by V. M. Burns
The girl turned to face Frank, her face red with rage. However, she was instantly engulfed by two small arms. When she looked down at him, her face softened and she hugged him to her. “It’ll be okay, Angelo.”
I stood guard in front of the door, with my arms folded across my chest.
“All right, mister, you got us. Now, whaddya want?”
“For starters, how about your names.”
She hesitated, and I thought she wasn’t going to answer, but eventually she responded. “My name is Lexi and this is my brother, Angelo.”
“Nice to meet you. This is Sam and I’m Frank.” He gave a quick look my way. “Now, what are you doing here?”
“We ain’t steal nothing.”
The English teacher in me cringed. “You didn’t steal anything.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said, so you can just let us go.” She took a step forward, but Frank halted her.
“Not so fast. If you didn’t come to rob me, what’re you doing here?”
“We just needed a place to sleep, that’s all. It’s cold outside.”
“Have you eaten?” I asked.
She and Angelo answered simultaneously. She said, “Yeah,” just as Angelo said, “No.”
Frank sighed. “Look, I’m not going to hurt you, but if you promise not to run, I’ll fix you something to eat. How about some soup?”
Angelo looked at his sister with big, dark, hungry eyes, which made my heart melt. It apparently had the same effect on Lexi, because she nodded.
I moved aside and opened the door. Frank walked out first. I waited for Lexi and Angelo, then followed and closed the door behind me.
“Take a seat.” Frank indicated a booth at the back of the restaurant. He went behind the bar and got two glasses and poured milk into them and set them on the table.
The two hesitated a split second and then sat and gulped down the milk so quickly, it was obvious they hadn’t eaten in quite a while.
When their glasses were empty, he refilled them and placed the pitcher of milk on the table and went into the kitchen.
I sat down next to Angelo. “How old are you?”
He held up four fingers and looked at his sister, who nodded.
“And you?” I looked at Lexi.
She looked defiant but eventually said, “Eighteen.”
I smiled. “You’ll be eighteen in about six years, I’m guessing.”
She rolled her eyes. “If you already know the answers, why bother asking questions?”
“It gives me something to do.” I smiled
Frank came out with two bowls of chili on a tray with crackers. He placed the food in front of the children, along with napkins.
Angelo’s eyes got big at the sight of his bowl of warm chili, and he immediately took his spoon and started to eat.
“Hang on. That’s hot.” Frank reached out to prevent Angelo from burning his mouth, but he grabbed the bowl and spoon and pulled it to his chest. Frank raised both hands. “I’m not going to take it away, I was just going to blow on it to cool it off.”
“I’ll do it.” Lexi took a spoon of her chili and blew on it and then fed her brother. He took a bite and swallowed the chili without chewing.
Frank went to the bar and scooped ice from the large ice maker under the sink and came back and put a few ice cubes into each bowl.
We sat and waited while the children ate. They ate quickly. Lexi put packets of crackers in her pocket when she thought no one was watching.
When they were finished, Frank asked, “I don’t suppose you saved room for pie?”
Angelo bounced on his seat. “Pie? I got room. I got room.”
Frank smiled and got up and went back to the kitchen. This time he came back with four plates of apple pie.
I smiled and we all sat and ate pie in silence.
“Wow. That was really good pie, mister,” Angelo said. “You make it?”
“Thank you.” Frank nodded. “I made the chili and the pie.”
“Now what?” Lexi asked. “You fed us, so what happens now? You gonna turn us over to the police?”
“I don’t know. Where’re your parents?”
“Dead,” Lexi said.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
She shrugged. “We was in a foster home, but we ain’t going back there. So, if you call the police and they take us back, we’ll just run away again.”
“What do you think we should do?” Frank asked me.
“Why don’t you just let us go?” Lexi asked.
“It’s cold and snowing outside. It’s too cold for you two to be outside. I guess you’ll just have to come home with me.” I reached for the dishes.
“Wait,” Frank said. “Just leave those. I’ll take care of it first thing tomorrow.”
I’d never known Frank to leave dirty dishes, but I was too tired to argue.
“Do you think taking them into your home is a good idea?” he asked quietly.
“Probably not, but it’s late and I’m tired.”
“She’s just going to run the first chance she gets.” He looked at Lexi. “Or rob you blind.”
“I ain’t no thief.”
I looked at Lexi. “You aren’t a thief.” Then I turned to Frank. “That’s why you’re coming too. You can guard my fine silver.”
He stared for a few seconds and then sighed. “Okay, you heard the lady. Let’s go.”
Chapter 9
Frank grabbed his coat and locked up, and we made the short trip down the street to my building. The fastest path was through the bookstore, so I unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. Once everyone was inside, I locked the door and rearmed the system but left off the motion detector. I led the way to the stairs. Angelo’s eyes had started to droop and Frank scooped him up and carried him upstairs.
I noticed Lexi’s eyes lingering on the books. She walked slowly and touched the covers as she passed. “You own all these books?”
I nodded. “I guess. I own this bookstore and I sell the books. Do you like to read?”
She nodded. “I used to. My mom used to read to me a lot before . . . before she died.”
“Did you ever read any mysteries?”
She shrugged. “Dunno.”
“You don’t know.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll let you pick out a book.”
Her eyes brightened. “For real?”
I nodded. “But let’s get some sleep.”
If Nana Jo was home, she must have been asleep because her door was closed. I gave Lexi and Angelo my bed and grabbed blankets for Frank and me for the sofa. Angelo was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Lexi was enamored with Snickers, who woke up to see what was going on. When asked, I okayed Lexi letting Snickers sleep in the bed. Little did she know, Snickers didn’t need my approval. When we turned out the light, Angelo was sound asleep and Lexi was snuggled up to Snickers.
Frank and I snuggled together on the sofa.
“Thank you for your help tonight. You didn’t have to do this,” he whispered in my ear, and the warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine.
“I couldn’t just leave you to handle things by yourself.” I breathed in his scent.
His arms engulfed me and made me feel warm and safe. My eyelids felt heavy and my muscles began to relax.
Before I took the last step into dreamland, I turned. “What are you going to do with them? Someone will be looking for them.”
“I know.” He yawned. “First, I’ll try to find out their last names. Then I’ll find out what’s going on.”
“How are you going to find out their last names?”
“Hopefully, they’ll tell us, but if not, I’ve got their fingerprints on the glasses of milk. I’ll have a friend run the prints and see if he can get a match.”
I smiled. “That’s why you told me to leave the dishes.” I looked around at him and, even though it was dark, I could tell he was smiling. “I should have known. You nev
er leave dirty dishes overnight.”
“Dirty dishes attract creatures that aren’t good for a restaurant.”
“You know how to remove fingerprints from glasses?”
“I have a lot of skills.” He nibbled my ear.
I giggled. “Don’t distract me.”
He sighed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Did you see the bruises?”
He nodded. “She’s got bruises on her wrists and arms. I’m sure there are more, but she keeps them covered up.”
“I suppose there could be a logical explanation, but I think they’ve been abused. When I was a teacher, we went to training seminars to help identify abused children. That’s why I didn’t insist they go back tonight. I have my phone on and there hasn’t been an Amber alert about any missing children.”
“Sometimes there are delays. Not all agencies are connected.”
“I know, but it’s two a.m. A few more hours probably won’t hurt. They were starving and cold.” I yawned.
Frank kissed me, and, within moments, I heard his even steady breathing.
The next thing I remembered was the smell of bacon and coffee and something sweet. I stretched and squinted at the light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows in my loft.
“Hmmm, is that pancakes?” Angelo asked.
“Yep, and if you want some, you’re going to need to wash first,” Nana Jo said.
I looked over the top of the sofa and saw Nana Jo, Angelo, and Lexi standing at the kitchen bar, while Dawson worked his magic on the stove.
“I ain’t dirty. I ain’t even been outside yet to get dirty.” Angelo held up his hands.
“Not good enough. You’re going to need a bath. You’ve got so much dirt on your belly, I saw a flower starting to grow out of your belly button.”
Angelo pulled up his shirt and stared at his belly button. “I ain’t got no flower in my belly button.”
“Sure you do. It’s just starting to grow, so it’s pretty little right now, but I know belly button flowers when I see them. Now, scoot.” She swatted the back of his pants and pushed him toward the bathroom. She passed Lexi and turned back. “You too.”
“Look, I’m not a kid, and I ain’t falling for that.”
“Right. You’re a young lady and too old to be walking around here like that.” Nana Jo flung a bath towel at her. “So, you just go into that bathroom and take a shower and be sure to clean yourself thoroughly, or I’ll be in there and see that you do.” She put a hand on her hip.
Lexi looked as though she wanted to come back with a smart remark, but she must have thought better of it because she merely stomped off.
“And don’t forget to wash your hair,” Nana Jo yelled at the bathroom door. She looked around at me and I smiled. “And you can get up and run down to the drugstore on the corner and pick up some clean underwear and socks.” She rolled up her sleeves and headed into my bathroom.
I looked over at Dawson. “How long has she been in that mood?”
He chuckled. “I don’t know. I just came over to put some rolls in the oven, and I was told to get my butt over here and start making some pancakes.” He walked over and handed me a steaming hot mug of coffee.
Frank must have left early this morning because I was alone and bundled up on the sofa. I quickly finished my coffee, got up, and looked for my shoes. “I guess I better get going.”
I stopped at the bathroom downstairs in the bookstore to take care of the call of nature. I also took the opportunity to wash my face and brush my teeth, then hurried out to carry out my assignment.
The drugstore on the corner was an old-fashioned five-and-dime. Not only did they sell the normal items you would expect to find at a drugstore in the twenty-first century, but they also sold clothes, toys, hardware, and lawn and gardening supplies. At one point in the store’s history, it had also sold ice cream, and the soda counter still remained. I forced myself not to go overboard and bought underwear and socks as ordered, but I also bought blue jeans and sweatshirts. I could wash their clothes, but this would give them some warm clothing. I rationalized the purchases by telling myself they could always take the clothes with them. My only splurge was to buy puzzles, coloring books, and crayons from the impulse shelf at the checkout counter.
I was back in plenty of time. I heard Angelo and Nana Jo in the bathroom. Apparently, he was still looking for his belly button flower. I opened the bathroom door and left the clean clothes on the counter and grabbed the dirty clothes discarded on the floor. I went to Nana Jo’s bathroom and heard the shower. I knocked lightly and then opened the door and placed the clothes on the counter. I quickly grabbed the dirty clothes Lexi’d placed on the floor and left.
My washer and dryer were in a closet in between the kitchen and the bathroom. I sorted the kids’ clothes, noting their undergarments weren’t sparkling white. They were dingy and threadbare. I hurriedly grabbed the sheets from my bedroom and loaded my favorite appliance, a red high-efficiency front load washer with bleach, detergent, and fabric softener and tossed everything inside.
Laundry loaded and ready to go, I ate my breakfast of coffee, bacon, and pancakes. By the time I finished, a laughing Angelo ran into the kitchen.
Nana Jo helped him climb up on the barstool, and Dawson put a plate with pancakes and bacon on it in front of him and poured a glass of orange juice.
Snickers and Oreo sat by his chair and waited for food to drop so they could devour it.
Lexi joined us, wearing the new clothes I’d purchased, which fit her surprisingly well. Her hair was still wet, but she looked clean and the bruises I’d seen on her arms were covered. She glared at Nana Jo, who merely pointed her to the empty barstool.
I took that moment to take advantage of an empty bathroom for a more thorough cleansing than I’d managed in the bookstore bathroom earlier. Thankfully, there was still plenty of hot water and the shower helped to not only cleanse my body but to stimulate my mind. Regardless of what Frank found out, I knew I had to call the police. Someone, somewhere, would be looking for these children.
Clean and ready to tackle my day, I emerged from the bathroom.
Nana Jo and Angelo were coloring at the kitchen table.
I looked around for Lexi but didn’t see her. “Where’s Lexi?”
“I sent her downstairs to find a book.” Nana Jo looked at me. My face must have looked anxious, because she pointed to a corner where Lexi’s and Angelo’s shoes were lined up by the front door. She wouldn’t get far in the middle of winter in Michigan without shoes. “Besides, Dawson’s downstairs too.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “We need to talk.”
Nana Jo nodded and got up from the table.
We walked over to the breakfast bar, close enough to still keep an eye on Angelo, but far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to overhear our conversation. I filled Nana Jo in on how Lexi and Angelo came to spend the night.
She listened attentively. “That boy has bruises on his back and arms.”
“I noticed some on Lexi’s arms last night too.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I was planning to go to the police station to talk to Stinky Pitt today anyway. Maybe he can help me find out where they belong and get word to their foster parents.”
Nana Jo nodded. “I suppose that’s the best thing to do.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the best thing or not, but I believed it was the right thing.
* * *
Christopher and Zaq opened the bookstore, and Dawson watched videos on the Internet of cake-decorating techniques while he experimented with various recipes. When I left, Lexi was sitting on the sofa wrapped in a blanket, reading.
I walked over to her. “What’re you reading?”
She clutched the book to her chest. “That lady told me to pick out a book.” She pointed to Nana Jo. “And you told me I could . . .”
I raised a hand to still the accusation. “It’s okay. I was just curious which book you chose.
” I didn’t have a large children’s book section, but I’d purchased a few that I loved as a child, including Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, along with Encyclopedia Brown. I’d decided to stock up on children’s box sets for the Christmas season but had planned to reduce the section when the season was over.
She relaxed and turned the book so I could see the cover. “The old lady said I might like this one.” She held up the book.
“From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg, was one of my favorites.” I smiled. “However, I don’t recommend you keep calling Nana Jo an ‘old lady,’ or you’re going to find yourself in bigger trouble than Claudia Kincaid.” I tapped the book.
“Darn right!” Nana Jo said from the kitchen.
I winked at Lexi and noticed the first genuine smile in return.
“Will you two be okay here with Dawson while I run some errands?”
“Of course. We can take care of ourselves.”
“Good. Frank will bring you lunch if I’m not back before then, and if you’re good, I’m sure Dawson will let you sample some of his delicacies.”
“Hooray!” Angelo cheered.
* * *
North Harbor Police Station was on a small stretch of land on a street in between the two bridges that crossed the St. Thomas River, which separated North Harbor from South Harbor. The station was a large complex that served both towns and housed not only the police but also the court. In the past six months, I’d been to the police station so many times, the desk sergeant recognized me.
“You here for Detective Pitt?” The burly detective barely looked up from his computer.
I nodded and he indicated I should take a seat while he called.
I didn’t have to wait long for Detective Bradley Pitt.
“Mrs. Washington, I’ve been expecting you,” the detective said with the sarcasm I’d come to expect from him while he held the door for me to pass.
We walked in silence to the closet that had been converted to the detective’s office.
Detective Bradley Pitt was short, fat, and balding, which he tried to hide by allowing the hair he did have to grow longer so he could comb it over his bald dome. He was extremely fond of polyester and every outfit I’d ever seen him wear was made of the fabric, including his shirts. In addition to missing the memo that comb-overs didn’t hide baldness, he’d also missed learning he’d packed on pounds and his clothes were now too tight and too short.