Read Online Suspicions by Christine Kersey - Free Book Online Page B

and set them by the
front door.
     
     
     

Chapter Ten
     
     
     
    Later that afternoon, after the children had
their after school snacks and were settling down to play, a knock
sounded at the door. Before Stacey could stop him, Robby ran to the
door and threw it open.
    “Hello, young man. My name is Detective
Perkins. Is your mother home?”
    Robby had always been taught that policemen
were his friends, so he opened the door wider and invited him in.
“I'll go get my mom. You can go in there,” he said, pointing to the
living room.
    Stacey was in the kitchen trying to steady
her breathing before going in to talk to the Detective. Robby
hardly gave her a chance. He ran in, shouting, “Mom, Mom, there's a
policeman in our house and he wants to talk to you.” When she
hesitated he pulled on her arm. “Come on, Mom. Go talk to him.”
    Wiping her suddenly sweaty hands on her
jeans, she followed him into the front room.
    Forcing a smile on her face, Stacey entered
the room as Perkins held out his hand.
    “Mrs. Hunter, I was wondering if I could ask
Robby a couple of questions about his friend, Kyle.” When she
hesitated, he added, “You can stay with him the entire time if
you'd like.”
    She certainly couldn't refuse now, she
realized with horror. She thought her jaw would crack from the
effort of keeping the smile on her face.
    Detective Perkins turned his attention to
Robby, who was more than happy to tell him all he knew. When the
description of the car came up Stacey held her breath. Her heart
pounded when Perkins looked her way.
    “How long have you known Robby was an
eyewitness, Mrs. Hunter?”
    “I told her this morning,” Robby said
helpfully.
    Perkins gave her a questioning look.
    “I'm sorry, I guess I should have called
you,” Stacey said, fresh guilt and worry rushing through her.
    His look was incredulous. “Do you realize
your delay could be hurting Kyle?”
    She shook her head, uncertain what to
say.
    “If you learn anything else, anything at all,
please call me immediately.” He handed her his card.
    “I'll be sure to do that,” she said, then
thought, he would be furious if he knew what I was withholding. She
stood and walked him to the door.
    After he left, Robby asked, “When is Kyle
coming home?”
    “I don't know, sweetheart. I hope he comes
home soon.”
    “Am I going to be kidnapped, Mom?”
    She immediately took him into her arms. “Of
course not, Robby. You're perfectly safe.”
    He didn't look convinced. “But Kyle got
kidnapped.”
    Sitting on the couch, she pulled him down
next to her and tried to explain. “Robby, there are lots of people
in the world and most of them are good, kind people.” She
hesitated, wondering how to explain this. “But there are a few
people who are not so kind.”
    “Like the kidnapper,” he interjected.
    “Right. Like the kidnapper. And people have
different reasons for doing things.” His brows had become furrowed,
deep in concentration. Stacey continued. “They took Kyle because
they wanted some money from his parents. They knew Kyle's parents
would give them money if they would give Kyle back.” She hoped the
explanation would satisfy him.
    “Would you and Daddy pay money to get me
back?”
    She pulled him close. “Of course we would,
Robby. We love you very much. But, you see, Kyle's mom and dad have
a lot of money. Daddy and I don't. So no one would want to take our
money.” She looked him in the eyes. “Do you understand?”
    He nodded slowly. “I guess.”
    Stacey rubbed his back. “If you'd like, you
can go watch cartoons for a while.”
    She sent him off to watch television with
Nikki, glad his fears could so easily be put to rest.
    Her own fears were something else, she
thought as she gnawed on a fingernail, a habit she thought she had
given up in junior high. She deliberated for a while on what to do
about Jason and finally decided she would ask him about the old
brown car that night after they'd put the children to bed.