The SEAL's Return

by Patricia Potter

  “I don’t have any parents,” Gordon said defiantly.

  “You just dropped from above?” Jubal asked.

  “They died.”

  “Then who looks after you? Or who is supposed to?”

  “I’m seventeen. I don’t need anyone to look after me.”

  “After seeing you tonight, I’d disagree,” Jubal said calmly. “Where do you live?”

  “Where do you think?”

  “I’m not fencing with you.” Jubal’s voice hardened. “It’s three in the morning, and you’ve disrupted my peace and tranquility. I didn’t plan on confronting a juvenile punk and taking another swim.”

  “I was doing okay. You didn’t have to come in the water.”

  “That so?” Jubal said with a raised eyebrow. “In any event, you think I was just going to let you stroll away?”

  “Why not? It was just a small fire. No harm done.”

  “Only because you obviously don’t know how to build one. I take it you’re not a Boy Scout?”

  “That’s for losers.”

  “Losers who clearly have more sense in one finger than you have in your entire body.”

  Gordon stared at him. Jubal noticed the boy’s gaze seemed more careful now, hesitating when he saw the tattoo on his arm. “What’s that?”

  “I thought you were smarter than anyone else,” he said. “You tell me.”

  “Military?”

  “Yeah.”

  “My sister thinks they’re all fascists.”

  “So your sister is the source of all your information? You live with her, then?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Tell me where you live, or I’ll call the police. Maybe those fascists can straighten you out.”

  The boy’s face paled. “We just wanted to see if it would burn,” he said. “He said no one lived here.”

  Jubal raised an eyebrow. “Who told you that? Your chickenshit buddy who ran out on you? I saw him run.”

  Gordon didn’t say anything.

  “Okay, have it your way.” Jubal took his cell out of his pocket. “The police chief is a friend of mine and I have his number. I didn’t know I’d need it so soon.”

  “Don’t!” Gordon said, adding a belated, “Please.”

  “You don’t want him to know a juvenile pyromaniac is running around the community?”

  “I’m not... I mean, you can’t call the police.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m...” Gordon’s voice trailed off.

  “Yes?” Jubal said, and raised his eyebrow.

  “I’m...on probation,” Gordon admitted with obvious reluctance.

  “Burn someone else’s house down?”

  “No!”

  “Anyone missing you right now?”

  “No.”

  “Why don’t I believe that?” Jubal said.

  “My sister doesn’t give a shit what I do. She’s too busy...”

  “Too busy doing what?”

  The boy’s lips closed.

  “You’re not getting out of here until you tell me where you live.”

  The defiance in Gordon’s eyes faded away. “She’s the new doctor.”

  Jubal studied him for a moment. “I’ll make a deal with you.”

  “What?” Gordon said cautiously.

  “Give me her address. I’ll drive you there, watch you go inside whichever way you got out. In return, you’ll give me ten hours of work. Productive work, and I decide what counts as productive.”

  The kid looked disbelieving. “Ten hours?”

  “You think it should be longer? Maybe you’re right.”

  The kid looked trapped.

  “You have a choice,” Jubal said. “I can call the police chief. I imagine you’ll be charged with arson. That won’t be the least of your problems if, as you say, you’re on probation.”

  The last remnant of defiance drained from the kid’s face. “What’d you want me to do?”

  “I’ll think of something. Yard work. Painting the dock. You start tomorrow. Be here at two p.m.”

  Jubal watched the calculating look on the boy’s face. Despite his abject firebug skills, the kid wasn’t dumb. All he had to do was point out a house, then make a dash for an alley and disappear.

  “I’m a hell of a lot faster than you,” Jubal said, checkmating that particular scheme. He kinda liked the kid. He didn’t give up. And he wasn’t afraid of former SEAL Jubal Pierce. Damn, had he changed that much?

  “Who are you?” the kid asked.

  “Name’s Jubal. Jubal Pierce.”

  “That’s a dumb name.”

  Jubal shrugged. “My dad was a rodeo rider. Jubal wasn’t all that unusual among that set.” He had no idea why he explained that, except maybe it would make an impact on a kid.

  Gordon’s face showed more interest. “You ever ride in a rodeo?”

  “Nope. And no more diversions. Deal or no deal?”

  The kid nodded sullenly.

  “A deal’s a deal,” Jubal said. “You break it, there will be consequences.”

  “Why do you give a shit about a tiny fire?” The kid tried one last tact.

  “Because I live here, and while I live here, I respect the property and the man who loaned it to me. It’s a matter of, shall we say, honor.”

  “You come from the dark ages, man,” Gordon retorted.

  Jubal shrugged. “Come on, let’s go. And take your wet clothes with you.”

  The kid almost tripped over the dragging legs of Jubal’s sweatpants, but he followed Jubal to his Mazda. At least he couldn’t run, not without tripping.

  He asked the kid for directions and retraced one of the routes he ran earlier. Gordon slouched in the corner of the car, his sullen voice barely audible.

  “That’s it,” the kid said, pointing at a neat two story house. When Jubal stopped, Gordon opened the door.

  “I want my clothes back,” Jubal warned. “Washed.”

  “Whatever,” the kid said.

  “Don’t use that word with me again,” Jubal warned. “It’s offensive and stupid.”

  The kid’s lips clamped shut, then, carrying his wet clothes, he walked to the side of the house and disappeared in the back.

  Jubal waited several minutes, saw a light go on upstairs, then decided the kid really did live there. He said his sister was the doctor, and he believed that. It would be too easy for him to check it out, and Covenant Falls was not big enough to hide in. He did wonder, though, if the kid would show up tomorrow, or was it today now?

  Jubal also wondered what in the hell he was doing. He’d planned to leave in the next day or two. He was starting something he couldn’t finish unless he hung around longer than he intended.

  He always finished what he started if humanly possible. It was in his DNA.

  So why had he started something that might keep him here longer than planned?

  The answer came too quickly.

  He recognized that kid. It was him twenty years ago.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  LISA WOKE TO SILENCE. No sound of heavy trucks passing or the blaring of a horn. It took her a moment to realize where she was.

  The flower print on the wallpaper was not the comforting light blue of her former bedroom. New house. New town. New job. She should be excited. She wasn’t. She was too worried about Gordon.

  She looked at the clock. A little after seven a.m. That was late for her. She thought about the day ahead, mostly about Gordon.

  Gordon had appeared at dinner yesterday and shoveled down his share of a casserole Lisa had found in the fridge along with eggs, milk, cheese, bacon and other basic items.

  Although he ate well, he did it with a scowl an
d grunts when she’d asked him whether he’d met anyone his age yesterday afternoon. Then, completely ignoring both his sisters, he disappeared into the bedroom with his phone and tablet.

  She’d checked on him at ten before she went to her own bedroom. His light was off.

  She’d gone to sleep then. She was exhausted from the long drive yesterday, then unpacking most of what they’d brought with them. Some items still remained in the trailer.

  So much to do today. First on the schedule was a meeting with Dr. Bradley, who was back home in Covenant Falls. Then she intended to drop by the clinic to look over scheduled appointments for the next several days and familiarize herself with the office.

  Also on the “to do” list was a visit to the veterinarian’s office to look at adoptable dogs. Kerry, along with Gordon, had gone through two terrible years. They both deserved more than she’d given them. She was intent on remedying that.

  Kerry, she knew, would be easier than Gordon. Her sister loved animals and reading. She was a good student, though her grades had also fallen in the past year.

  Gordon was more difficult. He had been a strong student until their mother became so ill. He was good with his hands and had built a fort in their backyard when he was twelve. It was still sound. He could also look at any puzzle and solve it in half the time it took someone else. But since their mother died, everything had been different.

  Lisa rose, put a robe over her nightshirt and headed toward the kitchen. To her amazement, she smelled the aroma of coffee and was even more surprised to see Kerry at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal.

  Kerry turned around, sensing her presence. “I made coffee,” Kerry said.

  “I smelled it. Thank you.” Lisa made a beeline for the pot on the counter. Coffee was her lifeblood.

  “Can we go over to the veterinarian clinic and see if they have dogs for adoption?” Kerry asked after Lisa dropped two slices of bread in the toaster.

  “Maybe this afternoon if she’s there. I have to meet with Dr. Bradley this morning and go over records.”

  “What will I do this morning?” Her voice was plaintive.

  “What about going to the library? You can ride your bike. Maybe you’ll meet some kids there.”

  Kerry shrugged. “Gordon says they’re all weirdos.”

  “And what, pray tell, qualifies someone as a weirdo?”

  Kerry nibbled on her cereal and shrugged, ignoring a question she probably couldn’t answer. “Will you call the vet this morning and see if we can come this afternoon?” she persisted.

  The eagerness in Kerry’s face warmed Lisa. She hadn’t seen it in far too long. She located the list of phone numbers Eve provided and found Dr. Stephanie Morgan’s number.

  Lisa looked at her watch. It was eight a.m. “She might be in now. Maybe Gordon will come with us and help pick one out.”

  “He probably won’t even be around,” Kerry said dismissively. “And it’ll be my dog, anyway. Will you call now, Lisa?” she begged.

  To Lisa’s surprise, Stephanie answered on the second ring and must have recognized her name on phone ID. “Hi,” she said. “Dr. Redding? Eve said you might call. What can I do for you?”

  “Eve said you might have some dogs available for adoption.”

  “Music to my ears,” Stephanie said. “I have a couple of really good rescues. Would you like to come over today?”

  “That would be great. My sister’s very excited.”

  “What about noon?” Stephanie said. “I have a break between appointments then.”

  “I’m meeting with Dr. Bradley at nine but lunchtime should be fine.”

  “I’m really glad Doc found someone to fill in for him. His doctors told him he shouldn’t be working at all, but he’s insisted on seeing patients since there’s been no one else.”

  “I’ll try to make sure he doesn’t need to see them now,” Lisa said.

  “Good. I’ll expect you and your sister at noon.” The phone clicked off.

  Lisa looked at her watch. Nearly eight. She needed to take a shower and dress. She had no idea what to wear in town. Black pants and a short-sleeved fitted blouse would probably do. She would take one of her white coats and drop it off at the clinic.

  She went upstairs and knocked on Gordon’s door. He’d been far too quiet since he went to his room last night. He had a backlog of movies on his tablet along with games but...

  No sound inside.

  She opened the door. He was still sleeping. She looked around. To her surprise there were no clothes on the floor. She closed the door, then knocked. Hard.

  Mumbling came from inside. “Just a minute.” Finally, Gordon appeared. His long hair was a mess. He was blurry-eyed as if he hadn’t had any sleep. “Wh-what do you want?” he asked rudely.

  “I have to leave to meet with Dr. Bradley,” she said. “I may not be back until noon, and then I’m taking Kerry to look at some dogs. Want to go with us? Maybe help Kerry pick one?”

  “You gotta be kidding. We’d never agree. She’ll want some little prissy thing. Besides, I have things to do. Going on a hike with a kid I met.”

  “Where to?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I don’t live here. Just going to show me around.”

  Lisa swallowed hard. Nothing had changed. “You’re supposed to check in with the police department.”

  “Tomorrow,” he said.

  “I’ll make an appointment for you.”

  “Whatever,” he said, and closed the door.

  She wondered if he’d ever forgive her for bringing him here. It didn’t matter that she was trying to help him—help both of them. She’d hated to take them from the house they’d lived in all their lives, but it had become a house of ghosts.

  She went back downstairs and took a hot shower, trying to erase all the doubts she had, the failure she felt. She washed and dried her hair and pulled it back, fastening it with a clasp. Not very fashionable or stylish but fast and practical.

  She checked her watch again. Seven minutes until nine. The doctor’s office was just six blocks away but she was running late. She grabbed her white coat, the car keys, her laptop and stopped by the living room where Kerry was watching a talk show. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back but I promise it will be before noon. Try the library or maybe just explore this morning, okay?”

  She gave Kerry her allowance in case she wanted to go into town. She knew from her own teenage years how important it was to have at least a few dollars for a soft drink or emergencies. She hoped Gordon would find a part-time job as she had as a teenager.

  * * *

  JUBAL TRIED SLEEPING inside the cabin but woke up drenched in sweat. He’d been in the hut again. No light. No air. Only half a cup of filthy water to drink. His wrists were bound with rusty chain that tore into the skin, and he bled from several gashes inflicted by one of his captors.

  Forcing the images from his head, he glanced at the clock. A little after four a.m. He knew he wouldn’t go back to sleep. He stood and walked to the bathroom, turning on the light. He looked at himself in the mirror with disgust. Why in the hell had he bargained with that kid last night? Maybe he wouldn’t show up.

  Or, Jubal thought, he could forget about it and leave now. He hadn’t promised Clint anything but a quick visit, and he certainly didn’t owe the juvenile delinquent anything.

  He swore as he took a shower, washing away the sweat. He couldn’t take enough showers these days after two years without. When he’d reached civilization six months ago, he had a beard halfway to his chest and layers of dirt.

  Jubal was too awake now to try to sleep. He always thought better when running or swimming, and the shock of cold water should clear his mind. He considered skinny-dipping since he doubted anyone was awake. But then Clint was his host; it
probably wouldn’t help his job as police chief if his guest was reported for indecent exposure.

  He resisted the urge and pulled on his swimming trunks before jogging out to the dock. He plunged into the cold water and his thoughts strayed back to the kid. Even if he did show up, what would he find for him to do?

  Hell, he kept questioning himself. Why did he let himself get involved? The kid had a nice house from the look of it. Yet Jubal couldn’t escape seeing himself years ago. He’d lived in a nice house, too, but he’d been filled with resentment and bitterness. His mother had taken him away from the father he adored, the father who died a year later with no one to mourn him but a son who lived two thousand miles away.

  Maybe that was why he inserted himself in someone else’s life, something he’d never done before. He remembered his own pain when his father died, the rebellion he felt against his mother whom he’d blamed for his father’s death. Wouldn’t have happened if he had been there, if his father knew he was looking on. This kid had not only lost a father but a mother as well. He didn’t know the whys or hows, but he recognized the hurt and loss inside and the urge to strike out.

  It was obvious the boy was headed for trouble.

  After returning to the cabin, he did his usual quota of push-ups, showered again, and at eight decided the hour reasonable enough to call Clint.

  “Hey,” he said. “I’d like to meet the owner of the cabin.”

  “Josh? Sure. He’d like that, too.”

  “Can we make it just him and me?” Jubal asked.

  “Sure. Either Josh or I will call you back.”

  That was one of the reasons Jubal had always liked Clint. No questions. No explanations needed.

  The phone rang within minutes. “Jubal? Josh Manning here.”

  Short. Jubal liked that. “Thanks for the use of the cabin.”

  “Happy to have you there. Clint suggested it was time to meet. How about lunch?”

  “I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

  “You won’t,” Josh said. “Eleven okay? I’d like you to see the town’s main attraction, then we’ll go to Maude’s. Great diner.”

  Jubal had planned to stay around the cabin to see whether the kid turned up early, but hell, it was the kid he wanted to discuss with Josh. “Sure.”