Teens Follow Man With His ‘Grandpa’ After A Hunch Tells Them That The Situation Seems Fishy

Getting Involved

He didn’t know what to think when he initially got involved in something that wasn’t his business. He watched the duo for a long time and couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about it.

After a lot of thought, he worked up the courage to do something. He knew that if he didn’t, no one else would help the child. But he had no idea who he was dealing with.

Shopping

Tory had first noticed the duo while he was out grocery shopping. He tried keeping to himself and minding his business, but he couldn’t help himself.

There was something about them that he didn’t like. He wanted to make sure everyone in his community was safe, so he mustered up the courage to do something about it.

Following Them

Tory had studied the two for a while now. He had followed them all around the store and even eavesdropped on their conversation. That’s what alarmed him the most.

He watched them meander around the store for a while before going to the pharmaceutical aisle. The old man bought something, and then they headed for the door.

What Did He Buy?

Tory didn’t manage to catch what the elderly man had picked off of the shelf before he headed for the counter.

He was genuinely concerned about the old man’s companion, so he decided to follow them out into the parking lot. He had to think of a plan in order to get close and not cause suspicion.

“Helping”

Then the idea came to Tory; he approached the old man with a smile on his face and said, “Hello, sir, can I walk you to your car?”

The facade of wanting to help walk the man to the car was the perfect disguise. But he had no idea what the truth would hold.

Reluctant

The old man reluctantly nodded his head, and with that, Tory followed him to his car with his companion in tow.

The entire time, Tory was quickly trying to think of a way to find out what was going on with the old man and his companion. He decided to muster up the courage and ask, “So, is this your grandson?”

The Truth Comes Out

The old man hesitated before the boy cut in, “No, I’m not.” But then he started explaining the complicated truth that broke Tory’s heart.

He had his suspicions about what was going on, but he couldn’t believe how deep the truth ran. He knew he had to do something about it.

Tory Andrews

Tory Andrews considered himself a regular guy who worked hard during the week and partied during the weekends. But there was something he did care about – his community.

Tory grew up in Red Wing, Minnesota, and always felt like helping people was what he enjoyed the most. That’s why one day, he wouldn’t leave enough alone when he thought someone was in trouble.

A Routine

Tory closely followed a routine every week. He stuck to it and never changed. But he had no idea what he was about to stumble into one day when he went grocery shopping.

It was something he did once a week when he needed to stock up on the essentials. He’d buy milk, bread, and other items he couldn’t live without. But that’s when he bumped into him.

An Elderly Man

While Tory was on autopilot, shuffling his feet while looking at the aisles, he bumped into someone that he didn’t see.

This startled Tory as he heard a “Sorry” from in front of him. He looked ahead and saw an elderly man looking apologetically at him.

No Problem

“No problem!” Tory said before moving on with his shopping. He never understood people who got angry over small inconveniences like that.

But as he passed the old man, he felt a strange feeling in his gut, like something wasn’t entirely right. He tried to forget about it, but he should have listened to it when he had a chance.

Going On About His Day

Tory tried his best to go about his shopping without thinking about his encounter with the old man, but he felt spooked for some reason.

He couldn’t exactly pinpoint what had bothered him so much. But as much as he ignored it, he still thought about his encounter with the old man. What was really going on?

Seeing Him Again

Tory managed to collect nearly everything that he needed. The last thing on his list was milk and cheese, which would take him to the dairy aisle.

He confidently strutted to the other end of the store to get what he needed, but that’s when he saw him again. But this time, there was something that bothered him even more than before.

Talking To Someone

He had passed the sweet and confectionary aisle on his way to get the rest of his groceries when he noticed the man standing in the aisle, talking to someone.

At first glance, there was nothing wrong with that. But as he looked closer, he realized an important detail that would change his outlook on the old man permanently.

A Boy

The old man was talking to a boy who looked barely out of his preteens. It was one thing to be friendly to one another in a store, but this old man was clearly more interested in just making small talk.

Tory got a little closer and managed to hear some of what the old man was saying to the boy. But what he heard had alarm bells going off in his head.

The Conversation

Tory listened in and managed to make out some of the conversations, “So, what chocolates and candy are your favorites?” The old man said to the boy.

The conversation uneased Tory. It was one thing to make small talk; it was another to take such an interest in someone else’s life. He decided that he would watch them closely.

Owed It To The Community

Tory felt that he owed it to the community to check up and make sure that everything that was going on was fine.

He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he saw that same boy’s face on a news report a few weeks later. But he had no idea who close he was to that being a reality.

Watching Them Closely

The boy seemed reserved and didn’t want to engage in conversation too much. He told the old man that he liked Skittles and peanut butter cups.

Tory watched helplessly as the old man nodded his head in agreement. But what he did next made Tory want to run out of where he was hiding and confront the man, but he didn’t have any evidence yet.

News Reports

Then it dawned on him. He had religously watched the news for the last ten years and there was a trend. Every few years, a child would go missing. He cupped his hand to his mouth when he realized what was going on.

The town had a strange history of disappearances dating all the way back nearly a century. Tory didn’t want this child to become just another statistic.

Urban Legends

Tony had heard the urban legends that were rooted deep in the town’s history. Ever since the 1940s, disappearances have been commonplace. Most cases were never sold, and they became reminders of why people should always be careful.

This boy was clearly too young to know about any of these legends. Tony decided that he would have to help him.

Misjudging Him

Tory wouldn’t let this child down. But he had no idea that he was in over his head. Despite him wanting to help so much he didn’t actually know anything about the child or the old man.

In his pursuit of justice, he’d go to any means to try and “save” the child. But in reality, he had no idea what mistake he was making. He didn’t know who the old man actually was.

Finding Them

Tory knew exactly what people like this man did. He desperately wanted to try and help. But things weren’t as they seemed and he would be making a grave mistake.

He felt a feeling of dread wash over his body as he watched the old man get closer and closer to the boy. What was he planning on doing next?

Hoping For The Best

Tory really wanted to hope for the best. But he couldn’t help but think about the worst possible scenario for the young boy. But just as he suspected, the old man reached out and grabbed a package of Skittles and some peanut butter cups.

But it was far from over. He felt like the man looked familiar. Had he seen him somewhere before?

Offering Them To The Boy

After picking up the items, he looked back at the boy and said, “How about I buy these for you? As a little way of saying thank you for talking to me when I’m normally so lonely.”

The boy smiled back at the man. Tory didn’t even blame him, he was flashing him a bright grin and seemed trustworthy. That grin, it was definitely something Tory had seen before, he racked his brain.

Blood Boiling

Tory’s blood started to boil as he grew concerned for the boy. He wanted him to be safe. But he had no relation to the boy, so he couldn’t do much to intervene without being sure.

The more Tory stared at the man, the more his memory started coming back to him. He knew he saw the man’s face on a news report, but what was it for?

Excitement Flickers

But then something that Tory hadn’t expected happened next. The boy, who seemed so uninterested, suddenly looked up at the man with an energy he hadn’t seen yet.

Then the truth started to dawn on Tory. The man had been on a news report a few years ago. He was a little younger then, but he still looked like the same guy.

Free Candy

Tory could see excitement flickering in the boy’s eyes. He was clearly interested in free candy, but didn’t he know about how dangerous it was to take it from strangers?

But things would get far more outrageous. Tory had already made a promise to himself to make sure the boy didn’t walk into any dangerous circumstances, but the truth would only lead Tory to tragedy.

Yes, Please!

The boy jumped up and down in excitement and said, “Yes, please!” Tory knew that this had to be a trap, but he couldn’t stop the old man before he had evidence to back it up.

He had 911 on speed dial and would be ready to dial the number on a moment’s notice if he saw anything incriminating. The man now turned to face his direction and Tory got the clearest look at his face. He was sure of who he was.

Looking Around The Aisle

He watched as the boy looked around the aisle. It seemed that it wasn’t over just yet. The boy was looking for his favorite snack, but Tory had no idea he was making his way towards him.

Without warning, he pointed at the part of the aisle that Tory was hiding behind. He stared straight at the boy before ducking down. He felt sweat bead from his brow.

Pointing At The Aisle

Something had caught the boy’s eye, which made Tory nervous. He was staring right by where he was and pointing. He quickly ducked behind the shelves and hoped he wasn’t noticed.

Tory just hoped the boy hadn’t seen him. It would be hard to defend himself if he was the one caught spying on the boy. He wouldn’t be able to help if he was so imcriminated.

“What About That!”

“What about that!” The boy excitedly said as he kept pointing. “Oh? And what do we have here?” The old man said as they got closer. Tory was trying to be as quiet as he could.

Sweat started dripping down his nose as he covered his mouth. This was the last thing he needed. He just hoped he wouldn’t be found – he had no idea what the man was capable of.

Something He Wanted

Tory could hear their footsteps as they got close to where he was hiding. He tried to make sure his breathing was as quiet as possible.

His thoughts went back to who the man might have been. If he really was from a news report, then he could have been unpredictable and dangerous.

Gummy Worms

They got right to the selection of snacks in the aisle, and the boy exclaimed, “Gummy worms! I want those too!”

He jumped up and down and begged the old man for them. It was clear that they were his favorite treat. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t still in grave danger. What was the old man’s next move?

Relief

Tory breathed a sigh of relief when he grabbed the packet and ran back to the old man. At least he hadn’t been found. But the boy was still in danger, and he had to act fast.

The interaction with the treats was still going on. No doubt the old man was doing anything to make sure he gained the trust of the small boy. Now that he was out of immediate danger, he could get back to figuring out who the man was.

Feigned Smile

He carefully looked back up from where he was hiding and looked into the aisle again. He saw the old man scrutinizing the gummy worms. He had a feigned smile on his face, trying to trick the boy into thinking he cared at all about such things.

“Anything for you.” He said with a grin, it disgusted Tory, but he didn’t know half of it. When he finally found out the truth, it would have him crying.

Luring Him In

Now that the man had promised to buy the boy all of the treats he wanted, he was going to make bold promises to the boy.

He remembered a child had gone missing a few years back, and he remembered the man’s face plastered all over the news. Had he really done something so evil?

Pharmacy Aisle

Tory felt a shiver down his spine. He now knew the man was linked to the missing person’s report one way or another.

This meant the man could be very dangerous. He wanted to call the police, but who would they believe when they got there? He decided to watch them for nowl. They walked over to the medicine aisle.

Took Their Time

After what felt like forever, he saw the old man and the boy coming out of one of the aisles and towards the clerk at the counter. The old man smiled as he pulled out his worn leather wallet and rang up all of the sweets.

Tory felt anxiety well up inside of him. He knew that he’d have to act soon. Otherwise, anything could happen to the child. But he had no idea who the man really was.

Timmy

The old man put the moves on a clerk and was shockingly smooth when talking to her. She only saw him as an old man buying his grandson a treat. But Tory knew more than her.

“And what’s your name, little guy?” The clerk playfully asked the boy. “My name’s Timmy.” The boy said, clearly proud of his name. Tory, but that was the first time the old man had even heard the boy’s name.

The Unthinkable

The clerk had been beguiled by the old man, but Tory had context she didn’t. He knew what the old man really had in mind. He just hoped he could stop him from luring Timmy out of the store.

The old man gave the treats to the boy, who gleefully dug into them. But the man wasn’t done, he was about to do exactly what Tory had feared all along.

His Ultimate Goal

While the boy was halfway through a peanut butter cup, he said, “You know, back home, I have a video game console that you can play on.”

Tory knew that this was his ultimate goal. He wanted to get the boy back home with him. This is where he drew the line. He would have no choice but to step in and stop this creep once and for all.

Really?

“Really?” The boy excitedly said to the old man. “Yes, it’s my grandson’s. He has a lot of games on it that you can play if you come over.” Tory couldn’t believe what was going on.

He wouldn’t let the old man take the boy away from the store. If that happened, he knew that no one would ever see Timmy again. He had to make sure that didn’t happen. But the man wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Something Dawned On Him

Something that hadn’t dawned on Tory until now suddenly hit him. He looked around the store; it was pretty much empty since it was a Tuesday morning.

Why weren’t they here at all? Were they maybe waiting outside in the car while he was inside, getting something for them? Tory felt more confused than ever.

Parents

He took one final look around the store; he saw an elderly woman inspecting a fruit, and two women were gossiping about makeup. None of them seemed like potential parents for young Timmy.

So if none of them were Timmy’s parents, then where were they? They definitely weren’t in the store. He couldn’t believe some parents could do this to their children.

Anxiety

Anxiety washed over Tory as he watched the duo start walking toward the exit. He knew this would be the end of the boy if he let him leave.

He had to think of a plan to ensure that he could keep following them without it being so obvious. He quickly followed the two out of the store, but he didn’t even know how he’d confront them.

His Plan

Tory caught the duo just as they exited the store. He was thinking on his feet as he got the old man’s attention with a “Hello, sir!”

The old man slowly turned around as if confused that someone wanted to talk to him. He stared at Tory, but then a spark of recognition showed him his eyes as he said, “Yes, hello, sorry about bumping into you earlier.” He knew that the old man had no idea what his plan was.

Right Where He Wanted Him

This was all Tory wanted; the door was now open since he was talking to the old man. “I’m afraid I never introduced myself to you earlier.”

He continued, “For that, I apologize. My name is Tory, and I couldn’t help but notice you buying some medication from the aisle?”

Medication

“Yes, I did. Is there anything wrong with it, or are you just asking what I bought?” The old man said, clearly, he was getting impatient, but this was everything Tory had to go on for now.

“Well, I wanted to make sure it didn’t have any direct oral anticoagulants.” He said, remembering an article he read on the adverse side effects they had on the elderly. But he couldn’t stall for long.

Warfarin

The man took out the box and showed him the label; it was Warfarin, which was coincidentally exactly what he was talking about.

“Taking that could lead to an adverse drug event. I’d recommend another product if you need to reduce the risk of blood clotting.” The man was surprised by Tory’s knowledge just as much as he was.

Helping Out

Watching news reports was really paying off, but now he had just helped the man he was trying to get busted. But not all was for nothing when he realized how grateful the man was.

He had successfully gained the old man’s trust; now, he just had to find a way to get Timmy away from him. But if his hunch about him was true, he could have been in grave danger.

Thank You

“Thank you for the insight; I wouldn’t have known about this myself.” He said gratefully. That’s when Tori decided to drive home one final question that was sure to have the old man second-guessing his chances.

There was no other option, it would lead to a confrontation he wasn’t entirely sure he was ready for, but he had to at least try. His mind flashed to the news report from years ago, he had to work up the courage to do it.

Hesitation

“Who’s this little guy you have with you?” Tory casually asked, hiding his real intentions. “Oh, this is, um, Timmy.” The old man said after a bit of hesitation.

From the look on the old man’s face, Tory could tell he was nervous. He clearly had a hard time remembering the boy’s name since he had only heard it once. But what Tory asked next would reveal the heartbreaking truth.

Grandson?

“Is he your grandson?” Tory continued, knowing very well that the old man was now in a difficult position. He watched as the old man stood frozen in place, thinking of something to say.

But before he could reply, Timmy interrupted, saying, “No, I’m not his grandson!” Tory knew it; he had all the evidence he needed to get the cops to come and take the boy away. But he had no idea who he was messing with.

Someone Else

“No, he’s not my grandson.” The old man said, sadness welling up in his eyes. It looked like he was ready to cry.

“I find it difficult to remember things these days, but Timmy here isn’t my grandson; he’s someone else, but he’s still important to me.” He finished.

Nephew

“I’m his nephew, and I’m here helping my uncle because my mom said that he needs someone with him to the shops for his medication.” The small boy continued explaining to Tory.

Tory had to fight back tears, but Timmy’s heartbreaking story about the old man was only going to get a lot worse. He was about to tell Tory something that would haunt him for years.

Passed Away

“He’s lonely because mommy said his grandson passed away, but he finds it hard to remember.” Timmy finished.

The truth hit Tory like a ton of bricks, he had labeled the old man something terrible, and he was wrong. He got so caught up in trying to help a young boy that he harshly judged a poor elderly man instead.

Sad Truth

Timmy explained everything to Tory perfectly. It seemed that the old man, who Tory now knew was named Henry, needed someone to accompany him to the shops because of his failing memory.

It was normally Henry’s sister, Timmy’s mother, that took him to the store. But after what had happened with his grandson, she thought he would appreciate Timmy’s company more.

Never Forget

Even little Timmy could make sure that Henry didn’t forget what he was doing or where he was. The old man loved the company of his nephew even if he forgot mostly who he was sometimes.

He always kept his close connection with the boy. But Timmy loved accompanying him for one big reason.

Something In Return

The uncle, in return, bought him snacks and even offered for him to come and play on the old console his grandson used to play on.

Tory knew that he shouldn’t have judged a book by its cover and stayed in contact with Henry to check in and make sure he was alright. Tory decided to start pitching in and helping the old man in the best way he could.

Helping Him At The Store

Since Tory seemed to come into the store at the same time as Henry anyway, he arranged with his family to meet him at the entrance and help him with buying his medication and other essentials.

At the same time, Henry got to speak to Tory and give him a wonderful conversation. It was something Tory would never forget.

In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.