Mary’s Son (15 page)

“What…” Jared stammered. “For what?” he whispered as he again looked at the baby.

“For the peace He brings,” said Joseph.

“How…how do we find this peace?” he asked.

“He is your brother, Jared,” said Mary. She stepped away from the manger and touched the boy’s arm. “He is love, and if you love Him and His people, He will always be with you. He will never leave you.”

A flood of regret filled Jared. “He will never leave you,” she’d said. How was that possible? Everyone left. His father left. There was no one there for his family…for him…for anyone. Those thoughts mingled with fears of his neighborhood, his need for strength without compassion to contend with it all, and the confusion he felt led him to tears. They were small drops at first, but as Mary reached to hug him, he sobbed.

“Be at peace, my son. Call on Him, and He will be your strength,” Mary soothed.

As Jared held onto Mary, understanding seemed to wash over him. This was what life really was…a gentle hug and a love so deep that God would send his only son to teach the world that there was only one true gift…the gift of oneself. Jared realized in flashes of knowledge that he never wanted
the money his dad worked so hard to earn. He never really wanted the wealth of Jonas Stone. All he wanted was his dad…the love and nurturing of a father who would give his all to his kids. And in the same moment, he understood what his mother and siblings needed as well. Not Amanda’s bike or Billy’s blocks, not Katie’s doll or Kayla’s playhouse…but rather Jared…his strength and his love so they could all feel the peace the boy suddenly felt with the knowledge he was never alone. This child…this son of man…would always be there.

“Remember this day, children. It is His day,” Mary said softly and released Jared.

He knelt before the manger next to Sarah and Nicholas.

Sarah stared from Jared to the baby and then to Mary. “I wish I had something to give Him,” she finally whispered.

“You do, Sarah…” Joseph spoke. “He asks only that you give yourselves…to Him and to all people.”

The Stone driveway was crowded with squad cars while the grounds themselves were swarming with investigators. It was into this hive of activity that Mary Roberts and Amanda stumbled. Mary parked her ancient rust-marked mini-van by the curb, and she and Amanda walked up the driveway.

Stevens answered the door to Mary’s first knock. He was surprised to see the woman and her daughter as he was expecting more police.

“My name is Mary Roberts.” When Stevens showed no recognition, she continued, “I’m the mother of Jared…the boy who disappeared with the young girl.”

Stevens nodded slowly and wondered why the boy’s mother would come to the house.

“May I speak to Mr. Stone?” asked Mary.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Stone is not seeing anyone right now,” Stevens responded protectively of Jonas.

Mary dropped her head in resignation. Stevens saw a sad, worn woman standing before him. It was obvious she was as devastated by the children’s disappearance as Jonas. She looked up anxiously, apologetically, and said, “Yes, I understand…but please, sir, I must speak to him. The police will not give me any news.…” She hesitated, dropped her head again, and continued softly, “Only that my son was here to rob the house and now he’s disappeared. I just need to hear some news, sir. I know Mr. Stone will have news.”

Mary stared at Stevens pleadingly, and Amanda took her hand, held it reassuringly. Stevens’ heart suddenly returned, and he began to come to his senses. He opened the door and ushered the two in. “Yes, Mrs. Roberts. I’m sorry. Please come in. I’ll see what I can do.”

JONAS stood, only slightly refreshed by a morning nap. He talked softly to Detective Phillips. Plainclothes detectives sat around the room, awaiting the ransom call. Everyone was tired and nervous. All drank coffee. Stevens ushered Mary and Amanda into the room.

“This is Mrs. Roberts, sir. The boy’s mother,” said Stevens to Jonas.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Stone, for what my son did,” Mary stammered as she stepped immediately up to Jonas.

Jonas stepped back, not knowing what to say, and not really understanding how he should react to the mother of the boy who intended to rob him, probably tried to shoot his daughter, and was somehow involved in Sarah’s disappearance.

“Is there something I can help you with?” he finally asked gruffly.

“Oh, no; I just came…” Mary started. “Mr. Stone, I need some news about my son. All I know is that he’s gone. I can’t get any more information.”

Jonas stared hard at the troubled mother. He finally looked beyond his own concern and saw the same concern in Mary’s eyes. He pointed to a chair.

“Please sit down, Mrs. Roberts.” He turned to Stevens. “Stevens…some coffee for Mrs. Roberts? And for…” he pointed to Amanda.

“Amanda,” said Mary.

“Some lemonade?” Jonas asked.

“Is Jared in trouble?” Amanda asked and shook her head to the offer of lemonade.

“We haven’t heard anything yet,” Jonas said. “We’re expecting a ransom demand. But…we just don’t know.”

“Is Jared involved in the kidnapping, Mr. Stone?” asked Mary.

“We…we don’t know yet. We just don’t know much.”

“There was a man with them?” continued Mary.

“Yes…a man we recently took into our employ,” answered Jonas.

“A plump little man…he looks like…Santa Claus?” asked Mary.

“Yes, do you know him?”

Detective Phillips stepped forward when Mary put her head down.

“He came to our house yesterday. He spoke to Jared,” said Mary.

“Did you hear what they said?” asked Phillips.

“No, we saw them through the window,” Mary said as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Jared seemed upset.”

“Had you ever seen the man before?” asked Phillips.

“Yes…at the mall. He seemed like such a good man,” Mary said.

Stevens walked back into the room and placed a cup of coffee on the table next to Mary, who nodded appreciatively. A deep silence filled the room as all seemed to realize there really was no news of the two lost children.

Suddenly the silence was broken. All looked toward the hall, whence the sound of three loud thuds emanated and
then was followed almost immediately by a piercing scream. As policemen ran toward the hall, Miss Grundick hurtled into the room, her eyes wide with shock.

“They’re back…” she shouted. “Mr. Stone…it’s Sarah.… She’s back!”

Everyone jumped.

Nicholas, looking tired but calm, walked into the room with one arm around Sarah and the other around Jared. Both children were exhausted, faces smudged with tears, and clearly emotionally spent. No one moved for a moment as everyone was in total shock. Sarah then looked at her father and smiled broadly. She glanced up at Nicholas, who smiled and released her. Sarah ran to Jonas.

“Daddy.”

Jonas opened his arms and caught her rush with a huge hug. Tears streamed down his face.

Jared looked around the room until his eyes landed on his mother.

“Mom?”

“Jared!” Mary shouted and ran to him.

They hugged warmly. Nicholas smiled at the scene as Amanda walked up to him with a hug. The relief in the room was palpable. Everyone spoke at once with smiles and tears until Detective Phillips recovered his composure and motioned to two officers to take Nicholas into custody. Amanda
tried to hold on as the officers each took an arm and ushered Nicholas out of the room while Sarah and Jared were still occupied with their parents.

THE next morning Jonas sat with Sarah. She was dressed in her flannel nightgown and robe. He had an arm around her shoulder, and she snuggled contentedly against his body. “It’s only an arraignment, Sarah. They will try to determine if he should be charged with a crime.”

Sarah pulled away and looked quizzically at her father. “But he didn’t do anything, Daddy.”

“He took you and that boy without telling anyone.”

“But he helped us…he taught us something very imp…” Sarah started before Jonas interrupted firmly.

“Sarah…he did a terrible thing. He shouldn’t have taken you anywhere without telling me.”

“But you wouldn’t have let him take us, Daddy,” Sarah said simply.

“I was so worried about you. We’ll see what happens later, okay?” Jonas hugged his daughter close.

PENFORD County’s courthouse was a stately structure of stone and parapets, gables and protrusions of various architectural periods. It was originally built in the late 1800s and had had several facelifts and renovations in the subsequent years. On this particular Christmas Eve morning, with the sun struggling to break through the gray overcast, it was the scene of much chaos.

News of Sarah Stone’s abduction by the kindly old gentleman who had made such a wonderful impression at the shopping mall just a couple days earlier had spread fast. The streets were lined with the citizens of Penford, who wanted to see and hear, firsthand, the details of the latest tabloid event. Everyone hoped to be in one of the photos that would undoubtedly be on the cover of every major newspaper in the country. It wasn’t every day that the daughter of one of America’s wealthiest businessmen was kidnapped and then mysteriously returned, unharmed.

Fortunately for all those interested people, they were not disappointed. Cameras and reporters were everywhere.

Stevens brought the Stone automobile to a stop at the curb at the foot of a long, wide set of stairs in front of the courthouse. When Jonas and Sarah stepped out, they were immediately accosted by reporters, who fought their way past a police barricade. The next vehicle, an armored truck, arrived just as Sarah, Jonas, and Stevens were pushing their
way up the stairs. Everyone turned at the truck’s arrival. Although the vehicle’s main occupant could have been delivered to the courthouse hours earlier by a back entrance, Penford’s police chief was not above having his own picture in the papers. He made a show of exiting the passenger side of the truck, unlocking the back doors, and helping Nicholas to the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back.

Nicholas wore the same disheveled tuxedo from the party. He was tired and dirty, as if no one had provided him the opportunity to clean up during his day in custody. His usual smile was gone, replaced with a look of sadness as he searched the angry, jeering crowd for one friendly face. When his eyes finally fell upon Stevens, his friend’s look was one of pleading, hoping that Nicholas had some kind of rational explanation for what had happened. He gave Nicholas an encouraging half-smile, and Nicholas’s eyes moved to Sarah, who looked on in horror.

“What are they doing to him?” she asked her father before she tried to pull away and go to Nicholas’s aid. She was restrained by Jonas. “Make them stop, Daddy. They’re hurting him,” she pleaded.

Reporters crowded Nicholas as the police hurried him up the steps. Mary Roberts and her children stood huddled together with the mothers of the other boys. At the top of the steps, Jared and his three friends were being held by police
guards. They all looked on at the commotion surrounding Nicholas, when suddenly Sarah tore herself away from her father and yelled, “No!… Let him go!… He didn’t do anything!” She ran to Nicholas. Jonas jumped to follow and shouted, “Sarah!”