“You think the guy who put Ricky in the hospital is still out there, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. For some reason the kid wants both the police and me to think it was a random attack. I think it was more personal than that. But with no witnesses and Ricky not cooperating, there’s no way to track the culprit down.”
“And the police haven’t had any luck finding Ricky’s family?”
His chest ached with fear for the kid and a whole shitload of frustration. “No. There’s no missing person’s report that fits his description. As far as the police can tell, no one is even looking for him. Their best guess is that he’s a runaway and probably had good reason to take to the streets. I talked to his caseworker, too. Mrs. Harkens said she’d exhausted all of her resources with no luck. If Ricky’s records are in the system, she can’t find them. I’d feel a hell of a lot better if we knew for sure what was going on, but we don’t even know if the name he gave us is real.”
Caitlyn squeezed his hand. “You’ve done a lot more for him than anyone else would have, Jack. He’s a smart kid. Once he calms down, he’ll remember that and call you.”
“God, I hope so.”
He kept driving. After a bit, Caitlyn asked, “Where are we headed?”
“The first day I met Ricky, I took a chance and followed the bus he took to see where it let him off. He doesn’t know I did that, but I was worried about him. Most kids living on the streets have a territory where they hang out most of the time. At least it’s a place to start.”
When they reached the corner where the bus had dropped Ricky off, Jack pulled over to the curb and parked. He needed to be out and moving, doing more than driving in circles. “Let’s get out and walk around for a little while.”
Once again, he took Caitlyn’s hand in his as they headed down the sidewalk. They paused at each corner to look up and down the streets. No sign of Ricky. Jack wished like hell he’d gotten a better look at the other kids that first day, but wishing didn’t change the fact that he knew nothing about any of Ricky’s friends. He wasn’t sure he’d recognize any of them even if they did cross paths.
Their failure made him want to punch something. “Damn, this isn’t getting us anywhere. We might as well turn back.”
Caitlyn tugged him around the corner into a narrow alley that ran between a couple of small stores. “Let’s go this way and then circle back.”
They’d gone only a short distance down the vacant alley when Jack’s cellphone rang. One glance at the screen unknotted a little of the fear lodged in his chest. He wrapped his arm around Caitlyn’s shoulders and pulled her close. “It’s him.”
Then he slid his thumb across the screen to answer the call. “Ricky, tell me you’re okay and then tell me where you are.”
While he listened to what the kid had to say, Jack offered Caitlyn a reassuring smile. “Hang tight. I’m coming. Just so you know, Caitlyn is with me, so order enough for three. Do you have enough cash with you?”
He waited for Ricky to answer and then said, “Okay, we’ll be there inside of fifteen minutes.”
The boy had one more thing to say, which made Jack happier. “Yeah, I’ll tell her.”
It was tempting to keep Ricky on the line until they reached him, but Jack disconnected the call anyway. This was going to be a show of trust on both sides. For his part, he’d make good on his own promise to meet Ricky at the fish-and-chips place where they’d eaten that first day. The kid would either be there or he wouldn’t, but Jack’s gut feeling was that the boy would be waiting at a picnic table with three orders of fish.
“Where is he?”
“That same day that I followed his bus, I took him to a fish-and-chips place down by the water. He’s waiting for us there. By the way, he said he was sorry for taking off on you.”
Her eyes were shining a bit too brightly. He hated that this situation had upset her so badly. “Aw, honey, don’t cry.”
When words didn’t work, he did the only thing he could think of to distract her, something he’d wanted to do since the day they’d first met.
He kissed her.
It started off slowly, an offer of comfort, something they both badly needed. Caitlyn’s lips were every bit as soft as he’d always suspected, every bit as sweet as he’d hoped. When her hands swept up his chest to settle on his shoulders, he wrapped her in his arms tightly enough to let her know that holding her close mattered.
She immediately leaned in closer so that there wasn’t room for even a breath of air between them, only a shimmer of heat that would soon reach critical mass. He lifted her and carried her the few steps to the side of the building and pressed her back against the smooth surface of the bricks. He was breathing hard and wishing like hell they were somewhere a lot more private than this alley.
“Damn, woman, you taste like temptation.”
Caitlyn smiled, clearly pleased with his assessment. She cupped his face with her hands and pulled him down for another kiss. This time there wasn’t anything sweet about it. It was all tongues and teasing, not to mention torment, because they couldn’t take it any further. Not in this public place and not with Ricky waiting for them.
She knew it, too, because she was already slowing things down. The heat in her eyes dimmed and then faded away. “We need to go find Ricky.”
“Yeah, we do.”
He brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “But for the record, I don’t regret this.”
Her answering smile was all he could have hoped for. “Me, either.”
He prayed that was true and would stay that way. At least she didn’t protest when he put his arm around her shoulders on their way back to her car.
As he drove the short distance to the beach, she said, “I know you’re relieved he called, but you can’t be happy about how he acted. It would help me to know how best to support you in this if I knew what your plan was.”
His laugh wasn’t a happy one. “It would help me, too, if I actually had a plan. I hate to admit it, but I’m pretty much flying by the seat of my pants here. It’s not like I’ve ever raised a kid before.”
Caitlyn gave him a hard look. “Don’t shortchange yourself, Jack. Children don’t come with an owner’s manual, and I suspect most parents are winging it most of the time.”
“We’re almost there. Any words of wisdom you’d care to share after your years of working with kids?”
They rode in silence for a short time. He liked that she was giving the matter some serious thought before offering her opinion. Finally, she said, “I’d say that you should be very clear that you are holding him responsible for what he did. Remind him that his actions caused a lot of worry for you, me, and most likely your mother if she’s seen the note I left her. His taking off like this pulled you off the job and also forced me to cancel my next appointment.”
Great. He’d been so focused on Ricky that it hadn’t even occurred to him that she might have other obligations. “Is that going to cause you any problems?”
“No, I already called and rescheduled for tomorrow.”
That was a relief. “Anything else?”
“I know it’s tempting to yell at him, but I wouldn’t. Instead, let him see that even though you’re upset and disappointed in him, you’re still calm and in control of your actions. From what you suspect about his background, that might make more of an impression on him. You want him to toe the line but without fearing for his life.”
Jack poked and prodded that idea and finally decided that it sounded right. “Good thinking.”
Suddenly, Caitlyn pointed toward the beach. “There he is! He’s just sitting down at that farthest table.”
Jack parked the car, and the two of them headed straight for one guilty-looking teenage boy.
Chapter 10
Ricky chose a picnic table that was some distance from the others in the area. If he was going to get his ass kicked for running off and then not answering the phone when Jack called, he’d rather have a little privacy. He s
at on the side that let him watch the parking lot while he sipped his iced tea. It didn’t do much to soothe his dry throat, which felt as if he’d been chewing on cotton balls.
Making that call to Jack had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He’d been half convinced the man wouldn’t answer and almost as afraid that he would. Ricky still couldn’t believe that not only had Jack answered after just one ring but that his first words made it sound like he was more worried than mad. Ricky wasn’t sure what to make of that. He was also surprised that Caitlyn was with Jack.
Well, maybe not. There was something going on between those two even though they tried to hide it around him. It was no big deal. It wasn’t as if Ricky had any special claim on Caitlyn. She was his teacher, that’s all.
Even so, while he hadn’t liked it much Saturday when the two of them were eyeing each other, he’d gotten over it. Well, sort of. He wasn’t used to having three different adults all looking out for him, and he didn’t like sharing the attention even if it was stupid to feel that way.
What was taking them so long? The fish-and-chips place wasn’t all that far from Jack’s house. Then he realized they were already there and headed straight for him. He’d been watching for the truck or the SUV. They must have come in Caitlyn’s sedan.
Bracing himself for the worst, he stood up. Jack came around to his side of the table and put his heavy hand on Ricky’s shoulder. “Sit and eat. I hate cold fries. We’ll talk afterward.”
Caitlyn sat down across from them both. “Thanks for the fish-and-chips, Ricky.”
That cotton was clogging up his throat again, so Ricky settled for bobbing his head as he sank back down on the bench. Jack’s broad shoulders took up most of the available space, but Ricky didn’t feel crowded. Not much, anyway.
All three of them dug into the fish and fries. Ricky supposed they tasted good, but he couldn’t have said one way or the other. He was pretty sure Jack would’ve let him know if there was a problem with them. The man wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions.
Finally, they finished up the last of their food. Jack gathered up all their trash and shoved it back in the paper bags it had come in. He set them in front of Ricky. “Get rid of it. We’ll be waiting right here when you get back.”
The trash cans weren’t nearly far enough away for Ricky’s comfort, and all too quickly he was right back beside Jack and waiting for the yelling to begin.
“Start by telling me what you did wrong, Ricky.”
What the heck? Jack’s order was quietly spoken and not the full roar Ricky had been expecting. Not only that, the man sat there looking as if he had all the time in the world to wait for Ricky to answer.
So he did. “I took off without letting Caitlyn know where I was going or leaving your mom a note. I didn’t call you, and I didn’t answer when you phoned me.”
Jack leaned forward with his arms crossed on the table and looked down over his shoulder at Ricky. “That about sums it up. Now, was there anything you did that was right?”
Wow, he wasn’t expecting that question. Where was Jack going with this? When Caitlyn gave Ricky an encouraging nod, he decided he should try to come up with some kind of answer. “When I cooled off, I called you back.”
Jack nodded. “And what else?”
“Seriously, I have no idea.”
“You came here, a public place where you’d be safe until I got here.” Jack leaned in close to bump Ricky’s shoulder with his. “That was good thinking.”
As much as he’d like to take credit for being that smart, he couldn’t. “To be honest, I don’t think that even crossed my mind.”
Caitlyn joined the conversation. “Maybe not on a conscious level, but you did head for a place that was familiar to both of you.”
Maybe. For sure this wasn’t playing out the way he’d thought it would. Neither of them was acting all that upset about what he’d done. Maybe he’d been wrong, and they didn’t care. No, that didn’t feel right. If they weren’t concerned about him, they wouldn’t have come running the minute he called.
Caitlyn stood up. “I think you two have a few things to discuss and don’t really need an audience. I’m going to go do some work on my laptop in the car, so I’ll be fine. No need to rush on my account.”
Jack abandoned his seat next to Ricky to walk around to where Caitlyn stood. He kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll be along presently.”
Ricky was conscious of the fact that both he and Jack silently watched her walk away until she disappeared into the parking lot. He figured Jack did so partly because she was a babe, but mostly because he was waiting until she was out of hearing before he ripped into Ricky big-time.
After taking the spot where Caitlyn had been sitting, Jack’s next words proved Ricky right. The man was out for blood. “Okay, punk, we both know you screwed up big-time even if you did manage to do a couple of things right afterward. I relayed your message to Caitlyn that you were sorry for taking off on her. While she accepted your apology, you should know that she had to cancel her next lesson because of you. That took time away from another kid who is depending on her to help him get caught up with his schoolwork. That’s strike one.”
The growing undercurrent of anger in Jack’s voice was clear as he kept right on talking. “Your actions also pulled me off the job, so now I’ll have to spend two days doing a one-day job. That means I’m going to have to call a second client to tell them that I’ll be late getting to their house tomorrow. With a small business like mine, a reputation for reliability is what keeps customers coming back. I can’t afford to get bad reviews if I want to keep food on the table. That’s strike two.”
Jack leaned forward, his arms crossed on the tabletop. “All of that was bad enough, Ricky, but do you know what strike three is?”
Ricky’s face burned hot with embarrassment, and he couldn’t have spoken if he’d wanted to. He was just glad that Caitlyn wasn’t sitting there listening to all of this. Meanwhile, Jack kept right on talking as he stared across at Ricky, his face rock hard and not a little scary.
“You didn’t answer that fucking phone. Strike three, you’re out.”
Ricky’s heart stuttered and then pounded in his chest as if he’d been running a race—one he’d just lost. He should have known staying with Jack and Marlene wouldn’t last. Where could he go now? There was nothing to say even if he could’ve forced the words out. He lurched to his feet and started to leave.
Jack’s hand shot out and caught him before he’d gone two steps. “Where the hell do you think you’re going? We’re not done here.”
Okay, he wasn’t going to sit there and let Jack rag at him any longer. If he wanted him gone, fine. He’d be gone. But when he struggled to jerk his arm free, Jack held on. Ricky flinched at the touch, feeling helpless and fighting back the fear. “Let go! You said I was out, so I’m going.”
Jack kept his grip on Ricky’s arm just long enough to stand up and block his way. “Oh hell, kid, that’s not what I meant. I might be pissed off, but that doesn’t mean I’d kick you out. That’s not how this works.”
A ripple of shock ran straight through Ricky’s chest. “It isn’t?”
“No, it isn’t. Now sit back down.” Jack ran his fingers through his hair. “Please.”
When Ricky dropped back down on the seat, Jack did the same. “I get that something Caitlyn said set you off, and you lost your temper. She feels bad about that, but that’s not why I’m upset with you. I might not be happy that you charged off without any regard to how your actions would affect other people, but we all screw up sometimes. Even me.”
Once again Jack leaned forward, somehow managing to crowd Ricky despite having the width of the table between them. “Here’s where you went off the rails, kid. The deal was that you’d answer the phone whenever I called. No exceptions. But the first time it really mattered, you didn’t.”
He was right, and Ricky had known that was a major mistake when he did it. He hung his head. “Sorr
y.”
“I need to know that I can trust you, Ricky. That when you give your word, you mean it. Got that?”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“In the future, when one of us calls you, you will answer, even if you’re mad. If you can’t talk for some reason, you will text us back immediately. I want your word on that. Before you answer, understand this much. A man is only as good as his word. The people around him have to know they can depend on him, whether it’s on the job, out on patrol, or with your friends and family. If you haven’t learned that yet, then learn it now.”
Then he stuck his hand out, clearly expecting Ricky to shake it. After a second, he did. “Fine. I’ll answer or text.”
Jack looked much happier as he sat back. “Okay, this is what is going to happen next. You will apologize to Caitlyn yourself when we leave here. You will wash her car to make it up to her. When we get home, you will also apologize to my mother. Then you’ll wash her car, too.”
Ricky lifted his broken arm and gave it a pointed look, but Jack didn’t say a word. Instead, he just stared at Ricky until he finally gave in and nodded. “Got it.”
“You don’t have to wash the truck or my SUV, but you will clean the annex top to bottom.”
Okay, this was starting to suck, but at least he wasn’t going to be sleeping in an alley on a piece of cardboard. “Are we done here?”
“Yeah, we are.”
They had gone a few steps when Jack suddenly spun back around to face him. “No, actually, there’s one more thing, kid.”
“What?”
Jack’s hand came down on Ricky’s shoulder. Once again, he couldn’t help but flinch even though it didn’t hurt. “I want to give you my word on something, kid. I promise I will never use my strength against you, not to hurt you, no matter how pissed I am at the time. That’s because I was on the receiving end of that same kind of shit myself when I was a kid. Back there at the table, when you were about to walk away, I was just trying to stop you. That’s all.”
Always for You: Jack (Sergeant Joe's Boys #1) Page 11
