A week had passed since Alex was brought home. Mrs. Faulkner had decided to let both boys take time off from their homeschooling to allow them to recover from the ordeal. The house had taken on a quieter, more cautious air, but there was warmth, tooâa sense of safety returning, little by little.
Mrs. Faulkner had taken it upon herself to make some changes to the house, starting with the spare room. She called in the same movers who had helped them before, having them turn the space into a permanent room for Miss Harper. The babysitter had since moved in as a live-in nanny, something she hadn't hesitated to agree to.
Miss Harper adjusted quickly, stepping into her role with ease, taking care of the boys like they were her own. The nights were still hard, especially for Alex, who often woke up from nightmares. But each time, Harper was there, holding him close, reminding him he was safe now. Jake, too, had been more protective over his little brother, always staying close, as if afraid to let him out of sight.
One evening, as Miss Harper finished tucking Alex into bed, he looked up at her, eyes still holding traces of fear but also trust. "Will you stay with us tonight?"
Harper smiled, brushing his hair back. "Of course."
Jake, who had been standing in the doorway, climbed into the bed as well, sandwiching Alex between them. Harper wrapped an arm around both boys, pulling them close. Within minutes, their breathing evened out, drifting into peaceful sleep.
Mrs. Faulkner peeked into the room, watching the three of them curled up together. A soft smile spread across her face. She stepped inside, draping a large comforter over them before quietly retreating to her own room.
For the first time in a long while, the house finally felt whole again.
The next morning, the home phone rang. Jake answered it groggily, rubbing his eyes.
"Hello?"
On the other end, a familiar voice spoke. "Hey, kid. Detective Singer. Is Miss Harper or your mom around?"
Jake blinked, suddenly more awake. "Yeah, one moment." He set the phone down and ran off to get them.
Mrs. Faulkner and Miss Harper exchanged glances before heading to the phone. "Hello, Detective. What do you need?"
Singer hesitated for only a second. "I hate to ask this, but we need the boys and their friends to come into court today. Itâs Lyleâs hearing, and we need all the evidence we can get to make sure he doesnât get away with this. Do you think the boys are up for it?"
Mrs. Faulkner swallowed hard, "Weâll do whatever it takes to keep him locked up."
Singer sighed in relief. "Great. The hearing is at 2 PM at the county courthouse. Let's get this S.O.B."
As the call ended, Mrs. Faulkner turned to Miss Harper. They both knew today was going to be hardâbut it was necessary. They had to make sure Bobby Lyle never had another chance to hurt anyone again.