Prossers Bay Series

by Cheryl Phipps

  “He seems to be okay. It’s a shame you couldn’t get his last name.”

  “He wouldn’t talk much. Maybe tomorrow he’ll feel safer.”

  They walked back to the living room where Max was holding Abby’s jacket. She didn’t want to leave and looked at Jeanne for support, but her friend stood back.

  “I’ll stay here with Liam and Allan so that Max can go with you.”

  Of course, she had to go. She was the only one who knew where Liam had been found. It was just hard to consider leaving the small boy for even an hour or two. It might be the only time she had left with him. Even though he was sleeping, at least he was here.

  This was Abby’s first ride in a police car, and not something she’d ever imagined doing. The indignity of its back seat was normally reserved for people who did terrible things, and she felt guilty just by being in it. Then again, she was guilty. She had brought a child home and kept him without telling anyone. That had to be a criminal offense.

  Shannon spoke on her radio, asking for back-up, and the answering officer told her they would send another car to meet them at the house. They must have been close by, because they all arrived at the same time. Two officers got out and, after Shannon filled them in, they went up the path as a group.

  “If you could let us in and show us where you first found Liam that would be good.”

  Shannon stepped back to allow Abby access to unlock the door with her master key, and they followed her through to the master bedroom.

  “He was under that bed when I found him, but I guess he’d been here a while on his own and had used most of the house.” Abby explained about the empty packets in the fridge and the sticky marks on the walls, and how hungry he’d been.

  “And you’ve cleaned the house?”

  “Yes, from top to bottom. I’m sorry if I’ve messed up any evidence but it was done before I found Liam.”

  Shannon flicked her long black Braid. “It’s okay Abby. You weren’t to know. Did you find anything else?”

  “No. He had nothing with him but a toy car.”

  “What about the rubbish.”

  “It’s still in the bins outside ready for the collection tomorrow.”

  “That’s good. We’ll pick it up before we leave.”

  Abby was feeling guilty about removing evidence but Max stood next to her, holding her hand and giving it gentle squeezes of reassurance, while the police did their job. His silent support was a palpable thing and one that had helped her through her depression. He’d never blamed her for anything and even now, when he had reason to be annoyed with this drama she’d brought to their home, here he was at her side, where he’d always been.

  “You said that you left a note?” Shannon asked.

  “Yes – here on the counter.” Abby pointed to the empty space where the note had been. “It’s gone.”

  Just then one of the officers came into the kitchen.

  “There’s a broken window in the bathroom and footsteps in the dirt beneath it.”

  “You two can deal with that and I’ll take Abby and Max home.”

  That was exactly where Abby wanted to be. With her adorable visitor – even if it was just for one night.

  “I’ll be in touch in the morning to let you know when to bring Liam in.” Shannon said as they got out of her car. “And please keep what you’ve seen and heard to yourselves for the time being.”

  Abby leaned down to her window. “Where will Liam go tomorrow?”

  “I’m sorry, Abby, I don’t know at this stage. But we’ll do our best to get him somewhere close. I just can’t promise you anything right now.”

  “Thanks, Shannon.”

  Jeanne must have seen the car lights. She was standing by the open front door her calmness reaching out to Abby’s frayed nerves.

  “How did it go?”

  “Looks like we have Liam for the night, then I have to take him down to the station tomorrow. We can’t talk about any of the other details.”

  “That’s okay. I’m glad they’re not going to disturb him. He seems happy enough with you, and he’s clearly taken a shine to Max. It would have been a shame not to let him get a good night’s sleep.” Jeanne hugged her.

  “I know. And thanks so much for coming by and for your help. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Have a good night,” Allan said, as he also gave Jeanne a hug.

  Closing the door, Max followed Abby to the spare room and stood at the door beside her as they watched Liam sleep peacefully.

  “Poor little kid. I hope they find his mom.” Max put his hand on her shoulder. “Come to bed sweetheart, I think we both need sleep.”

  When Abby had finished her shower, Max was already in bed. She turned out the lights and climbed in beside him. With her back to her husband, Abby felt strange. It was as if she was waiting for something. Then Max moved closer and spooned her as if was the most natural thing in the world. The cocoon of his arms held her tight, like they used to, and he kissed her cheek.

  Some women might take that for granted. Not Abby. Not for some time. She revelled in the feel of him against her. Maybe she would sleep well for a change. Tomorrow would be what it was, but for tonight, she had a husband who made her feel better just by holding her when she needed it most, and a child in the next room.

  In all the wrong she’d done, there was a rightness tonight that couldn’t be denied.

  Abby woke with a start. She’d been having a dream where Liam was in a tug of war between her and his mother - a woman she’d never seen but in her dream she appeared so real. Max had been trying to unclasp Abby’s fingers from around Liam’s skinny wrist and she’d fought like a tiger.

  “You okay?” Max was facing her, looking concerned.

  She shuddered. “Just a bad dream.” There was no way she was going back to sleep and Max looked like he’d been awake for some time. “Coffee?”

  “Love some.”

  She flicked back the sheets and went to check on Liam. He was still sound asleep, although he’d kicked off the sheets and blankets and lay sprawled across the bed. She wanted to cover him up, but didn’t want to wake him. Besides, the house was warm. He’d be alright.

  She made the coffee, and Max came to join her for breakfast. They didn’t say or eat much and she figured her gentle husband was as lost over Liam as she was. Jeanne had been right. After his initial wariness, Liam had definitely taken a liking to Max.

  Max had that effect on kids. They loved him for his sense of humor and fun. Liam must have felt it - the way Max made a person feel special and interesting to listen to. Not that Liam had spoken much, but a child didn’t curl up beside a stranger if he was worried about them, and she’d heard that children had a sense about things like that.

  Liam slept late and, when he wandered out into the kitchen, looking soft and sweet, Max and Abby were doing the dishes. It was Saturday, so she had no houses to clean, but Max was going in to the work shop. Sometimes, Saturday was his busiest day. At least, that’s what he said.

  “Morning, Liam. Abby and I had some cereal for breakfast but you can have anything you like.”

  “Could I please have some toast and milk?”

  “Coming right up. How did you sleep?”

  “Very good, thank you.”

  He had great manners. Abby decided that his mother must have cared a little to bother with ensuring that much, at least.

  Max organized the meal, putting a variety of jams and spreads in front of Liam, who looked like a kid in a candy store as he made his choice.

  The phone rang and Max took the call. From the conversation she could hear, Abby thought it was Shannon, and she was asking them to bring Liam down to the station when he woke up. He finished the call and went to sit beside the boy.

  “It sure was nice to have you stay with us, Liam. Last night the police came because they need to talk to you. You were asleep, so today Abby will be taking you down to the police station.”

  Abby could have kicked hi
m for his all-in approach, when Liam, white-faced, looked wildly around the room as if he wanted to escape. But, Max saw it, too.

  ‘It’s alright, son. The police want to help find your mom. You want that too, don’t you?”

  He nodded, his breathing quick, his face anxious. “Abby said she wouldn’t call the police.”

  “Abby had to call them, otherwise she would have been in trouble and we wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?”

  He looked at her and sighed. “No. That would be bad.” He turned back to Max. “They won’t lock me up, will they?”

  “You’re far too young to get locked up and you haven’t done anything wrong. I don’t know much about you Liam, but I do know that you’re a good boy.” As Max got up to go to work, he ruffled Liam’s’ hair. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Abby will get everything sorted. She’s real good at working things out.”

  Abby was touched by this kindness to Liam, a child he barely knew. She knew that if she’d asked him to come with her he would have, but this was her mess and it was time to clean it up. Having Liam here for such a short time was great, but it wasn’t real. What she had with Max was real and, apart from the lack of a sex life, things were almost back the way they were. She could feel it, and the knowledge made her strong.

  Chapter Four

  Liam sat in the room at the police station, looking so scared that Abby wanted to cry on his behalf. He was such a brave boy, and he shouldn’t have to be, at his age. What had he been through to make him so stoic? She put her arm around his shoulders and he pressed his thin body against her side. He was so close that, if she had suggested it, she wouldn’t have been at all surprised if he’d have climbed up onto her lap.

  Shannon came in with Sergeant Dan. Abby had known him all her life. He’d been a great friend of her mom and dads, and had also been devastated by their deaths last year.

  “Hello, Abby. It’s been a while. How are you?”

  “Fine, Dan. You?”

  “Can’t complain. Now, I hear this good-looking young man’s name is Liam, and you’ve lost your mom. Is that the way is?” His usually gruff voice had become gentle, as he crouched down next to the boy.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That’s no good. We’ll have to see what we can do about that. First, though, Max told us that you’re a bit worried about getting in to trouble for being at the house. Is that so?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “There’s no need for that, I can promise you. We’re all just glad that you’re okay. Now that we understand each other, let’s get started on sorting this out. If that’s alright with you, I’d like to ask you a few questions?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Liam looked like a weight had fallen from his shoulders and Abby was again reminded of Max’s thoughtfulness by talking to Dan and paving the way for Liam to be less frightened.

  “Officer Langley, or you may know her as Shannon, has told me everything that she heard last night from Abby. But to find your mom we’re going to need your help, son. Do you think you can do that?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Excellent. First, I need to know your mom’s name.”

  “Marie Harper.”

  “And is that your name?”

  “No, I’m Liam.”

  Dan was initially taken aback, and then looked like he was barely holding back a laugh, while Shannon and Abby tried to hide their smiles behind their hands.

  “What’s your last name, Liam?”

  “Harper.”

  Liam said it like the Sergeant might be a bit simple, and Abby had to look away again.

  “I see. And where do you live?”

  “With Abby and Max.”

  “Before then. Where did you live before yesterday?”

  “I was living in a house by the beach.”

  “And before that?”

  “Georgeville.”

  Now they were getting somewhere.

  “Why did your mom leave you at the beach house?”

  “She was in trouble, and she didn’t want me to get hurt.”

  “Who was going to hurt you?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I understand, Liam, but it could help your mom.”

  A silence hung over the room as they watched Liam deal with that.

  “Do you think it would, Abby?”

  He turned to look at her, his big, brown eyes full of anxiety.

  “I think it might, and we do want to find her, don’t we?”

  By the way he struggled with saying any more, Abby thought that his mom must have convinced him, at some stage, not to talk about their background to anyone, but the concept of him helping to find her proved too much for the boy.

  “My mom’s boyfriend. He hates me and he doesn’t like my mom much anymore. He was real mean to her before we left. Then he found us at the house. He told my mom she had better come and talk to him, and then they drove off.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Pete. Pete Grainger.”

  “Okay. Just a few more questions. How did you get to Prossers Bay? Bus or car?”

  “Car.”

  “Do you know what kind it was?”

  “Red.”

  “And doors?”

  “Yes.”

  This time Dan gave a grin. “Red, with doors. Well, let’s see what we can do with all this information. Thanks, Liam. Good job.”

  The boy smiled shyly at the praise.

  “Now the next thing is to find you a place to stay while we search for your mom.”

  “I want to stay with Abby and Max. Please, sir, I wouldn’t be any trouble. I’ll be so quiet. I’ll try not to eat a lot even though Abby’s food tastes so good, and I don’t make a mess. Well, not too much.”

  His pleas and honesty affected them all. Shannon shuffled her papers and Dan cleared his throat while Abby dug her nails into her palm to stop the tears that threatened.

  “I’m sorry, son, Abby and Max would have to get approval for you to stay with them, and that might take some time.” He stopped and tapped his fingertips together, thoughtfully. “Although, I don’t think we have to send you back to Georgeville just yet, and Officer Shannon suggested that you might like to stay with Jeanne and Allan for a while, if they say yes. What do you think, son?”

  “I’ll come and see you every day.” Abby squeezed him. “And you can call me whenever you want.”

  Liam frowned, obviously not really satisfied with the outcome. “I guess that would be alright, until you find my mom.”

  “Good boy. Officer Langley will see if she can organize it.”

  “I took the liberty, sir, of calling Jeanne. She’s probably here by now.”

  “How efficient. You must have been thinking ahead.” The Sergeant gave her look which suggested she may have been a little too diligent. “I’ll leave you to the paperwork.”

  Dan left the door open, and a few minutes later Jeanne came in.

  “I’m so glad that you’re coming to stay for a bit, Liam. I hope you don’t mind a bit of noise. My sons are at college, but my two girls make enough for a house full of kids.”

  Liam sat very still, and wouldn’t look at anyone.

  “I have a bag for Liam, with all the clothes you brought over last night.”

  Abby’s voice hitched a little. She was happy that this was the outcome but there’d been a small part of her that wanted to take him home. At least Liam was going to be well looked after, and not too far away. Dan had been very kind to bend the rules a little, and Shannon had obviously had things planned, well before he’d made his decision.

  “Just sign here, Jeanne, and you can all be on your way.” Shannon waited until that was done, then took the papers and showed them out.

  Liam allowed Abby to take his hand until they got to Jeanne’s mini-van, and then he reluctantly got inside and put his seatbelt on. Abby bent down beside the open window and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll leave you to settle in today, b
ut I’ll be over tomorrow morning, if Jeanne doesn’t mind and if you want me to?”

  “You can come by anytime, Abby.” Jeanne started the car as they waited for Liam to answer.

  He looked very close to tears, which made it hard to sound cheerful.

  “I’ll see you very soon, Liam.”

  “That’s what my mom said, before she left that day.”

  His words nearly became her undoing. With a quick hug, she kissed the top of his head and signaled to Jeanne that she could go.

  He didn’t wave, but turned to watch her until the car turned the corner. She felt awful, like she’d let him down. Big time. Thank goodness she was going home to an empty house, because her stiff upper lip was trembling like an earthquake and she needed to be alone.

  Max arrived home just after lunch with some big news. He could see that Abby was upset and he pulled her into his arms, waiting until she relaxed a little. He was over six foot but Abby was tall for a woman and her head tucked neatly under his chin, her body as slim as when he first met her as a gangly teenager, and holding her made him crave the simplicity of their earlier days. His family had come to Prosser’s Bay every holiday, and after he’d met Abby he knew that he would end up here, with her. And he had. He could never regret that.

  Now he had to give her more news that she wouldn’t like, but first he’d get her to talk about Liam.

  “I know it must have been hard. How are you doing, sweetheart?”

  “I’m okay.” Her voice was hoarse with emotion. “Liam’s staying with Allan and Jeanne until they can find out more about him. Dan could have sent him back to his hometown of Georgetown, but he didn’t.”

  “He’s one special boy, and Dan must see it too if he’s bending a few rules to keep Liam in town.”

  “I think so, too. If you could have seen him, being so brave, it would melt your heart.”

  “My heart’s not cold, Abby. Maybe a bit hardened, and I’m sorry for that.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that, and you’ve been amazing.”

  Max lifted her face and kissed her gently. She didn’t resist, and the kiss deepened. He sure had missed this. They had fallen out of the habit of touching each other, and it felt good to have her in his arms. Nothing would have made him happier, right now, than to stay like this. He hated to break the mood.