God Project by John Saul Read Free Book Online

occur only when no one is going to answer. Finally, she pressed the button to disconnect the call and dialed the emergency number that was taped to the phone. “I want to report a kidnaping,” she said, her voice level.
    Ten minutes later die sank back in her chair and tiredly closed her eyes. She could feel Margaret Willis’s burning curiosity permeating the kitchen. Even though she knew it would be all over the neighborhood by this evening, she had to talk.
    “They said they can’t do anything,” she began, her voice reflecting the frustration she was feeling. “They said they can’t even list him as missing yet, and they said if his father took him, it’s a civil matter, and I should talk to a lawyer instead of the police.”
    “But what do they expect you to do?”
    “Wait They told me to wait, and try to get hold ofJim, Then, if Randy isn’t back by morning, and I can’t get hold of Jim, I should call them back.” She shook her head helplessly. “How can I do that, Margaret? How can I just sit here and wait?”
    “Well do it together,” Margaret Willis said firmly, standing up and beginning to clear the breakfast dishes off the table. “Well clean up the kitchen and fix supper, and then we’ll start cleaning the house.”
    “But it’s clean—” Lucy started to protest, but the elderly woman waved a gentle finger at her.
    “Then it will be cleaner. No such thing as too clean, Lucy, and I’ve always found that cleaning house makes the time pass faster. So we’ll clean all night if we have to.” Then she smiled affectionately. “But I bet we won’t have to,” she added. “I’ll bet the little rascal will show up in an hour or two, tired, hungry, and dirty. Then we’ll feed him and send him to bed. How’s that sound?”
    To Lucy it sounded horrible, but she knew she would give in to Margaret Willis. It was either that or sit alone, watching the clock tick off the endless minutes while improbable fantasies transformed themselves into frightening realities in the far reaches of her imagination. She would, she knew, go mad with worry if she had to wait alone. Better to fill the time and the emptiness with Margaret’s relentless cheerfulness than to try to cope with the hysteria that was building inside her. Morosely, she began cleaning her house.
       It was nearly midnight, and the house was spotless, when Jim Corliss finally answered his phone.
    “Jim? It’s Lucy. I want him back, do you hear? I want you to bring him back right now, or I’m going to call my lawyer.”
    Jim Corliss knew by the hysteria in her voice that something was wrong. She never called him, except to demand support payments or argue with him about Randy. Suddenly, he became worried. Did she think Randy was with him? But he wasn’t scheduled to see his son for another week. “Are you talking about Randy?” he asked cautiously.
    “Of course I’m talking about Randy,” Lucy exploded. “Who do you think I’m talking about? How dare you!”
    “How dare I what? Isn’t Randy there?”
    There was a silence, then Lucy spoke again, her voice suddenly breaking. “You don’t have him? You didn’t pick him up this morning?”
    “Oh, my God,” Jim said, his heart pounding as he realized the implications of what his ex-wife was saying. “Lucy, what’s happened? Tell me what’s happened.”
    “He’s gone, Jim.”
    “What do you mean, gone? Gone where?”
    “I—I don’t know,” Lucy stammered, her rage dissipating, only to be replaced by the fear she had felt earlier. She explained what had happened that afternoon. “I—I thought you must have picked him up,” she finished. “I know how he’s been after you to take him away from me. I thought you’d done it.”
    “I wouldn’t, Lucy. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
    “Wouldn’t you?” Lucy asked, her voice brittle with suspicion. “I wonder …”
    “I’m coming over,” Jim said suddenly. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
    “No,” Lucy