Metropolis, New Troy
The annual Daily Planet Christmas party was in full swing. Lucy and Jimmy kept a weather eye out on their two children. Even though the newsroom staff had practically adopted the youngsters, this was one of the parties where families were invited. That meant strangers and the Olsens weren’t comfortable about strangers near their children, especially around Lois. It was only eight years ago that Jason Trask was killed while threatening to find and destroy Superman.
Lucy checked on her kids. Johnny was asleep on the sofa in the conference room. Lois was holding court, seated at one of the desks near Perry’s office.
Lucy realized with a start that the desk Lois had chosen was her namesake’s desk. She was seated at Lois Lane’s old desk. She looked over at Perry who was watching the scene with bemusement.
“I can’t believe how much like your sister she is,” Perry said. “I can understand CJ looking so much like Clark, but little Lois is the spitting image of her aunt.”
“It’s a little scary sometimes,” Lucy admitted.
“So, is Jimmy ready for Paris?” Perry asked.
Lucy shrugged. “It’s a great opportunity and he’s so excited about it.”
“But you’re not sure?”
“You and the Planet have been so good to us,” Lucy said. “You’ve been a better granddad to Lois and Johnny than their own grandparents, at least my side. Hell, our last Christmas in this country, and my folks aren’t even in the country.”
“They still haven’t come around, have they?” Perry asked. Lucy shook her head.
“They think I’m a fool for marrying a man with a child by another woman,” she said. “I dread to think what their reaction would be if they ever found out the truth.”
“Well, they say the best revenge is to live well,” Perry said with a sad smile. “And as much as I hate to see Jimmy leave here, this is a great opportunity for him, and for you.”
“Thanks Perry,” Lucy told him, giving him a hug. She looked around, checking on her children again. Lois had wandered off, probably to the snacks. Lois loved chocolate and she was quite capable of finishing off the entire tray of fudge brownies if left to her own devices.
Lucy hurried over to the table to find her errant daughter. The little girl was under the table. Concerned, Lucy ducked under the table as well. “Lois, what’s wrong?”
The dark-haired little girl looked up at her mother. There were tears on her cheeks. “Mommy, CJ’s hurt and he’s really scared,” she said with a sob, throwing herself into her mother’s arms.
“Honey, CJ’s in Smallville, with his grandparents. That’s a long ways from here, but we’ll see him Sunday,” Lucy assured her.
Lois shook her head. “Lucy, why would anybody want to hurt Clark?”
Lucy pulled back and stared at the little girl for a long moment. Teary hazel eyes looked into worried brown ones. She’d sounded exactly like her sister and the possibilities that came to mind chilled Lucy to the core.
“I miss him so much,” Lois was saying. Lucy pulled her close once more.
“I’m sure he’s fine,” her mother assured her. “And you’ll see him Sunday, I promise.”
Smallville, Kansas
Jonathan met up with Tom Wilson on the grounds of the elementary school.
“Anything?” Jonathan asked.
Tom shook his head. He was a tall, laconic black man. “Miss Standish tells me the two Myerson boys were on CJ’s case again this week and there are witnesses that say they were both seen with CJ this afternoon. I’ve let Rache know. She’s going to talk to them, see if they know anything.”
“CJ’s come home a couple times this week really upset, but he wouldn’t tell me or Martha what was wrong,” Jonathan told him.
“Well, Andy and Bill are checking the neighborhoods. I figure we can head north, check out those places,” Tom said. He clapped Jonathan on the shoulder. “We’ll find him.”
“I hope so,” Jonathan said. “I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if anything happened to the boy.”
* * *
Rachel Harris pulled her black and white painted station wagon to a stop in front of the Myerson house on the outskirts of Smallville. It was a run-down modular that the recent snow had done nothing to improve the look of. Myerson’s black Focus was parked in the driveway, but two motorcycles and a kid-sized ATV were parked on the lawn, nearly blocking access to the front door.
As sheriff, Rachel tried to keep an open mind about people. But Russell Myerson rubbed her the wrong way. So did his two kids. The older one, Jake, was fourteen and had already spent time in the juvenile court system for theft and assault. On his next offence he would be tried as an adult.
The younger boy, Jase, was nine. The neighbors called in complaints about the family nearly once a month. Little came of them except for more paperwork for her people. But there was a pattern to the complaints, missing pets, items taken from garages and sheds. Nothing could be proven, but the missing pets was a disturbing trend.
Rachel knocked on the front door. The draperies covering the living room windows twitched and she thought she saw the older Myerson boy, Jake, peer out at her. After a moment, the front door opened a crack.
“Yeah, watcha’ want?” a young voice demanded.
“I want to talk to your dad,” Rachel told him.
“He’s not here.”
“Oh?” Rachel looked around the front yard once again. Russ Meyerson’s car was still in the driveway. “Where is he?”
“Out.”
“May I come in and wait for him?”
“No.”
“Want do you want?” A man’s voice asked. She turned to see Russ Myerson walking across the frozen lawn toward the front of his house.
“I need to talk to Jake and Jase,” she said.
“About what?”
“Jake has been seen at the elementary school, even though he’s been banned from the building and he knows it.”
“He’s supposed to go pick up his brother,” Myerson told her. “He has to go into the building to get him.”
That was an out and out lie, but Rachel chose not to call him on that one. “Mister Myerson, I can either talk to Jake and Jase here, or we can do it in my office. Your choice. But right now I have a missing kindergartner on my hands and your two boys were the last ones to see him.”
Myerson just looked at her for a long moment. Then he pulled his keys out of his jeans and unlocked the front door. She stepped inside.
The inside of the house wasn’t much neater than the outside. The sofa was broken down, cushions stained and misshapen. The coffee table was photo-wood, showing signs of water damage and abuse. There were cigarette burns in the shag carpet. The house smelled of stale tobacco and beer.
Jase was sitting on the sofa, holding a paper towel to his hand. There was blood on the towel.
“The sheriff here wants to ask you two some questions,” Meyerson said. He left the room, leaving her alone with a sullen teenager and a glowering fourth grader.
“What happened to your hand?” she asked. She caught Jake’s warning look to his little brother.
“Got bit by that damn dog over at the Wingates,” Jase said.
“Isn’t your dad going to take you to the clinic? Have it looked at?” she asked.
“It’s not as bad as you think,” Jake told her. “Dad said you wanted to ask us some questions.”
“What were you doing down by the kindergarten when school let out this afternoon?”
“Nothin’. We weren’t there.” Jake said.
“I’ve got witnesses that say different,” Rachel said. “I have witnesses who say the two of you were talking to one of the little kids even though you’re not supposed to be at that end of the building. I’ve also been told that little kid left the building with you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jake said. “They’re lying about us. Everybody knows Standish and that old geezer janitor hates me.”
Jase chimed up. “We don’t know where the Kent brat is.”
Jake reached over and smacked his brother across the top of his head.
“Mister Myerson, these two are coming to the office with me, after a quick stop at the clinic,” Rachel called out.
“You can’t do that,” Myerson announced, coming out of the next room. “You’ve got nothin’ on them.”
“Oh, really?” Rachel asked. Alarms were already ringing in her head. Now they kicked up a notch. He knows something. “Jacob Myerson, you are under arrest for criminal trespass and suspicion of kidnapping. Jason Myerson, you are under arrest on suspicion of kidnapping. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you if you wish. You can decide at any time to stop answering questions if you wish.”
She turned to the boy’s father. “You can follow me to the clinic,” she said, pulling out her cell phone. “Andy, you and Bill run over to Judge Baxter’s to get a search warrant for the Myerson’s. Then get over here and bring the search kit with you.”
“What’s the probable cause?”
“I have reason to believe the two boys are involved in the Kent boy being missing.”
“We’ll be right there,” Andy promised.
“You don’t have the right to do this,” Myerson shouted. “You’ve got no cause! You’re just like the rest of them around here! Blind and stupid!”
“Mister Myerson, I advise you to keep a civil tongue in your mouth,” Rachel warned. “I’ve got a scared little boy somewhere out there in the cold and dark. At least I hope to God he’s scared. Cause if he’s not, if he’s dead, Jacob here could be looking at murder one as an adult.”
