Meryl and Don: An Unforeseen Journey

Chapter 49

"MERYL!" Don screamed pushing past Larry and the police. "SWEETHEART! I'M BACK!"

Larry knew this would be awful, but seeing Don so distraught was worse than he thought it would be. "Buddy, she's gone. He took her and Henry."

"HENRY! DADDY'S HOME!" Don yelled then turned to Larry. "Maybe she's just scared and is hiding with Henry. She needs to know I'm here and it's going to be okay."

Larry turned Don to him and held him by his shoulders. "Buddy, we have looked everywhere. The police are dusting for fingerprints. There's blood up in your studio and down the stairs. They're taking samples of that and fingerprinting up there. There is blood on your blank canvas."

"No. No. No." Don said shaking his head. "Smack me, Larry, wake me up. This has NOT happened. Please tell me this isn't happening. He was in fucking jail. Even though he's in jail there's a fucking restraining order against him and my fucking father. How the hell did he get out? I locked the door when I left to get Meryl her pretzel. How did he get to them? Meryl wouldn't open the door without looking through the peep hole. I had a fucking metal door put on to make it safer for them. HOW?!"

Larry took a deep breath. "It looks like he broke your doorman's neck and got your key. I don't know how he got them both but I would venture to guess Meryl was up in your studio for some reason and there was a struggle."

"Meryl. Henry. The baby." Don choked and started running for the door.

Larry ran after him. "Don, where are you going?"

"Where am I going?! I'm going to follow the track of my wife's fucking blood and rescue her and our children. Where the hell do you think I'm going?" Don was exasperated.

Larry stopped him. "Don, the police are out looking for him. They're following the tracks. Their questioning everyone they can. We need you here. We need you here in case he calls. We need you here in case she gets away and comes looking for you. We need you to here to answer questions."

"I need to be with them." Don choked. "Not fucking twiddling my thumbs."

Larry pulled him in for a hug. "I know, buddy. I promise you, Don, we are going to find them."

"Larry, if something..." Don couldn't go on. "I promised her; I promised all 3 of them they would be safe."

Larry led Don to the couch to sit down. "They will be. We are going to find them just as soon as we can."

"I never should have left to get her a pretzel. Why did she need to crave a damn pretzel this afternoon?" Don asked thinking back to their last conversation. "Oh, God. I left without kissing her or Henry. I left without telling them that I loved them. What if that was the last..."

Larry shook his head as he sat down next to his best friend. "We're getting them back, Don. Listen, I know this doesn't help but in his fucked up mind he loves them. I have to believe he won't hurt them."

"LARRY!" Don exploded. "You know that fucker is going to rape her. There's blood all over this apartment."

Larry nodded. "But we're going to get them back ALIVE. Will anything change how much you love her and Henry and how you will help her and Henry through anything?"

"Of course not!" Don boomed. "They shouldn't have to go through this shit. She's already been through more than enough. Henry is just a baby, a poor defenseless baby. Not to mention baby Gummer. Larry, I just want my wife and son back. I need them. They need me."

Larry nodded. "We're going to get them back."

"Mr. Gummer?" A police officer came over and handed Don an envelope when he raised his head to look at the officer who approached him. "This was left for you and we already dusted it for prints. We'll need it back for evidence, though."