FATHER ALWAYS SMILING

Chapter 50 ~~~~~

"A note?" Freddie repeated. "Is it still in your bag back at home?"

Josh shook his head. "No, I had to take it with me because of the instructions for where we needed to go. I tried using my phone but nothing showed up on the GPS."

"Given that the area in question is so remote it's no surprise that something like GPS wouldn't work. Even in places that have camp sites, depending on the location, it won't work, like with newly developed housing." Freddie added. "Did you go there right then?"

"Yeah," the young man nodded. "Though Emma wanted to stop on the way. No idea what it was that she bought, but she put it in the back of my trunk. You're better off just asking her anyway. She was the most pissed with the radio host out of the two of us. I just... didn't want to mess with him."

"But messing with his kid is fair game?" Kira asked and the look of guilt was clear to see.

Guess all he needed was the comparison to his sister to make him realize how shitty he acted.

"So you followed this note, and Emma picked up something, then what?"

"We got there, we had to walk for a while since we couldn't drive the car further in. Emma left the stuff she bought in the car, I think she wanted to see what the area was like before going back and getting it, I didn't think it was good but..." he grasped his bedsheets. "I didn't want to go to jail..." the adults waited in silence for him to continue. His gaze fell to his leg, the one that had a knee brace and cast under the bedsheets. "But all that didn't matter when I got shot..." Josh looked at his father who silently waited, he showed no anger, or resentment either, he openly listened to what his son for what had to say. "My Dad told me a few times what it was like to get shot. Because he was in the Army. But it hurt way worse than what he said..."

"Anything else?" Kira asked.

He shook his head. "No—wait she took my keys. Emma, I think she was trying to run since she got hit too but I don't know anything else. I think someone approached me I don't remember." He touched his face where the welt was. "I think something else hit me."

After that, there was nothing to ask, since the police were still looking through Josh's car, but had yet to come across anything. And there wasn't a note either.

"This is a mess," Kira said after they left Josh's room and were currently conversing in front of a vending machine. "Just what was that boy thinking?"

"Teens do stupid shit, Song. We did as well when we were young, and peer pressure has just gotten worse over the years. Though from the looks of things, it looks like the parents intend to make their son apologize to get him back on the right path. Here's hoping it sticks."

Kira glanced at him as he pulled out a Sprite to drink. Something was up with him. Though she wasn't sure if it was work or personal related.

"You alright?" Kira asked. "You seem a bit out of it."

He shrugged. "I've just been mulling over some stuff recently."

"What, you finally plan to retire?"

He scoffed. "The day I retire is the day I die." He took a sip. "Don't worry about me when you have your own things in life you need to deal with. How's your girl?"

Kira sighed. "Frustrated. Her latest book was rejected, you remember that teenage girl, Morrigan Wolf, the one who and her friends found the body of an abuser that was beaten to hell?"

"Yeah what about her?"

"She's getting published."

"Dang, good on her! I bet her mom will be proud."

"Yeah well, Lucia tried her hand at it, but it fell through. Some companies didn't want to deal with something so close to reality that isn't an auto biography or a history book."

Freddie gave her a puzzled look. "Then how did Morrigan manage to get around it?"

"She took the ghost element to the extreme, people found that way more interesting then what Lucia had."

"Ah, yeah okay. Still, I think Lucia will get it eventually, she could always self-publish too if regular publishing companies don't work out."

"Mmm," she made a sound of agreement. "Anyway, we should get back to it. Think we'll be able to talk to Emma now?"

Freddie placed the empty can into the recycling. "Only one way to find out. Let's see what she has to say."