Page 13 of The Captive Missing

Laughing, he scurried towards the staircase but then slowed, glancing over his shoulder to make sure his mother gave chase. Val obliged him. Pushing away from the table, she made a show of running to catch him, making sure all the while that he kept the lead. By the time they crested the stairs and entered the bathroom, Jace was puffed up with pride at being first place.

Filling his bath with bubbles, Val worked to control her nerves. Downstairs, bad news awaited her, and she alternated between wanting to know everything and wanting to hide. Whatever was going on, Val knew one thing, she had absolutely no control. The feeling itself was not a new one. In fact, she had been conditioned to accept this particular state of her existence. Of course, that had been much easier when she wasn’t a mother.

Despite the unease that now simmered within her, Val reminded herself that she actually could control one thing. She could protect her son. Jace was here. Happy, unaware and safe. And that’s exactly how he would remain.

After his bath, Val wrestled her son into his green dinosaur pajamas and then coaxed him into bed. Laying down beside him, it didn’t take more than a few minutes before his busy day overtook him. Mouth parting in release, his breathing evened out and he fell asleep. She didn’t want to, but Val forced herself to get up and leave.

Pausing at the doorway, she hugged herself and turned to watch her son. The house was cooling down with the nighttime breeze, but it was in no way cold. Even so, she couldn’t quite shake a chill.

On her way down the stairs, Val could hear harsh voices pitched against one another in debate. She hesitated, wanting to hear what they said, but the sound of her footfalls on the wooden steps had already given her away. Sighing, Val continued on, making her way back to the dining area where everyone still sat, plates piled with half eaten food.

Another wine bottle had been opened and placed alongside an empty one which already occupied center stage on the table.

“Alright-” Val resumed her seat, hands trembling in her lap. “He’s asleep. What’s going on?”

The four of them looked at each other, all reluctant to be the first one to speak. Finally, Elaine cleared her throat and shifted to address Val from her place across the table. Beneath the surface, Val felt Bee’s hand move to clasp her own. The two held on tight.

“Jason was taken into custody two days ago.” Elaine’s face couldn’t hide the strain. “He’s currently being held without bail.”

“I don’t understand.” Val’s voice wavered.

“Jason is in jail.” Elaine was blunt. For the first time in Val’s memory, the woman appeared fragile.

“But I thought you said this was a civil lawsuit,” Val clarified. “How could they put him in jail?”

Elaine opened her mouth to speak, but the words just wouldn’t come. Tears filled her eyes, making them appear glassy, but no drops spilled over. She glanced at Lillian who scooted closer for comfort, then at Gabe who exhaled audibly and took over.

“The case was originally a civil suit brought by Cambric for harboring me, but that was years ago. Jason’s attorney was able to get Riggs Oil dismissed, but both the FBI and Jason remained in the suit.

Recently Cambric made a backroom deal with the Feds. Cambric agreed to dismiss them from the lawsuit but only if the Attorney General would file criminal charges against Jason, thus applying leverage to get me back.”

“I-” Val’s hand shot to her throat.

“My son does not belong in prison,” Elaine began, finding her voice along with her anger. “He’s spent years of his life protecting you but this time it’s gone too far. You have to turn yourself in, Gabe.”

“He is not going to turn himself over to those monsters!” Bee jumped to Gabe’s defense. Then turned quickly to Val. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, but I can’t let him give himself up. Jason can get this bogus charge dropped with a trial.”

“Every day that he waits for a trial, Jason is exposed to abuse in prison!” Elaine shouted, her little hands slamming down on the tabletop.

“If Gabe steps foot back on American soil, then he will never see freedom again.” Bee released Val’s hand to lean forward, willing Elaine to understand. “Cambric will use him and Sharon will control him. It’s a prison sentence that will last for the rest of his life. Jason will eventually get out. Gabe never would.”

Their voices swirled and raised in panic, then ebbed and flowed. All around, the argument raged. But none of it got through to Val. They couldn’t touch her because she wasn’t there anymore, not really. Like Alice, she had been sucked down the rabbit hole. Falling, falling, the bottom rushed up to meet her, but the impact never came.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Val tried not to imagine Jason locked up in a cell. She tried and immediately regretted what she saw. A sudden sickness formed like a pit in her stomach. Looking up finally, she dialed back in.

Both Elaine and Bee stood, shouting at one another. Dishes rattled as palms banged down in frustration and desperation. Because that was it above all else. Desperation. Elaine was desperate to free her son, and Bee was desperate to keep Gabe from entering his own sort of prison. Each one knew the point of the other. Each one understood the reasons, even agreed maybe, but emotion ruled on this one. Emotion and panic.

“He stood up for all of you but you don’t have the decency to do the same.” Elaine was shaking now. “You’ve left him with no witnesses! You’ve seen the subpoenas, but have failed to appear!”

“Wait.” Val’s voice was a tiny croak in her parched throat. “What subpoenas? What do you mean witnesses? What does he need?”

“You and Gabe are the only people that witnessed the five million dollar negotiation,” Elaine explained. “The FBI agent wasn’t present for it, so he can’t testify to what actually occurred. The Attorney General is alleging that the price tag was suggested by Jason, not Gabe. They are alleging that Jason used it as a bribe to illegally buy Gabe through the Federal Witness Protection Program.”

“But that’s not true,” Val protested.

“They only have Jason’s word and that’s not enough. He’s failed to produce Gabe though everyone knows exactly where he is. And Jason continues to deny any contact with the captive formerly known as Val.” Elaine looked pointedly at her.

“I don’t understand.”

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