Bart and Chris
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 17

 The Unmarked Cars

I checked the children’s folders and signed them.  Only Bobby had any homework other than spelling.  Chris, Becky and Billy studied their spelling words.  When everyone had finished, I sent them into the back yard with Bart.  I suggested that they not go outside the fence for any reason.

Chris looked at me, “Dad, are you worried about my dream?”

I lied, “Not really.  I just want you all to stay where I can see you.”

Bart looked at us, “What dream?”

I shook my head, “Bart, Chris and I will talk to you about that this evening.  You young people go on out and get the jitters out, since you missed your afternoon recesses.  I need to fix dinner.”

The young people were still outside when Ty came in, “Mark, where are your boys?”

“They’re in the backyard.”  I pointed and Bart was talking to Kevin while the five younger children were playing on the jungle gym.

Ty started, “Philip Burns was able to find out that the boys’ father was released from jail sometime on Monday.  He seems to have disappeared.  Their mother has left town and is now in Florida.  As far as the kidnapping at the school.  The boy is safe and the father has been apprehended and is now in custody.  I suggest that you not tell the boys about their father, just yet.  Philip is still checking the situation.”

I nodded, “I think you might want to tell the children about the incident at the school.  They were very excited about it when they came home from school.  Why don’t you call them in and tell them to get ready for dinner.  Tip should be here shortly.”

Ty called the children and told them to get ready for dinner.  Tip arrived and I announced, “Dinner will be in five minutes.  Everyone needs to be at the table or you won’t get to eat.”

That caused people to react.  As soon as we had started to eat, Bobby started, “Dads, there was a kidnapping at school today.  One of the first graders was grabbed from the playground and taken away in a black van.”

Ty sighed, “I know, Son.  You will be glad to know that the young boy is safe and is home with his mother.  The man who abducted the boy has been apprehended and is now in jail.”

Chris looked at Ty, “Uncle Ty, you sure do use big words.  What does abducted mean and what do you mean he was apprehended?”

I looked at Tip and Ty and I could tell they wanted to laugh but Bobby saved the day, “I think what Dad was saying is that the man who kidnapped the boy was arrested and is now in jail.  That’s right isn’t it Dad?”

Chris nodded his head, “Just like our old Dad.”

Ty looked at me and sent me a signal that indicated that I probably shouldn’t respond.  I looked around the table and it appeared as if everyone had finished eating.  “If you ate, then you can take your dishes and utensils to the kitchen so you can help the Dads do the dishes.  I need to take Bart for his first driving lesson before I die of old age.”

Bobby looked at me, “Yeh right, Nano Mark, you just want to show Bart how to be a hot-rodder.”

Bart and I took our dishes to the kitchen and we left to get into the van.  I was in the driver’s seat and he was in the passenger seat.  As we were leaving the house, there was a car parked along the side of the street.  Bart looked at me, “Dad, that car looked like Mr. Winter’s car.”

I looked in the rear view mirror and it looked like a nondescript car to me.  I had a funny feeling in my stomach.  When we got to the high school parking lot, it was almost empty.  I turned off the engine climbed out and had Bart move into the driver’s seat.

I walked Bart through the controls of the car and had him start the car.  He started to move forward and kept applying the brakes and I was sure that he was going to cause us to have whip lash.  “Bart, forget that you have a left foot.  Use only your right foot on the gas pedal and the brakes, that way we can’t get broken necks.”

He had been driving for approximately 45  minutes and he finally started to relax.  The sunlight was starting to disappear and Bart stopped the car, “Dad, I’m beginning to feel more comfortable, but I still don’t want to drive on the streets yet.  We need to go home so we can plan my act for Friday and Saturday night.”

He climbed out so I could slide into the driver’s seat.  As we were approaching the house, the car was still parked along the side of the street.  Bart looked at me, “Dad, I’m sure that’s our old Dad’s car.”

I pulled into the garage and we had hardly entered the kitchen before Tip was calling to us, “Mark, Detective Lacey is on the phone.”

I picked up the phone, “This is Mark Leavitt.”

“Mark this is Jake Lacey.  Dan and I are in your area in an unmarked car.  There is also another unmarked police car in the area.  We had a report of a car that had been sitting on your street for some time now.  We have traced the car to Mr. Winters.  We have a big favor to ask of you.  Would you please send Bart and Chris out to do an errand or something so we can see what Mr. Winters might do?”

I was dumbfounded by the request, “Detective Lacey, wouldn’t that be considered entrapment.”

The voice came back, “No, it would be called stupidity, especially after Judge Evans made it clear that that Mr. Winters was to have nothing further to do with the two young men.”

“Detective Lacey, I’ll have the boys go toward the Quinn house to see what happens.  I’m doing this reluctantly, because Chris had a dream about being kidnapped.”

“Mark, we won’t let anything happen to the guys.”

I called Bart and Chris and handed them a plate with some cookies I had made for dessert, “Guys, take these cookies to the Quinns.  Bart, you can find out if Kevin and Kelli are going to the Pizza Palace on Saturday and while you’re there, check with Mrs. Quinn to see if she’s going to the benefit for the Children’s Museum.  Make sure to walk on the sidewalk so you don‘t get mud on your shoes, since the Quinns just ran their sprinkler system.”

They looked at me funny, but didn’t question my request.  Tip, Ty and I watched from the living room window to see what was going to happen.  Sure enough, as soon Bart and Chris had walked to the sidewalk and turned toward the Quinn house, the mysterious car approached them and Mr. Winters jumped out and pulled out a gun and yelled, “Get in the car now.”

Cars came from both directions and pulled in front and in back of the Winter vehicle, blocking it so it couldn’t move.  Bart threw the plate with the cookies he was carrying at Mr. Winters, pushed Chris to the ground and covered him so nothing could happen to him.

There was a shot and we started to run toward the two guys. Chris was pushing Bart, “Bart, get off of me.  You’re hurting me.”

The police officers had restrained Mr. Winters who was holding the arm that had been holding the gun.  It was bleeding.  We listened as Detective Nelson read Mr. Winters his rights.  We are booking you with attempted kidnapping of these two young men.  We heard Judge Evans tell you that you were to have nothing more to do with the young men.”

Mr. Winters spit at Officer Nelson, “You’re a queer just like everyone else around here.” 

One of the other officers pushed Mr. Winters into the other car, “Dan and Jake, we’ll take this prick and charge him.  Why don’t you get these gentlemen’s statements so we can include it in our report?”

Ty’s four children were standing on the porch when we returned to the porch.  Bobby looked at us, “Is this National Kidnapping Day or something?”

Ty bent down and hugged his four children, “No, we just need to make sure that you are always watching out for strangers.  We need to get you all enrolled in some martial arts classes.”

Billy looked at Ty, “Dad, why do we need to get enrolled in that art  class.  What good is learning to draw going to do for us if someone tries to kidnap us?”

I knelt down, “Your Dad wasn’t talking about that kind of art.  He was talking about learning to defend yourself in case someone attacked you or tried to make you do things you didn’t want to do.”

Chris looked at me, “Dad, can I take lessons, too?”

I looked at my watch, “We’ll discuss this matter later.  I suggest that everyone go get ready for bed.  Since Bart threw your snacks at Mr. Winters, I need to find something to keep you from starving to death.”

I looked around to see what we had and decided that they could eat cereal for a snack.  That was a mistake because they demolished a new box of Lucky Charms.

I went to put Chris in bed after he brushed his teeth.  He looked at me, “Dad, can I sleep with you tonight.  I’m still scared about what happened.”

I tucked him in Zack’s and my bed.  I looked at him and thought to myself, ‘Oh, to be so innocent and trusting.’

Bart was waiting for me in the living room of the apartment.  He had already booted the computer and we found two more of Elvis’ songs that he liked and then we listened to some Nat King Cole songs.  He decided that he would like to sing Unforgettable and Mona Lisa.  I tried to talk him into finding some other artist but he was determined.

When I finally was able to go downstairs, Tip and Ty were waiting for me.  Ty started, “Mark, see if you can get the children into some kind of martial arts activity as soon as possible.  I am really impressed with the way that your two sons behaved today.”

Tip nodded, “Mark, I was impressed with how Bart moved to protect Chris today.  He has come a long way.  By the way, I was coerced into buying two tickets to the Children’s Theatre benefit on Friday.  Do you have a problem with you and Zack watching the children that evening?  Look at it this way, we would be able to give you an on the scene report as to how your son performed.”

I looked at them and started to laugh, “Look, you’re my bosses.  All you had to say is ’Mark, we have a hot date on Friday, so we won’t be eating dinner here.’  How much did the tickets cost you?”

Tip shrugged his shoulders, “They were only fifty bucks a piece.  But I figured that we or you would be taking the children to the shows there so it would be worth the effort to get dressed in tuxedoes for one evening.”

The last comment caught Ty's attention, “Just a minute, how come I wasn’t consulted about going to some formal affair?”

Tip was ready for the complaint, “Ty, I decided that we needed to get some culture somehow, and besides, Mrs. Sweet threatened to remove some of our body parts if we didn’t show.  We’re her token black American representatives and she needed a date.”

I looked at the two of them, “Whatever, I’m going to bed; I don’t think I can take anymore excitement today.”

When I got to the apartment, Bart was sitting in the living room in his briefs with the headphones on his ears and singing along with the music.  I listened and he sounded rather good.  I quietly went to the bathroom to take a shower and Bart came and brushed his teeth, “Dad, may I please sleep with you tonight, too.?  I don’t want to be alone after everything that has happened today.”

I thought to myself this has been a weird day, “Bart, I would feel better if you slept with me and Chris after what has happened today.”

When I got into bed Bart hugged me, “Dad, I love you and Dad Zack.  My life has changed so much since the two of you came into our lives.”

I hugged him, “Bart, you need to let Dad Zack know that you care for him, too.”

There was a knock on our door, “Mark, Zack is on the phone.”

Tip was standing there and I put on a pair of sweat pants and sweat shirt and went to take the phone call.  “Hi Zack, I was just getting ready for bed.  It’s been a long day.  Mr. Winters tried to kidnap our two sons and Bart caused me to develop whiplash.  I’ll probably have to wear a neck brace for the rest of my life.”

Zack started to laugh, “Is that all?  Well, I called to tell you that I’ve decided to go for my doctorate so I won’t be able to get home for four years except February 29^th  of Leap Year.  Now do you have any good news to tell me?”

Zack and I talked for another half hour until Chris came looking for me, “Dad, who are you talking to?  Aren’t you coming to bed.  I’m scared.”

I handed the phone to Chris, “Say hi to your other Dad.,”

Chris crawled on my lap, “Hi Daddy Zack. … Yep it was an exciting day.  There was a kidnapping at the school and then Mr. Winters tried to kidnap Bart and me and the police people shot him so he couldn’t hurt us. … No, Dad Nano is going to put us in an marital arts course so we can beat up anyone who tries to do something we don’t like or want them to do. … Okay, Daddy.  I’ll talk to you on Friday.  Love ya.”

Chris handed the phone to me, “Daddy Zack wants to talk to you.”

Zack was laughing, “So what’s with this marital arts course?”

I hugged Chris, “Chris needs to take hearing and spelling lessons.  Tip and Ty want the children enrolled in a martial arts program so they can learn to protect themselves.”

Zack was still laughing, “Well that’s better than a marital arts class.  Maybe you and I should think about taking a parenting course.  It sounds like we might need it.  I need to go.  I can hardly wait until Friday.”

Chris was asleep and I carried him back to bed.  Bart was already snoring lightly.  I started to go to their room, but decided that Chris might panic again if I weren’t there.  I shed the warm-up clothes because I figured I was going to be surrounded by a lot of body heat and I was correct.  So much so that I didn’t think I could get to sleep.

I hadn’t set the alarm clock so it was a good thing that Chris’ internal alarm clock made it necessary for him to visit the bathroom.  As he pulled away from me, he awakened me and I looked at the sleeping form of Bart, thinking how brave he had been to throw himself on top of Chris even if he was crushing Chris.

When Chris came out of the bathroom, he asked, “Daddy, can just you and me go for a walk or run today?”

How was I to refuse a request like that.  We went to the lake and started to walk at a brisk pace and Chris talked the entire time.  When we had lapped the lake, I picked him up and hugged him, “Christopher Leavitt, you are a very special person.”

After I put him down, he put his arms around me, “Daddy, thank you for making Bart okay again.  What did Daddy Zack say last night after I fell asleep?”

I knelt down so I could hug Chris, “Son, Dad Zack said he can hardly wait to get home and hug you and Bart.  We need to get back so we can fix breakfast before you all have to go to school.”

To be continued...

Feedback always welcome:     

Editor's Notes:  I was very afraid that something was going to happen to the boys. I am very glad that the police were watching the place and took that scoundrel into custody.  He is not a very nice person, is he?  I was also pretty sure that Bart would do what ever he could to protect Chris. I really love this story, and I am very thankful to E Walk for continuing to write about this wonderful family. I am, of course, barely able to wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 01/09/09