Willow (The Willow Series Book 1)

by Cheri Lewis

  She grunts and it’s crazy but I can tell this grunt is in desperation. I look between them both. “What is it you would like me to do exactly?”

  “I need you to find our son and tell him that his mother needs him.” I open my bottom desk drawer and pull out a new case file to begin filling in all the details. His wife grunts and shakes him more. His hand shakes as he lies it on top of hers to calm her. “I need you to find our son and tell him that his mother needs him because I’m dying and we need him. You see she’s had a stroke and I have a battle ahead of me myself. We need him.”

  I clear my throat and lock eyes with him. “I can try to find him and I probably will. I will deliver the message but you know I can’t make him come home.”

  “I know.”

  I speak as gently as I can but I can’t accept their money with the thought of giving them any sort of false hope. “I know you know, but does your wife understand that?”

  My eyes cut to her and now her head hangs low. She knows but she still has hope he can change. I take down all the information they have on their son, Travis Solomon, who also goes by “Skids”. I can’t imagine having a nickname like that. I would break Heath’s nose if he called me that on a daily basis. The father hands me an old picture of their son from high school and tells me to add a beard and long hair, “It’ll look just like him.” I try not to roll my eyes when he says that because a beard and long hair make a ton of difference when you’re trying to identify someone. I assure them that I’ll start this evening to look for him because the father kept stressing time is of the essence. I’ll call them and let them know if and when I’m able to make contact.

  When they leave I notice Joe follows them all the way to the door again. I didn’t think about it until I saw him but he must have been at their feet while they were here. That’s strange. He normally comes and lies right by me or under my desk when someone comes in he doesn’t recognize. “What is it, boy?” I ask Joe and he looks back at me. He comes back over to me placing his head on my thigh. “You know don’t you? You can tell he’s dying.”

  I rub his head with both my hands and pet him for a few minutes. “I hope they have somebody else that can help them out. I don’t have high hopes for their son to help them out.” Days like today when you do cases that tug at the heartstrings are the ones that make it hard. But you have to push those feelings down or you end up in jail. I shake my head then get back to work.

  I work for a few more hours answering emails and filing. I run to the post office to check my mail then Joe and I go to the bank then to the Dairy Queen for some supper. When I pull into my driveway I grimace when I see the police SUV sitting out by the curb. I take a bite of my butterscotch dipped ice cream cone then get out of my truck. Joe watches my every move with hopes I’ll give him my cone but I already fed him his own. He’s not getting mine. I ignore Wade as he steps out of his vehicle and begins cutting across my yard. He’s wearing jeans and a Texas Longhorn t-shirt. Doesn’t he own any other shirts besides ones that say Texas on them?

  I call Joe again. He still hasn’t gotten down from my truck. He’s sitting in the driver’s seat and still watching me. I roll my eyes because I know my dog and he thinks if he’s eye level with me he has a better chance. “You’re not getting any more ice cream now get down.”

  Joe’s ears go up and then he jumps down and begins investigating Wade. Easing around him sniffing. I’m disappointed when his tail wagging like crazy. That means he likes him. Wade bends down with a goofy smile on his face. “You’re beautiful.” I take another bite then lick around the bottom of the hardened butterscotch where melted ice cream is beginning to pool up. “She sure is pretty. Where’d you get her?”

  “She’s a he and his name is Joe and I got him from a lady who was running a scam.”

  He continues to pet Joe and Joe is eating it up, dancing around. When Wade stops he stands and asks, “Are you busy?” I raise my ice cream up to show him I’m eating then take another bite. “When you’re done eating your ice cream can I have three or four minutes of your time to talk?”

  “I can eat while you talk.”

  “I’m sure you’re aware that we arrested Thomas last night.”

  “I am and I’m glad it’s done.”

  “I’ve talked to the D.A. about your charges and they can’t drop them even though in my mind and theirs it was justified. You attacked him in front of a park full of children.”

  I shrug. “It is what it is. I’ll deal with it.”

  “This isn’t official because it’s has to be done legally but I can unofficially tell you when you’re served with your court papers have your lawyer contact the D.A. and they’ll plead it down to community service. Since you’ve never been arrested before they’ll make it so it won’t be on your record.”

  I take a bite of my cone chewing it up while I think over what he’s said. “You mean when you arrested me the first time it doesn’t count?”

  He crosses his arms over his chest and smiles smugly. “You can’t hold that against me any longer.”

  “You don’t know me very well.”

  “You said you’d never forgive me if I didn’t find a way to catch Thomas. I found a way so now…”

  I can’t help but laugh. It feels a bit strange that what he’s saying is also a little bit charming and intriguing, damn it. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

  “That’s the way I interpreted it. Wasn’t it you that said interpretation was important, the first night we met?”

  I take another bite and recall what he’s talking about. “If I remember correctly I said perception is important.”

  “Then that was my interpretation of your perception then.”

  His comeback is too complicated to think about right now. “So, you’re telling me the only reason you went after that child molester is so I’d forgive you?”

  “No. But, it’s nice to be able to kill two birds with one stone.”

  I toss Joe the rest of my cone and rub my hands together dusting them off. “Will he be getting out anytime soon?”

  He raises his arms interlocking his fingers behind his head. I have to work hard to keep my eyes focused on his face and not his flexed and chiseled arms that look so enticing at this moment. My hormones are working overtime at the lack of sex I’ve had lately. “He won’t make it out of prison,” his words were a heavy promise that hangs in the air for several seconds.

  He’ll be beaten to death most likely. In a building full of thieves, murderers, cheats, and drug addicts apparently child molestation crosses the line on their moral code of ethics. You don’t mess with kids.

  “Come back here, Joe,” I yell at him as he wanders around the side of the house. I look back to Wade. “Thanks for getting him and thanks for letting me know.”

  I step to the side and walk to the front porch where Joe is waiting at the front door. “So, does this mean you forgive me?”

  I look back over my shoulder and smile. “I guess I have to.”

  He nods his head then shakes it as he walks back across my yard to his SUV. Joe and I go inside and Joe doesn’t waste time grabbing one of his chew toys and jumping up on the couch. I get halfway down the hall when there’s a knock at the front door. I walk back into the living room and Joe doesn’t seem remotely interested, that someone’s at the door. He’s lying over on his side making his chew toy squeak. I open the door figuring it would be Wade. It is. He’s standing there with his fingers shoved down into his pockets.

  “Roscoe.”

  He ignores that and says, “I was on my way to get some supper and was curious if you’d like to join me.”

  I’m a bit shocked but I don’t let it show. “Joe and I ate already.” I blurt out a little too quickly. I can tell he’s reading way more into my decline than what I meant. I’m not sure why I feel the need to explain further but I do. “I couldn’t have anyway if we hadn’t just eaten. I have to go over to Ensley Avenue and try to find someone.”

&n
bsp; “You’re going to Ensley Avenue tonight?”

  I can’t help but laugh at his outright concern. It’s ridiculous but sweet that he feels the need to worry about me. I pat the inside of my thigh and grin. He glances down then back up. He doesn’t seem as amused as I am at being able to protect myself. I roll my eyes. “Yes, new client. I need to find their kid. They know that’s where he hangs out. At least that’s where they found him last time.”

  “Oh.” He stands in the doorway lingering. I contemplate inviting him inside but I need to use the restroom then leave myself. It’s a twenty minute drive over there and I would love to find him before it gets too loaded with prostitutes and tweakers. “Mind if I tag along?”

  What? I fail miserably at trying to hide my surprise at his request because my voice squeaks, “Surely you have something better to do on a Saturday evening besides tag along on a search.”

  “Actually I’m on leave for the next few days. Four eyes searching are better than two, right?”

  He’s got a point there, but still, why would he want to do this on his off time? “I guess, but it’s going to be pretty boring.”

  “I can honestly say that every time I’ve ever been around you, boring is not the word that would accurately describe the situation.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  I step back to let him inside while I get ready. I use the bathroom and change into my cargo pants making sure I have my taser, pepper spray, gun, and chewing gum. I pull my hair up into a tight bun so it’s out of the way. I make sure Joe has plenty of food and water then I grab two bottles of water from the fridge and out the door we go. Wade walks across the grass back toward his vehicle. “Roscoe, we’re taking my truck. Yours wouldn’t help at all, just scare people away.”

  He opens the back door and reaches inside. “I’m just grabbing my bag. You’re in charge. I’m just riding along.”

  I study his face looking for sarcasm but none is to be found. I raise my eyebrows and turn toward my truck to get inside. He opens the passenger side door and climbs into the seat next to me. It’s awkward having him right here next to me. I find myself thinking over the last thirty minutes of how it all played out and how I managed to have company tonight. He sets his bag over the seat behind him. I wait for him to buckle up and then we’re on our way.

  The first few minutes starts out in an uncomfortable silence. He doesn’t seem bothered by it as we drive through town but for some reason I am. “Heath said you moved here from Texas.”

  “Yeah. My grandmother left my brother and me her farm. My parents asked us to really consider not selling it. I don’t think either one of us were planning to do that but I don’t care anything about farming so Troy, that’s my brother, he looks after all the animals and whatever it is he has planted at the time and I police.”

  I’m a bit surprised at his candor. “How long have you been here?”

  “A few months now. Troy came about six weeks before I did. I wasn’t that big on moving but he asked and we’ve been best friends all our lives so I thought what the heck.”

  “Do you regret it? Moving out here.”

  “I miss the rest of my family. But my parents have been out here twice already so it hasn’t been too bad.”

  I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to miss someone. The true desire to want someone close because you’re used to them being there. I find myself traveling down the path I try to avoid at all costs. I remind myself we’re here to work, to make money. When we pull up to a stop light I reach over and lift the center console in my truck where I stored the case file. I pass it to Wade and he takes it and begins looking it over. “Add a beard and long hair,” he says as he looks over at me with disbelief.

  “Believe me I know. I think we’ll have better luck just asking for him.”

  “His nickname is Skids?”

  “Unfortunately that isn’t a joke.”

  “That’s a terrible nickname.”

  “Well, on that we both agree.”

  My phone begins to ring over the speakers of my truck. My eyes cut over to Wade when I see Heath’s name on the screen. Fuck… if I don’t answer it he’ll just keep calling back ‘til I do and if I do answer he’ll know I’m with Wade… please, Wade keep your damn mouth shut. I don’t know what I’m worried about. There’s a logical explanation as to why I’m with his boss but still it feels weird. I press the button on the steering wheel and answer, “Hello.”

  “Hey, where are you at?”

  “I’m on my way to Ensley Avenue to find a runaway. I guess if that’s what you want to call him. Anyway I caught a case this afternoon and I promised them I’d start today.”

  “Damn, be careful that section of town is insane. We don’t go over there by ourselves anymore. Two units, always.”

  “I plan to get in and get out.”

  “I don’t know, Willow. Hey, I’ll meet you or come by and get me. I have a few hours before I have to be at work.”

  “Heath, I’m fine. If it starts looking crazy I’ll get out of there.” He’s silent a moment I know he’s weighing the pros and cons of pushing me to meeting him. I can tell by his tone he’s not happy I’m going alone but knows it’s not worth pushing the argument.

  “Anyway, I called to tell you that Wade went to the D.A. himself on your behalf.” Shit. I was worried about Wade speaking now Heath is spilling his guts. Take him off speaker phone? No he’ll think Heath gossips about him all the time. Crap… “Hello? Did I lose you?”

  “No. I’m here.” My whole body sags down in my seat as I answer him. “Yeah, I know.”

  “You know? How the hell do you know?”

  “Because he came by to see me.”

  “Oh… when?”

  “About an hour ago.”

  “Oh…”

  “Hey, can I call you back later?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. Hey, did he tell you that he got into an argument with him? Like raised hell, yelling argument? Everybody’s talking about it at the station. Riley called me and told me. He’s been punched square in the face before and never lost his cool. But injustice for little sweet Willow…”

  Dammit, Heath, would you shut up! I swallow the big lump in my throat. “No, he didn’t mention that.” I glance over at Wade out the corner of my eye and he has his arm propped up next to the window staring out. “I’ll call you when I’m done to let you know I made it out okay.”

  “You don’t want to know what he said?”

  “Not right now I don’t.” I talk through my gritted teeth. “I’ll. Call. You. Later.”

  “What’s with you? Wait who’s with you? Please, Willow, you’re not with him are you?”

  Wade looks to me and I know Wade thinks Heath’s talking about him but I know he means Jake. I sigh a loud over dramatic sigh, “No, I’m not with Jake. I happen to be with Wade at the moment and I’m in my truck so everything is over loud speaker. How about, I’ll call you back when I’m done?”

  The silence from Heath for the solid five seconds feels like an eternity. I put my thumb on the button to hang up when he says, “Yeah, you call me back tonight.”

  The emphasis on the word “tonight” doesn’t go unnoticed by myself or Wade. I push the button on the steering wheel and silence falls over the cab of the truck once again.

  “Who’s Jake?” Wade asks like it’s his business.

  “Somebody from my past who should have been left in my past.”

  He nods. “I’ve had a few of those.”

  My phone chirps first then my truck and I look at the screen on my radio. It’s a text from Heath, I decline allowing my truck to read it to me because I’m sure it’s laced with curse words and questions about Wade. Lucky for me Wade doesn’t seem to notice or care about the text message and he only asks that one personal question. I don’t ask him about what Heath said he did for me and it’s not that I don’t have the nerve to ask him it’s that I’m not exactly sure how I feel about somebody taking up for me. I fight all my own f
ights, always have, and always will.

  I park three blocks over from Ensley Avenue. It’s still not the best neighborhood but I think my truck will have a better chance of surviving intact here than parking closer. I take the file back from Wade and pull the picture from the paper clip. “I’m not used to having help so we only have one photo to go from.”

  “I’m good. I studied it.”

  We get out. I walk around to the other side of the truck and watch as Wade takes things from his bag and sticks them into his pocket. He slides a gun into the back of his jeans and pulls his t-shirt down to help conceal it. We walk the blocks over to our destination and the closer we get the more on edge and alert he becomes. His edginess has me becoming anxious. “It’s going to be fine. Just chill.”

  “I am chilled. You need to be more nervous, more aware.”

  “I am aware. But were not here to arrest people, we’re here to deliver a message and get out of here.”

  “It’s not very bright to assume we’re going to blend in out here. We’re going to make them nervous and nervous people are dangerous.”

  “Well then, quit making me nervous.”

  “I’m fine. I’m the eyes in the back of your head. That’s why I’m here.”

  I frown at him. “You don’t think I could have done this by myself?”

  “Now is not the time to start an argument from something you imagined I meant instead of what I said.”

  I frown and speed up as I cross the street. I don’t bother looking back at him but I can tell he’s no longer walking next to me like he was a few seconds ago. I block out his rude comment and begin doing what I came to do. When you’re in these situations you have to ask twenty people before getting any type of response. Nobody wants to be known as a narc or a snitch. I don’t hide the reason I’m here looking for him. I tell every person I speak to if they happen to meet him to tell him to call home. Both his parents are sick. I say it over and over so many times I’m actually finding myself tired of talking. I check my watch and I’ve been doing this almost a solid two hours. Wade hasn’t interfered. He talks to a few of them, but for the most part he’s doing exactly what he said he’d doing, being the eyes in the back of my head.