The Stolen Children

by Oliver Davies

Liam grinned at me. “It’s not my birthday!” he teased, coming over to hand the present to me.

  “How did you know it was mine?” I asked as Liam sat back down next to his dad.

  Liam tapped the side of his nose, looking pleased with himself. “I know things.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Your research skills are impressive,” I said.

  Looking down at the present in my lap, I started peeling back the paper. It had ripped a little in the corner, no doubt after getting bumped around inside Liam’s bag during school, and I could see something black and shiny inside.

  I opened it up fully and let out a surprised laugh. “Coffee!” I said, delighted. It was a huge bag of ground coffee and marked as ‘extra strong’. “Thank you, Liam,” I said, touched by the gift. “This is really thoughtful.”

  Liam looked chuffed that I’d like it. “My dad helped choose,” he said modestly.

  I sent Douglas a grateful smile. “Well, thanks to you both.”

  Douglas nodded. “It’s the least we could do,” he said, “with all these stories you’re giving Liam.”

  “I’m always up for being paid in coffee,” I chuckled, setting the bag aside on the little table.

  Douglas glanced out of the window, and I followed his gaze, seeing how it was starting to darken outside.

  “No doubt you’ll be wanting your tea soon,” I said, standing up. Liam zipped up his bag and hopped to his feet, his father following.

  “Thanks for the story!” Liam said, slinging his bag onto his back. “I can’t wait to write it up. And I’ll bring you a copy, before we print it, of course!”

  “Thank you, lad,” I said.

  “Have a good evening,” Douglas said as I saw them out. “And thank you for having us.”

  “Anytime,” I said genuinely. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

  Liam gave me a cheery wave as they headed off down the drive, and I watched them go. I heard my wife come up behind me, her slippers scruffing slightly on the carpet.

  “How did it go, love?” she asked.

  I stepped back to close the front door. “It went swimmingly,” I told her. “Thanks for the tea you brought in.” I kissed her forehead gently. “They brought me a birthday present, too.”

  “What’s that, then?”

  “Coffee!” I said with a grin.

  She shook her head at me, smiling. “You and your coffee, Darren.”

  I wrapped an arm around her shoulders as we made our way into the sitting room. We had a quiet life these days, and I knew that she didn’t much like to hear about how many times I’d gotten myself into danger over the years, so it was nice to share those tales with an audience who wanted to hear them.

  A Message from the Author

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  Special thanks and credit to Moonstruck Covers Design & Photography, the studio responsible for this book’s cover!