by Lois Kay
“I’ll let you know,” Trishia promised. “Now, go with Gary, get yourself checked out and I’ll call Jody. Okay? I’ll see you tonight.”
“That’s fine, honey,” Joan responded. ” Oh, and Trishia? Please feed the poor thing; I know she’s hungry.”
Chapter 3
Jody lazily stretched and shamelessly yawned. Her jaws clamped shut when the phone rang for the second time in an hour, and she quickly grabbed the ringing device from the table next to her. The display showed a picture of Trishia’s laughing face.
“Hi, Trish.”
“Hey, Jody. Listen, don’t freak out, everything is okay, but your mom has a bump on her head and is at the hospital right now. She’s fine.”
“What? What happened?”
“A couple of punks tried to steal her purse when she was leaving work. They hit her on the head, but ran off when they were interrupted.” Trishia paused. “Jody, breathe. She’s fine. I promise.”
Jody rubbed her forehead and let out a shuddering breath. “Okay. I believe you. Mostly,” she added with a nervous chuckle. “I just need to see for myself.”
“Of course, you do.” Trishia’s voice was warm and gentle.
“Did they…do they know who did this?”
“Not yet. We’ve requested footage from the security cameras. Hopefully, they’ll be able to show us a clear picture.”
“I’ll call Fiona and tell her to hang out with Yarra, so Sam and I can go pick up Mom. Which hospital is she at?”
“Gold Coast University.”
“Thanks for calling, Trish. I’ll see you and Luce later.”
Jody pushed back the hair that threatened to fall into her eyes and all traces of sleep were gone. She cast a look at the dog, who was sitting next to her, his alert brown eyes were staring at her, and he was clearly aware of her distress.
“It’s okay, boy,” she soothed him, trying to calm her racing heart. “Somebody tried to mug my mom, but she is all right. We’ll have to go and pick her up. Where the heck is Sam?”
In answer to her question, Kurt jumped up and looked at the driveway. Jody could not see a car approaching, nor could she hear anything except for the wind rustling through the trees and the sound of a whip-bird. But she had come to know their dog and knew he was aware that somebody was approaching, long before she or Sam did. The fact that he was not barking told her it was Sam who was coming up the hill and she quickly ran inside to change into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
*
“Honey, please try to relax,” Sam urged, she reached out to cover Jody’s fidgeting fingers. “We’ll be at the hospital soon, and you need to support your mom, not drive her up the wall.”
Jody sighed and entwined her fingers with Sam’s. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. Even though Trishia had assured her that her mother was alright and the injury didn’t seem to be serious, Jody needed to see that for herself, before she could relax.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “But Mom has gone through so much already this past year. It’s about time she got a break, don’t you think?”
Sam nodded. “I totally agree. But don’t forget your mom is a spunky lady. She has been through worse.”
“Yes, she has,” Jody answered. She remembered the courage Joan had displayed when she decided to file a complaint against her husband for domestic violence.
When David McDonnell had been summoned to make an appearance at the police station, all hell had broken lose. He had shouted and accused his wife of turning their children away from him. It had taken three police officers to keep the big man in his chair. Trishia, who had been present, had finally lost her patience and had walked up to the red-faced man. She had stood in front of him looking him straight into his eyes. In no uncertain terms, she had told him that if he did not stop shouting and insulting his wife, she would haul his ass to the lockup and leave him there, until her ears had stopped ringing from the abuse.
David had closed his mouth but had stared at her with angry eyes. They immediately, profoundly disliked each other. And the fact that Trishia was a woman filled David McDonnell with even more contempt, which had been clearly visible on his still red and puffy face.
During the ordeal, Jody and Lucy had been flanking their mother, offering the shaking woman all the support they could give her. And when it was finally over, and they could leave, Joan McDonnell had turned around at the door, looking at her husband with a hurt, but determined look.
“Oh, and David? I will file for a divorce.”
Jody’s mouth had fallen open, while Lucy had tried to hide a smirk.
” Woohoo, way to go, Mom,” she had whispered. “That just blew him away completely.”
Jody smiled when she remembered the look on her mother’s face that day. She was scared but determined. Nervous, but confident. She had been so proud of her. Once they had left the police station, Joan had broken down, shaking and crying uncontrollably. But even in between sobs, she had managed to reassure her daughters that she had thought a lot about divorcing their father and she would go through with it. She and Fiona had moved into Jody’s old apartment, and as soon as the obligatory twelve months of separation had passed, she would officially file for divorce.
After the separation, Fiona had decided to live with her mother. David had insisted he’d see her at least one day a week. It was an agreement Fiona had been reluctant to agree with. But at least it gave her some time to visit with her youngest brother, Michael, who had stayed with his father. It wasn’t a situation anyone was happy with, bit for a few months it did work out. Until one day, Fiona confronted her father with her anger about him disowning Jody. After he had made a few rude comments about Jody and Sam’s relationship, Fiona had become furious. She had told him that if she had to take sides, he would always lose because she would not accept her sister to be treated with anything else but respect. And if he did not recognize true love when it was shoved into his face, he should seriously wonder if he had ever understood the message in his precious Bible. The result of that outburst was that David McDonnell had dropped Fiona off at her new home after spending only two hours together. Ever since that day, she had refused to see her father, and Joan had not forced her.
Sam glanced aside and squeezed the hand underneath hers. “You’re awfully quiet,” she said. “Where did you just go?”
“I was thinking about Mom,” Jody answered. “She’s the strongest person I know.”
Sam nodded. “And I’m so grateful that you are just like her. Strong, kind, smart, compassionate, with a heart so big, the whole world could fit in.”
Jody chuckled. “You sound a little biased, love. You’re right about Mom, but I don’t think I fit all those categories.”
“I dare to disagree,” Sam objected. “But that’s okay, as long as I know it’s true.”
Jody laughed and lovingly squeezed Sam’s thigh, resting her hand on her leg and tracing patterns on the cotton covered skin.
“If you’re trying to distract me, you’re doing a good job,” Sam mumbled.
Jody chuckled. “It still amazes me how responsive you are.”
Sam laughed. “I know someone who beats me, hands down, in that department.”
Jody grinned and grabbed Sam’s hand. She lifted it and pressed a kiss against the warm skin. “You do make a point. I guess I do beat you in that department, but only barely.” She kissed Sam’s hand again, before returning it to its original place. “I love you.”
“As I do you, Jody McDonnell Stevens,” Sam said with a smile.
“It still boggles my mind that, according to Dutch law, I am your legally wedded wife,” Jody said. She looked at the ring Sam had slipped on her finger during the wedding ceremony. It was platinum with a single, small diamond. It was simple but classy, and Jody loved it. “I wish that were true for every country.”
“That would be incredible,” Sam agreed. “But I’m afraid there’s still a long, long way to go before that happens. If it ever happens.”
“Well, one can always hope,” Jody said, while Sam steered the car into a parking spot in front of the hospital. They looked at each other and smiled. Jody felt Sam’s love settle around her like a warm blanket.” I want to kiss you,” she whispered.
“I would never say ‘no’ to that, Mrs. Stevens,” Sam answered. Her blue eyes were twinkling. She leaned toward Jody and captured her lips in a warm, slow and tender kiss, immediately feeling a pair of strong hands on her shoulders, urging her closer.
A loud knock on the window almost made them jump and quickly they broke apart.
“What the —,” Jody started, slightly dazed and when she saw who had been interrupting their private moment, she sighed in resignation. “I should have known.” She chuckled, unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. “Hey, Freckles,” she greeted her sister. “I guess Trish called you as well, huh?”
“Of course, she did,” Lucy McDonnell answered, giving Jody a quick kiss on the cheek. “She probably knew that the two of you would end up making out in a public place, getting arrested in the process and forgetting all about Mom.”
Sam grinned and patted her sister-in-law on the back. “Do they have medication for that yet?” she asked, feigning innocence.
Lucy took the bait. “For what?”
“The lack of filters between brain and mouth?”
Lucy let out a soft snort, and Jody laughed. “It’s only because you’re my sister’s wife. Otherwise, I’d sic Trish on you.”
“If you two are done with your declaration of love, I’d like to go in and see Mom,” Jody stated, heading for the entrance.
Lucy and Sam exchanged amused looks and followed Jody into the hospital. It didn’t take them long to locate Joan. A friendly and helpful nurse showed them the room she was in, telling them it was alright to go in and stay with her.
“Mom,” Jody greeted Joan. She carefully wrapped her arms around the slender frame, cautious not to hurt her.
“Hi, honey.” Joan smiled, pulling Jody in a hug. “It’s good to see you girls.”
“What happened, Mom?” Lucy asked, seating herself next to her mother and grabbing her hand.
“I think the term is ‘mugged,’” Joan explained wryly. “I was assaulted in the parking garage.”
“Damn,” Sam cursed under her breath, her blue eyes darkened with anger. “Are you hurt badly, Joan?” The concern in her voice was evident.
“I have a bump on the head and a bruise on my cheek. I guess I was lucky,” Joan answered, not wanting her daughters to know she had a terrible headache. “And I still have my purse,” she added with a smile.
“What happened?” Jody asked. She was not fooled by her mother’s cheerful attitude. Joan’s face was pale and drawn, and by the way she squinted her eyes, Jody could tell her head was hurting.
“I didn’t see much,” Joan said. “All I know is that I walked into the parking garage and just before I got to the car, somebody hit me in the head. I fell and tried not to pass out. Someone was tugging my purse, while somebody else pushed my face against the floor. But suddenly they let go. I can’t really recall what happened because I was still face down, but my attackers ran off. The next thing I know was this girl sitting next to me, but she was yanked away by a man, who thought she was the one who had attacked me. I guess she panicked, got herself free from his grip and dived under a car to hide.”
“Whoa.” Lucy shook her head. “Run that by me again, Mom. The girl who attacked you was captured? That’s great.”
“No, honey.” Joan’s voice was soft, and she sounded tired. “That girl chased the others away.”
“Then why did she hide under a car?” Lucy asked with a puzzled look.
“Like I said, I didn’t see it happen, but the man who came running in and called the police thought she had attacked me. So, he grabbed her, but —.” Joan briefly closed her eyes. Even in her foggy state of mind, she had noticed the sheer panic in Alice’s eyes when the man had taken hold of her. “He scared her. At that moment, even I could tell she was frightened.”
“But you didn’t see your attackers,” Sam said. “How can you be sure this girl was not involved, Joan?”
“Because I….know her,” Joan explained softly, seeing her daughters’ eyes widen, “I think she’s homeless and during the last few days I’ve given her some food.”
“Well, being a street kid —,” Lucy started, but she was interrupted by Jody.
“Please, Luce, don’t. Don’t judge.” Jody turned back to her mother and took both her hands in her own. “You fed her?” she asked with a warm smile. “Mom, you are such a sweetheart.”
“There’s something about that child, Jody,” Joan mused. “I can’t explain it, but from the first moment I saw her I wanted to gain her trust, so maybe I could help her, in some way. She looks so lost,” she ended with a whisper.
“Where is she now?” Sam asked, still trying to wrap her mind around Joan’s story.
“Trishia and Peter took her to the police station. I have no idea what will happen to her now.”
*
“Alright, Alice.” Peter sighed for the umpteenth time. “I really would like to know your last name. That would make things so much easier, for both of us.”
Alice was sitting in a chair across from his desk and continued to stare at her worn-down sneakers. Ever since Peter and Trishia had taken her with them, she had given them the silent treatment. Even the sandwich and glass of milk Trishia had set in front of her had not been able to relax her.
Peter rolled his eyes and spared a moment thinking of his own children. He had six-month-old twins, and he could only hope that they would never be confronted with the problems this young teenager must have faced.
“Listen, Alice.” His voice softened. “Let’s forget about your last name for now, okay? You probably have an excellent reason for not liking me and not wanting to talk to me, but I am a police officer, and I must stick to laws and rules. You were at the scene of a crime, and I believe Mrs. McDonnell when she says you helped her. That was a courageous and unselfish thing to do. But because a crime was committed, I need to write a report on that. And I can only write that when you tell me what happened.” Peter looked at the girl, and even though her eyes were cast down and her long hair was obscuring her face, he could see the conflicting emotions warring beneath the surface. A quick glance at his partner showed him that Trishia was listening to their every word and she gave him an encouraging nod. Finally, after a long silence, Alice lifted her head and looked at him. The look in her eyes was that of a trapped animal, and Peter Jones realized he had to tread very carefully.
“I was in the park,” Alice started, her voice was barely audible. “The lady had given me some food and was walking to her car, down in the garage. I saw a guy, and a girl followed her in and knew they were up to no good, so I went after them. They had knocked the lady to the ground and were trying to steal her purse.” Alice paused for a second and shrugged. “There was no one around, so I jumped them,” she said matter-of-factly. “The bloke fell and hit his head against a car. Then I wacked the girl, and she was bleeding. When he got back up again, I think he wanted to punch me, but the big guy came in, and they ran away. That’s all.”
“What happened after they ran?” Peter asked.
“Nothing,” Alice whispered, hiding her face behind her hair again, but both Peter and Trishia saw the girl shiver.
“The man who grabbed you, what did he do?”
“I guess he thought I did it,” Alice answered, her voice soft and emotionless. “But he was wrong.”
“Yes, he was,” Peter agreed.
“So, can I go now?” Alice suddenly asked. Her voice was tense.
Trishia who had been observing the girl had anticipated that question. She had dealt with more homeless children and runaways than she could remember, but deep down inside she had to agree with Joan: there was something different about Alice.
“How old are you, Alice?” she asked, l
eaning her hip against Peter’s desk and sipping her coffee.
Immediately the hooded expression was back in the girl’s eyes, and she shot Trishia an angry look. “I told you, I’m eighteen.”
Trishia nodded and took another sip of coffee. “Yeah, that’s what you said, but we both know that’s not true.” She decided to change tactics. “Where can we contact you when we need to ask you some more questions?”
“I thought you were done,” Alice said.
“Sure, for now,” Trishia drawled. “But you never know what will pop up next. Besides, if we find those two who attacked Mrs. McDonnell, we would like you to identify them.”
Alice bit her lip, and even though she did not immediately respond, Trishia could see the anger and frustration radiating from the young girl. Inwardly she sighed. She felt sorry for Alice, and it was obvious that she was incredibly tense and scared. Trishia didn’t want to make the girl feel threatened, but Peter and she had to do their job. Besides, it was clear the girl was anything but eighteen and that made them responsible for handing her over to a social worker, even though Trishia knew from experience that the girl would possibly run away again at the first chance she got. She rubbed her face, realizing she was bone tired, really wanted to go home, have a nice, long shower and rinse away the sticky heat of the day. She decided to grab the proverbial bull by its horns. “You know we can’t just let you go, Alice,” she said softly. “You’re a minor.”
“I did nothing wrong,” Alice responded with a raised voice. When she looked at Trishia, her eyes were blazing with anger, but she only met understanding in the police officer’s eyes. “You can’t lock me up.”
“We’re not going to lock you up,” Trishia answered. “But you are too young to be on the streets on your own. We need to contact a social worker and have them find a place for you to stay. Unless you tell us your last name and we can contact your family.”
