“I can’t believe this happened,” said Sadie as the kids watched Mr. Stewart being arrested by the police. “How were we to know that Terry’s dad was the Stranger?”
“I don’t know,” said Michael, “but there had to be a reason why he did whatever it was that he did.”
“I hope so,” said Isaac. “He wouldn’t have kidnapped Tom and hampered all efforts to find him without a motivation.”
The trio stood and watched as Shane and Paul, along with Terry and Louie, came toward them. “Guys, what happened here?” Shane cried out. “I could hear police sirens from a mile away.”
Sadie said, “Well, it’s kind of a funny story…”
TWO HOURS EARLIER…
“I can’t believe you chose to do this instead of going to the movies,” said Sadie as she, Isaac, and Michael drove away from the theater and went to the neighborhood where the old Mycroft house was located. “What could be more important than a movie?” They were sure that someone living in the house had something to do with the Thomas Stone debacle.
“Well, I know that Terry didn’t have anything to do with Tom’s disappearance and Tiffany and Torvald aren’t involved with Tom either,” said Michael. “So it has to be one of his parents.”
“Why is it always adults that do that kind of thing?” said Isaac.
“Because whenever Thomas Stone is brought up, our trust in our parents and other adults decreases,” said Sadie. “Soon, I fear that the FBI will step in and take us from our families like what happened when Mimi Johnson was murdered years ago.”
“Let’s make sure that this doesn’t happen to us,” said Michael.
They made their way to the house and found a secret passage that led to a part of the house which contained an office full of computers, tablets, cell phones, and hidden video cameras.
“What is this place?” Michael cried out.
“It must be where the Stranger lives,” said Sadie.
“No doubt about it,” said Michael. “He must have been tacking our movements and everything we do or say.”
“Just like in “Pretty Little Liars“,” said Isaac as everyone glared at him. “I’ve read those books. I know what’s going on. I bet their story applies to us.”
“But unlike the girls, I know how to end this story,” said Sadie as she whipped out her cell phone. “The police routinely watch social media websites to weed out criminals. We need to report this now while no one can stop us.”
She took pictures of the computers and tablets and everything on them, beginning with summer 2005, when the trouble with Tom began to summer 2010, when the horror truly began. The boys walked around the place, searching for clues that would lead them to Tom and his killer, but instead found fake documents and school records belonging to a boy named James Osborn.
“OK, now who the heck is James?” Michael snapped as he read the papers.
“I don’t know,” said Isaac, “but something tells me that we’re soon going to find out.”
“What are you children doing in my office?” A voice cut into the air. Michael and Isaac quickly pulled the door shut, locked it, and set a bar across the door as well as a heavy steel cabinet.
“You might want to call the police,” said Isaac as Michael gathered the papers. “We have a problem.”
“Why?” said Sadie. “We’re already having a hard time trusting adults as it is, so why should we ask them for help?”
“Because they’re the only thing between us and whoever’s out there,” said Michael. “Now hurry up, we don’t have much time!”
As Sadie called the police, the boys cringed as they heard the Stranger on the other end pounding on the door. They knew that the next few minutes could mean life or death…
TWO HOURS LATER…
“So that’s where you were while we were at the movies,” said Shane. “You were snooping around the Old Mycroft place.”
“Not just snooping,” said Sadie. “The Stranger has their office here.” They all watched as the police hauled papers, computers, tablets, and cell phones from a large office.
“Ok, that’s all fine and dandy,” said Paul, “but who is the Stranger?”
They all watched as Mr. Stewart was hauled away in handcuffs. The man cursed and screamed as the police were taking him away.
“Well, what a great plot twist,” said Louie. “Terry’s dad was the Stranger all along. How did no one but us see that?”
“I’m sure that this will be all over the news once that story gets out,” said Terry. “But still, I can’t believe that my own dad had a hand in the entire Thomas Stone thing. How did I not foresee this?”
“None of us did,” said Michael.
“Now what do we do since there is no Stranger for us to deal with?” said Sadie.
The kids knew that within a few days, people would be talking about the arrest of Gregory Stewart for cyberstalking and harassing several children under the age of 18. No one would believe that the victims of the crime had somehow gotten the power to turn the tables on their tormentor.
But that’s for another story.
Original Post: https://storiesin5minutes.wordpress.com/2015/05/29/capturing-the-stranger-part-2-storyaday-post/
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