Her eyes lit up with surprise and something else she couldn’t quite place when she looked over the brim of the coffee cup she was sipping on, and spotted her tall vigilante who she now called Reese. “I thought I was meeting Mr. Finch.” She said with a teasing smile which quickly faded from her lips as she took in his stoic face. “Why so serious?” She asked as she looked up at Reese, who hadn’t bothered to sit.
“We need to move.” Reese said as he reached down and gently grasped Carter’s arm and tugged her from the booth she was seated in.
“OK,” She agreed as she stood. She placed her cup on the tabletop and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a fiver, which she tossed onto the table. She didn’t struggle in his grasp which would have normally been her first instinct to do. Instead she allowed Reese to manhandle her out the door. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Carter questioned as they rushed down the street beside Reese. “I take it you got a new number, so who is it this time?”
“Where is Taylor, Carter?” Reese asked as he steered them toward the school he knew Taylor Carter was enrolled in.
“What…he’s at school,” She answered puzzled by the inquiry and then frightened by it. “Wait,” She yanked her arm from his grasp and stopped to face him. “Why do you want to know where my son is?” She stared at him with worry in her eyes as her ears became filled with the loud, rapid beating of her heart. “He’s the new number isn’t he…my son’s number came up didn’t it?” Reese’s silence answered her loud and clear. “Oh God,” Carter cried out and she clutched one hand against her chest and the other over her mouth, holding in the scream that wanted to escape.
“Carter,” Reese spoke softly to her as he grasped her shoulders and leaned down a bit until he was eye level with her. “I promise you that I won’t let anyone harm your son, Alright? But right now it is imperative that we get to him and get him someplace safe, OK.” Carter quickly nodded her head and wiped away the tears that had managed to spill down her face despite her effort to keep them in. “Now we’re going to go to Philip Randolph, check him out and then get him to a safe house.”
“OK…ok,” Carter agreed and they both quickened their pace.
“What do you mean he’s been checked out?” Carter’s panicked voice reached out into the corridor where Reese stood by the entrance to the school’s office. He turned his head slightly and let his eyes briefly wash over Carter before he turned back around and scanned the exits and doors around him as well as some of the faces of the kids passing by. “Who checked him out, I know it wasn’t me and I’m the only one listed to check him out.”
“Ms. Carter, Taylor is 17 and according to our rules which are listed in the handbook we give to all parents at the beginning of the school year, which you signed, students 16 and older are allowed to check themselves out. We do notify the parents of course. In fact I placed the call you myself this morning.” The receptionist stated and with a frown Carter reached into her jacket pocket and checked her phone. When she saw the flashing icon that showed that she has a missed call and voice message, Carter rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and took a deep calming voice.
“I’m sorry,” Carter apologized to the older woman standing behind the counter.
“It’s ok.” The receptionist declared with a kind smile. “I assumed that Taylor was going to his regular appointment.” She added which peaked Carter’s interest.
“What regular appointment?” Carter asked.
“Well I don’t know, again I’m just assuming, but Taylor checks out at the same time and on the same day every month. So I figured he had some regular appointment set. We do call you every time.” The receptionist assured to which Carter simply nodded her head.
“Thank you and I’m sorry for getting upset at you.” The receptionist simply smiled once more and then Carter turned and exited the office.
“I take it Taylor isn’t here,” Reese stated as they made their way to the exit.
“No and it seems that this is the norm. How could I not have known?” Carter huffed out as they hit the sidewalk. “He’s been checking himself out of school for a while now and I had no idea.”
“He's a teenager Carter, they’re known to skip school from time to time.” Reese said as he tried to console her.
“Yeah, but Taylor’s been skipping on the same exact day at the same exact time every month. The school even called me but I guess I was too busy doing other things,” Carter let her accusing eyes rake over Reese, which brought a slight smile to his lips.
“Well now Detective I didn’t tell you to chase me, although I did like our little game of cat and mouse.”
“I’m sorry I shouldn't be blaming you for me being a bad mother.” Carter replied with a heavy sigh.
“Hey,” Reese stopped her with a touch on her shoulder. “You’re not a bad mom. I’ve seen you with your son. We’re going to find him and keep him safe.” Carter nodded her head and then they continued on their trek. Reese reached up and click on his ear piece. “Finch,”
“Right here Mr. Reese.” Finch replied as he typed away on keyboard connected to the Machine.
“Could you pull up the recordings on the cameras by Philip Randolph school and see if you can pick up Taylor’s trail”
“I’m already on it Mr. Reese. It looks like our Mr. Carter heeded down W 135th and the last place the cameras spotted him was on Hamilton Pl.”
“That’s a start, thanks Finch,” Reese said and then ended the call as he once again gently grasped Carter’s arm and steered her towards Hamilton. “He was last spotted on Hamilton.”
“Now I really wish I had gotten him that cell phone he’s been bugging me about.” Carter mumbled out as they briskly trekked down the sidewalk.
“Why haven’t you?” Reese asked not really caring to know the reason but hoped that it would take Carter’s mind off of panicking over not knowing where her son was.
“His grades,” She replied as she arched a brow and frowned a bit. “Taylor is such a bright kid so smart. Now I’m not just saying that because he’s my kid either.” She added with a teasing smile thrown at Reese, who smirked back at her. “I don’t know but this past year his grades have slipped. It’s probably my fault Since I became a detective my hours have been crazy, and I just haven’t been there for him like I use to be.”
“You’re a single parent you have to do what you have to do to put a roof over his head and food in his stomach. I'm sure Taylor appreciates that,” Reese said again attempting to console.
“Yeah you would think that it was just that easy, but kids they need emotional support as well as financial and in that dept. I have been lacking.”
“Well you can always rectify that when we find Taylor.”
“If we find him,” Carter responded.
“No, when,” Reese replied back as he pointed out to the small group of young kids that were huddled around the steps of a brownstone just across the street. Among them was Taylor Carter. Carter instantly became flooded with relief which just as quickly turn to anger as she and Reese moved across the street. Several of the kids noticed Reese and Carter and they got up and hurried off. Taylor turned to see what had scared them off and his eyes widened when he saw his mother stalking toward him.
“Don’t you move,” Carter commanded and Taylor quickly moved his hands behind his back but remained where he stood. Reese’s eyes followed to where he was sure he saw Taylor toss something just to the side of the stoop he was standing by. “What the hell are you doing skipping school?” Carter barked at her son.
“Mom, I can explain.” Taylor spoke out.
“Oh you’re going to explain all right but down at the precinct.” Carter said as she reached him and gripped his arm in her hands.
“Wait you’re arresting me?” Taylor asked as panic welled up in his eyes.
“No fool, but you know that’s not a bad idea. Let’s go.” Carter turned them to move back across the street but paused when she realized that Reese wasn’t following them. “Are you coming?”
“No, I’ve got some things I need to take care of. One of which is finding a safe house for you. You take him to your precinct, he'll be safe there and I'll come for you when I've secured a safe place.”
“Safe house…safe house for what? And who is this?” Taylor questioned but his mother ignored him and remained focused on the man standing before them.
“So I’ll see you later?” Carter asked.
“Yeah,” Reese answered with a slight smile. He liked seeing the trust in Carter’s eyes and knowing that she was depending on him to help keep her son safe. “I know what time you get off I’ll be waiting for you.”
“OK,” With a nod and one last lingering gaze Carter turned and pulled her son back across the street. Reese moved closer to the stoop and looked to the side where he saw Taylor throw something. The only thing he found there were what looked to be bloodstained panties. Reese then looked up in surprise to stare after the retreating backs of Carter and her son, and his eyes locked onto those of Taylor who was staring right at him with a look of disdain. Reese reached up and clicked his ear piece and connected to Finch.
“Mr. Reese did you find young Mr. Carter?”
“Yeah along with the bloodstained panties of a little girl,” Reese announced and Finch looked up from the computer screen stunned. “Finch I don’t think that Taylor is our victim, he’s our culprit.”