All the Little Children Need to Come Home

Chapter 15 Miracles

"Do you want something to drink? Coffee?" she offered the detective.

"Oh, yes, thank you." Joe broke his stance long enough to answer.

"Water will be fine," Matthews responded, warily watching the scruffy man with the beard.

Alice led them into the kitchen, Joe continuing to walk like a soldier at attention, protecting this house. She glanced towards the family room, a concerned look on her face. She didn't want to hear either news at all.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the TV switching to the news where two people were being interviewed on a morning news show. She heard a soft whimper coming from the recliner.

"Daddy, don't. I don't want to watch this," Haley was saying to Ben.

"Excuse me a moment," Alice said, as she moved towards the family room, reaching for the remote.

"Ben. She was watching Peppa Pig."

Seeing the look on Haley's face as she watched the TV, Alice dropped the remote and slowly sat down on the edge of the end table.

Transfixed, she watched as a couple were talking, insisting that whoever had taken their little girl should be arrested immediately. A picture of Haley was flashed in the corner of the screen. She had been missing since this past September, and they had never stopped searching for her, even after the police said there was nothing more they could do. They were angry that they became the first and only suspects. They wanted their little girl home. Talking to the camera, they informed the audience that they were consulting a lawyer about the way they were treated by the authorities.

Alice reached for the remote to turn off the TV and turned to the detective in disbelief. She reached down to stroke Haley's hair. She glanced at Ben, who was sitting up, trying to comprehend what was going on. He belched and she could smell his breath from where he was.

She saw Haley's face as the little girl held her hand.

"They're lying. They know they are. Why do they want me back when they were so mean to me!"

Alice looked at the detective and said, "Which part of that is good news?"

Swallowing to ease her growing fear, she put her arm around Haley. With a surprised look, Haley saw they had company. Forgetting the "rules", she said, "Hi, Scribs!"

Alice looked back and forth between Haley and Joe. A faint idea tickled her thoughts as she began to understand what she already knew in her heart. They know each other, somehow. From the moment children began to fall on her front lawn like snowflakes she knew something magical was happening. Since that day, she hadn't spoken about it because it all seemed so surreal. To mention it might break the magical spell that she had been under.

She looked at Ben, who looked at her in a panic. His eyes were wild, and he was afraid for so many reasons.

"What's going on? What was that on the television? "

He stood in the middle of the family room, false bravado as he spoke. "What are you doing here, detective?" Glancing at Joe, he added, "Why are you here?"

Detective Matthews shifted in his stance and set down his glass of water.

"The good news is- you have temporary custody for Haley until this is all sorted out."

Alice noticed he was choosing his words carefully.

"The FBI have been asked to help out, trying to find all the children as well as interviewing the parents."

Joe cleared his throat, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, impatiently.

Matthews shrugged his shoulders and continued in a low voice.