"Great," he said, sounding very happy. "I'll come by and pick you up. I think I'll be there around 5:30. Is that all right?"
"Yes, that's fine. That'll just give me enough time to stop and buy something simple for Ryan to have for dinner."
He smirked to himself, thinking it rather ironic that his daughter had fallen into a homemaker role, given her upbringing. "All right, Honey. I'll pick you up this evening."
Part Nine
Ryan dragged her tired body into the house on Wednesday night, Jordan trailing right behind her.
Mia poked her head out of the kitchen, giving Jordan a wave and blowing a kiss. "I'm in charge of feeding you two. Are you ready to eat?"
"I'm too tired to eat," Ryan moaned as she tossed her legs over the arm of the loveseat and reclined fully.
"Uh-uh, Ryan. Jamie will have my head if I don't pour some calories into you."
"Where is Jamie, anyway?" Ryan asked. "Did she leave a note?"
"Nope. She's out with her dad," Mia informed her. "He came into town early, so she decided to have dinner with him."
"That's nice," Ryan said, preferring to have her partner at home, but glad that she was getting in a little bonding time with her father.
"Look on the table for your messages, Ryan," Mia instructed. "Some girl's been calling here every 15 minutes looking for you. Jennie something or other."
Her fatigue forgotten, Ryan leapt to her feet so quickly she got a head rush. "Damn, damn, damn!" she said as she dashed to the table by the stairs and looked at the message that merely stated Jennie's name. "How do I get in touch with her?"
"She said she has to call you 'cause she's not at home. She sounded really upset, Ryan. What's going on?"
"I mentor her through a program for gay and lesbian kids that have trouble at home. She's really a handful," she said, sitting down on the wooden chair they kept by the table.
As if on cue, the phone rang. Ryan picked up and heard the tremulous voice say, "Ryan?"
"What's wrong, Jen?" she asked immediately.
"I got thrown out again," she sobbed.
"Oh, Sweetheart," she said sympathetically, "Where are you, Hon? I'll come get you and see if can't work this out."
"I'm sick of this, Ryan," she wailed. "I want to go home!"
"We can talk about it when I get there, Jen, now tell me where you are."
"I'm over by the office," she said.
"Jennie," Ryan said, "the office is closed now. What are you doing there?"
"I'm just hanging out, Ryan. It's no big deal."
"It is a big deal, and you know it," she chided her gently. "You're just going to get into more trouble. I'll be over to get you within 15 minutes. Are you at the pay phone on the corner?"
"Yeah, but I have to keep moving. Just ask some of the kids. They all know me."
I bet they do, Ryan thought to herself. "Okay, don't leave and don't talk to anyone in a car. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, Ryan. I hear you. See you soon."
Ryan hung up and blew out an aggrieved breath. "Maybe we shouldn't have kids," she mumbled to herself.
"Ryan, what's going on?" Mia demanded.
"I've got to go," she said absently as she started for the door, but Mia's surprisingly strong grasp pulled her up short.
"No way, Ryan. You're going to eat something before you walk out that door. And that's final!"
"Jesus! She really did put the fear of the Lord into you didn't she?"
"I'm not afraid of Jamie, but I care about you, Ryan," she said softly. "I want to make sure you stay healthy."
Ryan's face broke into a shy grin as she agreed. "Okay, but I've gotta eat quick. God knows how much trouble she can get into in an amazingly brief period of time."
"Well she's been calling here since five, so another 15 minutes won't kill her. Now tell us what's going on?" Mia demanded as she placed a sweet kiss on Jordan's lips and led both athletes into the kitchen.
Ryan took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts, knowing that Jennie wouldn't mind some disclosure of her situation. "As I said, I work with Jennie, and have for almost 18 months. She's a very sweet kid, but she and her mother are like oil and water, and regrettably her father's not in the picture, so it's just the two of them. Her mom discovered she was gay and threw her out of the house-absolutely refused to allow her to return."
Mia and Jordan were staring at her, their eyes wide with shock. Ryan nodded in agreement, "Amazing, isn't it? Well, the Department of Children and Family Services got involved, thanks to one of Jennie's friend's mothers. They finally agreed that Jennie could not go home, given how tense things were, so after a couple of unsuccessful attempts at placing her in foster care, she eventually wound up in this group home for 'throwaway' kids as they're called. That's how I got involved."
"Her mom would rather have her in a home? Just because she's gay?" Mia asked in shock.
"Well, that's open to interpretation. In Jennie's case, being gay doesn't help, but she probably would have been thrown out even if she was straight. She and her mom are both really volatile, and they're on each other constantly. Her mom is very authoritarian, and Jennie just has to push her to the edge on every issue."
"How long has she been at the home?"
"She was there almost a year. She finally went home to her mother a few months ago. Jennie's social worker has been doing everything she can to keep them together-which is what they both say they want, by the way-but it sounds like Mrs. Willis snapped again."
"So where is she now?" Mia asked as she spooned a generous portion of vegetable soufflé onto all three plates.
"The Gay Teens in Crisis office is where the kids hang out during the day. They can use the phone there and get referrals to various programs. They also have counselors and substance abuse meetings. But at night it becomes a big pick-up place for the scum that prey on young, troubled kids. One of the few times I wished I had a firearm was when I went to get her one night and saw a 40-year-old man trying to talk a little boy into his car. I pulled up alongside and made a show of writing his license plate down so he took off, but I assume he came back as soon as I left."
"That's beyond disgusting," Jordan muttered as she shivered involuntarily.
"Anyway, that's why I don't want to waste time. Jennie is prone to act out when she and her mom fight. I don't think she's ever tricked, but I honestly wouldn't put anything past her."
"Should we go with you, Ryan?" Jordan asked. "Sounds like a rough neighborhood."
"Nah. It's not dangerous for adults. It's just vulnerable kids who are at risk in this place."
"You sure?" Jordan asked, not willing to let her friend invite trouble she might not be able to handle.
"Positive. I've done this several times."
"Will you be home late?" Mia asked, knowing that Jamie would be concerned.
"Well, probably not, but I'll have to bring her back here first. I want to talk to her mom on the phone, and if she agrees then I'll take her home. Damn," she muttered, "Jennie was just starting to feel comfortable in her new school. She just started high school, by the way. I hope to God that she doesn't have to go back to the home-she'll have to switch high schools if that happens." Ryan had gulped down all of the food that Mia had doled out, and she bent to kiss her friends, then made for the door. "Tell Jamie where I am if she gets here before I do."
"Oh! She took your car. She said yours is always low on gas so she took it to fill it up for you."
Ryan shook her head as she headed for the door. "I am so terribly spoiled," she said as she shot her friends a guilty look.
"You spoil each other," Mia corrected her, "and that's the way it should be."
Jamie had the top down on the car and rather than waste time, Ryan left it as it was. The night was cool and a little foggy, but she thought the cool air might revive her a bit. Thank God I took a shower tonight, she thought wryly. My clothes were so wet they would have frozen right on me.
She arrived at the run-down industrial
neighborhood about ten minutes later. The young kids hung out in about a three-block area, most of them standing in groups of two or three. The older kids and young men liked to work a corner alone, so the area they worked could be six or seven blocks long, depending on how many of them there were on a given night. There were always a few transsexuals on one particular corner, and tonight was no exception. Because of the near-constant harassment and the possibility of gay bashing, during business hours they stayed close to the office in case they had to make a run for it. At night, however, there was no safe haven in this very rough neighborhood, despite the fact that the Oakland police had been trying to crack down on prostitution. It seemed to Ryan that too often the victims became the targets of such initiatives, starting with the transsexuals.
About three blocks from the office, Ryan spotted the first group of young men. Three boys about 15 years old were having a discussion and when Ryan slowed down, one of them immediately came to the car and leaned over, holding on to the top of the windshield as he did so. "Oh no, Honey," he said dramatically. "You're in the wrong place."
"I'm looking for a friend," Ryan assured him.
"Aren't we all?" he coyly replied as he batted his big brown eyes.
"I'm looking for a girl named Jennie. Do you guys know her? Shaved head, baggy bell-bottoms? Usually has on a big white T-shirt?"
"Oh, she's here," the young man assured her. "She was by a little while ago. But she doesn't trick, girlfriend," he said in a dismissive tone.
"I'm glad to hear that. She really is my friend," Ryan said with a smile, before she pulled away.
After her fifth stop, the occupants of an unmarked police car looked to each other and nodded with a knowing smirk. They radioed ahead to the detectives waiting behind the office of the teen center, "Yellow Porsche Boxster. Driver has long brown hair. Obviously looking for something special. License number JDSE 211. Vehicle registered to James Evans, Hillsborough. Looks like Mr. Evans is keeping company outside of his neighborhood tonight. Pull him over if he snags anyone."
"Roger," crackled the radio.
Moments later Ryan finally spotted Jennie. She was standing with two other girls, both of whom looked like they were hooking. Damn, damn, damn! Ryan cried in frustration. If she lives to see 15, I'll be surprised!
Jennie ran to the car and leaned into the passenger compartment. "Do you have any money, Ryan?" she asked anxiously. "My friends haven't eaten since yesterday, and business is so slow they're not gonna eat tonight either."
Ryan rolled her eyes and reached for her wallet but stopped short when she realized it was still in her gym bag. Luckily she remembered that Jamie always kept money in the ashtray for emergencies. She reached inside and pulled out the two twenties and stuck her hand out to offer the money to Jennie just as both of her friends began to run for their lives. The spotlight of the unmarked car hit her at precisely the same time that Jennie accepted the money and started to get into the car. "Don't anybody move!" the disembodied voice from the loudspeaker ordered.
Jennie looked panicked, and before Ryan could say a word, she took off in the same direction as her friends. "Fuck!" Ryan cried as she watched her run down the dark street, holding up her outrageously huge pants.
"Put your hands on the steering wheel," the voice boomed, and Ryan immediately complied.
The two officers approached her car with their weapons drawn. They had parked about ten yards behind her, and one officer came from each side. The one on the right stayed behind the car with his weapon aimed at her head while the other approached the driver door. "Keep your hands on the wheel. Do not make any sudden moves," he commanded.
Ryan knew enough about law enforcement to know it was futile to argue at this point, so she immediately complied with each of their instructions, while remaining silent.
The officer yanked open her door and ordered, "Put your hands above your head and exit the vehicle." She had removed her seat belt when she reached out with the money, so she was able to get out without impediment. "Walk around to the hood of the car," he directed. When she got there he said, "Step back two paces and lean forward with your hands on the hood." As soon as she complied, he whipped a pair of handcuffs onto her right wrist and yanked her arm behind her back as he pulled her left arm back and snapped that cuff on.
"License and registration," the officer demanded.
"Registration in the glove box. I don't have my license with me."
The second officer went to the radio to communicate with the lead officer. "We have the perp in the Porsche cuffed. $40 confiscated. All three juveniles escaped. No identification. Registration looks clean. Check for vehicle reported stolen."
The radio crackled back, "That car belongs to our new senator. If it's Evans, you'd better let him off with a warning."
"Not him," the officer replied. "It's a woman."
There was a pause, then the voice asked, "It's not his wife, is it?"
"No way," the officer confidently said. "I'll identify her."
He walked back to Ryan and asked, "What's your name?"
"Siobhan O'Flaherty."
Walking back to the car the officer reported, "She's not an Evans. Some kinda Irish sounding name."
"There's been no report of theft, but I think the Senator's in Washington already. She might have stolen the car. Run her in. Impound the vehicle. We'll wait for the tow."
The officer went back to Ryan, grasping her firmly by the bicep as he led her to the car. He placed his hand on her head to make sure she didn't hit it on the frame of the car and pushed her into the back seat. "Does it matter what my explanation is?" she demanded, her anger boiling at both Jennie and the officers.
"Nope. Tell it to the judge," he instructed as he punched the accelerator, causing her head to snap back sharply.
It took almost 45 minutes to get her processed enough to allow her a phone call. She briefly thought of calling Brendan, but knew that Jamie would be upset if she wasn't called first. One handcuff was removed to allow her to use the pay phone by the door to the lockup, but the other was firmly attached to one of the arresting officers, who listened to every word she uttered.
"Hi, Hon," she said in as normal a tone of voice as she could muster. "You'll never guess where I am."
"Well, you should be in bed," Jamie responded, "It's after nine. Where are you, anyway?"
"I'm in a holding cell at the North Oakland police station," she said neutrally. "Any chance you can come bail me out?"
The silence that greeted her indicated that Jamie was less than pleased with the news. "Ryan, I'm sure you have a very good explanation for why you've been arrested," she said calmly. "I really can't wait to hear it."
"I'm really innocent," she assured her partner as the officer rolled his eyes.
"Why are you in jail?" Jamie finally cried, tired of waiting for an explanation.
"Umm…solicitation of prostitution?" she squeaked out.
There was a terribly long pause until Jamie let out a sigh and said, "This I gotta hear."
"My three minutes are up, Hon. If you don't want me going steady with the really scary-looking woman in the lockup, you'll hurry over here."
"What's the address?" she sighed, continually amazed at the trouble that one woman could get into.
Ryan gave her all of the particulars and reminded her, "You have to bring cash or go to a bail bondsman. Can you get $1000?"
"Yes, Ryan, I can get $1000. I'll be there as soon as I can. And, Honey?"
"Yes?"
"If you drop the soap, just leave it on the floor."
"Very funny. It's nice that you can keep your sense of humor while I sit in a cell with Big Bertha."
45 minutes later Ryan was brought from the holding cell back out to the desk sergeant. Jamie was accompanied by her father, and Ryan could only think I don't think this is the best way to make Jim start to trust me.
Jamie tossed her arms around Ryan and gave her a fierce hug. "I think Daddy has convinced them to let you
go," she said softly. "Trouble just follows you, doesn't it?"
"It didn't used to," she insisted.
"What happened?" Jamie demanded.
"I went to pick Jennie up. She and her mom had a big fight, and she got thrown out again. She was with two of her friends and they hadn't had anything to eat, so I was giving them the money from your ashtray when the spotlight hit me. Of course they all ran, so I was left in your car with no I.D. and three teenaged prostitutes running down the street!"
"Jennie's not a prostitute! You'd know if she was!"
"I'm not so sure," Ryan admitted. "There's not much I'd put past her at this point."
Jim walked over and said, "They've agreed to release you, Ryan. All they really had to go on was the fact that you were in a car that wasn't registered to you and you didn't have I.D. Since they didn't catch the girls, they'd have a hard time making the solicitation charge stick."
"Thank you so much for your help," she said gratefully.
"Well, I have a lot of questions I'd like to have answered, Ryan. This whole incident is very suspicious."
"I understand that," she conceded.
"She doesn't have to defend herself, Daddy," Jamie began, automatically springing to Ryan's defense.
Ryan stopped her as she said, "Why don't you come by the house for some coffee, Jim. I'll explain everything."
Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in the kitchen listening to Ryan's tale. Luckily Mia came downstairs for a drink, and so provided corroborating testimony. Jim seemed placated after she backed Ryan up, and he stood to leave when his coffee was finished. As they walked to the door Ryan said, "I hope I don't get arrested again, but I have to go find Jennie. Otherwise, God knows where she'll end up tonight."
"I understand, Honey," Jamie agreed. "We can go in your car."
"Absolutely not!" Jim said, then immediately backed off when he saw his daughter's face. "Uhh…why don't you let me go with Ryan?" he asked carefully. "You said you needed to study."
Intentions - SF9 Page 27
