To Save Her Child

by Margaret Daley

  “You stopped him, though, with quick and calm thinking. Why don’t you tell me everything from when you arrived at the house?”

  Ella peered toward the hallway, then started from the beginning, but the whole time her thoughts dwelled on Robbie and Josiah in the bathroom.

  * * *

  Robbie sat on the edge of the bathtub while Josiah leaned against the counter across from him, wincing when he moved the wrong way and a stab of pain pierced his chest. The boy stared at the tile floor, his hands gripping the tub edge so tightly his fingertips were red.

  “I watched the police take Foster away. He can’t hurt you, partner.”

  Ella’s son didn’t look up or say a word.

  Not sure exactly how to comfort the child, Josiah cleared his throat. He’d had little interaction with kids in the past. He plowed his fingers through his hair, trying to think of something to say that would help Robbie.

  “You and your mom are safe now.”

  The boy lifted his head, his eyes shiny with unshed tears.

  “I promise.”

  “He...he was in my...house.” Robbie shuddered.

  Josiah squatted in front of the child. “He isn’t now and won’t be in the future. He’ll go to prison for a long time.”

  “He scared Mom.”

  “I know, but she’s all right. You saw her.”

  “He scared Mom like my...” Robbie’s eyes widened, and he clamped his hand over his mouth.

  Dad? Given what Ella had told him about her ex-husband, Robbie had probably been schooled not to say a word about his past. “But you two are all right now. That’s what is important.”

  “But I was so scared. I was a crybaby. I need to be big and strong for Mom.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid. Fear is an emotion we have to help us deal with certain situations. I’ve known people who were fearless, and they ended up hurting themselves and others. Fear makes us consider all possible answers to a problem, then hopefully we pick the best solution rather than just reacting.”

  “Have you ever been afraid?”

  “Yes. I was today. I didn’t want Foster to hurt you or your mom.”

  Robbie straightened. “He’s a bad man.”

  “He’s done some bad things, and he will pay for that. There are consequences to our actions.”

  “Like when me and my friends left camp when we weren’t supposed to?”

  Josiah nodded. “Are you ready to go see your mom now? She’s worried about you.”

  “Yes.”

  Josiah put his hand on the edge of the counter and struggled to his feet. The sharp pain sliced through his chest. He needed to go to the hospital.

  But at least he’d reassured Robbie that he was safe.

  TEN

  “Mom, is Josiah gonna hafta stay in the hospital tonight?” Robbie looked up from the paper he was drawing on in the waiting room of the emergency room.

  “I don’t know. We should hear something soon.” Ella’s gaze strayed to the entrance, as it had so often done in the past hour since Josiah had been taken to see a doctor. The minutes since then had passed agonizingly slowly. He was hurt because of her. She knew how painful a broken or even cracked rib could be.

  “How come Alex isn’t here?”

  “Josiah made me promise not to call her, but if he’s admitted, I will.”

  “You can’t break a promise to him.”

  “Okay, you’re right. I’ll make sure he calls his sister. She needs to know if he’s in the hospital.”

  “And Buddy.”

  She smiled. “Yeah, Buddy, too.”

  Robbie went back to making a picture for Josiah while she kept looking toward the doorway. Worry twisted her stomach into knots.

  Ten minutes later, Josiah appeared in the doorway, looking worn out but relieved. One corner of his mouth lifted. “Ready to get out of here?”

  Robbie jumped to his feet, grabbed his work of art and rushed to Josiah. “I made you a picture.”

  While he looked at the drawing, she bridged the distance between them. “He’s been working the past half hour on it.”

  He tousled her son’s hair. “You never told me you could draw like this. Buddy is going to love this.”

  “I was afraid you’d hafta stay here and you wouldn’t get to see Buddy.”

  “Let me see.” Ella stepped next to Josiah. “He wouldn’t show me while he was working.”

  Josiah held a picture of him with Buddy sitting beside him.

  “I still have to put in a few more trees. It’s a drawing of you at Kincaid Park.”

  “Tell you what. I’ll loan it to you to finish, but I want it back when you’re through.” Josiah’s voice grew huskier as he spoke. “No one has ever made me a gift like that.” He swallowed hard. “Let’s go. I hate hospitals.”

  “Me, too.” Robbie took Josiah’s hand. “I had to visit Mom in the hospital once, and it scared me.”

  On the other side of Josiah, Ella leaned forward. “Robbie, they fixed me up. Just like they did Josiah. You love visiting Bree at the clinic. Hospitals are just bigger clinics.”

  Outside Ella stopped. “You two stay here. I’ll bring your truck around.”

  “I can walk—”

  She narrowed her gaze on him, halting Josiah’s words. “Let me take care of you for once. Keys, please.” She held out her palm flat.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He tossed her the keys to the F-150. “Just remember a man and his truck have a special bond.”

  She laughed as she left Josiah and Robbie at the entrance to the emergency room. With the capture of Foster, she felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. No more hiding. No more watching over her shoulder.

  Twenty minutes later, she drove the truck into the garage at Josiah’s estate. She glanced over at him, the side of his head resting against the passenger window, his eyelids half-closed. “Home sweet home.”

  “Buddy’s probably worried. I’ll let him know you’re okay.” Robbie climbed from the backseat and headed for the door into the house.

  “Josiah, do you need me to help you inside?”

  He perked up. “No, I can make it on my own. They gave me something for the pain, and I believe it’s starting to take effect.”

  “Good. You need rest.”

  “Will you do me a favor?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Don’t go home until tomorrow. I think it would be a good thing if Robbie had Buddy with him when he goes back home for the first time after Foster was caught.”

  “Sure. It’s late anyway, and per your request I didn’t tell Alex about your being hurt. Before we go inside, tell me what the doctor said about your injuries.”

  “A couple of bruised ribs and a knot on my head. Time will take care of everything. I’ll be fine soon.”

  “Yeah, you’re one tough guy. It’s okay to admit it hurts.”

  “Was Keith the reason you were in the hospital?”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. Today is about you and your injuries. Not mine. I’m not going to talk about my past right now.”

  “I respect that.” Josiah glanced toward the house. “I think your son is waiting for us to come in.”

  Sitting next to Robbie, Buddy barked.

  “I think your dog needs to make sure you’re all right.” Ella opened the driver’s door, hopped down and started to round the hood to help Josiah whether he wanted it or not. She owed him so much.

  But he eased out of the cab before she could get to him, a grimace on his face.

  “I think I remember someone I know telling me it’s okay to accept help.” Ella closed the space between them.

  “I’m putting up a brave front for Robbie and Buddy.”

  “
Sure.” She walked next to Josiah and watched as he put on a brave front—no doubt for Robbie. She’d done that herself in the past.

  At the door, Robbie stepped to the side to let them into the house. “Buddy missed me badly. So did Sadie.”

  “Let’s go upstairs. You need to rest,” Ella said to Josiah, proceeding through the kitchen toward the foyer. “Now that you’re home, can I tell Alex, Linda and Harry what happened to you?”

  “Yes, I can’t hide much from Alex. The twin thing.”

  “Is there really something to that?”

  “Yup, at least with me and Alex there is.”

  Robbie and Buddy followed behind them to the second floor.

  At his bedroom door, Josiah turned toward them. “I’m okay. I’m going to bed. I don’t need a nurse.”

  Ella frowned. He didn’t see his face each time a certain movement caused him pain.

  Josiah’s eyes softened. “I’ll be fine. Promise.” He opened his door and started inside.

  “Wait,” Robbie said. “You need Buddy tonight. I don’t. Foster has been caught.” Robbie waved his hand toward the room. “Go, Buddy.”

  When Buddy didn’t follow the command, Josiah ruffled Robbie’s hair. “Thanks.” Then to his German shepherd, he said, “Come.”

  When the bedroom door shut, Ella placed her hand on her son’s shoulder. “That must have been hard for you.”

  “Yup, but Buddy is his dog.” He stood up taller. “I’m fine. Josiah isn’t.”

  “It’s past your bedtime. You need to get your sleep, too. Tomorrow we go back home and get our normal lives back.”

  “But I don’t want to leave.”

  “You’ll get your own dog soon and be busy taking care of him.”

  Robbie’s face brightened. “And training him. When can I go get him?”

  “Maybe sometime next week. I’ll be in to say good-night in a few moments.”

  Ella slipped inside her bedroom and sank onto the bed, the day’s events flooding her mind finally. She’d managed to hold them at bay while talking to the police and making sure Josiah was all right, but now the implications of what had occurred earlier deluged her. Her body shook. She hugged herself trying to control the tremors rocking her, but it didn’t stop them.

  Today could have ended so badly.

  Thank You, Lord. Without You, I couldn’t have done half the things I’ve had to do these past four years.

  * * *

  While watching Robbie play with Buddy and Sadie in the backyard, Ella sipped her coffee on Josiah and Alex’s deck. Earlier she’d called David and let him know she was returning to work the next day. He’d already heard from Thomas about what had happened at her house. She was glad she didn’t have to go into details. She just wanted to put Foster behind her and move on. Today she’d need to find a place for Robbie to stay while she was at the Northern Frontier office.

  The sound of footsteps invaded her thoughts.

  Alex sat in the chair next to her. “I really need this coffee. Thanks for putting a note on my bedroom door about Josiah. I should wring his neck for keeping the fact he went to the hospital from me.”

  “I tried to convince him I should call you. But he wanted you to enjoy yourself since there really wasn’t anything you could do.”

  “Sometimes my brother exasperates me.”

  “Just sometimes?”

  Alex laughed. “He keeps hoping I’ll meet another man and marry again. That isn’t going to happen. I had a beautiful marriage and five glorious years. I don’t see anyone taking my husband’s place. He may be gone, but he still lives in my heart.”

  Ella had wanted that so much and had thought Keith was the man for her. Now she felt the same way Alex did about marrying again, but for the opposite reason. “You don’t get lonely?”

  “No. I have friends and my business. Those keep me busy. I don’t have time for a man. How about you?”

  “I have all those things and my son. I have a fulfilling life.” But as Ella said that, something was different than before. She hadn’t gotten to know Josiah until recently. Even if he could make her forget the nightmare of her marriage, she didn’t plan to make the same mistake twice. She hoped Josiah and her could be good friends. He was wonderful for Robbie. But anything beyond that wasn’t possible.

  “I’m going to miss you two after today. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. And I know Josiah has. You’ve made him laugh and smile more than I’ve seen in a long time.”

  “Did something happen to him?” Ella stopped herself from asking anything further. If she ever learned about his past, he should be the one to tell her. She knew little about him other than that he grew up in Alaska. There were too many years unaccounted for before and after he was a US Marine.

  “He doesn’t talk about it.”

  “I can understand. The past is the past.”

  “I like you a lot. I hope one day he’ll share his past with you.”

  Her curiosity was aroused. Just because she’d shared her past completely with him didn’t mean he had to do so, but she’d hoped he would trust her enough to confide in her.

  “I hope you two aren’t conspiring.” Josiah, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, joined them and took the seat on the other side of Ella.

  “Yes, because you’ve been a bad brother. Next time you go to the emergency room, you better call me or have someone else let me know. If you don’t, you’re going to rue the day you made that decision.” Her voice was calm and quiet, yet as Alex sipped her coffee, her gaze drilled into Josiah.

  “I tried to tell him yesterday.” Ella shot him a look of satisfaction.

  “I see. You are ganging up on me. I’m injured. I need your sympathy.” A twinkle danced in his eyes as he carefully leaned back in the lounger, his legs stretched out in front of him.

  Robbie raced toward the deck with the two dogs close by. “You’re up. How are you?”

  Josiah threw Ella and Alex an irritated glance. “At least Robbie cares. Yes, I’m okay.”

  “Great. Then you can come show me some more commands. I’m getting my puppy this week.”

  “That’s good. I’ll be out there in a sec.”

  Robbie ran back to the middle of the yard and flung the Frisbee for Buddy while Josiah struggled out of his lounger. He winced.

  “It’s okay to admit you’re in pain.” Ella hated seeing him like that.

  “Nope. I’m not letting it get the best of me. Life goes on.”

  Slowly Josiah made his way toward her son.

  “That’s his motto. Mind over matter.”

  “Has he been injured a lot?”

  Alex’s forehead scrunched. “Yes, but he doesn’t talk about it.”

  Ella watched him interact with Robbie. She and Josiah were similar in a lot of ways—even about keeping secrets.

  * * *

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to leave Buddy here tonight?” Josiah sat on Ella’s couch with his German shepherd at his feet later that evening.

  She settled next to Josiah. “Robbie slept without him last night at your house. He should be okay. We’re going after work on Wednesday to get the puppy he picked out.”

  “Does he have a name for him yet?”

  “Sam.”

  “Where did that name come from?”

  “He didn’t know. It just popped into his head when he saw him at the breeder’s house last week.”

  “Is everything set for you going back to work tomorrow?”

  “Yes. My neighbor will watch him for me. I loved staying at your place and we both know Robbie did, but it feels good to be home and back to my normal life.”

  “The vacation is over,” Josiah said with a chuckle.

  “If the past week was a vacation, I nev
er want to go on another one. Loved the company but not the reason for being there.”

  Josiah sobered. “Yeah, a normal life is good, but I still owe Robbie a camping trip.”

  “That would be nice. Now, that would be a real vacation without a lunatic coming after us.”

  “That’s what I was thinking. I already have one of the islands picked out.”

  She clasped his hand and cupped it between hers. “You don’t have to. Robbie and I have taken up too much of your time.” She needed to put some distance between them before she fell in love with him. I have to listen to my head, not my heart.

  “First, I want to. Second, I promised Robbie and third, I enjoy camping and sharing the experience with others. I’ve even persuaded Alex to take some time off from work, which is a feat in itself, to join us.”

  Ella rubbed her fingers across the back of his hand. “What about your injuries?”

  “We’ll wait until they’re better. Thankfully my threshold for pain is high.”

  “I’m just glad you were here when Foster decided to hide out in my house.” She refused to think what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.

  “So is Thomas. He called today to tell me we’ve made his life a little easier with the capture of Foster.”

  “It’s always nice to accommodate the police. Although I can’t believe Foster had the nerve to use my home as a hideout.”

  “He figured you weren’t coming back as long as he was loose.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “He told Thomas.” Josiah rose slowly and carefully. “I’d better go. You have to get up early. You’ve been a woman of leisure for the past week, and it may take you a while to get used to your work routine again. Do you have someone to watch Robbie beyond tomorrow?”

  “Yes, my neighbor insisted she would since she and her husband are back from their three-week trek through Alaska. Both of my neighbors on each side have been a good support system for me.”

  “Good.” He headed for the front door.

  Ella went out on the porch with him as the sun was starting to go down. “Thank you again for your help. With everything.”