Silent Witness

Chapter 48

A/N

Ryder 14..Lacey 9 and Henry 3 all in photo above.. will put time skip in when I have aged them up to this age. For now they are still same age. 

Ethan

Dealing with everything that went on with my son was beginning to get more complicated. I mean every time I turn around Ryder is in some kind of trouble. I hated it there was nothing I could, I didn't know when or where it was going to happen. I couldn't keep him from going to school and I also couldn't watch him 24/7. I know he was getting older and a lot more confident in himself. He wasn't the silent kid I met in that house so many years ago, he was a 9 year old boy who was fighting back. Yes he had lot of bullies and yes he was now starting to fight back and I wasn't sure if that had anything to do with Joel. Ryder was not this scared little boy anymore and I didn't know how to shelter him from it all. I mean I couldn't exactly just flip a switch and make all his problems go away. Trouble just seemed to follow him around and he earned the nickname jailbait. I wasn't even sure what that mean but it seems that everyone he interacts with ends up in prison. I mean you would think that would mean that people would leave him alone but no it makes them crazy. It is like they are asking for a challenge like hey I want to see if you can put me in jail too. 

I mean there was a part of me that wanted to put a tail on him all the time just so that I could keep the threats away. I just didn't know if he would like that, and I am not sure anyone would want to agree to the job.  I just had to feel confident in the fact that my 9-year-old was a target, but he would be okay. My confidence in him was super high but in everyone else it was about a 1 out of 10. I just felt like everyone was out to get him and so far, everyone who has was connected to Drake somehow and I hated every second of it. I mean the man was dead for crying out loud you would think that people would stop caring about a child who never had anything to do with him. I decided to pay Tyler a visit today I needed to find out what his deal was and why he was still targeting him from jail. I also wanted to see if there was anything I could to prevent him from going after Ryder because at this point, I had 2 other kids to protect and care for. The constant threat on Ryder meant I was always busy and helping him I felt like I wasn't much of a father to the other 2. Lacey was 4 going on 16 and Henry was only a few weeks old, and Lacey loved her older brother so much I didn't want her to get hurt. Watching Ryder suffer through all of this his whole life has made me love that boy so much that I can't imagine him not being apart of our lives. I know Zoey and Lacey both feel the same way, I am sure Henry will to when he gets older. 

I made it to the high security prison and every time I came here it made me angry because it was the same shit every time. I waited for them to bring Tyler out and he was looking rough these days but I guess prison can be hard on some. "To what do I owe the pleasure detective Shaw" he said with a smirk I wanted to slap right off his face. "You know why I am here, I mean what do you gain from hurting my son?" I said, "I have no idea what you are talking about" he said, "oh cut the bullshit I know you are telling people to go after him. What I want to know is why? What does it do for you?" I said, "in all honesty detective he should have died in that fire when he was 3 look where it got me" he said. "That was on you, he was a kid and you did this to yourself. If it hadn't been him it would have been someone else. You and Drake were sloppy" I said, "well regardless your son will die eventually and you should be grateful because it will give you more time with your biological children" he said. I punched him in the face, "you will suffer in here Tyler and mark my words I hear about anymore threats towards my son you will not wake up the next morning" I said. I knew I should not have threatened him but I was done and I meant ever word that I had said. Leaving the prison I didn't know if I had just made things worse or better for Ryder but I was hoping better.

*Time skip*

Ryder

Today was my first day of high school and I was so not looking forward to it, I was going to be the youngest person there. I was starting grade 10 despite the fact that I am only 14 because I skipped a grade when I was younger. Joel my best friend was a year older than me but that didn't bother us, and we were like 2 peas in a pod. Then there was Aaliyah and sometimes I felt like she was obligated to be my friend because I saved her sister when I was 9. Yet she still smiles at me everyday and hangs out with us when she isn't doing her school activities. She is not in high school yet as she is going into grade 9 but I am sure we will still keep in touch if not well I guess I will know if she was ever a true friend.