The London Paradigm (book 4 of Adopted by the Josephs)

17. Tyler

I called Mark's the day before Samantha was due to come home after the extra week. I asked to speak to her, but Mark said she was out with some friends she'd made in the neighborhood and he'd have her call when she came home.

We hadn't heard much from Sam during the week but I was excited for her to come home.

Josh and Debby had bought a house in Columbus, not too far from us, and we're going to be in town for the next few days to make some plans for renovations to their house. They were excited to see Sam as well.

The phone rang again and it was Mark's number. I grabbed the phone expecting it to be Sam.

"Sam?"

"HI Tyler. No. It's Mark. Sorry."

"Oh. Hi Mark. Is Samantha home yet? I'd really like to speak to her."

"No, sorry. She's still out with her friends. She's gotten close to a few girls here in the neighborhood. They've gotten quite close. They're upset that Samantha is due to go home tomorrow.

We've shown Samantha the schools the kids attend and she was rather excited about it. She expressed an interest in maybe doing a term here in England. We'd cover the costs of her tuition."

I was silent. Samantha wanted to stay in England for school? That didn't sound like Sam.

"Tyler?"

"No. Absolutely not."

"Wouldn't you like to discuss this with Jenna?" He asked.

"No. I don't need ti discuss this with Jenna. I want my daughter on that plane tomorrow afternoon, Mark."

"She's really excited about the thought of going to school with the girls she's met here."

"Mark, until I hear that from my daughter's mouth, I am not interested in hearing about it. I want her on that plane tomorrow or I am contacting the police."

"There's no need for threats, Tyler. I'll have Samantha call you in a while."

I hung up and was fuming. Jenna came downstairs with Rosie, fresh from a nap.

"Tyler? What was that? What's wrong?"

"Mark just called and said Samantha wants to stay there to go to school for a term. They'd pay for her to go there."

"What? That doesn't sound like Samantha."

"Exactly," I said. "I told him that if she's not on that plane tomorrow, I'm calling the police."

"Tyler," Jenna said.

"What?"

"What if..." she stopped. "What if what you were worried about... what If you're right?"

I stared at Jenna. Because my greatest fear has been that Mark wound find a way to keep Samantha. And now we were facing that very real possibly.

"I'm calling Jake," I said.

Jenna nodded.

I pulled up his contact info and hit call.

"Hey Tyler," he said. "Been a while. How's your summer been? Sam back from London yet?"

"No. That's what I want to talk to you about. I think we might have a problem."

I related to Jake everything that had transpired in the past few days.

"Stay in England for school? That doesn't sound like Samantha," he said.

"Exactly. Could we be looking at a kidnapping?" I asked.

"Well, not yet," Jake said. "But if he doesn't put her on the plane tomorrow, then yes. I think we could indeed be looking at a kidnapping."

I sighed.

"What time is her plane supposed to land?" Jake asked.

"Three PM," I said.

"Okay," Jake said. "I'm going to come to the airport with you. If Sam isn't on that flight, we'll get the proper authorities involved."

"Okay," I said. "Thanks, Jake."

"No problem. I'll be by your place around two. Is that enough time?"

"Yeah. That'll be fine."

I hung up and sat down. I couldn't believe we were facing this prospect again. The only thing that wasn't as bad about it is that presumably Mark and Carol were treating Samantha well.

"What did he say?" Jenna asked.

"He's going to come to the airport with us tomorrow. It's not a kidnapping unless she doesn't get off the plane tomorrow."

"Then what?" Jenna asked.

"Then he'll get whoever needs to be involved, involved."

"Tyler, I can't go through that again," Jenna said, thinking back to when Stanley had taken Samantha from school. "I can't lose her. Not again."

I hugged my wife and hoped we weren't about to face this again.