“Come down, baby.”
Step by step, Andy came down the stairs, hugging his teddy bear. When he finally made it to the bottom, he felt light-headed as he looked up at his mommy. She touched his cheek with the palm of her hand as his daddy said, “I bet you thought we’d forgotten all about it.”
Andy said nothing as his mommy placed her hands on his shoulders and turned him around toward the living room. “Surprise!” shouted a dozen voices. There was a computer printed banner stretched across the entrance to the living room. It said “HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY.”
And Andy cried. He cried, his mommy knelt and hugged him, and everyone else laughed.
Birthday party.
Billy Stark was born on December seventh. Andy Rain was celebrating his birthday on August 13th. He filed away the unasked question. He could have asked Ellen, but Ellen was dead. Perhaps it had something to do with the experiment or when his mommy and daddy adopted him.
Andy could never remember having a birthday party before. It’s a number of family friends and their children gathering to celebrate a special person’s special day.
Presents.
He had never had birthday presents before; so many wishing him well; honoring him. Captain Rain had old friends from his days as a police officer with the city. Lt. Bill Pace and Trooper Mickey Parsons of the state police. Sheriff’s Deputy Claudia Hayes. Detective Mick Arnold of the city police. Det. Arnold and the state troopers brought their wives and the sheriff’s deputy brought her husband. They all brought children ranging in ages from eight months to seven years old. There were small presents for each of the children. John Draper didn’t have any children.
When Marnie Rain brought in the birthday cake, there were seven burning candles: one for each year and one to grow on. “Make a wish, Andy, and if you can blow out all the candles, it’ll come true.”
He closed his eyes, made a wish, blew out all the candles, and everyone applauded. “What’d you wish, honey?” his mommy asked.
“He can’t tell you, Mrs. Rain,” said Gloria Pace. “His wish won’t come true if he tells what it is.”
Andy was grateful to Gloria. He didn’t know the rules and he didn’t want his wish rejected over a technicality. He had wished to grow up to do good for others. It was what Billy Stark had wanted.
The party progressed, but only a little of it was playtime for Andy. He spent most of the party studying his peers. The Arnold boy was eight months old, Jason Pace was five and a half. His sister Nina was seven. Mickey and Wendy Parson’s son Roy was three years old and their twins, Larry and Ted, were six. Lettie Hayes was six, as well, and her sister Gloria was seven. Andy was officially six years old, and he narrowed his observations to Larry, Ted, and Lettie. Soon he, too, talked about football, hating school, and the silliness of girls.
When the party broke up, leaving only John Draper who was staying for dinner, Andy Rain was concerned. Why was he there? At the table John Draper sat facing Andy. The boy stayed quiet, unless he was asked a direct question. Mostly he just listened and looked at his plate. He didn’t know why John Draper was there, but he did not believe in coincidence. He had spent too many years as the fox. He knew the smell of the hounds.
That night, from the conversation, Andy learned that Mr. Draper was Gary Rain’s old partner in the city police. He retired, he said, because the bad guys were winning. He talked some about his writing and the visits to schools where he did writing clinics for children to introduce them to writing. They kicked around old times, reminisced a little about Ellen, then Mr. Draper said to Andy’s daddy, “Did Harry tell you about trying to track down the Shadow Snatcher? They’re bringing in Molly Warton.”
“The psychic? I didn’t think Harry believed in that sort of thing.”
“He doesn’t. Neither do I. But before I took retirement, we used Molly Warton to identify and take down Dick Ritter.”
“I remember Ritter,” said Andy’s father. “Wasn’t he that serial sicko who went after truckers sleeping in their rigs on the interstate?”
“That’s the guy.”
“I didn’t know you people resorted to the supernatural to find him.”
“Well, John, what happened?” asked Marnie.
“I took Molly to one of the crime scenes,” John Draper answered. “She soaked up the atmosphere, had a couple of hot flashes, then picked Ritter out of a line up. He wouldn’t say a word, but once we tossed his place we found enough to hang him. He had trophies from at least two dozen—”
John Draper saw Andy’s mommy frowning and shaking her head. The former detective shrugged and continued. “Anyway, once we showed him what we had on him, he started singing. We eventually nailed him for eleven murders.” John Draper faced Andy’s daddy, but kept his gaze on Andy. “That’s eight on Billy Stark’s total. What do you think of that, Andy?”
Andy concentrated on looking dull-eyed as he thought to himself. Ellen’s widower had set bait and dangled the hook. John Draper knew that Billy Stark had claimed over eight killings. Maybe Ellen had told him everything and he hadn’t believed it then. Now that she was dead, though, he might be willing to take another look. The trap was set. The boy decided not to step in. “I don’t know.” He then began playing with the peas on his plate.
There was a little more talk on the subject of murder and why John Draper had taken retirement when he did. After dinner, while Andy’s parents finished doing the dishes, Andy was left alone with Mr. Draper in the living room. Andy played with one of his presents, a wooden toy truck. The man looked at the boy for a long time, then asked, “Andy, did you ever hear of Billy Stark?”
Andy nodded.
“Who was he?”
“A bad man.”
“That’s right,” said Draper. “Billy Stark was a bad man. Ellen tested him years ago. Did you know that?”
Andy shrugged.
“Ellen tested you, Andy.”
The boy thought quickly. This was not the time to go into a rage about the violation of his confidence. Instead he shook his head. “Oh no she didn’t. We played games, and drew pictures, and talked a lot.”
“Those were tests.”
Andy felt tears come to his eyes and he wiped them away with his fists. “Ellen used to talk to me.”
John Draper sighed, slowly nodded and said, “I know, boy. I know.”
Later, in his room, Andy dressed for bed, brushed his teeth, climbed into the chair, and wrapped the blanket about himself. Right then he didn’t feel like being inside the bars of the crib.
John Draper suspected him, that was clear. All Andy could do was to insist on being a little boy. If he was perceived to be a little boy, he could not be a killer, even to John Draper.
His door opened and his mommy looked into the nursery. “Sleeping in your chair again tonight, baby?”
“Yes, Mommy.”
She came in and was followed by Andy’s daddy. Marnie sat next to Andy on the chair and lifted him to her lap. Andy’s father stood next to them, his large hand squeezing the boy’s shoulder. His mother, with her arms around him, asked, “Did Mr. Draper frighten you, dear?”
“A little.”
His father touched Andy’s cheek with his hand. “He’s been going through a rough patch, Andy. Try and understand.”
“I understand. I miss Ellen, too.”
His mommy hugged him, kissed his cheek, and pushed some hair back from his forehead with her hand. “Honey, what would you think if we put your old crib up in the attic and got you a real bed? Would you like that?”