Made You Feel Second Best - Day 4
Jul. 23rd, 2024 05:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsSam and Jay are responsible dads older brothers, and Arthur helps them figure out a plan of action.
Jeb came up to the kitchen table where the surveillance was being done, clearly antsy about being cooped up in the house with all these adults he didn't know. He leaned over Jay, peeking at the surveillance a little. "Can I go over to Ray Junior's?"
Jay turned to look at Jeb and shook his head. While he didn't like being the bad guy, he firmly took a stern voice and expression. "You know why we don't want you goin' out of the house."
Jeb groaned slightly and frowned but didn't argue. "Well, can Ray Junior come over here?"
"When've I said no to that?" Jay asked.
At the same time, Sam replied. "When have I ever said no to Junior comin' by?"
As soon as he realized that he'd replied at the same time Sam's eyes widened and he grimaced, just a little. Well fuck. He didn't like that.
Jay grimaced the same way for a moment but instead teasingly ruffled Jeb's hair. "You go'n and call him. But don't you two go off the property."
"Can we help with the investigatin'?" Jeb angled, and before Jay could say no Lewis, who seemed to pop out of nowhere with his phone out.
"I can ask Emerson, since his kin is involved," Lewis offered, desperate to be helpful and have an excuse to hang around Sam.
"No thank you, Jebediah." Sam said, fixing their younger brother with a stern look. "And don't go askin' Paige neither. I know how the two of you scheme 'bout things."
Then Lewis' words caught up to his brain.
"Emerson Austen?" Sam asked, eyebrows raised. His voice was filled with more genuine surprise than malice. Billy Joe's boy? "You got one a' them Cabot boys' numbers?"
Lewis squirmed under Sam's look, pressing himself to Jay's side. "Well, yeah. We're in band together and sometimes eat lunch together. He ain't that bad, honest."
Jay gave Lewis a squeeze. "Well, that's mighty good of you. I don't see why you couldn't ask, right Sam, Arthur?"
Arthur had been observing the exchange with all the grace of a golden retriever – happy to be here, eager to continue the set task at hand, but studying the conversation with a vacant look that indicated he was only following along in vibes and not fine details. Still, he visibly perked at the mention of his name from where he had been scribbling to put on his best smile. "Lewis, Jeb, that's really good. Spot on detective thinking." The man leaned forward just a little. "What do we think this Emerson might know?" It was a question for the table, if directed at the kids.
Sam reached over and pulled Lewis into a hug, kissing his head. Just for his little brother to hear he whispered. "I am so proud of you."
He turned to Arthur and nodded, a proud smile pulling on his lips despite himself. "You can ask, but like Jay said, none of you boys goin' off the property or yer all grounded- an' before you say it Jebediah I can and will call Ray Senior if I gotta."
Lewis pushed out of Sam's hug, embarrassed at it when one of Sam's coworkers was asking him a very important question. "Emerson's cousins are in that group, I think I remember him saying," he said in the serious only a middle schooler could have to Arthur. "Maybe he knows something."
"Y'all can ask around," Jay told hiskids younger brothers. "But don't you be doin' nothing that takes you off the property, y'understand?"
Both boys agreed, with various degrees of grumbling.
"Sounds like a plan, then," Arthur said. "Just remember that the hardest part of investigating is listening." This was delivered with a tap to his nose, like a secret, entirely aware of how corny this sounded. "Now," and this was directed toward Jay and Sam, "I was able to get in contact with the local Underground folks and their legal folks. Lovely people."
He did, however, look back over to make sure they'd lost the two boys before continuing.
"What did they have to say?" Sam asked, sitting up straighter. "Anything useful?"
"Well." The older man crossed his hands on the table. "They offered to advise as needed, but it should be pretty straight forward with Joelle. She's a minor, and they have no legal right to keep her from home. That's child abduction. The local cops might be ignoring it, but we should be able to call the state troopers in."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, thanks Arthur. Anythin' they need us to do?"
"Well," Arthur said, "we can report her missing and call for an amber alert on the caves. Joelle will need to make a statement, though. The police have to know what to charge them with." He tapped some notes on the table for reference before turning to Jay. "As for the other thing . . . without evidence, we'll need to coax out a confession. Ideally when the troopers are on scene."
Jay shook his head and glared at the mere mention of Cabot. "Men like him can't keep their mouths shut if they get mad enough," he said, like a promise.
Jeb came up to the kitchen table where the surveillance was being done, clearly antsy about being cooped up in the house with all these adults he didn't know. He leaned over Jay, peeking at the surveillance a little. "Can I go over to Ray Junior's?"
Jay turned to look at Jeb and shook his head. While he didn't like being the bad guy, he firmly took a stern voice and expression. "You know why we don't want you goin' out of the house."
Jeb groaned slightly and frowned but didn't argue. "Well, can Ray Junior come over here?"
"When've I said no to that?" Jay asked.
At the same time, Sam replied. "When have I ever said no to Junior comin' by?"
As soon as he realized that he'd replied at the same time Sam's eyes widened and he grimaced, just a little. Well fuck. He didn't like that.
Jay grimaced the same way for a moment but instead teasingly ruffled Jeb's hair. "You go'n and call him. But don't you two go off the property."
"Can we help with the investigatin'?" Jeb angled, and before Jay could say no Lewis, who seemed to pop out of nowhere with his phone out.
"I can ask Emerson, since his kin is involved," Lewis offered, desperate to be helpful and have an excuse to hang around Sam.
"No thank you, Jebediah." Sam said, fixing their younger brother with a stern look. "And don't go askin' Paige neither. I know how the two of you scheme 'bout things."
Then Lewis' words caught up to his brain.
"Emerson Austen?" Sam asked, eyebrows raised. His voice was filled with more genuine surprise than malice. Billy Joe's boy? "You got one a' them Cabot boys' numbers?"
Lewis squirmed under Sam's look, pressing himself to Jay's side. "Well, yeah. We're in band together and sometimes eat lunch together. He ain't that bad, honest."
Jay gave Lewis a squeeze. "Well, that's mighty good of you. I don't see why you couldn't ask, right Sam, Arthur?"
Arthur had been observing the exchange with all the grace of a golden retriever – happy to be here, eager to continue the set task at hand, but studying the conversation with a vacant look that indicated he was only following along in vibes and not fine details. Still, he visibly perked at the mention of his name from where he had been scribbling to put on his best smile. "Lewis, Jeb, that's really good. Spot on detective thinking." The man leaned forward just a little. "What do we think this Emerson might know?" It was a question for the table, if directed at the kids.
Sam reached over and pulled Lewis into a hug, kissing his head. Just for his little brother to hear he whispered. "I am so proud of you."
He turned to Arthur and nodded, a proud smile pulling on his lips despite himself. "You can ask, but like Jay said, none of you boys goin' off the property or yer all grounded- an' before you say it Jebediah I can and will call Ray Senior if I gotta."
Lewis pushed out of Sam's hug, embarrassed at it when one of Sam's coworkers was asking him a very important question. "Emerson's cousins are in that group, I think I remember him saying," he said in the serious only a middle schooler could have to Arthur. "Maybe he knows something."
"Y'all can ask around," Jay told his
Both boys agreed, with various degrees of grumbling.
"Sounds like a plan, then," Arthur said. "Just remember that the hardest part of investigating is listening." This was delivered with a tap to his nose, like a secret, entirely aware of how corny this sounded. "Now," and this was directed toward Jay and Sam, "I was able to get in contact with the local Underground folks and their legal folks. Lovely people."
He did, however, look back over to make sure they'd lost the two boys before continuing.
"What did they have to say?" Sam asked, sitting up straighter. "Anything useful?"
"Well." The older man crossed his hands on the table. "They offered to advise as needed, but it should be pretty straight forward with Joelle. She's a minor, and they have no legal right to keep her from home. That's child abduction. The local cops might be ignoring it, but we should be able to call the state troopers in."
Sam nodded. "Yeah, thanks Arthur. Anythin' they need us to do?"
"Well," Arthur said, "we can report her missing and call for an amber alert on the caves. Joelle will need to make a statement, though. The police have to know what to charge them with." He tapped some notes on the table for reference before turning to Jay. "As for the other thing . . . without evidence, we'll need to coax out a confession. Ideally when the troopers are on scene."
Jay shook his head and glared at the mere mention of Cabot. "Men like him can't keep their mouths shut if they get mad enough," he said, like a promise.
