Maybe it was time to call in the police and Ricky’s caseworker. Damn, he’d hoped it wouldn’t come to that. He phoned Tino again.
“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s head back to the house and call in the cavalry. The cops have more resources than we do. The longer we wait to involve them, the farther away Ricky might get.”
Before Tino could respond, Jack’s cell signaled that he had another call coming in. When he saw the number, he cursed even as relief washed through him.
“I’ve got to hang up. It’s Ricky calling.”
He picked up the second call. “Kid, where the fuck are you?”
The boy’s voice sounded shaky. “I’m sorry, Jack. I know I’ve screwed up again.”
“Yeah, you did, but we’ll deal with it when we get you home.” He paused before asking the one question that had his guts tied up in knots. “You are coming home, aren’t you?”
There was a lot of background noise coming from Ricky’s end of the call. Lots of cars or maybe trucks. Jack had to listen hard to hear the boy’s answer. “Yeah, if you’ll let me.”
Jack let some of his anger and worry shine through when he answered. “Hell yes, I’ll let you. Damn it, we both know that’s where you belong. I wish you’d get that through your thick skull. We might not have been born family, but we’ve become one anyway. Got that?”
He held his breath and waited for the kid to answer.
“Got it, Jack.”
Maybe he did. Jack hoped so. He wasn’t sure how much more of this terror he could handle. “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”
“I’m at the bus station, but could you kind of hurry? I went to see my mother this morning, and I’m afraid my stepfather will be hunting for me. He’s the one who put me in the hospital.”
Jack punched the gas. “I’m on my way. I’ll be there in less than five minutes.”
Then he heard the squeal of tires, and Ricky yelled, “Fuck, Jack, he’s already here!”
Now wasn’t the time for panic. Jack dug deep for the calm and control his military training always gave him before leaving on a mission. He kept driving one-handed even as he tried to give the teenager orders that might save his life. “Ricky, head for the bus station. Stay inside where there are people. He won’t be able to hurt you there.”
God, please make that true.
“Ricky! Did you hear me?”
He might have heard the sound of running. For sure he heard someone yelling, but he couldn’t make out a word they said. Before he could demand an update from Ricky, the line went dead. Murderous rage mixed with fear for the kid burned through his veins. If that SOB had laid one hand on Ricky, there would be hell to pay.
Jack hit his brother’s number on speed dial. “Tino, I think the bastard who broke Ricky’s arm has caught up with him again outside the bus station. Call the cops and then haul ass there. I’m going to need backup.”
His brother knew when to take orders. “Will do. I’ll be there in five.”
It was a little easier to breathe knowing reinforcements were already on the way, but only just a little. Jack wove in and out of traffic, which was light. He turned the last corner onto the street where the bus station was located. As he drove, he did his best to scan the area for Ricky.
Nothing. No sign of the kid anywhere. He wanted to believe Ricky had heard him and made it into the relative safety of the station, but there was no guarantee that was the case. Jack pulled over to the curb and slammed on the brakes. Without bothering to lock up, Jack bolted out of the SUV and across the street to the bus station parking lot. Still no sign of the kid and no one standing around who might have seen him. Son of a bitch, where could he be?
He headed inside the station, but the lobby was nearly empty. Jack walked over to the counter.
“Did a teenage kid just come through here?”
The ticket agent shook his head. “Not that I saw, but I was working in back until about five minutes ago. The other agent just left for lunch, so I can’t ask her.”
Jack brought up a snapshot of Ricky on his cell. “This is him. His name is Ricky Patton.”
The man studied the picture. “You know, he might have been here earlier. He asked me about buses to Portland. I told him the schedule, but he didn’t buy a ticket. I know he wasn’t on the bus that just left.”
“Thanks. If he does show up, tell him to wait here until I come back.”
By now, the agent was frowning big-time. “Is there a problem? Are you related to him?”
“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie as far as Jack was concerned. “He called to tell me someone was stalking him. I came to make sure he was all right.”
Jack scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper. “Call me if you learn anything or see him.”
He walked away without waiting for the man to agree to call. Outside, he looked in both directions but no luck. The longer this went on, the more scared he was for the boy. Damn, if only he’d gone up to check on him earlier that morning instead of heading off to the job site. Better yet, if Ricky had just trusted him enough to tell him what the hell was going on.
And what role had Ricky’s mother played in this whole fiasco? What had she done that made Ricky take to the streets to live?
Jack picked a direction at random and started off at a slow run, planning to circle the building. Just past a cluster of bushes, he spotted a backpack and some clothes spilling onto the grass from a trash bag. The pack didn’t look familiar, but that didn’t mean anything. If the kid had been planning his escape for a while, he could have bought it without any of the family knowing about it. He opened the pack and pulled out the top couple of items, the same T-shirt and jersey they’d gotten Ricky at the ballgame the other night. It was the kid’s all right, so Jack was moving in the right direction.
A familiar pickup came screaming around the corner. Jack waved down his brother and ran over to fill him in. “He was in the bus station earlier this morning checking the schedule. I told him to wait for me inside, but he’s not there. It looks like he might have dropped his stuff when he spotted his stepfather and took off running. I’m worried the bastard already has him.”
Jack had a pretty good idea what his brother was thinking right now, and he really hoped Tino never aimed that kind of cold anger in his direction. “What do you need me to do?”
Before he answered, Jack paused to listen—sirens, and they were getting louder. “The cops are coming. Wait and bring them up to speed while I keep searching.”
“Will do.” Tino parked the truck and got out. He grabbed Jack’s arm before he could get away. “One thing, Jack. Your job is to protect Ricky, which means stopping his stepfather from hurting him again. It’s the legal system’s job to make sure the guy pays for what he did to the kid. Don’t go all Rambo on his ass. Ricky needs you at home, not cooling your heels in jail for assault.”
His brother wasn’t telling Jack anything he didn’t already know, but Tino’s intentions were good. “I’ll do what it takes, but I won’t let it get out of hand.”
Tino stared at him another few seconds before nodding. “Okay, go get your kid. I’ll send the cops in your direction as soon as they get here.”
As Jack took off down the street at a slow lope, he checked out every nook and cranny where either the kid could’ve gone to ground or that his stepfather could have him cornered. When he reached the next cross street, he spotted a pickup truck parked at an odd angle halfway down the block to his left. Jack looked back toward where Tino stood waiting and pointed in the direction he was heading next.
When his brother waved, Jack picked up the pace. When he reached the pickup, he put his hand on the hood. Still warm, so it hadn’t been there long, making it more and more likely he was on the right track. The only problem now was figuring out where the pair had gone from there.
He was betting on the alley across the street. Jack started in that direction when he heard the unmistakable sound of a fist connecting with flesh, immediatel
y followed by a cry of pain. He would have recognized that voice anywhere—Ricky. There were several large dumpsters scattered along the way that blocked his view of much of the alley. He might not be able to see where they were, but he could follow the racket they were making.
“Let go of me!”
Ricky sounded scared but still defiant. Hang in there, kid. I’m coming.
A deeper voice snarled in response. “I warned you to stay the hell away from my house and my wife. I thought I made that clear the last time you tried sneaking around behind my back. I guess I need to break more than just your arm this time.”
Ricky snarled back at the man. “She was my mother before you forced your way into our lives. I have the right to see her if I want to.”
That comment was followed by another smack. “But she doesn’t want to see you anymore, Ricky. We’re building a new life together and don’t need the little piece of garbage she’s been dragging around from her old one.”
God, no wonder Ricky hadn’t been anxious to tell anyone about his family. At least Jack was almost there, his hands clenched in fists and ready to do battle. He reached the second dumpster just in time to see the man hit Ricky again, hard enough to bounce the kid’s head off the brick wall behind him.
Jack bellowed, “Stop now, and you might just live long enough for the cops to get here.”
As the man whirled around to face Jack, he managed to yank Ricky into a choke hold with his arm wrapped around the boy’s neck hard enough to make it difficult for him to breathe. Even so, Ricky gasped out a warning. “Jack, stay back. Lawrence is bat-shit crazy.”
Even as he spoke, Ricky fought like crazy to break free, managing to land a couple of solid kicks to his captor’s shins. He clawed at the man’s arms, drawing blood with his fingernails.
Lawrence cursed a blue streak and tightened his hold on the squirming teenager. Meanwhile, he glared at Jack. “Mister, this is a family matter. This kid is nothing but trouble, and I have the right to punish him any way I see fit. I don’t know who the hell you are and don’t care, but stay out of it.”
Jack edged closer. “I’m his legal guardian. Even if I wasn’t, I’d stop you from hurting Ricky ever again.”
Although it was too late for that. The boy’s jaw was already swelling from where Lawrence’s fist must have connected with considerable force. When the guy jerked back on Ricky’s arm, the boy winced in pain. It was the same one that had been broken the last time the two had tangled.
Lawrence wasn’t buying what Jack told him. “You aren’t his guardian, legal or otherwise. I know for a fact Ricky’s mother never gave up custody of the boy.”
“And the cops are going to have some questions for her, too. Ricky has been living with my family since he got out of the hospital, and yet no one has filed a missing person’s report on him. I think there are laws against child abandonment.”
The man still blustered on. “There was no reason to involve the cops in a family matter. I’ve been looking for him myself. You can ask around.”
Ricky rejoined the conversation. “Yeah, he’s been buying a kid I know drugs to report back if he saw me.”
“I didn’t buy that junkie any drugs. He bought them himself. I can’t help what he spent the money on.”
God, could this get any worse? Jack had just about reached the end of his patience. “You don’t deserve a kid like Ricky. I’m warning you right now to let go of him, or you’ll regret the day you were born.”
Lawrence dragged Ricky back a few steps, maybe getting ready to make a run for it. “And I’m telling you to walk away, mister, or the kid won’t be the only one with bruises and broken bones.”
Lawrence had a couple of inches on Jack and maybe about thirty pounds, but it was mostly beer gut. He also hadn’t been trained by one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. Jack smiled at Lawrence, which clearly took the man by surprise.
“Let Ricky go, and I’ll let you walk.” He jerked his head in the direction of the far end of the alley where he could see the flicker of red and blue lights. “Although considering the cops are right around the corner, I’d suggest running. Hell, you might even make it as far as your truck if you really haul ass. Otherwise, you and I are going to dance, and I promise you that you won’t like how that turns out.”
Jack dropped his hands to his sides, doing his best to look as if he didn’t care one way or the other what the man decided to do. As he did, he made eye contact with Ricky and slowly looked down toward the ground at the boy’s feet. Then he waited to see if his message had gotten through. The boy froze for a brief second, and then for the first time a bit of hope shone in his eyes.
“Let go of me!” Ricky screamed and renewed his efforts to escape.
After kicking Lawrence in the shins again, he abruptly went limp and dropped toward the ground in a boneless heap. The sudden change threw his stepfather off balance, giving Jack the opportunity he needed.
Before the other man could stage any kind of defense, Jack was all over him. After jerking Lawrence away from Ricky, Jack shoved him face-first up against the back of the building. He yanked Lawrence’s arm up behind his back hard enough to hurt but just short of doing any real damage.
The big man twisted and jerked like a fish fighting to get free of a fisherman’s line, a steady stream of threats and curses pouring out of his mouth the whole time.
Jack ignored the tirade. “Kid, can you get up? Is anything broken?”
Ricky staggered to his feet. He winced as he rubbed the side of his face. “I don’t think so.”
“Good. Head down the alley toward those cops headed this way. Tell them I have Lawrence under control. Tino will be close by, too. Stay with him.”
As soon as the boy was out of the way and out of hearing, Jack leaned in close to Lawrence’s ear. “No matter how this plays out today, Lawrence, if you come near that kid again, you will live to regret it.”
Maybe Lawrence hadn’t heard the police walking toward them, but then bullies never learn when to shut up. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but I’m going to press charges against you for assault. Then I’m going to swear to the cops that Ricky put you up to it. With luck, he’ll end up in a cage where an animal like him belongs. If he doesn’t, I’ll make sure he stays away from my wife permanently.”
“Mr. McShane, we’ll take it from here. Please step away from him.”
Jack glanced back over his shoulder and was relieved to see Detectives Daily and St. John among the officers who had responded to Tino’s call. Before releasing his hold on Lawrence, he wanted them to know exactly who the man was and what he’d done.
“Detective Daily, this asshole is evidently Ricky’s stepfather, Lawrence. He admitted in front of me that he’s the one who broke Ricky’s arm and put him in the hospital. Ricky went to visit his mother this morning, and she sicced Lawrence on the kid again.”
Then he held up his hands and stepped back. “I know you’ll want to take my statement, but I need to check on Ricky. I promise I won’t go anywhere until you say it’s okay.”
St. John glanced at his partner before nodding. “See that you don’t.”
Jack started down the alley, still wound up tight from the overdose of adrenaline because of the fight.
“McShane, wait up.”
He turned back to wait for Daily to catch up with him. It was hard to stand there when every instinct he had was driving him to find Ricky and make sure the kid was safe.
“Ricky is waiting down the street with your brother, who already filled us in on what happened today. I wanted to let you know that we called for the aid car so the EMTs can check Ricky out. He’ll need to be seen in the emergency room, too. We’ll want any injuries well documented in case any of this ends up going to court.”
Jack nodded. “I’ll make sure Ricky understands why we need to do this right. After he’s seen, we’ll take him home. That’s where he’ll be if you need to talk to any of us later.”
&nb
sp; Daily drew a deep breath. “For what it’s worth, we all heard that guy threaten to make sure Ricky stayed away from his wife permanently. We’ll be taking him in and pressing charges for assault and anything else we can think of to keep him behind bars. We’ll also want the mother’s name and address, because we’ll want to have a long talk with her, too.”
“I’ll make sure Ricky gives it to you.”
Jack wasn’t sure he wanted the information himself, not when he needed a convenient target for his temper and couldn’t trust himself to remember that he didn’t hit women. Not even one who deserved it. He stopped and placed both hands on the wall while he fought to regain control over his emotions. Eventually, he’d have to vent somehow, but for now he had to hide his anger not just from the cops but from Ricky as well. The kid didn’t need to know how close Jack had just come to snapping his stepfather’s neck. The world would be a helluva lot better off with one less brute like Lawrence in it.
He finally reached the end of the block and saw that the aid car had arrived. Tino was standing by as the EMTs from the fire department checked Ricky over for injuries. At least they’d already given him an ice pack for his face. Maybe that would keep the swelling down. He hoped so.
As soon as the teenager spotted Jack, he stood up and shook off the blanket they’d put around his shoulders. Jack hurried toward the boy and enfolded him in his arms, taking care not to jar him unnecessarily. Ricky buried his face against Jack’s chest, his narrow shoulders shaking from the aftereffects of the brutal encounter.
“I’m sorry, Jack. I should’ve told you everything.”
His voice was muffled, but there was no mistaking the fact he was crying. “Yeah, you should have, but I get why you didn’t. No one wants to admit that their family is crap. I’ve been there myself.”
Jack had no experience in comforting distraught teenagers, but sometimes simple human touch could work miracles. A few seconds later, Tino joined them and put one hand on Jack’s shoulder and the other on Ricky’s. At least the cops and the EMTs allowed them a few minutes of privacy to pull themselves together.
Always for You: Jack (Sergeant Joe's Boys #1) Page 22