Page 20 of Joker
I knew we would have to meet at some point, especially with the new information we have on Carrie. I can feel that we’re close to getting my girl back. I know it’s not going to be easy once we do, but I’m prepared. Pip appears from the rooms.
“Beau’s bedroom is all sorted. Beau, do you want to come have a look while your dad talks with the brothers?” she says, holding her hand out to Beau.
“Yes, please.” He jumps up all excited and then suddenly stops. “Where is Agnes?” He looks to me for the answer.
“Agnes has her own room across from yours. She’s been lying down.”
He looks as if he’s thinking this over.
“We can see if she’s awake when we’ve looked at your new room,” Pip assures him.
That seems to be the right answer, and they head for the bedrooms while we make our way into church. Taking my seat, I wait for BJ to start.
“Okay, so we’ve had a development in the search for Carrie. A woman by the name of Agnes turned up at the compound early this morning with a little boy in tow. The boy, Beau, is nine years old and is Carrie and Joker’s son.”
He takes a minute to let that sink in, and the brothers all congratulate me.
“Agnes confirmed that she and the boy have been with Carrie this whole time. However, she and Carrie had an agreement that if it got too dangerous, she would escape with Beau and bring him here to safety. It was too risky for Carrie to leave too.”
“What has this Agnes woman told us about Carrie?” Reck is the first to speak.
“It’s not good, brother. She’s alive, but we need to figure out a way to get Carrie out. The man who’s keeping her has stepped up the abuse, and it’s getting worse. Agnes said when she left, Carrie was not in a great condition.” He looks at me with sympathy.
“Wire, I need you to do your thing and find any trace of Carrie anywhere.”
Giving the Prez a confused look, he sighs.
“Agnes mentioned Carrie is not the first girl this man has had. He usually films what he does to them for fetish sites and also dark web sicko sites. He’s never done this to Carrie before, so we might be able to stop it before it gets to that point.”
I feel sick. I feel like my insides want out. He had filmed what he’s done to her so other sickos can get off on it. For the first time, I’m scared to bring her home. She’s going to need a lot of help to come to terms with what’s happened to her and move on with her life.
Reck’s chair slamming into the wall pulls me from my head. He storms out of church. Bull gets up and follows him out.
“I’ll get on it now, Prez,” Wire confirms as he leaves.
The brothers all file out of church which leaves me, Tank, and Prez still in the room.
“I know that must have been hard to hear, Joker. You doing okay?”
Shaking my head, I drop it into my hands. It’s a lot of information he had dropped on me, and now there’s not only me to consider. I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“We’re all here for you, son. You’re not alone, and neither is Beau or Carrie. We will get through this as a family.”
I honestly wish I could believe him. But a part of me is afraid of what we would find once we found Carrie. It’s a lot for one person to go through, and now she had lost her reason to keep going. She would have pulled herself up for Beau, because that’s the type of person she is. I had watched her do it for Johnny when we were younger. She always put him and me before herself.
“Let’s go spend some time with your kid while we wait,” Tank mutters as he makes his way out of church. Following behind him into the common room, Beau is sitting with Pip doing some sort of puzzle.
“Hey Beau, wanna come spend some time in the family room with your dad and me?” Tank holds his hand out for Beau, not really giving him a choice.
“Okay,” he says with a smile.
Making our way into the family room, we decide maybe a movie would be a good place to start. Choosing a movie that isn’t too babyish for him, we get comfy and watchToy Story.
A few hours later, we’re onToy Story 3, and Beau loves it. He keeps copying Woody and Buzz. His impressions are spot on, making us laugh. He then does an impression of Tank, which is hilarious as he tries to get his voice real deep. This kid is a born entertainer when he feels comfortable.
“What’s all the laughing?” Prez asks from the door, with Reck and Bull behind him. Beau instantly stops and comes closer to me.
“It’s okay. They won’t hurt you,” I reassure him.
