A week and a half later
Brock
Hopping out of my truck, I grab Alex and place him on the ground next to me. We’re picking up Ripley some flower arrangements because it’s her birthday today, and I want to make up for all the birthdays I’ve missed. She told me all she wanted was dinner with us, but back in high school, on my birthday she’d decorate my locker with streamers, balloons, and love notes. I don’t have a locker to decorate, but I’m decorating her place and having everyone over for a sort of surprise party.
She’s at work now, so Alex and I are going to decorate, and Jonah is supposed to be bringing streamers. I had Jonah invite her friends, and I invited her mom and mine. Kat never responded to the email I sent her so I doubt she is coming, but Cale responded and is going to try to make it.
I grab Alex’s hand and we step inside the flower shop where my mom works. We find her and Cheryl talking closely, and they both look up when the bell chimes above the door. “Well hey you two.”
“Hey, Mom. Hey, Cheryl. How are you two ladies today?”
“We’re good honey. Come give me a hug, Alex.” Alex runs around the counter and gives my mom a huge hug, which always causes a pain in my chest. She has no clue what her ex-husband did, and she never will.
Cheryl comes around the counter. “We’ve got your flowers all boxed up and ready to go. We’ve got a colorful variety for you, and your mom thought Ripley would like the arrangements in different colored watering cans. Come with me and I’ll show you.”
“Alex, you stay with my mom.” He nods his head as he sucks on a lollipop I’m sure she gave to him.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got him. Wait until you see the arrangements. We did good.” She smiles at me before turning her attention back to Ripley’s boy. Cheryl leads me through the back and opens one of the boxes. She pulls out the arrangement, and it’s perfect. There are a variety of daisies ranging from white to a deep purple, and the watering can is a purplish blue.
“These are beautiful. She’s going to love them. Thanks so much.”
She gives me a huge smile. “Great.”
We head back out front so I can settle the bill. I know it’s going to cost a mint, but it’ll be worth it to see the look on her face. Cheryl gives me the total and it’s about half of what I expected. “I don’t think you charged me enough.”
Cheryl looks to my mom and then back at me. “I gave them to you at cost. Pretty much, you’re paying for the watering cans.”
“Wow, you really didn’t have to do that. I can pay full price.”
“Oh I know you can, but consider this a thank you for your service.” She takes my credit card and slides it through the machine then hands me my receipt to sign.
My mom helps me load up the boxes into the back of my truck and then I load Alex in the back seat, buckling him in tight. We run the flowers back to their place and then he and I head to get the food. We decided to do simple, so we got sandwiches, chips, veggies, and dip. Her mom’s bringing the cake, and it’s Ripley’s absolute favorite: white cake with diced strawberries and white icing.
Her present is hidden behind the entertainment center. She mentioned once that she wanted a tablet, so I bought her an iPad mini. I really hope she loves it.
Jonah comes toward me with his phone in his hand. “Jess just texted me and they’ll be here in about five minutes.”
“Perfect. Thanks.” He claps me on the shoulder and moves through Ripley’s place, telling everyone to be ready. Alex runs toward me. “What’s up, little man?”
He wraps his arms around my waist. “Mommy’s going to be surprised.”
“I know she is. Do you think she’s going to like the party?” She thinks we’re just having dinner with our families.
“She’ll lub it!”
“They’re here!” I hear Jonah whisper-yell. Everyone gets into position and as soon as Ripley and Jessica step inside, everyone yells, “Surprise!”
Alex is the first to greet her, and I watch while everyone clambers for her attention. One by one, she hugs every person there, and then she finally reaches me. “Did you do all of this?” She wraps her arms around my waist.
I thread my fingers into her hair and bend down to kiss her lips. “I had help.” I turn to the room. “Food is set up in the kitchen. Please help yourselves.” I turn back to her. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving.” Hand in hand, we step into the kitchen. My mom hands us each a plate and then I lead her over to the food. After fixing our plates, we head into the living room. Jonah brought extra chairs, and I grab us a couple so we can sit and relax.
Ripley’s mom and mine seem to be getting along well, and are chatting away. Back when we were in high school, they spoke, just not often. Alex is sitting on my mom’s lap talking to them both. Around the room, everyone is laughing and talking, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m home. The doorbell rings and I jump up to get it; a part of me hopes it’s Kat, even though I still haven’t heard from her.
When I open the door, I smile—Cale is standing on the steps. “Hey, man. Glad you could come.” I turn until I find Ripley. “Baby, look who’s here.”
Her eyes widen comically and then she comes running toward us. “Cale! Oh my God! I’m so happy you’re here.” She throws herself into his arms and hugs him tight.
Cale hugs her in return. “It’s so good to see you again Rip. Where’s that boy of yours? I need to meet him.” She loops her arm through his, leads him farther into the living room, and calls Alex over. I watch as Cale gets down on his haunches and talks to him, then I stand to pick up some of the trash and take it into the kitchen.
Only family is left after a great evening. Ripley loved the cake and the presents, screaming and attacking me when she opened her iPad. Jonah and Jessica got her several different gift cards—one for iTunes, one for Amazon, and one for a spa she likes to go get her hair done at. Gift cards seemed to be the theme, but she reacted to each one with the same excitement as the one prior.
After singing “Happy Birthday” and eating cake, people started taking their leave. Jonah has Alex and Tiny outside, letting them expel some energy, and Ripley, Jessica, and the moms are all sitting around the living room. I decide to go outside with the guys.
I reach the kitchen and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Hustling toward the back door, first I spot Tiny on his side, unmoving. I fly down the steps to find Jonah on his back and Ripley’s neighbor Tim next to him. My heart starts hammering in my chest. Where’s Alex? “Alex!” Over and over, I shout for him.
I yell for help and everyone comes running out. “Someone call 911!” Jonah begins to groan, and Jessica helps me assess both Jonah and Tim. “Jonah what happened?”
“Where’s Alex?” I hear Ripley cry from behind me.
“She came out of nowhere.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know, she had dark hair. Fuck man, she came out of nowhere. She tased the dog and before I could react, she got me. Tim came out and tried to stop her, but she got him too. She took Alex man! She took him.”
I jump up and run around the side of the house to the front. I don’t see anything, and I tilt my head back. “Fuck!” I run around back and see that my mom’s on the phone.
“The police are on their way.”
“Someone get a recent picture of Alex,” I bark. I don’t care who does it, but someone just needs to.” Ripley is with her mom. “Baby?” She looks up and runs to me, her tears soaking the front of my shirt. “We’re going to find him, baby.”
“Who would take my little boy? Was it him? Did he do it?”
I stroke my hand over her hair. “Jonah says it was a dark-haired woman.”
She pulls back. “A dark-haired woman stopped me at the grocery store a little over a week ago. It was so bizarre. She just stared at me.”
The police get here and I lead them into the back to take statements, and give them the most recent picture of Alex.
After the police take Tim and Jonah’s statements, they ask Ripley for information about Alex. They’ve posted his picture on social media and on their website, and now all we can do is fucking wait. Ripley’s holding on by a string, and Jonah’s head is hung low. He’s got a defeated look about him, and all I want to do is hop in my truck and start searching for Alex. Sitting here doing nothing is not good for me.
The doorbell rings and I move to answer it, hoping it’s the police with some word. When I open the door, I’m struck speechless. “What the fuck are you doing here? I thought I made myself clear.” The noise behind me stops and I know they’re all watching. I just want my mom to steer clear of him.
“She has the boy. I know where they are. Come with me, we have to hurry.” Do I believe him? Do I trust that he’s telling the truth? I look at the tears running down Ripley’s face and know I’ve got no choice but to believe him.
I move across the room toward her. “I’m going to get our boy back, okay? You stay here, just in case.” I kiss her hard on the lips and then look at my family. They don’t know what to say, so I just give them a chin lift.
Outside, my dad is standing by a Ford Escort that looks like it barely functions. “Get in.”
“Who has him? Why?”
He lets out a slow and steady breath. “The day after I ran into you, I had a visitor. She said Ripley and the boy were standing in the way of you two having a happy life. She said she suspected that the boy was mine.” My stomach turns, because I know exactly who has my boy.
“Was her name Tiffany?” If that bitch hurts one hair on his head, she’s fucking dead.
“I-I don’t, I don’t know. Maybe, she never really said. She wanted me to help her get rid of them so she could be with you. I let her think I was interested so she would keep talking. She was going to take them to the Roadside Inn where a man was going to meet her and take them, to get rid of them.”
I know the place, and we’re at least ten minutes out. “You need to fucking hurry.”
A heavy silence fills the inside of the car and my knee bounces up and down nervously. God, I wish I had a gun or something. “When we get there, stop the car down the street. She’ll hear us coming.”
He tries to make conversation with me, but I don’t have time for chit-chat. I focus and get into rescue mode when I see the motel sign up ahead. “Stop the car here.” At least the son of a bitch listens. I climb out and turn back to my dad. “Call the police when I figure out what room they’re in.”
“They’re in room seven. She’s not very smart because she told me which room she was in before I even agreed to help.”
“Okay well call them now. Tell them no sirens or lights—I don’t want to spook her.”
He grabs my hand. “Son, I just wanted to say that I’m—”
“Not right now, Dad, but I promise we’ll talk, okay?” My father nods and looks relieved. “Call them, now.”
On silent feet, I move toward the motel and come up on room seven. There’s a light on inside but the room is cloaked in silence. The drapes are shut and I attempt to see inside. Of course, I can’t, and right now I need to make a decision about what to do.
I hear a noise inside. “Shut up you little brat. I don’t want to hear it.”
“I want to go home.” Alex’s tearful voice can be heard, and in that moment, I make a decision. I step back a little and with one quick movement, I kick the door until it splinters open.
Tiffany stands next to the bed and she’s got a gun pointed at Alex. She looks crazy and unkempt. Her hair is scraggly and unclean, and her clothes are clearly dirty. “Brock? What are you doing here?”
“What do you think I’m doing? I need you to let the boy go.”
“I-I can’t do that, baby. He’s why you left me, him and his whore mother. I wanted to get rid of her too, but then I thought, what would break her more? Losing her son, of course. A friend is going to come help me get rid of this little brat.” She waves her gun around and I watch her with wary eyes. I just need one opening. I’d never hit a woman if I could help it, but she’s got my boy and he’s clearly scared.
“Why don’t you let him go and I’ll stay?” I beg, my heart pumping quick, each beat filled with worry and terror. I’m hoping maybe that’ll work, that maybe with her feelings for me, she’ll agree to it. I just want Alex out of here.
“I can’t do that. I love you, Brock, but you’ve ruined us. You abandoned me for your precious Ripley and her kid.” She points the gun at the floor and fires. Alex covers his ears and cries out.
“Buddy it’s okay, I promise.” I watch her point the gun at Alex again. “Tiff, please point that at me.”
She does what I say, and then I see movement out of the corner of my eye that causes me to turn my head. My dad stands in the doorway.
“You,” Tiffany hisses, and my dad holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture.
He begs. “Let them go, and take me.”
Time moves in slow motion. She raises the gun. Her eyes are wild and without blinking, fires, hitting my father right between the eyes. The quick, deafening sound booms. My father’s head jerks back, and I freeze. Blood pours down his face. Grey matter splatters on the wall behind where my dad was standing. With quick movements, I lunge at her, clearly shocking her and knocking the gun from her hand. I grab her by her hair and slam her head into the wall once, knocking her out.
The smell of blood, death and stale cigarettes make my stomach turn. I shake myself out of the shock and stand. Through the open door I see a whole string of police cars pulling into the parking lot. With a sigh of relief, I rush to Alex, picking him up and hugging him to my chest. “It’s okay buddy. You’re okay.” I place my lips against his forehead inhaling his familiar little boy scent.
His cries break my heart, but they also are soothing because he’s okay. He’s safe. With him in my arms I wipe the tears from his red, splotchy tear-stained face before hugging him tightly to my body again.
Once the police step into the room, there is a flurry of activity, and thankfully they cover the body of my father. Alex doesn’t need to see that; fuck, I don’t want to see that. I answer as many questions as I can, and I’m relieved that they don’t really ask Alex anything. They give us the okay to leave for now, and they have my number if they need us for anything. As I buckle Alex in the back seat of my dad’s Escort, I hear Tiffany screaming as they bring her out in handcuffs.
I hope she never sees the light of day again.