True Love My Ass

18. Meeting his parents

Ray and Kathy Hall to the side or above.

When I stepped into the lobby earlier today, Merle nearly attacked me in a hug and refused to let go of me until she was completely sure I was really there.

I had to literally pry myself out of her grasp so that I could get up to my office.

What I didn't expect at all when I stepped out of the elevator was the stares I got from my co-workers and the note on my desk telling me there was a meeting in conference room 2.

And now that I'm in here, what I did expect was that everyone else was here too and boy was I wrong.

I didn't except to see John's family standing at the edge of the oval table.

Ben's sitting to his dad's right where his mother's sitting in front of him, in other words to her husband's left.

"It's been over 24 hours since we last heard and saw John," Mr. Hall says.

"Raymond, don't be so harsh. We'll introduce ourselves to the young lady first," Mrs. Hall says and strokes her husband's arm.

"I'm Kathy, and this is Raymond we're Jonathan and Benjamin's parents," she smiles at me.

I nod, a forced lipped smile on my face.

"Our son's missing and you're worried about introductions?"

I raise my hand hesitatingly.

Ben smiles at me with a nod, as if saying 'go on'.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, but may I ask why I am here? Shouldn't you call the police and clarify some information or something?"

Ben smiles at me even more, it's like he's trying to keep me calm in the current situation.

Somehow it works.

"We have called the police, they're on the case. And you're here because you were the last person to see him."

I nod.

"Was there anything unusual by his behavior? Or did you see anything suspicious?"

Then it all just floods out of me, I tell him about the man and the bad feeling I had about him. The short news report I saw at the hospital, and my theories about the case.

They're quiet as I keep on talking about it, Ben scribbles down a few of the things I tell them while having a stern expression on his face.

Mrs. Hall's drawing the man after my descriptions, and it looks on point that's all I have to say.

She's an amazing artist.

My phone buzz along with the other three's phones.

That doesn't shock me, but what does is the fact that John's name appears on the screen.

To whoever is reading this.
The mister is okay, up and going, fresh like a daisy and no harm has come to him. And no harm will continue to come to him, unless we don't get our 50B in Friday night - in cash.
We'll keep him alive till then, we expect some sort of reply.
And we'll keep in touch with whoever answers us.
Later on we'll text you where to meet for the swap, the mister for the money, whoever delivers the money must be alone. We will not hesitate to put a bullet through the mister's head if we see cops present or another person tagging along.
Have a nice day.