Ring in Mine
Kim Terry
I hope the occasional change of voice in this and other chapters isn't too confusing. It is useful to know what is happening away from Bobby. I am still combining logical chapters to post the story faster.
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(If there are errors I do apologize up front. I am used to getting things as clean as possible and then the editor takes care of the rest.)
Kim
Ring in Mine: Chapter 24
Bobby's car is here at the dorm, but there is no Bobby. The keys are in it but it is out of gas. I've called the local police but they haven't seen him.
Brad's call targeted the search to Logan, but didn't set anyone's mind at ease. Bobby was in the cold wearing only a hoodie and track pants. At least he had his pain meds.
Sue called all of Bobby's roommates asking if they knew where Bobby might go. All of them said about the same thing. Bobby went to school, the pool and the dorm. No one had any idea where else Bobby would go.
While Sue called, Brad bundled up and followed what remained of Bobby's footprints. He became really concerned when it was evident he was crawling. A pit formed in his stomach. Brad feared the worse, finding Bobby frozen in the snow.
It was with relief when he found where Bobby had finally collapsed, but no Bobby. There were signs of footprints leading out to the road. Someone must have picked up a young man lying in the snow. There was no way to know who the Good Samaritan could be.
"Bruce, I followed Bobby's trail. He collapsed in the snow and someone took him in their car. So that is a good thing and a bad thing. He is out of the cold, but we have no idea where he could be." Brad explained over the phone. "I'm not sure what else we can do tonight, but wait."
"As a sheriff's deputy I contacted the TV stations requesting them to ask their viewers for their help finding Bobby. They will do something tomorrow." Bruce explained. "Jerry is a basket case. He's is on his way to Logan. May he stay with you?"
"I'll put him in Bobby's room. Maybe he can find some kind of clues of where Bobby might go." Brad answered.
Jerry arrived at the dorms in the early hours of the morning. Hours of tears and fears had taken it's toll on the young man. Brad changed his mind about Jerry's sleeping arrangement. Brad put Jerry in the room with the large bed. Brad crawled in next to him and pulled his grieving nephew to his chest.
The next morning no word had yet been heard about Bobby. As they watched the morning news there was a brief request for help with a picture of Bobby. The picture was before his dad had beaten him. There was no details other than he was missing and to call the police if you knew anything about the missing boy. It was better than nothing but it wasn't much.
Neither Marie or Bruce could really take time off from work. They were near a phone and Papa would call if there was any news.
One full day passed without any word. At least that meant the police hadn't found a frozen college student. There was hope.
Mid-morning two days after Christmas the police finally got a call.
"I saw a story on the news about a missing college student named Bobby. My roommate, Todd, is an artist. Bobby modeled for the life drawing group just before Christmas. Todd found him lying in the snow Christmas night. Todd brought him home. I'm a nurse. We got him warm and he slept until late yesterday evening." Bill explained. "We didn't know he was wanted by the police."
"Where is he now?" The officer asked.
"He should still be at the apartment. He was sleeping when we left." Bill answered. "I am concerned that he may be having a reaction to his pain meds. He is showing signs of paranoia and confusion."
Bill shared his address and the officer said someone would be right over.
"I am trying to reach Officer Bruce Milliman."
"This is Bruce how may I help you?"
"We had a tip on Bobby's location. An artist friend found him in the snow on Christmas. His roommate is a nurse and checked him over. They mainly needed to get him warm and fed."
"When can we come get him?"
"He was gone before we got there," the Logan officer explained. "There is a complication. Bobby seems to be having a reaction to his pain medication. He is suffering from extreme paranoia and general confusion. That makes it more critical that we find him quickly. It could lead him to commit suicide."
"Do they know why he left?"
"The nurse was pressuring Bobby to call home. I need you to look into what is going on there. He looked beaten and battered. He is afraid that someone at home will continue the abuse."
"Do they have any idea where he went?" Bruce asked worriedly.
"We have had many sightings throughout the town. His trail is erratic as if he is trying to make it harder to find him. He seems to be moving toward campus."
"Brad, Bobby was very lucky. An artist friend found him on Christmas Eve." Bruce said into the receiver.
"Jeff, a friend of Bobby's found him in the snow." Brad relayed Bruce's message to his son."
"Where is he now? We'll go pick him up." Brad offered.
"They think he is somewhere on campus." Bruce answered.
"There is only some of the dorms, the student union and the library open. I would guess he's in the library. He works there." Brad suggested. "Jeff and I are going there now."
By the time Jeff and Brad arrived a pair of officers were already at the library. The library was about to close. The few staff members on duty were conscripted into the search. Most of them knew Bobby and the building. They were willing to help. It took a couple of hours but there were no signs of the missing boy. More than one team looked into the locked conference room.
"The conference rooms are kept locked. The keys are behind the circulation desk. They were all there when I locked the key case." The supervisor explained.
Three hours were spent searching all the nooks and crannies. It was decided that Bobby wasn't in the library. The search would be moved to the student union.
Another three hours were spent searching the student union with no results. The campus police promised to keep their eyes open during their patrols. Bobby's family prayed that he had found a warm place for the night.
There was no where else to search. The days were spent hanging posters on any public bulletin board they could find. Jeff walked the neighborhoods around campus handing out flyers and asking if anyone had seen his brother. A lot of the residents had not returned from vacation.
Everyone waited for the next tip. No body had been found so there was still hope.
A week had passed. On News Year's eve letters were delivered to Bobby's home and to Brad and Sue.
To Whom it may Concern:
This is to inform all parties involved that due to Honor Code violations, Bobby Jones' housing contract will not be continued for the following quarter. He has until January 5th to remove all of his belongings from the premises.
The Housing Board
An additional letter from the church leadership for the students at the university arrived at Bobby's home the same day.
Bobby Jones
Your presence is requested at a Church Court to address allegations of homosexual activities on January 2nd at 6:00 pm. Failure to appear will be considered an admission of guilt and disciplinary action will be taken.
"I can't believe Jan carried through with her threat to report Bobby to the church officials in Logan." Bruce was surprised at the vindictiveness of his daughter. "I don't know who else would do it."
"The dorms are owned by the church. The contract says they can end the contract for any breach of the honor code. Our hands are pretty much tied." Brad explained over the phone. "I'll see what I can do."
It was a dismal New Year's Eve for the Jones and Milliman families. To top off the cake Bobby's other dad and June had been released on bail. They would be returning to a nearly empty house. Marie and Bruce with Papa and Leroy stored much of the contents in Leroy's spare garage. Everyone was concerned what would happen if they found Bobby first.
----------- I would appreciate hearing from you. ringinmine@yahoo.com