Dragged into Darkness (29 page)

Scott saw how subjective the question was to an eight-year-old.  College grads were senior citizens in Peter’s eyes.  “As old as me, Peter?” he asked. 
“Or as old as grandpa?”
 

“As old as you,” Peter said.

“That’s good,”
Sheils
said.  “Now, did this man say anything?”

“Yes.  He told us that mom had sent him to pick us up.  Sammy asked who he was.  He said a friend.  He said he knew you.  He used your name.”  Peter stared up at Scott. 

Scott’s stomach clenched. 

“What else did he say?” Jane asked.

“I told him we don’t talk to strangers and he laughed and said that he wasn’t a stranger and he told Sammy to get in.”

“Did Sammy get in?”
Sheils
asked.

“Yes.”

Jane broke into tears and pulled Peter tight to her.  This started Peter crying again. 
Sheils
gave them a moment before interrupting.  Jane wiped Peter’s tears away with her hand.

“Peter,”
Sheils
asked.  “Did you get in the minivan?”

Cracks appeared in Peter’s resolve.  Tears welled up again and his chin wobbled.

Scott hated seeing Peter in so much pain.  He couldn’t imagine how Sammy was doing right now.  He moved towards his son to comfort him.

“Tell us, buddy.  It doesn’t matter what you did.  We just need to know for Sammy.”

His reply came out small and tight.  “Sammy told me to get in.  I didn’t want to and he told me I was a wimp.”  He wiped away his own tears.  “I went to get in and he told me no.”

Scott thought he’d missed something.  “Sammy told you not to get in the minivan?”

“No. 
The man.
  He said Sammy only.  Then the door closed and he drove off.”  Peter’s grip on himself came to an end and he broke down.  Jerking sobs wracked his body and he buried his head into his mother’s shoulder.  “He didn’t want me.”

Then it made sense.  Scott understood his son’s reticence to tell them the whole story about Sammy’s abduction.  Peter was ashamed.  The Piper had chosen Sammy over him.  Peter hadn’t been good enough to be kidnapped.  He should have been counting his lucky stars, but instead, he was mourning his unpopularity.  Scott put a hand to Peter’s head and murmured words of comfort.

Sheils
signaled to a pair of men in suits walking towards them.  “I want to get you home.  The Piper will call with his demands tonight.  I want to be ready.”

Sheils
pulled Scott to one side while the two agents led Jane and Peter away.

“What’s the world teaching our kids if they’re ashamed when a kidnapper looks them over?”

“Life is a popularity contest,” Scott said.

This was the first non-acrimonious conversation they’d had since they met.  Scott took that as a good sign.

Sheils
frowned.  “We both know this kidnapping is personal.  The Piper wants to hurt you.  You need to be prepared for the worst.”

“Do you think Sammy’s still alive?”

Sheils
didn’t answer him.