It’s been twenty minutes at most since I left the sports fields. I turn the truck around first chance I get and pull off to the side, my fingers already dialing.
Marya’s phone bumps me right into voicemail.
MARYA
I watch as the kids head back out on the field, before my eyes return to the buildings on the far side, where I know the bathrooms to be.
Ouray gets up and walks over to the fence behind the bench, appearing casual, but I note his eyes aren’t on the field either.
Time crawls along as the slightest twist in my stomach coils itself into a tight knot, until finally I see the familiar lanky form of Theo jogging this way. There’s no sign of his younger brother, though. Something Ouray apparently has noticed, because he swings around and looks straight at me, a frown between his eyes, before stalking away to intercept Theo.
I immediately pull out my phone and dial Harry’s new number, noticing Luna standing up beside me, as the phone keeps ringing until a generic voice invites me to leave a message. My fingers whip over the screen, shooting off a text to Dylan and then I try Harry’s number again.
Same result.
“What’s going on?” Beth leans down over my shoulder.
“I’m not sure.” My voice is already shaking as I watch Luna join the huddle with Ouray and Theo. He’s gesturing wildly, pointing toward the bathrooms.
I try Harry’s number again, my body shaking now. Same automated message. I don’t seem to be able to do anything other than sit frozen in my spot, while hitting the redial button over and over, my eyes locked on the huddle. Ouray breaks off and starts jogging to the bathrooms.
“Marya, Theo says you didn’t park in the main parking lot?”
I look up at Luna who walks up, an arm slung around Theo’s hunched shoulders. I can’t take my eyes off my boy, who won’t look straight at me.
“Marya,” she repeats a little more sharply.
“Uhh...we missed the main entrance and ended up parking by the baseball diamonds, on the other side of the golf course.” I point at the tree line. “Back there.”
“Shit,” she hisses, letting go of Theo to pull out her phone.
The bench moves when Clint climbs down and stalks off along the fence line on this side.
“Yeah, there’s a second entrance down the road,” Luna informs whoever is on the phone. “A parking lot by the baseball diamonds—Right, I’ll call him now—Yes, I’ll tell her. ”
I’m listening as I reach out for my son, grabbing his hand, and pulling him down on the bench beside me. He still won’t show me his eyes.
“What’s happening?” I ask Luna, not even sure what exactly I’m asking myself. I feel disconnected, like I’m watching a movie, except I’m in the middle of it. It’s almost like an out-of-body experience and I hold on tightly to Theo’s hand.
“He’s sending a guy to your car, in case he went there. Ouray is checking the skate park and the putting green. He says to let you know they’ll find him. I’ve gotta call Dylan.”
She walks off and puts the phone back to her ear.
The game on the field continues uninterrupted.
“I thought he was still in there.” Theo buries his face in my neck. “I waited, Mom. I promise. I even went back in to see what the hold up was. He wasn’t there.”
I twist in my seat so I can wrap my arms around him. “I know, baby. They’ll find him.”
My mouth spouts out the words in response, like the automated message on Harry’s phone. I feel paralyzed. Terrified if I move, if I get up, I acknowledge this is happening and I can’t deal with that. So I’ll just sit here, with my arms around the only thing that feels real.
“You think Dad has him?”
He lifts his head and finally meets my eyes, his red-rimmed and frightened, begging for reassurance. His question cuts right through the paralysis and finds hot anger.
“He does, it won’t be for long. I can promise you that,” I tell my son, fire in my voice.
“Atta girl,” I hear Beth mumble behind me.
“Go sit with Max’s grandma, Bub, I’ll be right back.”
He does as I ask and I walk over to Luna, who’s just ending her call.
“Stay put, Dylan’s just pulling into the parking lot.”
“Like hell, my kid is out there.”
“Marya...” Luna puts a restrictive hand on my arm when I try to pass by her. “Best you can do is sit tight.”
The anger erupts; I twist my arm loose and get in Luna’s face. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss, and take off running toward the bathrooms.
“Marya!” I look up to find Dylan approaching the building from the other side. He doesn’t stop moving until I’m in his arms. Just for a second, I let his strength soak in before I try to wiggle free.
“I’ve gotta find him.” I shove against his chest and he takes a step back but grabs onto my wrists.
“And we will, but we can’t go running off half—”
“Harry!” Dylan swings around when I rip my arms from his hold and start running to where I just caught sight of my baby coming out of the trees edging the golf course. Beside him is the dark-haired biker I saw with Ouray the other day, holding fast to his hand.
I drop down on my knees in front of my baby and pull him down on my lap, wrapping my arms around him. I vaguely hear the crunch of footsteps stop behind me, and the deep rumble of men’s voices over my head, but I’m focused on my boy in my arms.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
DYLAN
I look at Marya sitting in the passenger seat beside me, her face pale.
She didn’t object much when I told her I would drive her and the boys home. I wasn’t going to let her get behind the wheel, not in her state. Luna offered to drive her Jeep back to Durango. Max went with Ma and Clint for the rest of the weekend.
The boys are unusually quiet in the back seat.
Paco had found Harry by Marya’s Jeep. He’d crawled underneath to hide, he said. Apparently he’d come out of the bathroom, didn’t see his brother, and wanted to go have a look at the pond, where he’d seen people fishing earlier. He walked around the water’s edge, to where the small dock juts into the water, near where his mother’s Jeep was parked.
That’s when he says he saw his father park a silver car just a few spots away from his mom’s Jeep, get out, and head for the path through the golf course toward the soccer fields. Harry got scared, wanted to let his mom know, but had accidentally left his new phone on the back seat of the Jeep. Of course the doors were locked, and afraid his father might come back and see him, he figured he’d be safe hiding under his mom’s vehicle.
The kid had been gone for forty-five minutes. A fuckofalot can happen in forty-five minutes.
By the time I helped both Marya and Harry on their feet, the teams were already coming off the field. I left them in the care of my folks, with Paco standing guard, while Ouray, Luna, and I went to check out the supposed silver car.
There were seven of them in that damn parking lot, but none parked near his mother’s Jeep. If it had been there before, it was gone now.
“Weren’t you supposed to be at the office?” Marya asks and I take her hand, pressing to my thigh.
“Luna’s already let Damian know I’ll be a little later. I’ll get you settled in at home first.”
I’m also curious how Harry would’ve recognized his father, but any questions will have to wait until I get them home. I don’t want to grill the kid when I can still hear him sniffle every so often in the back seat.
CHAPTER 17
Marya
“Answer the question, Bub.”
Harry’s eyes drift from me to his brother. He’s hiding something and Liam’s in on it, judging by the tight press of his lips.
We arrived home ten minutes ago, got some sandwiches for lunch ready, and just sat down with the boys at my dining table. Dylan caught me in the kitchen earlier, wanting to know if I was okay with him trying to get some more information from Har
ry over lunch. I agreed, I was actually curious about a few things myself.
Dylan was casual and relaxed when he asked Harry how he’d been able to tell it was Jeremy in the parking lot. I immediately saw the change in my youngest though; he froze up with his sandwich halfway to his mouth and then quickly took a massive bite. Boy knows he’s not to talk with his mouth full. I guess he thought we’d forget.
I’m a mom. I don’t forget.
“Harrison Berger, I’m not going to tell you again.”
He throws another furtive glance at his brother before turning to Dylan. “I saw pictures of him.”
“Bub,” I call him out. “I’m not buying it. The last pictures of your father we have left; his hair came down to his shoulders and he was wearing glasses. I saw him last weekend, I was married to him for ten years, and it took me a bit before I recognized it was him. Try again.”
“Don’t.” The low voice is Liam’s. He’s glaring at his brother.
“Don’t what, Liam?” I demand to know, standing up and bracing myself with my hands on the table.
He’s engaged in a staredown with Harry, who looks near tears and doesn’t answer me.
“Leave him alone, Liam,” Theo jumps to his little brother’s defense.
“I saw him, okay?” Harry sobs, his big teary eyes now on me. “He was outside the school.”
“When?” Dylan’s been quiet for most of the exchange. So focused on the boys, I almost forgot he was there.
“Liam?”
Defiance on his face as he reluctantly turns to me; but it’s Theo who answers.
“Harry saw him talking to Liam on Tuesday by the bus stop outside the school. I was late because Mr. Robbins asked me to stay after class, so I didn’t see him, but I walked in on them fighting.” He cocks a thumb at his brothers.
“Is that why you guys were fighting when you got home that day?” I ask, remembering them walking in, Liam with a bleeding lip.
“Liam was pushing Harry around,” Theo volunteers with a shrug.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I throw up my hands, exasperated. “I asked you what was going on, and you guys went mum on me. I don’t get why you wouldn’t tell me that.” I direct the last at my oldest child specifically. He looks duly scolded, two spots of red appearing on his cheeks.
“I thought it was under control,” he explains, but it doesn’t help me. I still don’t understand.
“Under control? I’m your mother, your father shows up out of the blue after years, and you don’t think that’s something you might wanna share with me?”
I know my voice is going shrill, but I can’t help myself, if my kids don’t share with me, how the fuck am I supposed to keep them safe?
“Marya,” Dylan’s deep cautioning rumble from behind me is paired with a firm hand on my shoulder. “My guess is Theo was trying to protect you. Take care of it without involving you.”
“He’s thirteen, it’s not his job to protect me,” I snap, and watch as the red spreads over my oldest boy’s face.
“Sweetheart, he saw you get hurt by the man when he was too young to do anything about it. Now he could, by shielding you. I’m a guy, I get it.”
Theo throws a look of gratitude over my head at Dylan, indicating he was right on the money.
Christ, I love my kids with all I am, but there are days when I’d like to pack them up and ship them off to boarding school. Of course that would require a budget I don’t possess.
I miss the times when the biggest hurdle I would face any given day was getting them to brush their teeth and eat their vegetables. Looking at their faces, I feel powerless; Harry’s is worried and guilty, Theo’s stubborn and defiant, and Liam...Jesus, Liam...he’s just so angry.
“Liam? Wanna tell me what your father said to you?” His answer is to push his chair back and stalk from the room. I look at his brothers. “Either of you know anything?”
Harry shakes his head and looks down, but Theo’s eyes stay on me, his expression gentling. “He doesn’t look like us,” he says, baffling me.
“What do you mean?”
“Liam. Harry and me, we look alike, we look like you: dark hair, dark eyes. Liam doesn’t. He looks like Dad. When he got mad, he started yelling that he doesn’t even belong. That’s when I punched him.”
I sit down, shove my plate with the half-eaten sandwich aside, and drop my head on my arms on the table.
Sweet Jesus...my boy.
Tears burn my eyes. Why would he think that? More importantly, how did I miss that?
Dylan’s hand curves around the back of my neck as I hear him address the kids.
“Right. It’s important you get that what your father did, talk to one of you at school, is against the law. He’s not allowed near the school, or near your house, or anywhere near you guys or your mom. Ever. You get me? The protection order the judge signed is there to do exactly that—protect you—but it’s not gonna work if you don’t tell your mom, or me, or your teachers when your dad breaks the rules.”
“But we didn’t know about that until after,” Theo counters, which doesn’t surprise me.
“Maybe not,” Dylan comes right back. “But don’t tell me you didn’t know keeping that from your mom wasn’t the right play to make, no matter how good your intentions.” I can’t see his face, but I hear my boy’s grunt in response. “Now, why don’t you guys give me a minute with your mom, okay?”
Chairs scrape over the floor and I keep my face hidden, not wanting the kids to see their mom come apart at the seams.
Then I feel arms awkwardly hugging me from behind. “Sorry, Mom,” Harry says, his voice thick, before letting me go.
“Me too.” This time it’s Theo as he presses his head against mine. “Please don’t cry,” he whispers, before he too moves away.
As soon as I hear their feet hit the stairs, a sob rips from my throat and the next second my face is pressed against Dylan’s shirt. His large hand rubs circles on my back as the events of the past day—fuck, of the past years—come pouring out of me.
“Knowledge is power, Sweetheart,” he mumbles when my crying bout subsides.
“What do you mean?” I sniffle, leaving my face buried. I’m not a pretty crier with big crocodile tears rolling down; I blubber, and it gets messy.
“I bet that was hard to hear, but you won’t be blindsided by it again. Always better to see what’s coming.”
I try to resist when he lifts my head away from his shoulder. He persists, leaving his hands to cup my sloppy cheeks, and I blindly grab for a napkin from the table to mop the worst off my face.
“I just don’t know how to fix this.”
“Been brewing for a while. Can’t expect it to be a quick fix, Sweetheart.”
I know that, of course, but the thought my kid feels he doesn’t belong is gut-wrenching.
His thumb strokes my jaw as he presses a soft kiss on my lips.
“Weren’t you supposed to be at the office?” I suddenly realize out loud, jerking my head away.
“Gotta look after my girl first.”
Okay, that’s sweet, even though I left my years as a girl behind me a long time ago.
“I’ll be fine, Dylan. You should go.”
He drops his chin and scrutinizes me closely. “Have you got an extra key?”
“Why?”
“I’m thinking you’ll wanna stay here tonight—stick close to your boys. I’m gonna need a key to get in if I’m late.”
I open my mouth to protest, only to close it again. Truth is, it feels good he wants to check in on me.
So instead of making a fuss, I get up, walk over to the kitchen, and pull the extra key from the magnet behind the fridge.
“Be safe,” I tell him, pressing the key in his hand.
He tucks it in his pocket, hooks his other hand around my neck, and pulls me to his mouth. The moment my lips open his tongue slides in.
The kiss is like a shot of Valium straight to the bloodstream. Slow, thorough, and complete
ly addictive.
I’m still swaying on my feet when he walks out a few moments later.
DYLAN
“Marya and the kids okay?”
Damian sticks his head out of his office when I walk in.
“Relatively,” I answer honestly, tossing my jacket over the back of my chair before sitting down. “Discovering the asshole ex showed up at her sons’ school didn’t go over too well.”
“You’re shitting me.” He leans against Jasper’s desk, crossing his arms.
“Nope. Same afternoon we served him with the protective order. Walked right up to Liam.”
“What did he want?”
“The boy’s not sharing.”
I relay what little I know.
“He’s renting a place in Hermosa, right?” Damian scratches his fingers through his goatee. “I’m thinking maybe I should drop by on my way home. Sounds like he’s not clear on the ramifications should he defy that order, I should make sure he understands.”
“Couldn’t hurt.” I turn to the files on my desk.
“Barnes.” My eyes meet his serious ones. “I briefly spoke with Agent Linden last night and have a call scheduled with Aiken first thing Monday. Giving you a heads-up, because she insists whatever happened between you is a thing of the past and won’t impact work, and I have a gnawing suspicion that’s what Aiken’s line will be too—suck it up.”
“Fuck.”
A call comes in on the office line and Damian leans over to hit the speaker.
“La Plata County FBI, Gomez here.”
“Gomez, it’s Yeager.” The voice on the other end sounds glum.
I shoot up straight in my seat. Yeager is the special agent in charge of the Farmington field office.
“We’ve got another one.”
Damian rounds the desk, grabs a notepad and a pen. “I’ve got you on speaker. Talk to me.”
“I’ve got the distraught parents of one Thomas McKinley in my office. They were brought in by Farmington PD after their son disappeared after a soccer game.”
“This is Dylan Barnes, by chance was this at the Sports Complex?” I ask, a nasty feeling in my gut.
“It was. After their son’s game, the McKinleys were talking to some of the other parents. Thomas said he wanted to catch up with a buddy in the parking lot, and they told him to go ahead and wait by the car. By the time they got to there, the kid was gone. They tried finding him for an hour before they called it in.”
10-Code (Rock Point, #4) Page 14