Brad and Bentley came flying into Tessa's office. They found her on her knees sobbing hysterically.

'Darling,' Brad dropped to his knees. 'Are you hurt? What's wrong?' he drew her against his chest.

'Lyndon---'she sobbed. 'Lyndon---,' she was hyperventilating.

'Lyndon? Is he hurt? Did he have an accident? Talk to me my love.'

'Somebody---took---took my baby.' She handed her mobile to Brad.

'Hello?' Brad spoke into the phone.

'Mr. Blakely---help Lyndon. At---Thames.' Stacy's soft almost incoherent voice whispered.

Brad looked up at Bentley. He was already nodding and hauling out his mobile. Brad knew the one man who had connections to Interpol and a network of contacts in almost every major city in every continent. The last time Brad hired Wolf Canning was four years ago, when he was pursuing the lady who was now his wife. Brad had stayed in contact with the man. He knew he always delivered.

'Hurry---lets go--- we must find our baby,' Tessa stood up, crying hysterically. 'Let's go,' she shook Brad roughly.

Brad held her tightly, fighting the anger that was surging through him for the person or persons who dared make his wife cry and was putting fear into his son. This is the very thing his son had feared in Paris.

'You will have him back. I promise you,' Brad assured her. He stood up. 'I need the chopper Bentley. Meet me with your car at the Thames. Is Canning on his way?'

'Yes sir.'

'Tessa perhaps you should stay here---'

'No! Tessa sobbed. 'I have to come with---. My baby needs me. He will be so afraid.'

'Brad inhaled deeply, 'let's go,' he grabbed Tessa's wrist.

As they were rushing up to the roof, Bentley was arranging staff to man their office. He would be discreet. Nothing would be mentioned to another soul, unless his boss gave him permission.

Brad had the helicopter in the air in no time. Within five minutes Brad was setting the chopper down on the banks of the Thames. Close to their offices. Tessa jumped out of the helicopter. She was dialling Stacy again. She could barely hear her feint voice.

'There,' Brad touched Tessa's arm. He pointed to Stacy waving with both hands and limping towards the helicopter. Brad was devastated. Two uniformed police officials were walking towards Stacy. She looked in a bad way. She had obviously tried to put up a fight and had been assaulted. Her face was bruised and bloodied. Her lips were swollen. Brad rushed towards Stacy.

'Mr. Blakely---I am so sorry,' she sobbed. 'They took Lyndon. I---tried to hold Lyndon. They pushed me down---kicked me,' she cried.

Brad drew her into his arms, and patted her back consolingly. 'I am sorry for what they did to you,' Brad murmured.

'Do you know who took my baby Stacy?' Tessa sobbed. Stacy wanted to speak but Tessa fired more questions. 'What did they want?' Stacy shook her head. 'Did they say anything?'

Just then, Bentley arrived, together with a security detail of four who immediately proceeded to keep the crowd at bay. Brad was still apprehensive about the police hovering right there, waiting to speak to Stacy.

'Darling,' Brad placed an arm around Tessa. 'Stacy needs medical assistance.'

'Yes. I am so sorry Stacy,' Tessa hugged her.

'Mr. Blakely?' The senior of the police officials addressed Brad. He groaned silently. He did not want the police involved. He wanted to handle this himself. He did not want stories of his son plastered across media around the world. This could be harmful in recovering their baby.

'Yes. I am Brad Blakely.'

'Mr. Blakely, I am Detective John Greene. This is my partner, Detective Bert Norton. Sir, it is alleged your son has been kidnapped---.'

Tessa burst into tears. She clung to Brad, sobbing hysterically.

'My son's nanny needs medical attention.' Brad held Tessa comfortingly. My office is ten minutes away. Can we continue our discussion there?'

'Brad,' Tessa ran a few steps forward and picked up a Mickey Mouse cap from the floor. 'Oh God,' she sobbed,' pressing the cap against her lips. Tessa dropped to her knees.

'I need to get my wife away from here,' Brad addressed the officers, as he spotted an international television network vehicle unpacking their equipment.

'Yes,' the senior officer agreed.

'Bentley, get Stacy to the hospital.'

'Yes sir,' Bentley gently guided Stacy by her arm.

'Stacy when we're done with the police. We will meet you at the hospital.

'Don't worry about me Mr. Blakely. Take care of Mrs. Blakely,' she spoke softly.'

'Hurry Bentley, attend to Stacy!'

'Sir,' Bentley addressed Brad.

Brad turned to Bentley to offer Bentley his ear. 'Wolf Canning will meet you at the office in fifteen minutes.'

Brad nodded.

'I have a chopper there,' Brad pointed. 'You may join me,' Brad offered.

'We have a vehicle here sir. We know your offices. We will meet you there right away. In the meantime we have two other officers collecting evidence at---the scene.' He was afraid Tessa would began crying hysterically again. The officer had not revealed to Brad that closed circuit television footage was also being examined as they were speaking.

'Have you issued an all points bulletin?' Tessa demanded pacing around Brad's office. 'Have all the airports and sea ports been alerted?'

'We have deployed resources---'

"'Deployed resources?" She screamed. 'What the hell does that mean? There is a three hour window period to recover a kidnapped victim before---before-Oh God,' she covered her face with her hands. It was only twenty minutes since she'd received the dreaded call from Stacy. It seemed like a life time ago.

'Darling,' Brad gripped Tessa to his body for the umpteenth time. 'They're doing their job.'

'They're not doing enough,' she sobbed. 'What if-what if my baby is smuggled to somewhere in Africa or Asia-Brad you have to do something!' She pushed Brad away, grabbing the car keys.

'Tessa,' He grabbed her from behind. 'Where are you going?'

'To find my son,' she tried to get out of Brad's grip. 'I want to go back there,' she pleaded. 'There must be clues---something there can help us. 'What about the CC TV?' Tessa questioned from within Brad's vice grip. 'Is there visual footage of the assailants? '

'Scotland Yard is analyzing the footage as we speak,' Detective Greene spoke quietly.

'Please---,' Tessa begged. 'Let me go back there,' she clutched Lyndon's cap as if it was a life line to her baby boy. Brad's eyes were moist. For the first time in his life he wished he owned a fire arm. He would empty every last bullet in the chamber on whoever was tearing his wife apart.

'I can't darling,' he whispered. He pressed his lips to her temple. He was not going to risk losing his wife as well. He was disgusted with himself for failing to put security detail on his son, his only child. Without her knowledge his wife had security, but that was just to keep unscrupulous paparazzi at bay. He'd stopped his jealous spying when she came to him three years ago. He trusted her explicitly. The security was just for her protection. Why didn't he think to protect his child? He was a billionaire. He should have realized his son would be a target.

'We have to ask some questions?' Detective Greene's voice interrupted Brad.

'Yes, go ahead,' Brad nodded, let's be quick about it. Brad wanted to meet Canning. He wanted to assemble his own team of investigators, but he would not be declaring that right now.

'Sir do you have any suspects? Enemies? Have there been any threats?'

'No suspects,' Brad shook his head. 'We have just returned from Paris. I took my family on a short holiday.'

'What about you Mrs. Blakely?'

'No,' she shrugged.

'Perhaps scorned lovers?' Detective Norton prompted.

'What?' Tessa's eyes widened. 'My husband and I have been together for four years,' Tessa spoke quietly. 'Why would anybody wait that long to hurt Brad or I?'

'Can you think of anyone of them who may have a motive?'

'No---,' Tessa was annoyed. She could hardly categorise any of her past lovers as relationships. She had steered clear of relationships and commitments. 'No, I parted amicably with the previous men in my life, except---,' she half smiled and cast her eyes at Brad.

'Except?' Detective Greene prompted.

'Except my husband,' she smiled, and then her smile froze. What the hell has she just insinuated? She had just implicated Brad. For heaven's sake she was an attorney, this was potential evidence that could be held/used against her and Brad. The detectives exchanged a knowing look. Brad shut his eyes momentarily. Tessa cringed silently.

'Let me clarify that,' Tessa rushed to explain.

'Please do,' the senior detective exhaled visibly.

'Like I said, all my previous relationships, ended amicably. Brad was the only one, who really challenged me and eventually dragged me to the altar,' she looked at her husband adoringly.

'You were an heiress, Mrs. Blakely,' Detective Norton reminded her.

Tessa's eyes sought Brad's again. Hadn't she accused him more than once of pursuing her solely because she was an heiress?

'Look,' Tessa became impatient with the detectives. 'My husband is an extremely wealthy man. He had considerable wealth before I married him, three or four times more than what my family and I jointly possessed. It is ludicrous to suspect Brad of kidnapping his own son. My husband has no motive,' Tessa stated. 'You should be out there, finding my son,' Tessa screamed.

'Darling we are all suspects right now. Let the officers do their job.'

'What about the lady that was assaulted at the park?' Detective Norton enquired.

'She is Lyndon's nanny,' Brad supplied.

'We will need her address.'

'She lives in our home in Surrey,' Tessa answered. 'She also went with us to Paris, and no we do not suspect her.'

'What about her family?'

'Her mother lives in Kent,' Tessa replied. 'Her father is late. She has no siblings.'

'Officers, if that's all,' Brad opened his door. 'He saw Canning standing at Bentley's desk.

'Sir we would like an open line directly to you,' Detective Norton requested.

'Yes off course,' Brad handed him a business card. They handed Brad a card before they departed.

'Brad lets go back to the Park,' Tessa tugged at her husband's arm.

'Darling, I have somebody who will assist us. Can I meet with him now?'

'Who is he?' Tessa demanded. 'Where is he? How do you know him?' She questioned suspiciously. 'What are his qualifications? Has he dealt with high profile kidnapping cases previously,' the attorney in her interrogated her husband.

'He can answer all those questions. He is waiting outside,' Brad spoke quietly.

'Okay call him in,' Tessa relented.

'Mr. Blakely, I regret the circumstances under which we meet.'

Brad nodded, 'Bentley would you come in here?'

'Darling this is Wolf Canning, Canning my wife Tessa Blakely.'

'Good afternoon,' Tessa extended her hand. 'Have we met in New York previously?' She thought he looked familiar.

Brad's head shifted almost imperceptibly, 'I have not had the pleasure of being introduced to you, Mrs. Blakely,' Wolf read Brad correctly.

'What are your credentials?' Tessa demanded. 'Have you had any success in recovering kidnap victims?'

Wolf looked at Brad, whose arms were folded across his chest. Brad nodded.
'I am ex-CIA,' Wolf informed her. 'I was Special Groups Command for  covert military ops between North America and Europe for seven years, until five years ago.'

Tessa only now studied Wolf Canning. She should have guessed from the standard military haircut, the rigid upright posture and the baggy cargo trousers. She suspected there were a few choice weapons concealed on his person.

'Why were you discharged?' Tessa interrogated. He was in the prime of his life. He looked extremely fit and healthy. He gave off a commanding air of authority. She was certain he was resourceful and insightful. The CIA must have had a reason to let him go.

Wolf Canning reminded himself Tessa Blakely was an astute attorney. She studied people's body language. She had never lost a case when she had practised as an attorney.

'Protocol inhibited me accomplishing operations in an expedient manner,' he stated mysteriously.

The CIA would call it insubordination. Tessa read him as a man who could not be bothered with red tape to get his job done. If he dealt with covert ops, that meant he infiltrated borders, countries to plant spies, or remove compromised agents and defectors. If he survived seven years without being killed and was still alive now five years later, he was good at his job.

'Are you able to recover our son?' Tessa's voice was strained.

Brad breathed a visible sigh of relief. Bentley's shoulders dropped. There was no outward reaction from Wolf Canning.

'I will try my damndest, Mrs. Blakely. Do we have the map?' Wolf looked at Bentley.

'Yes,' Bentley ran to his desk and returned.

'Right,' Wolf pasted a map on the wall with help from Bentley. It was a blown up grid of the city, with the Thames in the centre covering a twenty kilometre radius around the Thames.

'Mr. Blakely, we have tapped into the CCTV database,' Wolf looked over his shoulder.

'Oh no,' Tessa cringed, raking her hand through her hair. She turned her back on the three men. Canning knew precisely the cause of her dilemma.

'Mrs Blakely there is no guarantee Scotland Yard will allow us access to that footage. If they do yield to any demands we make, we may only get access to it, in three to five days.'

'I am an attorney,' she raised her hand into the air. 'You have broken the law,' she pointed an accusing finger. 'My husband, an employee and I, have just become accessories to you tampering with state evidence; and I could get disbarred!'

Neither Brad nor Bentley were going to now confess how many times they received information, bypassing the correct channels.

'As a defender of the law, Mrs. Blakely, I am sure you abhor the term, the end justifies the means. The end today Mrs Blakely is recovering your son alive within the next forty eight hours.

'Forty eight hours,' Tessa slumped into the guest chair in Brad's office, covering her face. 'Oh no, 'she shook her head. 'My baby can't survive that long on his own.'

'Darling,' Brad dropped to his knees in front of Tessa. He cradled her head on his shoulder. 'We will get our son back. I promise.'

'You know he can't go one night without you,' she hiccupped. 'Forty eight hours,' she cried out. 'And who's to say we will have him back within forty eight hours?'

'Our son is strong. He won't give up,' Brad spoke to himself as much as he spoke to Tessa.

'Bentley how is Stacy?' Tessa asked.

'She is receiving attention at the hospital,' he looked at his watch. 'Lauretta is with her now.'

'Have you called her mom?'

'She asked me not to,' Bentley sighed.

'Continue,' Brad instructed Wolf, taking a seat on the armrest of Tessa's chair.

'I have eight men combing this area,' he circled the radius of the Thames. Every car, bus, train, plane, and sea vessel will be inspected. We have twenty more operatives; highly skilled men and women deployed to cover the airports and access to all waterways. We will find your son, Mrs. Blakely. I guarantee it.'

'You will find him alive?' She questioned. 'Tell me you will find him alive and unharmed.'

Wolf's eyes met Brad's. He had to be realistic. He could not offer her a blank guarantee.

Brad stood up. 'I want to set up an operations centre, at my home. Bentley, we will work from Surrey until further notice. Clear my diary and Tessa's.'

Tessa's mobile rang on Brad's table. Bentley answered it. 'Just a moment,' Bentley put the call on hold.

'Sir, Television One wants confirmation.' As Bentley waited for a response from Brad, his own mobile rang. Brad looked at the screen and saw a competitor media house was calling. He screamed and hurled the instrument against the wall.

Tessa gasped. In the four years she had known her husband he had never once lost his cool. Bentley was thinking along the same lines. He had only known his boss to lose it just once before, when the then Ms. Von Biljoen was in Sydney, Australia. In a jealous fit of rage, his boss had angrily tossed a decanter of scotch against the wall, when he had seen raunchy pictures of Ms. Von Biljoen having a splendid time without him in Australia. Now, again feeling totally helpless, when his son needed him, his boss now furiously tossed his mobile phone against the wall.

'Mr. Blakely,' Wolf spoke. Speak to the media. First we need some information, anything from the nanny. Let's sensitise the public. Somebody could give us a lead.'

'What if it has the adverse effect?' Tessa asked in a panic. 'What if it makes the abductors nervous?'

'We need the media on our side. Let's court them,' he advised Brad. Wolf did not realize what he was asking of Brad. He hated the idea of himself and his family exposed in the media. Now Wolf wanted him to bare his soul to them?

'Mr. Blakely?' Wolf prompted.

'We are the media,' Brad waved his hand annoyingly at his building. 'This is a media house, the largest across Europe and the States. We cover a niche market in four continents.'

'We need the electronic media. They have instant reach to every household. Perhaps Lyndon maybe watching. You could send a tactful message to him.'

Tessa reached out to Brad. Her hands gripped his arms imploringly. 'Please---let's do it' she urged. 'We can talk to our son. Let him know, he will be back with us soon. You know if he hears your voice, he will feel better.'

'Okay,' Brad murmured to Tessa.

'Thank you,' she wrapped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. She knew how much her husband valued his privacy. He was doing this for her and their baby.

'Set up a press conference. Call every major television network,' Brad instructed Bentley.

Tessa's mobile rang again. It was Bertha. Tessa stared at the ringing phone. 'I'll talk to her,' Brad picked up the phone.

'Aunt Bertha---,' Brad tried to smile, but his voice cracked up. Brad lowered the phone. He blinked his eyes furiously and inhaled deeply. Tessa reached out to him. Her hand cupped his neck. She took the phone from his hand. 'Aunt Bertha,' Tessa sighed. 'We have a change of plan. Can we send a driver to collect you and bring you home?'

'Okay darling. I was wondering why you were late,' Tessa could hear from her voice she was smiling.

'See you shortly,' Tessa cut the call.

'I think I should call mummy,' Tessa lifted her face to Brad's. He nodded. 'I don't know what I'm going to say to her,' Tessa voiced.

'Let me talk to Joseph instead,' Brad offered.

'I want to speak to mummy,' she murmured. Brad nodded and allowed her to make the call. Between sobs and her almost incoherent speech, Tessa managed to inform her parents of Lyndon's abduction.

'Darling why haven't they called?' Tessa asked. 'Shouldn't they be demanding a ransom by now?' 'Have you called the bank? They should start preparing for whatever the amount that would be required.'

'Their silence is deliberate, Mrs. Blakely. They want you to start panicking. They want you to get so worked up that you would agree to any amount of money they would demand.'

'I don't care how much they want,' Tessa exclaimed. My baby's life is priceless. 'We will give them whatever they demand.'

Wolf looked at Brad, who shook his head ever so slightly. Brad did not mind paying. It was no skin off his back. He knew as well as Wolf did that even if they paid any ransom, there was no guarantee that Lyndon would be returned alive. There was just no guarantee. Whilst his wife assumed that paying the demanded ransom would automatically bring her son back to her. For now, he will let his wife assume that he will submit to his son's captors.

'Let's go to the hospital. Perhaps Stacy maybe able to shed some light,' Brad spoke. Tessa looked at her watch. An hour had now passed. She wanted to go back to the park. She wanted to walk about around the Thames. Perhaps they could find something. After the press conference she would beg Brad to take her there.

'Bentley hold the fort. After the press conference, we will head to Surrey.'

'Yes sir.'

Brad slipped his hand through Tessa's. 'Let's go,' he instructed Wolf. On the way to the roof, Brad called GR's Editor-in-Chief. He owed it to his own newspaper, to at least break the news to them first. Brad did not ask for favours from his editor. He gave him carte blanche to run with it the way he saw fit. He would be happy if the printed media did not mention his son's abduction, but he would use the electronic media, to talk to his son. To give him a message that his daddy was coming to rescue him, and rescue him he will.

When they got to the hospital, Stacy was looking in much better shape. She was cleaned up nicely. The swelling was somewhat reduced. The bruises were going to take a few days. She was wearing hospital bed clothes. She was even able to muster a smile for Tessa.

'Stacy,' Tessa gripped her hands. 'I'm not going to ask how you feel. I am sure you're in a lot of pain.'

'Have you heard anything? Tears filled Stacy's eyes. 'Did they call? Is Lyndon okay?'

Tessa shut her eyes and shook her head slowly. 'Nothing yet,' Tessa whispered.

'It's all my fault. I am so sorry,' she sobbed.

'It's not,' tears rolled down Tessa's face. 'You could not have known.'

At that moment Stacy looked past Tessa to Brad and observed the visitor with the Blakely's.

'Good afternoon Stacy,' Brad greeted.

'Hi, Mr. Blakely. I am so sorry.'

'It's not your fault,' Brad reached out and touched her wrist. 'We want you to take all the time you need to rest and get better. If you prefer to recuperate at Surrey, just say the word.'

Whilst Brad was talking to Stacy, Tessa called a boutique and asked them to deliver sleepwear, accessories and toiletries for Stacy. Tessa requested it to be delivered immediately.  She also made a mental note for Stacy to receive counseling.

'Stacy,' Brad spoke tenderly. 'This is Wolf Canning. He would like to ask you a few questions, but only if you feel strong enough to talk about the ordeal.'

'Yes I can,' she nodded. 'We must get baby Lyndon back as soon as possible.'

'Thank you Stacy. Wolf, this is Ms. Stacy Cummins.

'Ms. Cummins, so sorry for what you had to endure,' Wolf started.

She nodded. 'You can call me Stacy.'

'Thank you. Could you tell us what happened, before you called Mrs. Blakely.'

Stacy's lips twitched into a smile. 'We were having a picnic, near the water. Lyndon was in a hurry to go to his mummy.'
Tessa smiled. 'He asked me to pack the picnic basket quickly. As we were about to leave, he wanted me to take a photo of him wearing his Mickey Mouse cap and shirt and send it to his daddy.'
Brad smiled picturing his son's enthusiasm.
'He was smiling and leaning on a tree branch when I was busy taking the pictures. Then suddenly I saw a man pull Lyndon's arm.'

Brad and Wolf looked at each other. 'Do you think you captured the man?' Brad asked.

Stacy shrugged uncertainly.

'Can I check the pictures?' Wolf requested.

Stacy handed him her mobile.

'Continue,' Wolf nodded.

'I screamed to him to leave Lyndon. I ran to Lyndon, but the one man shoved me away.'
Tessa winced. 'He was big and strong. I fell. Lyndon ran to help me up.'
Tessa sobbed quietly.
'Another big man pushed at me again. Lyndon kept saying, "Leave Stacy alone," but they just laughed.'

Oh my poor baby.

'I tried to get up, then the first man ... punched my face.'

Brad clenched his fists. His knuckles were white. He was livid at what he was hearing.

'Lyndon was so brave. He kicked at the man that was assaulting me.'

'That's my boy,' Brad smiled.

'Then the other man lifted Lyndon like a bag of potatoes and threw Lyndon over his shoulder.'

'That was when Lyndon's cap must have fallen,' Tessa spoke.

'I ran after them, but the one not holding Lyndon pushed me to the ground and ... kicked at me.'

'Oh no,' Tessa whispered, feeling Stacy's pain.

'I could hear Lyndon's fading voice saying, "call my daddy," but when I got my breath back, I did not know which way they went, that's when I called Mrs. Blakely.'

Wolf picked up Stacy's watch from the locker. The face was broken. The time reflected twelve fifty two.

'Can you give us a description of the assailants? Wolf asked.

'Not much. Everything happened so quickly. They were both Caucasian. They were English. They had beards and they were big and strong. They smelt---.'

'Yes?' Wolf became interested.

'Actually they had a bad odour,' Stacy looked embarrassed. 'They smelt like they had not bathed in a month.'

'Sailors,' Wolf and Brad chorused.

'Thank you Stacy. That's very good,' Wolf nodded encouragingly.

'Anything there?' Brad asked as Wolf scrolled through the photos.

'There are two pictures. They are very blurry.' Wolf showed it to Brad and Tessa. 'We will process this.'
Wolf used the Bluetooth function and transmitted the images to his own mobile.

'You may show this to the police when they question you,' Wolf advised.

'You are not the police?' Stacy asked.

There was silence, then Brad spoke. 'Wolf is a private investigator.'
Stacy nodded. Trust her employer to use his own resources.

'Stacy we will leave now, but the second you're discharged. I want you to call us. I will send a vehicle to bring you to Surrey,' Brad instructed.

'Yes, Mr. Blakely.'

'Now I'd like to ask you a question Stacy? Why did you not want your mum to know you're in hospital?' Brad enquired.

'I did not want to trouble her. She's been in a frail condition lately. She would not have been able to get to me from Kent,' Stacy bowed her head.

'Stacy why didn't you speak to us?' Tessa sighed. 'Who is taking care of her?'

'I pay a neighbour to cook and check on mum every morning and afternoon. She is not bed ridden or anything. Just her bones don't work so good.'

'Would you like your mum to come and live with us?' Brad offered. Stacy's head flew up. Her eyes widened.

'We must be evil employers if you cannot talk with us,' Brad smiled.

'No! never,' Stacy barely whispered. 'I did not want to burden you with my problems. I was wanting to get mum accommodation close by near Surrey.'

Brad knew there was next to no cheap property in Surrey. If Stacy was going to get any accommodation there for her mum, it would be an unsuitable rented outbuilding in somebody's property.

      'Sit there rich boy,' the big man shoved Lyndon onto a wooden pallet.

'Are you going to eat me?' Lyndon asked fearfully. He nervously moved backwards on the uncomfortable pallet.

'Eat you?' The ugly looking man laughed. 'No I prefer pizza and meat pies.'

'Momma says pizza is not healthy food,' Lyndon lifted his knees up and hugged his ankles, 'but she lets me have chocolate cake if I'm a good boy.'

'Do you have a phone rich boy?' The man was scrolling down his own phone.

'No. My name is Lyndon Blakely.'

'I know that rich boy.'

'Stacy has a phone. Can we call momma? We are going to Aunt Bertha.'

'You are not going anywhere today rich boy,' the man lowered himself on the only chair there and put his big filthy boots on the old shaky table. He took a swig from a beer bottle.

'Thirsty?' he grinned, offering Lyndon the beer bottle.

'Is it fruit juice?'

'I think it's made of potatoes,' the man threw his head back and laughed at his own stupid comment.

'I don't like vegetables,' Lyndon wrinkled his nose.

'I agree. A man must eat lots of meat.'

'What are we doing here?' Lyndon looked around the filthy container. It did not smell too good either. He was worried about the big oily stain that collected on his new denims when they had shoved him into that big van. His mummy was going to be cross with him, he thought.

'We are waiting for your father to pick you up.' The man smiled, but it was not a nice smile. 'He is bringing a package for us, then he will take you home.'

'Can we phone my daddy?'

'Later.'

Lyndon nodded, thinking his daddy may be busy. Sometimes his daddy was busy, but he always called back.

'Could you put the television on?' Lyndon spotted a small television standing on a small cabinet.

'I don't know if it works rich boy, but let's check it out.' The big man fiddled with some switches on the television. A picture came on, but is was rolling continuously. The man looked around. He picked up a plank from a nearby box and smacked the television. The picture stayed.

'Hey it works rich boy.' As the man flicked through the channels, almost every channel was showing a picture of either his daddy or his mummy or both of them together.

'That's my daddy,' Lyndon ran closer to the cabinet. He sat down in front of the television. 'Can you put it louder please?'

The big man fiddled again, it made a lot of staccato noises then Lyndon heard his daddy's voice.

'Good afternoon. My name is Brad Blakely. Approximately two hours ago our son was abducted whilst enjoying a picnic with his nanny at the River Thames."

'What does abducted mean?' Lyndon looked up at the big man.

'It means to keep you safe,' the man gave Lyndon another of one of those not nice smiles.

'Lyndon, son,' Brad's voice was breaking.
Lyndon swung his head back to the television when he heard his daddy call his name.
'Yes my daddy?'

He saw his mummy move closer to his daddy. She reached out and held his daddy's hand.

'Son,' Brad took a deep breath and began speaking again. 'Daddy is coming to you to take you back home ... Brad could not continue. His eyes were moist. His throat constricted. Tessa shifted closer, put her arm around Brad and spoke into the microphone.

'Lyndon, my angel, I hope to God you are watching this right now,' a tear slid down Tessa's cheek.

'I am watching momma.' Lyndon crawled closer to the television. He lifted himself to his knees. 'Don't cry momma.' He wiped the screen thinking he could remove the tear from his mummy's cheek.

'I love you so much my baby.'

'I love you too momma,' Lyndon hugged the television, placing his cheek against the cold screen.

'We are ... coming to you my angel. Just remember mummy and daddy love you very much.' Tessa tried hard to hold back the sob.

Brad indicated to stop the recording. 'Thank you very much,' Brad acknowledged to all the networks thronging the courtyard of the GR building. Reporters began shouting out questions, but Brad draped his arm around Tessa's waist and swiftly moved her back into the GR offices, with Bentley in tow.

       -end chapter fourteen-