Fat chance. “You too,” she said instead.

****

Kate stretched her limbs with the first rays of sunshine that poured through her window. Surprisingly, Joey wasn’t at her side. Then again, most likely he still slept after his late night drama.

Sleep was near to impossible for her as well, and eluded her until nearly five o’clock. Visions of Richard, Joey, and the dratted wolf from the hold up kept her awake.

Kicking off the covers, Kate padded her way to the shower and turned on the water. In the few hours she lay awake, Kate had made some decisions.

Living with the Ritters indefinitely was not an option. Joey was starting to confuse the situation and push Richard into a role he simply wasn’t ready to take on. Oh, his chivalrous I’ll take care of you attitude, was nice and all, but to her son, Richard’s gallantry was developing into fatherhood.

Shaking the water off her limbs proved pain free. A sure sign her body had healed from her ordeal. It was time she got her life back. Of course, the possibility of a man hiding on the Ritter’s property the previous evening and stalking her slipped her conscious mind. She had already excused it away as an animal.

Kate nestled her cell phone to her ear and made the call that should put her back in the driver’s seat of her life. It was a risk, but one she needed to make.

As the phone rang, her anxiety increased. The person picked up, and Kate swallowed hard and

prayed she wasn’t making a huge mistake.

****

Kate went downstairs to gurgling noises coming from the kitchen. The unmistakable sounds of adults making baby talk brought a smile to her face. Janet appeared exhausted and hunched over a cup of coffee while she watched Uncle Richard ogle over Brandy. Glancing at her when she walked in the room, Richard’s already grinning face lit up further.

”Good morning,” Janet said.

Kate reached for the coffee pot and helped herself.

“Good morning. Where’s Joey?”

Janet put her cup down and went to the refrigerator. “I thought he was with you?”

“No, he didn’t come in my room last night,” Kate said. “Richard, have you seen Joey this morning?”

“He’s probably not up yet.”

It was after seven. Joey was up at six thirty religiously. Unease slid up her spine. The coffee forgotten, Kate went back upstairs and pushed open the door to Joey’s room with a little nudge.

Expecting to see his small head resting on the pillow, she was more than a little alarmed to find his room empty.

She stepped inside and said his name. Her heartbeat sped up. “Joey?” her voice called louder.

His closet was empty.

Down the hall where he used the bathroom the door was open, the room dark. “Joey?” Shivers ran down her spine. “Joey!” she was yelling now and just this side of panic.

The hallway loomed in front of her. Her recent nightmares unfolded into reality. “Joey!” She ran down the stairs, everything blurred as terror took over. Richard stopped her flight out the front door with a questioning stare.

“He’s gone.”

“He’s not up in his room?”

“No. He’s not.” Pushing past him, Kate moved to the front door, opened it, and yelled at the top of her lungs. “Joey!” She flew off the porch.

Richard followed and restrained her. “Shhh…

It’s okay, we’ll find him.”

Kate struggled against his hold. Her lips trembled. “This is like my dream. Oh, God, my nightmare’s coming true.”

“What are you talking about? What nightmare?”

“Joey’s missing or taken. The wolf or dog or something has him.”

Richard put a hand to her cheek and forced her to look into his eyes. “Katie, you need to calm down.” By now, the household watched from the door.

Max approached and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Go inside and search the house. Richard and I will search out here.”

Unable to hold still, Kate nodded and followed Max’s suggestion.

Out of sight, Richard turned to Max and said,

“He didn’t go far. I can smell him.”

“Search around here, I’ll check the back.” Max walked away, and Richard followed his nose.

“Joey! Come on, sport, you have your mom worried.”

The garage, although full of cars, didn’t have any little boys camped out in it. Around back where a small shed for tools and lawn equipment stood was also empty. Richard stopped, lifted his nose to the air, and closed his eyes. Small waves of Joey came from beyond the pool. Richard listened intently straining his ears to pick up any sound they could.

The house air-conditioner hummed; the clock for the sprinkler system ticked, and a neighbor’s dog barked far beyond the perimeter of Max’s home.

A slight flutter behind the paned glass of the pool house caught his eye.

Of course, the pool house.

Slowing his pace, Richard called out Joey’s name again to see if the little guy would come out on his own. Small eyes peeked over the windowsill and then quickly disappeared causing him to grin.

Tapping on the door of the pool house, Richard waited to see if Joey would open it.

He didn’t.

“Joey, you in there?”

“No,” a tiny voice called out.

Richard twisted the knob slowly, opened the door, and let himself in. “Come on, Joey, everyone’s searching for you.”

Joey’s head popped up behind the sofa. In his small trembling hands, he crushed a worn out blanket to his red eyes brimming with tears. His hair was pillow combed, and he still wore his pajamas from the night before.

He was too cute for words, but from the serious expression on his face, telling him so wasn’t the right approach to finding out why he left.

“Boy, am I glad to see you. You have everyone searching all over for you.”

His lower lip stuck out before he managed to say his first words. “I d-don’t wanna leave.”

“Who said you’re going to go anywhere?”

“M-my mommy d-did, last night.”

Richard gave his head a quick shake and made a big show out of sitting down.

Just as he thought, Joey wasn’t running away so much as he was trying to stay. Patting the space next to him, Richard waited until Joey sat by his side.

“Do you want to tell me what you’re doing here?” Joey shrugged his shoulders took in the fully furnished guesthouse. “This is almost as big as our apartment. My mommy and I don’t take up much space. We can stay here. Then we can be with you all the time.”