by Molly O'Hare
Will scratched his chin as his brows pulled together in thought. “I’ll be honest here. It was extremely odd there was nothing tampered with or missing. That’s why I’ve asked you both to come in today. We believe we now know the motive and have a suspect in mind.” Will placed two still photos captured from the surveillance camera outside of the clinic in front of Holly and Ben. “Over the past few weeks we’ve been going over the information, and the footage my men retrieved.”
Ben took one of the photos in his hand, but he couldn’t make out the quality well enough to see anything.
“It was hard to recognize the suspect at first, but there was something familiar about him.” Will turned his computer monitor toward Ben and Holly and hit play. That’s when Ben saw a child maybe fifteen or sixteen take something and smash it through the clinic’s front window.
“Oh god,” Holly whispered from beside him.
The feed then showed the kid jump through the smashed window as he disappeared into the clinic. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, another child this one much younger than the first, maybe seven came into view. Instead of following the older one into the clinic he bounced around on his feet and worried his hands together.
As Ben watched the screen, he couldn’t help the feeling there was something off about this younger child. He looked scared. But not in the way they might get caught scared, it was more than that.
Then the young child looked directly at the camera.
Ben’s gut tightened. He was right, there was so much more in his eyes. There was an underlying of pain, mixed in with terror.
Before Ben could study him more, the footage morphed to the inside of the clinic. The older one that had smashed in the window was tearing the place apart. He was flipping tables over, throwing pamphlets around, you name it, he was doing it. He even spit onto the floor of the waiting room.
Then, the boy jumped back through the window plowing into the younger kid making him fall onto the ground. The first boy jumped up not caring to help the younger one, turned back to the clinic, gave it the finger and then took off running, leaving the younger boy on the ground holding his elbow in pain.
After thirty seconds, the younger one slowly got to his feet before looking all around.
Ben watched as the boy looked back at the camera with an almost a pleading face before limping away in the opposite direction as the first kid.
“Holy crap.” Holly grabbed onto Ben’s hand and squeezed.
“At first, before we looked at the footage, we were under the assumption this might have been a neighborhood prank. Then once my guys went frame by frame, we pulled out this.” Will took one of the papers on his desk and turned it over.
Ben and Holly both leaned forward to get a better look at what Will had uncovered.
“That’s the kid that poisoned Twitch!” Holly jumped from her chair causing it to flip backward.
“You’re right.” Ben picked up the photo taking a better look at it. He never saw the kid in person, other than the news coverage. During the trial, they used his findings and toxicology reports to seal their investigation.
The only reason the case got media attention to begin with was because of Ben’s mother leaving Richman Industries without any notice. Since the news put together Ben and the poisoned kitten, they did everything they could to get some inside scoop about what was really going on.
Ben had spent his whole life trying to avoid anything with Richman Industries, and leave it to the media outlets to do absolutely anything to connect stories, even where there was zero a connection.
“You’re correct,” Will agreed. “I’ve had to deal with him quite a few times in the past.”
“You’d mentioned something like that when you dropped Twitch off.” Ben sat back in his chair.
“So why did he do it?” Holly asked as she righted her seat.
With a heavy sigh, Will began, “Apparently, he blames you for all his troubles now.”
“Me? All I did was confirm what he’d done to Twitch.”
“Yes, but with the stuff that went down at Richman Industries, the news was all over ‘the kid who poisoned the wealthiest man in the city’s cat, just to see what would happen’. He holds you personally responsible for him being sentenced to the Juvenile Detention Center.”
“I didn’t ask for the news to follow the story. Hell, we weren’t even aware of it until we saw it one night scrolling through the channels.” Ben scrunched his face.
“Yeah, so now in his twisted brain he wants revenge on Ben and the clinic?” Holly asked.
“That appears to be the motive.” Will sat back in his chair.
“Okay, so now what?” Ben still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact this kid was the one that broke into the clinic and more importantly he did it to get back at him.
“That’s the thing. We were able to locate the other boy in the video, but not the one that poisoned Twitch. We don’t know if this one incident was his payback or if he has more planned,” Will answered. “Since nothing has happened since the break-in this might have been just a one time occurrence but I wanted you both to be aware of the situation at hand right now.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous?”
“I don’t, but I do think he feels wronged. That combination, with his unfortunate track record does raise some concerns.” Will looked at them. “Do I think he will come after you to cause harm? No. Is there always that possibility? Yes. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is with these situations.”
“I don’t get it. So, you brought us in here to tell us it was the kid who poisoned our cat, but we don’t need to worry, but then we also do until you find him?” Holly rushed out. “Why can’t you find him? You’re a detective, that’s your job. You detect things such as this child who now has a vendetta against my husband because of the news making him the center of attention.” Holly snapped her gaze to Ben. “What if this kid decides he needs more revenge and comes after you or me. I mean he’s just a child but he poisoned Twitch. He tried to kill him. Kill. Him. Ben! We can’t go around worrying about what else he might do.” Tears formed in Holly’s eyes. “What if he does something to me or the baby?”
“You’re pregnant?” Will interrupted Holly’s tirade.
Ben wrapped his arms around Holly’s shoulders bringing her to him. He then looked at Will. “Yes. We only found out a few hours ago.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Ben cradled Holly in his arms. “Holly does make a good point though. Are you still looking for him? What is it that we need to do?”
“We have a hunch of where he’s been hiding out.”
“Then why haven’t you arrested him yet?” Holly glared at him as her nostrils flared.
Ben moved his attention to Holly. I guess these are the pregnancy mood swings I’ve always heard about.
“That’s where we have a little problem.”
“What problem?”
“Do you remember that other child in the footage?” Will handed Ben the other photo.
“Yeah.”
“I have concerns about him. We were able to easily locate him in our system. He was placed in the city’s Foster Care two years ago when both of his parents were killed in a motor vehicle accident. He apparently had no other living relatives.”
No wonder he looked downright terrified.
He suddenly had the urge to vomit. Ben was much older when he lost his father, but that had gutted him. He couldn’t imagine how he would feel if at such a young age it would have been to lose his father.
“He lost both of his parents?” Holly placed her hand on Ben’s knee squeezing it.
“Yes.” Will’s expression changed to sorrow. “He’s been bounced from foster home to foster home every few months.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Ben asked as he heard a sniffle come from Holly.
“Yeah, and why are you concerned about him?” Holly asked wiping away the tear from her eyes. “Sorry, I normally don�
�t cry this easily.”
“Martha cried at everything when she was pregnant, then in a split second she’d be throwing something at my head.”
“That sounds like something fun to look forward to,” Ben mumbled.
“I got pretty good at dodging,” Will chuckled before going serious. “Jimmy, the young boy in foster care might be in jeopardy of the other boy lashing out at him.”
“Why?”
“Unfortunately, the suspect needs someone to blame in his life and I fear he might turn his anger onto Jimmy.”
“Then get the city to move him somewhere else?”
“It doesn’t quite work that way, Mrs. Richman.” Will sat straighter in his chair.
“Well, that’s dumb.” Holly crossed her arms over her chest.
“I agree, but my hands are tied. I reached out to his social worker to see what we can do. But in the meantime, we’re monitoring this situation closely. As soon as we can safely move forward, I wanted to at least give you both the heads up.”
Ben stood reaching his hand out to Will. “I appreciate you taking the time to inform us.”
“Yes, thank you.” Holly stood. She worried her bottom lip. “Jimmy, you said his name was, right?”
“Yes.”
“He looked like he got hurt. Was he okay?”
“Other than a few scrapes and cuts, he seemed fine.”
Holly nodded but Ben could see she still had questions. “Why was he with the other boy to begin with?”
Ben had that same question.
Will sighed. “According to the recent reports from Jimmy’s social worker, he’s lost. After losing his parents, he’s done anything he can to feel like he belongs somewhere. Which isn’t uncommon for children in the system. He sadly just met the wrong kid.”
Ben let the words register as he felt Holly’s whole body slump. “Thank you,” she said.
“Try not to worry. We will get it all worked out.” Will gave Holly a sweet smile. “And congratulations again on the baby. Having a child was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Even with all the complications that arose.”
“Thank you,” Ben replied. “Keep us posted, okay?”
“You’ll be the first I contact.”
Chapter Thirteen
Ben sat in his office trying to fill out his reports for the day but was ending up nowhere. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t focus.
He sat back in his chair with a groan as he closed his eyes. Especially after a day like today. As soon as he arrived in the office, he was greeted with a hit and run.
Those were the cases that always twisted him. But at the same time, knowing him and his team were the ones that could help save an animal is what he thrived on.
Plus, when you add in the fact a human could hit an animal and then just drive off with no remorse had him seeing red. Call him out of the ordinary, but he didn’t get it. Maybe it was his love of animals or whatever? But it pissed him off. Hell, if it were up to Ben, the people that did commit hit and runs on animals or humans they deserved the highest form of punishment.
He opened his eyes. You know, I could lobby for that.
Then again… he scratched the scruff on his chin. That would take away from what he loved to do, and being there to help save the animals that were hurt were more important.
He looked back at his screen seeing the files on the Basset Hound that had been hit.
He couldn’t deny he loved the rush that came from cases like this, though. That quick action, think on your feet and do everything you could to save a life, was the kind of high he liked.
And lucky for him, he had the best team at his side when things got intense.
Sadly, they’d gotten a lot of practice over the years when it came to animals getting hit by cars. Just in the last six months, they’d had about five cases. People had gotten so careless while driving, completely engrossed in their phones, posting social media updates, texting, taking photos, you name it. And when you focused more on the tiny device in your hand rather than the two-ton vehicle you were in control of, it was a recipe for disaster.
In many ways.
Thankfully, as Ben skimmed through his document, he was able to smile at the outcome. The Bassett Hound had survived, with only a few injuries and was right now, in one of the cages in the back recovering.
Today was a good day, though.
Sometimes these cases didn’t have happy endings.
Having to tell the owners, their family member didn’t make it, never got easier.
Thankfully today that wasn’t the case. Instead, Ben was able to walk out into the waiting room, where the dog’s owners, a man and woman in their mid-thirties along with their young son refused to go home and tell them ‘Bob the Dog,’ was going to make it.
Days like today were the days he knew he made a difference.
He sat back in his chair with a smile on his face. Plus, today was going to end with a bang.
Tonight, Holly and Ben had decided on telling Henry about the baby.
At first, Ben wanted to wait until after their doctor’s appointment, but Holly didn’t. Maybe it was the medical professional in him or whatever, but he wanted solid proof that everything was okay and as it should be.
Sure, peeing on a stick was helpful, but it didn’t give all the answers he wanted or needed.
As he relaxed in his chair he couldn’t help but laugh. Their compromise was one for the books if you asked him.
“You have got to be kidding me, Benjamin Richman.” Holly glared at him as he ushered her into the lobby of the clinic.
“Do you think I’d joke about something like this?”
“That’s what worries me,” she admitted. “First there is this. Then who knows what else your brain is gonna come up with.”
Ben did have to admit he was overreacting a tad, but after everything that went down at the police station, he had this unsettled and worried feeling running through him. No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape it. Maybe, it was all the adrenaline of the situation and the information revealed, but he hoped in doing this he’d get some sort of relief. “Shirt up, pants down, and up you go.”
“Déjà vu,” Holly remarked narrowing her eyes at him.
“I don’t recall me telling you to undress when you busted your lip and chipped your tooth.”
“You mean when you busted my lip.”
“The frisbee did, not me.”
“You were the one that threw it.”
“And you were the one that didn’t get out of the way when I yelled watch out.” He cocked his left brow at her. “Grace, we can do this all night if you want.”
“If only you said those words to me the first time.”
“I was thinking it, trust me,” he growled looking at his wife.
Holly threw her top over her head tossing it to the seat in the room leaving her in her bra. She then pushed down her pants exposing her lower abdomen.
“Good.” Holly looked at him with lust in her eyes. “Me too.”
“Don’t play with fire, Grace.”
“Or what, I’ll get burned?”
“Don’t you know it.” Ben helped her onto the exam table before leaving the room to retrieve the portable ultrasound device he had in the clinic. Once he made it back he saw Holly sitting on the edge of the table with her hand on her stomach.
It was a surreal feeling.
And to think this was all where it started.
She looked at him with the right side of her mouth curved upward. “Once you do whatever the hell it is you need to do, you think we can tell my dad? He’ll be super excited. I think he’s been waiting for this moment since I hit puberty.”
Ben huffed out a laugh as a smile spread across his face. “I’m not the least bit surprised.” He walked over to her motioning for her to lean backward. When she did he placed the gel on to her stomach.
“Fuck me, that’s cold. Could you have warmed it up?�
�
“Oops.”
“Don’t oops me, mister. Drop your pants and let me squirt that shit on your balls. I bet you’ll never forget to warm it up again.”
As he opened his mouth she stopped him. “And don’t tell me you only use this on animals. They feel the cold just like we do.”
“Yes, dear.” He had to bite his lip to keep from smiling.
Within a few seconds of searching with the wand, everything froze around him as his heart melted. There in front of him, was indeed a baby.
His baby growing inside of his wife.
He looked back at Holly tears forming in his eyes.
“What, what’s wrong? Oh, god is something not okay? Does it have horns? I mean if it did that’s okay, I would still love it just the same. But I’m kinda freaking out here.”
Only Holly.
Ben placed the portable device in front of her. “No, Grace, no horns or extra limbs.”
The room fell silent as Holly focused on the screen in front of her. This was it, this was their baby. This was the start of their new li-
“I don’t know what I’m looking at!” Holly cried interrupting his thoughts.
“You’re looking at our baby.”
“No, I’m looking at black and white lines on a screen the size of a tiny computer.” She looked at him, tears escaping from her eyes. “I’m such a bad mom already. Waffles walks all over me. Ripley only listens to you. Twitch thinks I’m only his food source, and now I can’t see my own child. I’m the worst mom ever!”
Ben let go of the wand bringing Holly into his arms as he did his absolute best not to laugh, but was failing miserably.
“Are you laughing at me?” She cried harder.
“Baby…shh.” He kissed the top of her head as he comforted her. “You are not a bad mom. Not to our pets and not to this one right here.” He picked up the wand finding their baby again. “Do you see that round thing right there in the middle of the screen?”
