James (Teumessian Trilogy Book 2)

James

Ana Elise Meyer

James

ISBN-13:
978-1517706609

ISBN-10:
1517706602

Authored by: Ana Elise Meyer

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Twitter:@AnaEliseMeyer

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Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/Daniela

Special Thanks to: Janet Mary Bagley

Copyright © 2016 by Ana Elise Meyer

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author. The story is a work of fiction. Names and characters are a product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All men should strive
to learn before they die
what they are running from, and to, and why.

~James Thurber

Chapter

1

“James, wake up buddy, we are here.” The blonde-haired army Lieutenant said as he gently shook James awake from the back seat of the SUV. James sat up slightly. The blood had been washed off of him, but he still wouldn’t let anyone touch his teddy bear, even though it had droplets of blood left on it. James stared at the man and blinked twice, but he did not speak. The Lieutenant reached out his hand for James to grab, but James ignored it and climbed out of the black SUV by himself. He stared directly ahead to see the row of brick houses in front of him.

“You’re safe now, little man. I have brought you to your Uncle Finnegan,” the man said, pointing to a red brick house just in front of them. James was still silent. He hadn’t spoken a word for anyone to hear ever since he was found at the house in Las Vegas. “Okay buddy, let’s go.” The man ushered James toward the concrete steps that lead to the house. James approached the steps and grabbed hold of the black metal rails to help him climb the stairs. He shifted away from the man as he tried to help him up. The man reached out and knocked twice on the door. After a few minutes, the door slowly opened and a tall grey-haired man was standing before them.

“Mr. Gold, I’m Lieutenant George. We spoke on the phone.” George said.

“Yes, you said you had something of my brother’s,” Finnegan replied, looking down. “Who is the child?” Finnegan questioned, confused.

“He’s your brother’s son, James.” George replied.

Finnegan took a deep breath and stepped back, opening the door for them to enter. James and George stepped into the simple foyer. It had an old feel to it. Hardwood floors and a simple wood table sat by the door. It was nothing like the home of his brother. James just looked around the home in front of him.

“James, is it?” Finnegan asked, squatting down in front of the child. He looked deep into Finnegan’s eyes. Finnegan’s blue eyed gaze seemed to calm him. The boy nodded.

“James, how about you go into that room with your teddy bear and watch the TV?” Finnegan pointed to the adjacent room. James looked over to the room where he saw a beige colored couch and the light of a TV left on. He looked back and nodded as he hugged his teddy bear tighter.

“Okay, off you go,” Finnegan said, gently placing his hand on James’s back and guiding him toward the room. Finnegan watched as James went inside and sat down on the couch. He then turned back to face Lt George, “Follow me.”

Finnegan’s tone was serious as they walked to the other adjacent room, Finnegan’s office. The office was plain. Finnegan, a history professor at the Boston College, lived simply. He leaned back against his small wooden desk.

“Since when does my brother have a child?” Finnegan questioned, confused.

“Sir, I thought you knew of his son and that I would bring him to you due to your brother’s death,” George replied.

“No, you are the one who contacted me saying you had something of my brother’s. I didn’t understand. I figured it was some of his things, not a child. When did my brother have a child? And where is this child’s mother?” Finnegan huffed.

“James is almost five years old, and he has no mother,” George replied.

“What do you mean, he has no mother? I am no expert, but I am pretty sure he has to have a mother,” Finnegan replied.

“Sir, I am sorry. I know very little. The boy’s birth certificate lists no mother, only your brother as his father,” George said.

“Figures my brother would name him James. He always was dad’s favorite. So what am I supposed to do with the boy? Can he even speak?” Finnegan questioned George.

“The boy has been through a lot of trauma, he is probably just scared.”

“Oh, dear lord. He was there for it wasn’t he? When my brother was killed,” Finnegan straightened his body.

“He was, and he was taken by your brother’s killer, who was then killed in front of him by a woman who afterwards killed herself. He was found sitting next to their dead bodies,” George calmly replied.

Finnegan had raised his hand to cover his mouth. He was appalled by what he was hearing. Finnegan was short of breath, “That poor child,” he let out as he looked across the foyer toward James just sitting quietly on the couch, staring blankly at the TV.

“So, are you okay with keeping him or should we drop him in the foster care system?” George asked.

Finnegan just shook his head, “No, no, don’t put him in the system, he is too damaged already. I will take him in.” Finnegan was staring at James.

“Okay, sir. Your brother left a decent fortune, and as his only heir, the boy gets it all. You will have plenty of money to take care of him,” George said reassuringly.

“I don’t need money. This isn’t a money issue. That is not what was making me hesitant. My brother was always a mystery. Since we were children, he was always so distant. I didn’t even know he had a child and now he is gone. It is like I never knew him at all. All I ever knew about my brother was that he was the driven one.” Finnegan sighed, “And now he has left a poor damaged child behind in the wake of his power hungry life. A child deserves better than that.”

“Do you need anything else from me?” George was not feeling confident about discussing the Gold family issues.

Finnegan was no longer listening and was staring off into space.

“Sir?” George questioned.

“Oh, yes, no, I don’t need anything else, you can go, thank you.” Finnegan said as he moved toward the front door.

“Yes, sir. The funds will be transferred to you within the next couple of days,” George said as they reached the front door.

“That’s fine. Thank you for bringing him to me, I hope I can help him.” Finnegan said, reaching out his hand for George to shake. George reached back and shook it. Then Finnegan opened the door and let George out.

As he closed the door, he turned back to look at little James. The child had not moved from his spot on the couch, almost frozen in place. Finnegan slowly entered the room and walked over to James whose eyes were fixated on the TV. He knelt down in front of him.

“Hey James, buddy, I’m your Uncle Finnegan, and I will take care of you,” Finnegan said as James continued to stare at the TV. Finnegan reached out and touched James’s hands that were still clutching his teddy bear. The child looked over at Finnegan, and his green eyes met Finnegan’s blue ones. “You’re safe here with me.”

James nodded.

“Is this your teddy bear?” Finnegan touched the little bear.

James smiled, “yes,” he whispered.

Finnegan smiled back as he reached out and hugged James. “It’s all over. You are never going back to any of that,” Finnegan said, holding James in his arms. James rested his head on Finnegan’s shoulder as Finnegan held him. Then he pulled him back and made eye contact again. “Well, buddy, let’s find you some clothing and a bed for you and your bear.” Finnegan smiled as he stood up and extended his hand. James smiled back as he took Finnegan’s outstretched hand.

Chapter

2