The Stolen Son

Thirty-One: Luke brings Jo home

Linda was the first to sight Jo as he got out of Luke’s coupe in the governor’s residential car park at the Government House.

“Jo!”

“Mum!” Jo screamed.

They both ran and hugged each other, Jo holding tightly onto his mother, Rabbie clutched firmly in his little fist.

“Look, Rabbie!” Jo said happily.

“Luke bought it for me. Dad returned it to the shop, but Luke got it back for me.”
“Where’s dad?” Linda asked.

Jo’s faced turned sad. He glanced at Luke for help. “He was shot. The fat man in the house shot dad.”

Shocked, Linda turned to Luke. “Jake was shot?”

Luke nodded. He turned away and unlocked the booth of his car.

Debra stood by the front door and looked on, a wide, happy smile on her face. Labo appeared behind his wife, his happy face glistening.

Labo’s eyes followed Luke as he opened the booth of his car and lugged out two briefcases which he brought over and placed beside Labo.

Luke stood back, grinning. “Mission accomplished, your excellency.”

Labo stretched out his chubby hand. “Well done, Luke,” he said, shaking Luke’s hand. “Once again, you’ve delivered on your promise.”

“Yes, your excellency,” Luke agreed. “I never make a promise that I cannot keep.”

Luke turned to Linda, who was hugging both her mother and son. “I promised you Jo will have his rabbit with him when he meets you here today.”

“Yes, you did say that.” Linda rushed and hugged Luke, whispered in his ear, “I love you, Luke.”

“I know,” Luke whispered back. “You said that a dozen times already.”

“What, are you keeping count, or what?” Linda asked, pulling away, aware that her parents and Jo were all watching her.

“Does it matter?” Luke turned to Mr. and Mrs. Labo. “I’d like to take my leave now. Let you guys settle in. Family reunion. Linda, we’ll talk on the phone. Jo, take care.”
“Luke, will you come visit us?” Jo asked.

Luke paused. “I will, Jo.”

“Why not stay for dinner?” Debra asked hopefully. “You are now a part of this family,” she added philosophically.

Luke missed the underlying implications of Debra’s last statement.

“Another time, perhaps,” he said, walking toward his car.

“Luke, take care,” Linda said in a voice that made him take a quick glance at her.

“I will. You too.”

Luke got into his car and drove straight to his house over at Green Courts. It had been a hectic day for him. After such a day of vigorous activities, he felt that he needed some rest.

While on the expressway, he dialed Kris on his phone for an update.

“Kris, Luke reporting with an update.”

“Luke, shoot.”

“All five characters at Zix’s taken care of by your men. Jo and money safely back to the government house.”

“What about Jo?” Kris asked eagerly.

“Jo’s fine. Why ask?”

“The men I sent for clean up at Dudes’ reported two dead bodies.  Gunshot wounds. The boy witnessed the shooting, didn’t he? How old is he, four?”

Luke grinned ruefully. “Jo is a big boy, older than he looks. Jiga got nervous. Couldn’t control his reflexes. He fired two shots. His first shot went wide. I shot him before he fired his second shot. Jake caught the second stray bullet. Both shots were meant for me. But I was quick enough to put the kid on the couch out of range. Jo is fine. An intelligent kid.”

“The Governor must be a happy man now. Linda too.”

“Mr. Labo is happy alright. So is his wife. Linda, everyone.”

“Hey, listen, Luke,” Kris said. “It’s not my affair, but what are you planning to do with Linda?”

Luke was mildly surprised. Was he that transparent? What did he miss?

“What do you mean?”

“I mean she’s such fine young woman. You are still single. She’s in love with you. I believe you have some feelings for her too. You had better do something about her.” As if that was not enough, Kris added with a strong voice. “That woman needs to be handled. Right now, she’s just floating, and anything could happen, again, as with Jake.”

Luke laughed. “Thanks. I will take your advice. I’ll see what can be done.”

Luke hung up, blood rushing to his face. From that moment on, his mind was filled with images of Linda. He toyed with the probabilities, possibilities and consequences, as he drove all the way to the gate of his house.

Using the remote control in his car, Luke thumbed a button and the iron gate glided to one side. He drove through and the gate closed back behind him.

He pressed another switch and the garage door lifted upwards. Luke drove into the garage and the door glided down back into place.

A door led into the large living room, with a dining area and a staircase leading to the two bedrooms upstairs and a small terrace.

Luke mounted the stairs to his bedroom and, throwing off his jacket, took off his gun holster which he placed on the dresser. Went over to a small fridge and took out a can of beer, popped the lid, sipped.

He went into the bathroom and turned on the tap at the tub. While the bathtub was filling with warm water, he took off the rest of his clothes and then lowered his muscular frame gratefully in the bathtub filled with water.

When he was done with soaking and soaping himself he stepped out. Stood under the shower spray. Feeling much better, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself with a soft cotton towel.

He threw on his night gown and lay on the bed.

One hour later, Luke was lying on his bed, not able to sleep, when his phone began to ring with the rock music beat. His heart missed a bit when he saw Linda’s number.

“Hi,” Luke said tentatively.

“It’s me,” Linda said.

“Of course, I know who is,” Luke said. “What couldn’t wait till the break of dawn?”

“Luke, I’m in front of your house, at the gate outside.”

“Damn!” Luke swore, swinging his feet off the bed. “Hold on a sec.”

He hurried downstairs into the garage and flicked down a switch on the wall. Through a small closed-circuit monitor screen hanging on the wall, Luke observed the gate to his house slide open.

He watched as Linda came down from the back of a black Land Cruiser, said something to the driver and walked through the gate. The truck reversed its gears, made a U-turn and drove away into the darkness.

Luke closed the gate, walked over to the fron