Jake's Return

by Liana Laverentz

  As they passed Feeney's, Rebecca said, “We need to go to the police, Jake."

  He looked into the rear view mirror and was surprised to see Katie already fast asleep. She looked so small and defenseless curled up against Rebecca's side, Rebecca's arm wrapped around her. Jake's stomach roiled anew with suppressed rage and revulsion at what Katie might have had to suffer at Dillenger's filthy hands. What other children in town had suffered.

  Rebecca was right. They needed to report what they'd learned to the police. But how could he admit that just the thought of walking into a police station sent a shaft of fear so deep into his soul he wasn't sure he could actually do it?

  How could he face Sutter and his crew, on their turf, knowing they suspected him of attempted murder? What if they gave him a hard time, refused to listen to what he had to say? Jake wasn't sure he'd be able to control his temper, knowing what he now knew about Dillenger. But if he lost his temper with the cops...

  "He's a very sick man, Jake,” Rebecca pressed when he didn't answer. “We need to stop him from hurting anyone else."

  "Tell me something I don't know,” he growled, showing his frustration to hide his fear. How could he make Rebecca see what they were up against? She still believed in the system that had tried its best to destroy him. He sighed heavily. “Becca, you know as well as I do the cops won't want to hear anything I have to say."

  "For God's sake, Jake! He kidnapped Katie!” She leaned forward, her voice low with suppressed fury. “He was going to do terrible things to her, Jake. He's done terrible things to other children. My God, it was himself he was talking about at the town council meeting last night. Avery Dillenger truly believes he's impervious to the law, Jake. The Sheriff needs to know about this, and now."

  "He already does, Becca."

  "How do you know?"

  "Dillenger all but admitted that was why he was trying to get rid of Sutter. Why he tried to kill him, Rebecca, and frame me for it. Do you remember that?"

  "And you're going to let him get away with it?"

  "I didn't say that—"

  "You can't just assume this is being taken care of by someone else! This isn't something that will resolve itself in its own good time."

  "All I'm saying is it's our word against Dillenger's, and Sutter already thinks I tried to kill him. What do you think our chances of going to him without proof are?"

  "Finding proof isn't our job, Jake. Reporting our suspicions to the police and letting them find the proof is."

  "Rebecca, that police force isn't going to find a damned thing wrong with Avery Dillenger and you know it. You said it yourself at the meeting last night. Dillenger owns most of Warner and half the people in it. Dollars to donuts you tell the wrong person in that cop shop what you heard tonight and it'll never go any farther."

  "Avery Dillenger just kidnapped your daughter with the intent to molest, quite possibly rape, torture, and maybe even kill her,” she said with quiet venom. “Now what are you going to do about it?"

  Suddenly, Jake wondered if this was what being a parent was all about—setting aside his own fears and needs for the good of his child's. If so, it was a hell of a price to pay. A hell of a sacrifice to make.

  But, he thought, looking at his sleeping daughter in the rear view mirror again, it was worth it—and no less than Katie deserved. He hadn't lied when he'd told Dillenger he'd go back to prison in a heartbeat for Rebecca or Katie.

  "All right. We'll go see Sutter. But only Sutter."

  * * * *

  They didn't make it to the station. They were half a block away when the cruiser that pulled out of the station and passed them suddenly braked and made a sharp U-turn, lights flashing as it pulled up behind them.

  Jake's gut clenched, but he ignored the nearly overwhelming need to cut and run. It would be what Rebecca expected of him. Instead he pulled over and eased the Focus to a full stop. He refused to add resisting arrest to the charges piling up against him. He'd already learned that lesson, the hard way.

  He also wanted to avoid waking Katie, if he could. The last thing he wanted his daughter to see was her father being led away in handcuffs.

  "Jake? What's happening?"

  He rolled down the driver's side window, and used the crisp September night air to help calm his rioting nerves. “We're being stopped."

  "For what?"

  "We'll find out soon enough."

  A blinding spotlight beamed into the car. “Out of the car, Donovan, with your hands up."

  "Jake, no! Wait!"

  As he climbed out of the driver's seat, hands raised, Jake heard Rebecca scramble to open the back seat passenger door, and jar Katie awake in the process. He cursed under his breath, then cursed again as he realized traffic on both sides of the street had slowed to a crawl, giving everyone there a ringside seat at what had become the circus of his life.

  "Hands on the roof of the car, Donovan.” Without missing a beat, the deputy, Hull, spread Jake's legs, frisked and cuffed him. “Jacob Donovan, you're under arrest for—"

  "Pete, stop!” Rebecca protested frantically as she sailed around the front of the car. “You don't understand—"

  Jake stiffened as the second deputy, one he didn't recognize, stepped between her and her target, cutting her off. “Excuse me, Ms. Reed, we're conducting official business here. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to step aside or—"

  "I will not! Do you have any idea what we were—"

  "Ms. Reed. If you don't cease and desist right now, I'm going to have to take you in for obstruction of justice."

  "The hell you will!"

  "Think of your daughter, ma'am."

  Jake felt an unwelcome surge of gratitude to the second deputy for trying to avoid hauling Rebecca in. “Listen to him, Rebecca. Katie needs you now.” Through the window he could see the poor girl huddled in the back seat of the car, looking terrified.

  "Mama? What's going on?"

  Jake tried for a reassuring smile, but wasn't sure he succeeded. “Everything's going to be okay, Katie,” he managed to say past the huge lump of humiliation in his throat. “Just listen to your mama, okay?"

  "But Jake, this is wrong!” Rebecca shrilled, peering past the deputy who blocked her way.

  "Not in the eyes of the law, babe. So drop it. Now."

  "Ms. Reed?” The second deputy stepped back, keeping himself between her and his partner and Jake as he held the driver's door open for her to get into her car. She sent all three men a fulminating glare before she dropped into the driver's seat with a furious thump. Meanwhile, Hull finished Mirandizing Jake.

  "Where's Sheriff Sutter?” Jake heard Rebecca demand as Hull turned him toward the waiting cruiser.

  "He's still out of town, ma'am."

  "Does he have a number where he can be reached?"

  "I'm not sure, ma'am. You'd have to check at the station."

  "Believe me, Deputy Savard, I intend to."

  Inside the cruiser, Jake leaned his head back against the seat and swore. He'd never seen Rebecca so militant. He was going to have to cut his avenging angel loose, before she got herself arrested right along with him.

  * * * *

  "I'm telling you, Avery Dillenger is lying."

  "You're saying Mr. Donovan didn't break down Mr. Dillenger's front door and assault Mr. Dillenger in his foyer, breaking his nose?"

  "He was provoked!"

  "That doesn't make it legal, Ms. Reed."

  "What about what Avery Dillenger did to my daughter?"

  "You say he kidnapped the girl—Katie is it?” he asked, and directed a kid-friendly smile at her daughter, sitting in a nearby chair, still wrapped in the blanket from the car. In her left hand she held an ice bag, which the desk sergeant had offered to help reduce the swelling on her face—after she'd returned from having someone at the station take the pictures Rebecca had insisted on.

  Rebecca would have given anything to be at home with Katie right now, comforting and taking care of her daughter herself
, to not have to have her baby be part of or witness to the commotion Rebecca was making—but she had to make the police see they'd arrested the wrong man.

  "Yes, Katie. Kathleen Diane, but we call her Katie. He kidnapped her, then bruised and slapped her when she tried to escape. It's all right there, in my statement,” she said, stabbing a finger into the document the deputy had just finished typing. “When are you going to pick him up?"

  "Why would Mr. Dillenger want to kidnap your daughter?"

  "To molest her! Just like he's been molesting countless children in Warner for God knows how long."

  "Do you have any proof of these accusations, or that he was planning to molest your daughter?"

  "He wasn't going to let her leave the house! Isn't that proof enough?"

  "I can see you're upset by all of this, Ms. Reed. Perhaps you might feel calmer if you came back in the morning."

  Frustration and fury swamped Rebecca until she was afraid she couldn't speak. “No,” she said evenly, precisely, holding on to what little remained of her control with an iron will, “I am not leaving. Not until Avery Dillenger is behind bars where he belongs, do you understand me?"

  "I'm afraid that could take some time, Ms. Reed."

  "You certainly moved fast enough when he called to report that Jake assaulted him!"

  "Jake?"

  "Mr. Donovan,” she stabbed a finger at her statement again, the statement that the deputy himself had taken. “Mr. Jacob Donovan. Who was on his way here to report Katie's kidnapping when you arrested him."

  "Ah, that Mr. Donovan."

  "Yes,” Rebecca confirmed through gritted teeth. “That Mr. Donovan. You certainly moved fast enough to arrest him."

  "Mr. Dillenger's broken front door and nose were pretty compelling reasons to believe him."

  "And my daughter's swelling face isn't?"

  Deputy Savard picked up her statement and tamped the unstapled pages down, clearly preparing to end their conversation. “As I said, Ms. Reed, we'll look into the matter and—"

  "When's Sheriff Sutter coming back?"

  "I'm not sure, ma'am, but I'll be happy to leave a message for you."

  "You do that. You ask him to call Rebecca Reed the minute he gets in. Tell him I have some information about Avery Dillenger he needs to hear. Tell him it's on tape."

  "Tape? What are you talking about, Rebecca?"

  She whirled around to see Bob Sutter standing in the doorway, looking as if he hadn't slept in days, and had lost a great deal of weight.

  "Bob. You're back. I'm ... I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. How is she?” Upon being informed the sheriff was visiting his mother who'd had a stroke in Ohio, Rebecca had declined to insist on being given the number where he could be reached.

  "Better, thank you.” The smile he offered was a mere shadow of his usual cheerful smile. “But it's been a rough week. Now what's this about Avery Dillenger and a tape?"

  "He tried to kidnap Katie tonight. Jake and I interrupted his plans for the evening and now Jake's in jail—"

  "Donovan's locked up? Here?"

  "We brought him in an hour ago, sir. Trespassing, assault, terroristic threats, B & E."

  "It's all on videotape, Bob. If Avery hasn't erased it, that is."

  "Dillenger's got the tape?"

  "He's probably got miles of tape.” Rebecca looked up at the man she was convinced would be Jake's vindicator as an idea took root in her mind. “Of every child he's brought to the house,” she said slowly. “I bet he would. He'd probably enjoy keeping records of his crimes, believing as he does that no mere mortal could ever punish him for them."

  The sheriff turned to Hull. “Get me a warrant."

  "You mean you believe me?"

  "Why wouldn't I, Rebecca? You've never lied to me before. Now why don't you go home and get some sleep? I'm sure Katie would be more comfortable at home, too.” He came into the room and squatted near the chair Katie was curled up in, his jaw tightening when he saw the big purple bruise forming on her face. “Dillenger did this?"

  "When she tried to leave. It's all on the tape, I'm sure of it."

  "You okay, sweetie?"

  Katie nodded. “I want Jake."

  Sutter had the grace to look abashed. “I'm afraid he's going to have to stay here a little while, pumpkin, at least until I can get all of this sorted out. In the meantime, I want you and your mom to go home and get some rest. Do you think you could do that for me?"

  At Katie's silent nod, the sheriff stood. Rebecca noted again how exhausted he looked. “You look like you could use some rest yourself, Bob. I'm sorry to dump this on you the minute you get back."

  He smiled wanly. “That's what I get for stopping here instead of going straight home. Don't worry about it. This could be the break we've needed to bring him in."

  "Avery?"

  The sheriff nodded. “I've been keeping an eye on him for several months now. Haven't been able to pin anything on him yet, but with yours and Katie's testimony—"

  "Oh, thank God."

  "It's a start, anyway. How about I call you in the morning, let you know what's happening? We probably won't be able to get a warrant signed for another couple of hours at least—and we'll have to wake up Judge Oates to do that."

  "Oates?” Rebecca's heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. “He's the judge who sent Jake into the army. He's been friends with the Dillengers for decades."

  Sutter sent her a steady look. “He's also a good man, Rebecca. A fair one. Trust me. We'll get this straightened out."

  "What about Jake?"

  "I'm afraid he won't be able to see the judge until Monday morning, at least. That's when he'll be arraigned. Until then, we'll have to keep him."

  "But Bob, he didn't do anything any other parent—” she flashed a look at Katie, “any other decent person wouldn't have done!"

  The sheriff stepped forward and placed a large, no doubt meant-to-be-soothing hand on her shoulder. “Rebecca. I said I'd do what I could. But if Donovan's guilty, he's going to have to serve the time."

  She couldn't argue with the quiet steel in his voice. Rebecca recalled their conversation in the car the night he'd driven her home from the festival, and knew he was on her side, but it didn't make the waiting any easier.

  "It's so unfair, Bob. He didn't do anything I wouldn't have done if I had the strength."

  He released her shoulder. “Why didn't you call the police before you went to Dillenger's?"

  "It happened so fast, it never occurred to us to call you. We were searching for Katie, we found out she'd gotten into a car that could have been Avery's ... we just reacted."

  "So you weren't even sure she was with Dillenger?"

  "If you're talking about evidence, no. But gut instinct ... we had to make sure, Bob. And we had to do it fast. She'd been missing for hours."

  "I understand. Just be grateful Dillenger didn't press charges against you, too."

  Rebecca blinked as she realized he was right. Apparently Avery thought getting Jake out of the way was all he needed to worry about. Clearly he thought Rebecca wouldn't dare take a stand against him without Jake there to fire her up.

  "You'll arrest him tonight?"

  "We'll go up there as soon as we get the warrant signed."

  Rebecca could barely contain her gratitude. “Thank you, Bob. I told Jake we could count on you."

  Sutter smiled. “You're a good woman, Rebecca. I heard what Dillenger tried to do to you at the council meeting last night.” Still smiling, he reached up and gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “Don't worry, we'll get him one way or another."

  * * * *

  "Why did you run away, Katie?” Rebecca asked quietly, once her daughter was comfortably settled in her sleigh bed at Jake's. The question had been burning inside her ever since she'd tried to ask it at Avery's, but with everything else going on, she'd had to put her curiosity on hold. After leaving Bob Sutter, she'd brought Katie home, thanked Aunt Martha for her time and help
, then kept Katie company while she took a quick bath. Katie hadn't wanted to be left alone. She then tried to ease her daughter's fears with a snack of milk and cookies and a few of her favorite bedtime stories.

  It appeared to have worked. Katie seemed much more relaxed than she'd been when they'd left the police station and in the past half hour had even laughed once or twice. Rebecca was fervently grateful to have her little girl back, safe and sound, but she still needed to know why Katie had run in the first place.

  "I wasn't really running away, Mom. I was just taking a walk. I wanted to be by myself, and it was too crowded and noisy at the soup kitchen."

  "Why did you go so far?"

  "I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Then Mr. Dillenger pulled up beside me, and..."

  Rebecca suppressed a fierce shudder at the thought of Avery Dillenger stalking her daughter. “Why did you go with him, Katie?” she asked as calmly, as gently as she could.

  Katie looked up at her with dark, solemn eyes, eyes that suddenly seemed much older than her seven years. “He said I looked like I needed a friend,” Katie said in a small, uncertain voice. “And ... well, I guess I did."

  Rebecca's heart broke at the sound of her daughter's loneliness. “You didn't think you could talk to me or Jake?"

  "Not about this.” Katie picked at her new Barbie bedspread, a sure sign she wasn't comfortable with the question. “Because, well...” A brief glance in Rebecca's direction before she lowered her gaze to the bedspread again. “You're the problem."

  "Me?"

  Katie nodded at the bedspread, looking miserable. “The kids at school say we're living in sin."

  Rebecca wanted to break furniture. She reached out and hugged her daughter instead. “Oh, baby."

  "Are we, mama? Are we living in sin?"

  "No! I mean ... I mean ... it's complicated, Katie."

  Katie pulled away, sniffling as she looked up at last. “My friends don't want me to hang around with them anymore because of it, and because they think Jake killed that woman. It's like they think he's going to hurt them or something."