Page 34 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“I’m Sam. I’ve never been here before.”

Matti listened to them get to know each other while she alternated pushing the swings.

“Want to go on the seesaw?” Robbie asked.

“Yes.” Sam glanced back at her. “Can I?”

“Okay. I’m going to sit on that bench over there while you play with Robbie.” She wanted to find out if the woman was here with Robbie, because if she wasn’t, then he was here by himself and that didn’t work for her.

There was a group of five older kids at the other end of the park, three girls and two boys. She could hear their laughter as they joked around with each other. Other than that, no one else was in the park. The woman had to be here with Robbie, but she wanted to make sure, so she walked over to the bench.

When she sat down, the woman smiled, and Matti smiled back. She was younger than Matti had thought from a distance, so maybe the nanny? “Hi, I’m Matti. Your son’s a sweetie.”

“Thanks. He’s my brother. He can be sweet when he wants to be. I’m Amy.”

“Ah, a brother.” Explained why she wasn’t as attentive as a mother would be. “I have four of those. All older and bossy and constantly sticking their noses in my business.”

Amy comically shuddered. “Four of them and older? No thank you.”

“Nice to meet you.” She watched the boys as they went up and down on the seesaw, loving the sound of Sam’s carefree laughter. “Do you live close by?” It would be nice for Sam to have a friend to play with when he came here…not that he would be coming here after she turned him over to his foster family. She ignored the pang of regret that came with that thought.

“We live in an apartment a few blocks over. Robbie’s got a lot of energy, so I bring him here sometimes when he needs room to work off some of that hyperactivity. He’s my half brother. Both our fathers are losers. Mom works hard to take care of us, so I try to help out as much as I can.”

“That’s admirable.” The boys jumped off the seesaw and moved to the merry-go-round. It was a bit farther away, but still in full view.

Amy shrugged. “I worry about who’ll take care of him while Mom’s working when I leave next year for college.”

“I’m a social worker, and I know of some resources that could help. You have email, right?”

“Who doesn’t?”

Matti chuckled. “True. Put my number in your phone and text me your email address. I’ll send you some links to places you can contact.”

“Really? That’s awesome.” She put Matti’s number in her phone, then sent a text. “Thank you so much.” She frowned as something caught her attention. “Who’s that man talking to the boys? I’ve never seen him here before.”

Matti followed Amy’s gaze to see a man who looked out of place in a children’s playground speaking to the boys. He wore sunglasses and a ball cap pulled low over his forehead. His attention was on Sam. Fear crept up her spine because she knew, just knew, that Sam was in danger.

“Call 911,” she told Amy as she stood.

“Why? What’s happening?”

“Just call.” The man grabbed Sam’s arm. “Hey!” She started running. “Let him go.”

The man darted a glance at her, then snatched up Sam.

“Matti!” Sam screamed.

She raced toward them. Sam was fighting like a little wildcat, kicking and punching the man with his feet and fists. Not that he was doing any damage, more like a pesky gnat, but he was causing the man to stumble as he ran toward the street.

“Stop,” she yelled. “Let him go.” There was a car at the street with the engine running and a man behind the wheel, and she was sure that car was the kidnapper’s goal. If they got Sam in that car… No, she couldn’t let that happen. “Stop! Police!” She hoped claiming she was police would make the man have second thoughts about taking Sam. It didn’t. He kept running.

One boy who’d been hanging out with the teens she’d noticed earlier stepped forward. “He’s kidnapping that kid,” he called out to the others. He and the other boy and one of the girls started running at the man.

They were closer and faster than her, and when they caught up with the man, the two boys tackled him. Sam went flying across the ground, and the girl went to him. She picked Sam up and turned toward Matti.

Sam was crying and calling her name.

“Oh, God, thank you,” Matti said when she reached them. “Thank you so much.” Sirens sounded in the distance, and the relief she felt at hearing that sound and these kids saving Sam almost brought her to her knees.