A Place to Call Home

by Sharon Sala

  Charlie frowned. “Just in case of what?”

  But Judd was already getting out of the vehicle. She had no other option but to follow.

  They could hear Raymond shouting before they opened the door, and not even the jingle of the entry bell was enough to slow him down.

  * * *

  “I’m telling you for the last time, you keep that retard away from my house. I’m sick and tired of having my view spoiled by the sight of him digging through my garbage like some damned animal.”

  Judith’s face was completely devoid of color, and although she had yet to speak, he could tell she was livid. The veins in her neck were protruding, and her fingers were curled into fists. When she made a move toward a display of crutches and canes, Judd bolted.

  “What’s going on here?” he asked, aiming his question at Shuler.

  “Nothing that concerns you,” Raymond said.

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Shuler. I could hear shouting all the way out on the street, which definitely constitutes disturbing the peace. And when I came in, I witnessed you verbally abusing Miss Dandridge. There’s a place and time for everything, Shuler, and this is definitely not it.”

  Shuler’s face flushed a dark angry red as he pointed a finger in Judith’s face.

  “That boy she keeps is trespassing on my property. He goes through the garbage cans on the block like some animal. I warned her before that if it didn’t stop, I was going to have him committed.”

  Judith took a deep breath, and Judd could tell it was all she could do to remain civil.

  “He was only looking for cans,” she said. “And he wasn’t stealing. Betty said it was all right for him to take them.”

  Raymond waved his cane in the air, unaware of any agreement and unwilling to admit he was wrong.

  “I don’t know anything about an agreement between you and my wife, but I’m telling you now, for the very last time, if you don’t keep him off my property, you’ll be sorry.”

  Judd grabbed the cane out of Shuler’s hand.

  “Give me that,” he said shortly. “Now, you listen to me, or you’re likely to be the one who winds up sorry. It sounds to me like you need to get your facts straight before you make accusations. If your wife gave Davie permission to recycle your aluminum cans, then it seems to me he was within his rights to be on your property. It doesn’t take a lot of guts to threaten a woman, but you’re welcome to try that on me.”

  Raymond blinked, taken aback by the suggestion.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he muttered. “I have no quarrel with you.”

  “You don’t have one with her, either,” Judd said, pointing to Judith. “Now, I suggest you apologize to Miss Dandridge, then you take yourself home.”

  Shuler was so angry he was shaking. He didn’t like to be thwarted, and he didn’t like to be told what to do, but Judd Hanna had done just that, and without raising his voice. He glared at Judith, then turned to Judd.

  “My cane,” he said, holding out his hand.

  Judd handed it back to him, then stepped aside, watching as the man stomped out the door.

  The moment he was gone, Charlie rushed to Judith’s side.

  “Judith, are you all right? Is there anything we can do?”

  But Judith didn’t answer. Instead, she stood without moving, watching until Shuler was out of her store. Just as he was getting into his car, her pager went off. She unclipped it from her pocket and read the display, then looked up.

  “Is there something I can help you with?” Judith asked.

  Charlie realized Judith was not going to acknowledge her offer.

  “No, I think I can find what I need on my own,” she said.

  “Take your time,” Judith said. “I have to return this call, then I must go look for Davie. He’s probably frightened.”

  “I’ll go,” Judd said.

  Judith looked startled. She glanced at her pager again and knew the call was probably important. Her duties as a pharmacist were warring with her duties to Davie. Finally, she relented.

  “I would appreciate it,” she said, and hurried away.

  As soon as she was gone, Charlie turned.

  “Now do you see what I mean? Poor Judith—and poor Davie. I’ll bet Raymond scared him to death.”

  Judd frowned. “When you get through here, do you mind walking down to the P.D.?”

  “Of course not.”

  “I’m going to let Wade know what happened, then see if I can find Davie. I’ll take you home later.”

  “If I’m not in the office, I’ll be across the street at the café. It’s almost noon and I’m starving.”

  Judd looked startled and glanced at his watch, only to realize he still didn’t have one. That was something else he would do, but later, when he had more time.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to forget to feed you.”

  She shrugged. “I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it now for years.”

  Judd left, wishing they hadn’t parted on such stilted terms. He sighed as he slid behind the steering wheel and started the engine. As always, it seemed that when he was needed most, he was always running away.

  Chapter 11

  Judith came from the back of the pharmacy. When she realized Charlie was still there, she looked uncomfortable, as if she didn’t know whether to remark on what had just happened or not. But when Charlie calmly inquired about a particular item, she began to relax.

  “Are these all the men’s watches you have?” Charlie asked, pointing toward a small display on a rotating stand.

  “No, there are some in this case over here,” Judith said, and pulled a key from her pocket as she moved across the room.

  Charlie followed, leaning against the counter and peering down through the glassed-in top, then smiling to herself as she saw the merchandise there.

  “That one,” she said. “The one in the upper right-hand corner. May I see it, please?”

  Judith took it out and laid it on the counter, watching curiously as the grin on Charlie’s face continued to widen.

  “How much?” Charlie asked.

  Judith upended the box to look. “It’s on sale—$39.95.”

  Charlie did a little mental math, calculating what she could cut on the grocery items, and knew she could swing it.

  “I’ll take it,” she said.

  Judith didn’t comment on her choice, and Charlie didn’t bother to explain.

  “Wrap it up, will you?” Charlie asked.

  “Certainly,” Judith said, and then hesitated as she reached for the wrapping paper. “Is it a birthday gift?”

  “No. Just a replacement for something lost.”

  At that moment, Judith realized who this was for.

  “I’m sorry,” she said stiffly. “I didn’t realize. I can give you a bigger discount.”

  “No,” Charlie said. “It was already on sale. Besides, in this case, I think the man is well worth the money.”

  For a moment, the two women stared at each other, then as if by some unspoken sign, they looked away. Charlie sorted through the birthday cards she’d come to buy while Judith wrapped the watch. A few minutes later, Charlie paid for her purchases and left. Somewhere down the street, there was a cheeseburger and fries with her name on it and a man who’d stolen her heart.

  * * *

  Call City wasn’t all that large, but there were a lot of alleys and shortcuts that Judd wasn’t familiar with. He figured his best bet was to start at Shuler’s house and work his way back downtown toward the pharmacy, where he suspected Davie would eventually end up.

  When he began his search, he was confident that, before long, he would see Davie. But when ten, and then fifteen minutes had passed with no sign of him, he began to worry. He tried to put himself in Davie’s shoes, but couldn’t summon the image. Davie would always be an innocent, and even at six, Judd had been worldly and hardened far beyond his years.

  He rolled down the windows and slowed his vehicle to
a crawl, listening intently for the sound of a squeaky wheel or the rattle of cans. But he soon realized that he would not be able to hear anything over the sound of his engine. It would take longer to search on foot, but he didn’t see any other options.

  He parked at a curb in front of the veterinary clinic, then killed the engine and got out. He stood for a couple of minutes, eyeing the lay of the area and trying to see it through the eyes of a child.

  Where would I go…if I was sad…and I was scared…and I was six?

  He started walking, moving in and out of the patches of shade dappled along the sidewalk. Up ahead, a woman was on her knees, digging in a flower bed. Judd paused.

  “Ma’am, have you seen Davie Dandridge?”

  She leaned back and pushed her hat off her forehead.

  “Who?” she asked.

  “Davie Dandridge…the man who collects the aluminum cans?”

  “Oh, you mean that simple boy? No, not today.”

  Judd tipped his hat and hid a frown as he continued up the street. Simple. The word had rolled off the woman’s tongue without thought, rather callously describing someone who didn’t quite fit in this world. But as Judd walked, he realized it could be a good word, after all. There wasn’t really anything wrong with Davie. He wasn’t so different; his life was just simpler. He wondered if Davie’s mother had known there was something wrong with her baby—if that’s the reason she gave him away. Then he shrugged off the thought. There was no reason to feel sorry for Davie when he didn’t feel sorry for himself.

  He kept moving, stopping now and then to question people in their yards, and some who were walking down the streets. It wasn’t until he neared the junkyard at the south edge of town that he saw a narrow set of tracks on the shoulder of the road. Tracks from a little red wagon. Davie couldn’t be far.

  He walked until he came to the six-foot board fence surrounding the yard, then followed the wagon tracks east. A short distance away, he could see a large gap in the fence where several boards had been removed. He stopped and looked in. There, in the distance, he caught a glimpse of something red. He took off his Stetson, then slipped through the fence. When he was on the other side, he settled it firmly back on his head and stood, examining the lay of the land.

  It wasn’t a particularly safe place for a child to be, even if the child was over six feet tall. The rusting hulks of car bodies were stacked two, sometimes three high, and in other places, salvage had yet to be stripped down. He moved through the narrow alleyway, keeping his eye on the little red wagon and listening for the sound of voices. It wasn’t until he got a bit closer that he realized he could hear someone crying. He frowned. Damn Raymond Shuler’s sorry hide. He had scared the kid—scared him half to death.

  And then Judd saw him, sitting behind the wheel of a ‘57 Chevy, hunched over a broken steering wheel and staring intently through the opening where the windshield had been. He took a deep breath and started toward him.

  “Hey, mister, could you give me a ride?”

  The sound of Judd’s voice startled Davie. In the middle of a sob, he suddenly jumped, his eyes wide and tear-filled, his mouth slack with fright. He recognized the man. It was the man who’d given him his clock. And then he looked closer. The man was making a fist with his hand and was holding up his thumb. Davie suddenly smiled. He knew what that meant.

  “Yes. I can give you a ride,” Davie said. “Get into my car and I will drive you away.”

  Ignoring the layers of dirt and rust, Judd stepped across a thick patch of weeds and crawled into the passenger side of the seat.

  “Nice day for a drive, isn’t it?” Judd said.

  Davie nodded. “I’m running away,” he said, and shifted pretend gears—the gearshift had long disappeared.

  “Why?” Judd asked. “Won’t your aunt Judy be sad?”

  Davie’s faint smile crumpled. “I love Aunt Judy,” he mumbled, and then lay his head on the steering wheel and sobbed.

  Judd scooted across the seat and put his arms around Davie’s shoulders.

  “Then why are you running away from her?” Judd asked.

  “Not running away from her,” Davie said, sobbing. “That man scared me. I tried to tell him it was okay, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  At that moment, if Raymond Shuler had been anywhere in sight, Judd would have decked him. Damn him for what he’d done to this boy.

  “Well, your aunt Judy and I had a long talk with Mr. Shuler,” Judd said. “He’s sorry he yelled, and he won’t be scaring you anymore.”

  Davie’s sobs stopped as suddenly as they’d begun.

  “He’s not mad at me?”

  Judd ruffled Davie’s hair and smiled. “No, son, he’s not going to be mad at you, I promise.” Then he took a handkerchief out of his hip pocket and handed it to Davie. “Here, wipe your eyes and blow your nose and I’ll walk you back to the pharmacy.”

  Davie did as he was told, then crawled out of the car and held out his hand as he’d been taught, waiting to be led to safety.

  Judd grinned, but there was a lump in his throat as they began walking out of the junkyard. No wonder Judith Dandridge was so protective of this boy. He was far too trusting for the ugliness of this world.

  * * *

  Charlie had just taken her last drink of iced tea when she happened to look out the window of the café and breathed a quick sigh of relief. It was Judd and Davie, walking hand in hand down the sidewalk. She tossed some money on the table and grabbed her things, heading for the door. Outside, she could hear the faint squeak of that wheel and the rattle of cans as Davie pulled his little wagon behind him. She started toward them across the street.

  Suddenly, Judith burst out of the pharmacy.

  “Davie! Oh, Davie, I was so worried about you,” she cried, and pulled him into her embrace. “Where have you been? You know if you get scared, you’re supposed to come to me.”

  But Davie was beyond explanations. He was too happy to be where he belonged.

  Charlie bolted up on the sidewalk, her voice light with relief.

  “Judd! Where did you find him?”

  “Yes, where was he?” Judith asked.

  Judd hesitated, knowing that he was probably going to give away one of Davie’s secret places, but it was for the kid’s own good.

  “At the junkyard. He’d commandeered a ‘57 Chevy. In its day, I imagine it was a real hot ride. In spite of a few missing parts and no wheels, I think he thought he was getting the hell out of Dodge.’’

  Judith groaned. “Davie, darling, you know you aren’t supposed to be in that place. You could get hurt.’’

  A corner of Judd’s mouth turned up in a smile. “Yeah, and you’re going to have to talk to him about picking up hitchhikers, too. However, you don’t need to worry about his driving. He keeps his eyes on the road when he’s behind the wheel.’’

  Davie lifted his head and smiled at Judd.

  “I gave him a ride, Aunt Judy, and then he brought me home.’’

  Charlie inhaled sharply, then looked at Judd, as if seeing him for the very first time. Tears shattered her view of the world. She knew he was tough, and she knew he was strong, and she’d seen him burst into laughter quite often, especially at something Rachel had done. But imagining him in a rusted-out hulk of a car, letting Davie take them on a wild pretend ride? She’d had no idea, until this very moment, how truly gentle this big man must be.

  “Well, now,” Judith said softly. “That’s fine, just fine, Mr. Hanna, and I thank you…more than you will ever know.”

  Judd smiled and ran his hand over Davie’s head, smoothing down that thick shock of flyaway hair.

  “It’s just part of the job, ma’am,” he said, and then looked at Davie. “Besides, he’s a pretty interesting kid when you get to know him.”

  Judith suddenly clenched her jaw. She nodded briefly.

  “Yes, he is,” she said. “It’s just a shame that everyone can’t see that. Davie’s life would be so much easier.” Then she too
k Davie by the hand. “Come along, Davie. We’ll have our lunch now. Tell the deputy thank you for bringing you home.”

  “Thank you,” Davie parroted.

  “You’re welcome,” Judd said. “But remember what we talked about. No more running away, okay?”

  Davie nodded, more concerned with food than with remembering promises.

  Judd stood on the street, watching as the pair disappeared into the pharmacy. Now that the little drama was over, he felt out of sync and oddly bereft.

  “Judd?”

  He turned, nervously eyeing the tears in Charlie’s eyes, but when she slid her hand into his, the world settled.

  “I thought you were ticked off at me.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “I still may be. I haven’t decided. But that doesn’t keep me from being proud of you, too.”

  “Why?”

  “You gave Davie something today that I doubt he’s ever known before,” she said.

  “What?”

  “Dignity. When you’ve had it and then lost it, it’s a precious thing to get back.”

  Suddenly, Judd suspected that they were no longer talking about Davie, but about her, instead. He pictured her pregnant and unmarried, having to face down people who knew she’d been dumped. Before he thought, he opened his arms and pulled her close to his chest. Moments later, his voice was shaking as he let her go.

  “You’re a dangerous woman, Charlotte.”

  Still reeling from the embrace and unwilling to let him see how much he affected her, she steadied herself by suddenly clutching her purse to her chest.

  “I’m think you’ve been out in the Wyoming sun a little too long,” she said. “Dangerous is the last thing I’ll ever be.”

  But Judd shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. A woman can cry because of a man—because of what he did or didn’t do to her, as the case may be—but when she sheds tears for him, it’s a dangerous thing.”

  “Dangerous to whom?” Charlie asked.

  “To the man, darlin’, to the man. It’s then he knows she’s seen his weaknesses. After that, there’s no defense.”