another voice, causing him to guess he was on speakerphone. "Mr. Spencer!" It was Juliet's voice. "You're home already, it must not have been that bad then! Are you all right?"

"What must not have been that bad? Work?" Henry glanced out the back window to see his father snoozing on a lawn chair on the back lawn and snorted to himself.

"You mean…you weren't…?"

"What the hell are you kids up to? Did Shawn put you up to this? Is this some lame attempt at a prank?"

"Mr. Spencer you weren't…hurt…on duty today?" It was Lassiter's voice that time.

"Hurt on—what the hell gave you kids that idea?" He could feel his heart going cold, "Shawn's not…?"

"Shawn left school during lunch because his grandpa came to get him. He said you were hurt."

Henry glanced back through the window, panic setting in. "This better be your idea of a prank, old man." He whispered to himself as he ran out the back door, phone still to his ear. "Dad!"

Lawrence snorted loudly and jumped, "Ah-wha—Hen, what are you doing here? What time is it?"

"Dad, did you take Shawn out of school today? And don't you dare lie to me."

"What-? Son, why would I do that? Is something wrong?"

"According to the kids Shawn's grandpa came and got him from school saying I was-" Henry stopped dead, realization filling him. "Oh no."

"I didn't take him out, son. I would never lie and say you were hurt." Lawrence said, standing up and looking at his son with concern. "If I didn't take Shawn out does that mean…?"

Henry addressed the phone once again. "Kids, can you come over here? I may need your help."

"Yes, sir. We'll be there in a second." Before Henry could even comprehend what was said, let alone reprimand Lassiter for calling him 'sir', the line went dead.

Henry bolted back inside and quickly dialed an almost-forgotten phone number. It rang…rang…rang…

"Hello, you have reached Elyse and Clarence. We're not here right now-"

"Damnit!" Henry felt himself filled with rage and haphazardly thrust the phone at the table that held it's cradle, not caring if he hit his mark or not. "What the hell do you want with my son?" He cried to no one. He stopped for a moment and just pressed the heals of his hands to his eyes. "Oh, God, Shawn…"

"Hen…" Lawrence whispered, placing a hand on Henry's shoulder comfortingly.

That seemed to send the Detective into action. He sprang forward and grabbed his bag, which he'd dropped on the couch when he walked in. He quickly searched through it, not caring if he was making a mess. He finally found what he was looking for and pulled out his large cell phone. He quickly dialed his partner's number.

"Hastings."

"Jim! Jim, are you still at work?"

"Yea, I was just about to clock out. Why, what's wrong?"

"It's my son. I don't know all the details, but Shawn's friends. They said his grandfather came and got him at school early, telling him that I was hurt on duty."

"What?! Did you talk to your father about it?"

"He's with me right now, it wasn't him."

"Then…was it…?"

"As of right now this is being considered as a high-priority kidnapping case. A police officer's son has been taken against his will. Get as many men as you can on this, got it? Start a BOLO for a green van with the license plate…ah, shit, I can't remember…"

"Henry, don't worry. I'll look it up. I'll get everyone I can find on it. Ok? We'll find him, man."

"I want the center of the investigation to be at my house. Lord knows he may call here or Shawn might manage to get out."

"You got it. We'll be there, with the techs too, in twenty minutes."

"Thanks, Jim." He quickly hung up his cell and turned to see his father staring at him with a concerned look in his eye. Henry fell to the couch, running his hands over his face tiredly.

"We'll find him, son."

"Yea…but in one piece?" Henry could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He was feeling a lot like he had just a few nights ago. But this was so different…this wasn't Shawn versus himself. Henry knew if that were the battle Shawn would make the right decision. This was Shawn versus some menace of unknown power. Who knew what Clarence wanted with his boy? Who knew what he would try to do?

"He'll be ok, Henry. I'm sure of it."

Henry paused, "Do you…do you think those dreams he wouldn't tell me about…could they be part of it?"

Lawrence bit his lip, "I…I don't know. I talked to him last night. I tried to make him tell me what they were about but he wouldn't…what if they are a part of it? Oh, God, I should have pushed him more…"

"Dad…dad, don't feel bad. If anyone should have pushed him on them it's me. I'm his fucking father. I…I should have…" Henry paused and bit his lip. "We…we don't even know if it's bad, right? I mean, this could…this could be something completely different. It may not be bad at all. Maybe Maddie's dad just wanted to…just wanted to…talk…" Henry trailed off, knowing how absurd he sounded. He looked to his father, who held a well-hid-but-still-visible skeptical look.

Before Lawrence could respond there was a loud knocking at the door. "That would be the kids." Henry nodded for Lawrence to let them in. He took a deep breath and stood. He needed to be strong for the kids.

He needed to be strong for Shawn.

--

Shawn spent the whole car ride silently panicking. He couldn't help but think of all the things that could have happened to his father. Strangled, stabbed, shot, exploded. Shawn pressed the heals of his hands into his eyes at that, trying not to break out into hysterical, panicked sobs. "Oh God, dad. Please be OK." He whispered out loud.

"You dad is fine, boy. Don't worry about that."

Shawn glanced up at his grandfather, who hadn't said a word to him except 'Come with me, Shawn' at the office. "Then…then you talked to him? You know he's OK?"

"I didn't talk to him." Clarence shrugged, "But I know he's OK." The older man glanced at Shawn, and like he was speaking to him out loud Shawn could hear Clarence's voice in his head. I'm surprised he trusts me that much. What a naive little monster.

Shawn could feel the panic for his father drifting away and panic for himself seeping in as everything began to click. "Grandpa…?" Shawn glanced out the windshield, only noticing for the first time that they weren't headed towards any hospital. "We're not going to the hospital?" Clarence said nothing, just smirked. "My…my dad…he's not hurt, is he?"

"Well, look at that, you are psychic!"

Shawn's eyes widened and his heart went cold. "You…you know…?"

Clarence glanced quickly at his grandson, a wicked look on his face. "I know many things, boy. I am a corporal hand of the Lord."

"So, what, you're psychic too? Maybe it's genetic." Shawn couldn't help the sarcastic comment, but he wished he had as his grandfather smacked him hard against the face.

"I am in no way related to you. There is no way I could be related to a demon."

Shawn held his hot cheek where it stung, tears filling his eyes. How could I have been so stupid?! He thought to himself. His father was fine, he could sense that. But why hadn't he noticed that before? He'd been so blinded by word-of-mouth that he didn't see the situation for what it was: a lie. He reached for the door handle but found it wasn't there, his grandfather had removed the door handle. He felt his heart stop. It was a trap. What am I going to do?

"Grandpa…why?"

"Why what? Lie to you? I know…it is a sin. But I had to get you to come with me somehow. I'm sure the Lord will forgive me for that through what I'm going to do." Shawn stared at his grandfather in horror.

"Why…what—what are you going to do to me?"

"Everything will be revealed in due time, boy." Shawn glanced out the front window again just as they pulled up to an old cabin that Shawn had never seen before but somehow recognized. Suddenly all the dreams began to fly across his eyes at once. All the pain, all the blood…

It came from this cabin.

"Grandpa…" He whispered, allowing the tears to fall. He had never been this scared in his life. "I…I trusted you." He choked out. He got the slight feeling of guilt flowing weakly from his grandfather, but he barely had time to comprehend it as his grandfather's fist came flying at him with surprising speed.

I'm sorry, dad, he thought as his world went black.

--

God…I'm getting more and more evil with each chapter! Gah! :D

Thanks for reading!!

-claire