“I’m so sorry, JoAnne,” Denny rushed to say. “This is on me. I’m not there to protect you and Audrey.” Before the MP yanked the phone away, Denny whispered, “I’m an anchor.”
42. Corollary
Jason grinned from the passenger seat. “Thanks for picking me up.” Cam smirked. “Oh, just another day in the life of dating Jason Scott…You know, attend his sentencing hearing, pick him up from jail, chauffeur him to an AA meeting…” Her eyes left the road for a moment to meet his.
Jason continued her list of duties: “Attend Al-Anon, drive him to the hospital to see his brother…I owe you big time.” Warmth settled in his chest as he looked at her. “How was Al-Anon?”
“Good. I found out I wasn’t the only one retrieving an alcoholic from the courthouse today.”
“Ah, Brett’s wife was at Al-Anon too? I figured she came to post bail after he saved my butt. CS riled up this big dude in the holding cel , then left me alone to deal with him. The cretin was about to pound me when Brett showed up. Then it became two against one again.”
“And you like those odds.” She smiled.
“Yep, the guy changed his mind.” Jason smiled for a moment, then snapped back to the present. “Uh, Cam, can you drive any faster?” There’d been an image in Jason’s head of Leo lying vulnerable in his hospital bed ever since he’d watched the MPs lead CS away from the holding cell.
“Leo will be okay, Jase.”
“Don’t underestimate my father.”
“I know what CS is capable of. That’s why I handled it.”
“Cam?” Jason’s voice rose with reproach. “What’d you do?”
“After the detective told me how badly Leo was hurt, I went to Captain Payson to make sure your dad wouldn’t weasel out this time.”
“Really? How’d he take it?”
“He was shocked. He said he’d make sure to protect Leo.” As Cam parked in the hospital garage, Jason shook his head.
“That was freaking brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Because I’m smarter than you.”
Jason laughed and stroked her hand, rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. “Now the Navy knows. They can’t turn a blind eye to the abuse anymore.”
“They better not.”
“Now I really owe you.” He grinned.
“Big time.”
To express his gratitude, Jason delivered an urgent kiss.
“Wow,” she mumbled, smoothing her fingers over the stubble on his jaw. “Not only a kiss, but free exfoliation too.”
“Do you need anything before I leave, Leo?” Mrs. Rose asked, standing over Leo’s hospital bed.
“I’m fine, ma’am.”
“You sure? I’ll be gone over an hour while I check on Audrey and bring your mother back.”
“I’m sure, ma’am.”
Mrs. Rose nodded faintly and left.
Leo sighed. He was so sick of being in bed, so sick of people staring at him with thinly veiled pity. He’d been a strong, untouch-able athlete. Now he couldn’t even go to the bathroom on his own.
Audrey. He missed Audrey.
She was the only one who truly saw him when she looked at him. Everyone else — the surgeon, the nurses, Captain Payson, his mother, even his brother — stared at his wounds while trying to hide their distress. They were distracted and repelled by the welts covering his body, and they couldn’t see past them. Nobody saw an athlete, a scholar, a boy who tried to do the right thing — all they saw was an abuse victim. They saw the son of an abuser, nothing more. Leo wondered if he was forever marked.
Worst of all was the Navy social worker who’d taken photographs of his injuries — a stranger forcing light conversation as she recorded evidence. All privacy was out the window, and Leo felt the heat of a huge spotlight, highlighting his helplessness and humiliation.
“Leo?”
Looking up, he found Coach Matt in the doorway wearing jeans and a tie-dyed shirt that read Gratefully Deadicated to Swimming.
“You came to visit me.”
“Of course. When you didn’t show up to practice, I figured you were either getting a huge head after that meet you had and thinking you didn’t need to practice anymore, or sneaking off somewhere with Audrey to get a room.”
Leo smiled.
“I called your house to chew you out, but there was no answer.
So I called the Roses’.” Matt’s smile faded. “And your mom told me you were here.”
Leo turned away. “Did she tell you what happened?”
“Yeah, you had a splenectomy.”
“A swimectomy, you mean,” he mumbled.
“What was that?”
Leo set his jaw and stared straight ahead. “I can’t swim for six weeks, sir.”
“I heard that too.” Matt paused. “So you’ll miss nationals, our last meet together, and I won’t get credit for coaching the first spleenless swimmer under twenty seconds in the fifty.”
“Stop it.” Leo refused to be cheered up.
“Some college coach will get all the credit. Story of my life.” Matt heaved a dramatic sigh and dropped into a chair by the bed.
Leo stared at his hands, fiddling with the medical wrap on his sprained wrist.
“I should’ve known this was going on,” Matt said after a few moments. “Why didn’t you talk to me?” Leo glanced up, worried about disappointing his coach, but he read nothing but concern in Matt’s weathered face. He looked down again. “I don’t know. I didn’t want to think about my crappy life during swimming.” He sighed. “I wanted to keep it separate…” He created a separate box on each thigh with his hands. “There’s swimming, and then there’s all the bad stuff.” His hands collapsed together in his lap, his fingers intertwining. “But now they’re all mixed together.”
Matt squeezed Leo’s shoulder. “We’l just have to untangle them again, okay?”
The coach reached into his knapsack and pulled out a paper bag.
“Total contraband.” He grinned, handing it to Leo. “I brought you a couple cheeseburgers since we all know how delicious hospital food is.” He squeezed Leo’s arm. “Maybe we can finally get some meat on those bones without you swimming away all your calories.”
“Great, now I’ll be out of shape and fat.” Leo put the food aside, not feeling one bit hungry, then realized how rude he sounded. “I’m sorry. Thanks for being here. I’m just…tired or something.” Matt studied him. “I should get going, let you sleep. Visit practice when you can — it’d be good to see your face on deck.”
“Yes, sir,” Leo said, but he knew he didn’t want to be anywhere near a pool if he couldn’t be in it.
Jason and Cameron tiptoed into Leo’s hospital room. Cam must have noticed Jason’s immediate fixation on the untouched fast food by the bed, because she whispered, “I’ll go get us some dinner. Be right back.”
As the door closed behind her, Jason sank into the chair and watched his brother’s chest rise and fal with even breaths. Leo looked so young and defenseless in his sleep. He was curled on his side with his hands up next to his pillow. His bandaged right wrist rested on his left arm, and the fingers of his left hand unfurled against the sheet.
Jason was struck by his brother’s lean grace, even when not in motion.
A nurse bustled through the door and gave him a perfunctory nod. She fiddled with Leo’s IV, and he stirred.
“Evening, Mr. Scott,” she chirped. “How’re we feeling tonight?” His only reply was an annoyed grunt, eyes still closed.
“Sounds like we are feeling grumpy,” Jason supplied.
Leo’s eyes popped open. He coughed. “Hey, Jase.”
“How ya feelin’, buddy?”
“Better.”
“Well, that’s good to hear,” the nurse chimed in. “Because we’re removing your IV.”
Leo forced himself to sit up. “Wait a minute, isn’t that where my pain med’s coming from?”
“Yes. But you can take the medication orally for t
he next few days.”
“When am I getting out of here?”
The nurse paused. “The doctor’s ordered you to stay four more days.”
“What? Why?”
She fidgeted. “Because of your addiction…issues, we can’t send you home with pain medication. So we have to keep you here a little longer.”
Leo shot Jason an accusatory glance. “This is Mr. Shale’s fault. It’s yours too.”
As the nurse left, Jason took a deep breath, determined not to get defensive. “I’m sorry you have to stay here so long, Leo. This must be like your own prison sentence, stuck here in bed.” Jason watched the anger drain from his brother’s face.
“Speaking of prison, you’re out now?” Leo asked.
Jason nodded.
“Was it bad?”
“Guess who my cellie was.”
Leo’s eyes widened. “Criminal Slayer?”
“Yeah. We had a good ol’ time together until the MP jerks came and got him. I thought he’d get off again, but Cam told me she talked to Captain Payson.”
“Cam did that? Wow.” Leo nodded approvingly. “The captain came and saw what Dad did to me. He said CS would be in the brig for a while.”
“What’s he like?” Jason asked.
“Captain Payson? I don’t know…he actual y seemed kind of nice.
He looked really upset when he saw what had happened to me.
He made all kinds of promises — it won’t happen again, blah, blah, whatever.”
“I know why you have doubts. Cobra Snake’s slippery. But this is the first time his bosses have known. Have some faith, bro.” Jason stood and reached for Leo’s arm, motioning for him to take hold. “C’mon, I’ll help you to the bathroom.”
“How’d you know I have to pee so bad? My eyeballs turning yellow?” Leo asked.
“Because you suck at asking for help.” With a slight grin, Leo swung his legs off the bed and leaned on Jason’s shoulder. Leo hopped on his good foot as they made their way to the bathroom.
His mother knocked and entered the room on her canes at the same moment Leo began using Jason as a human crutch. They locked eyes and stood in awkward silence until the male Scott contingent decided to continue on.
Their mother sighed and collapsed into a chair.
When Jason had returned his brother to his bed, his mother said,
“I’m glad you’re both here. I have something to tell you.” Jason quickly found a seat and prepared himself for the worst.
“Leo, Mrs. Rose has asked you and me to stay in her house for a while. How’d that be for you?”
At first Leo appeared puzzled. “I’d be living in the same house as Audrey?” A smile played across his lips.
“Leo,” his mother warned. “We’d be laying out ground rules, of course.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Leo nodded.
Jason chuckled. His mother would certainly have her hands full.
“So that’s settled, then.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve made a decision,” she continued, looking at each of her sons in turn. “I’m leaving your father.”
Silence enveloped the room. Then Jason finally found his voice and boomed, “It’s about freaking time!” He grinned at her. “I’ll help with whatever you need. You deserve better, Mom.”
“Thank you, Jason. We all deserve better.” She turned her attention back to Leo, who looked away.
“Are you getting a divorce?” he finally asked.
“Probably, yes. But right now I guess we’re separating.”
“So, what…will I be, like, living with Dad part time?”
“I sincerely hope not, Leo. I’ll do everything I can to prevent that.
But at this point I have no idea what will happen. I don’t even know when you can leave the hospital.”
Leo frowned. “The nurse told me I’m here for four more days.”
“Maybe we’ll know more about your father’s situation by then.” She blinked at Leo and seemed nervous. “Staying at Audrey’s isn’t entirely a done deal yet, either. As soon as you’re discharged, Mr.
Rose wants to speak with you.”
Leo looked up with alarm. Then he closed his eyes and sighed.
“This just keeps getting better.”
43. Consequence
Petty Officer Richards seemed distracted by his stare as she typed at her computer.
James admired her shiny black hair, which was drawn neatly into a bun and showcased her high cheekbones. As he sat wedged between two MPs, waiting for Captain Payson, James wondered if she liked bad boys. Drinking in wafts of her perfume, he wished he smelled better. He’d been wearing the same uniform for more than two days.
After speaking on the phone for a moment, Petty Officer Richards stood. “You may go in now, sir.”
James marched to the captain’s door and entered the office to stand at attention two paces from his superior’s desk. The MPs flanked him.
Captain Payson paused before returning James’s salute. “MPs, leave us.”
They exited, and the captain walked around to sit on the edge of his desk.
As the seconds ticked by, James realized his superior wasn’t going to allow him to stand at ease anytime soon. No matter. He could withstand anything the captain threw at him. When he’d been a plebe at the Academy, one ticked-off midshipman had forced him to stand at attention for several hours. Such mistreatment only made him stronger. He’d just let the captain make his point, and then he’d get back to work.
“Commander, how long has this abuse been going on?”
“I don’t know what you’re referring to, sir. Could you be more specific?”
“Specifically, how many years have you been beating your sons, James?”
“I’ve been disciplining my sons all their lives, sir.” Captain Payson spun around and grabbed a photograph on his desk. He shoved it in James’s face, forcing him to look at the patchwork of cuts and bruises on Leo’s body. “That is not discipline!” James swallowed, looking away.
“It sickened me to see your son recovering from major surgery because of you. This is the son you brag about constantly, James. There’s nothing he could’ve done to deserve this.”
“Sir, he’s seventeen and got a girl pregnant!”
“I don’t care what he did. You’re not to lay one finger on him again. A Family Advocacy Board investigation’s already begun, and you’re suspended until it concludes. You can also kiss your promotion goodbye.”
James flinched. “Captain, you’ve made your point. You’ve showed me who’s boss. There’s no need to suspend me or put my promotion on hold, sir.”
“You’re seriously deluded if you thought two days in jail would be the only consequence of your violence. During your suspension, you’re to stay away from your family. If I or any member of the Board discovers you’ve made contact with them, I’m returning you to the brig.”
James’s entire body tensed. “You can’t take my family away from me!”
“You’re the one who lost your family.” Suffocating on anger, James struggled to breathe. He’d worked his whole life to support his family — he’d made countless sacrifices for them — and some pot-bellied captain would try to tell him what to do?
“I have a message for you from your wife, James,” Captain Payson continued. “She’d tell you herself, but she’s so disgusted she doesn’t want to see you right now.”
James stopped breathing.
“She’s leaving you.”
It took everything James had to keep his face neutral and remain standing upright. He should have known this was coming, but he’d stuffed that idea into the far recesses of his mind. If he lost Mary, he lost everything. He felt tears rising and could not will them away.
Captain Payson picked up his phone and began speaking. James could barely make out the words “Send in the lieutenant commander” above the rush of adrenaline in his ears.
Roland Drake entered the office and stood at attention to James’s right.
“At ease, Lt. Commander Drake.”
James wished he could wipe away his tears.
“Mr. Drake, Commander Scott’s been suspended during the course of a Family Advocacy Board investigation. You’re to assume his duties during this time period. Do you have any questions?”
“I’m sure I’ll have many questions, sir. It’ll be near impossible to fill the commander’s able shoes.”
James fought the urge to smack the smug off Roland’s face.
“Good. We’ll discuss the parameters of your new assignment after the MPs escort the commander home.” Payson plucked a tissue from the box on his desk and handed it to James. “Clean yourself up, commander.” Then he called the MPs back in and ordered them to drive Commander Scott home.
Through a fog of shock and loss, James somehow managed to salute, turn precisely in an about face, and exit the office. Numb to the core, he followed the MPs’ orders as they proceeded directly to the parking lot.
Hopelessness surrounded him as he slouched in the Jeep. He stared straightahead with glazed eyes, considering ways to end it all.
He longed for his parents and knew only one way to see them again.
44. Meeting a Murderer
Audrey leaned forward, her hands flying around as she recounted what had happened in chemistry lab. “I didn’t know why my Bunsen burner kept going out. It was driving me crazy!” Leo listened from his hospital bed, willing himself to seem interested.
“And then I came back from talking to Mrs. Boyd and totally caught Alex blowing out the flame. That little weasel! Without you as my lab partner, I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I’m lucky I didn’t burn the whole school down. Anyway, I brought you the next homework.”
Leo took the papers and shuffled them onto the untouched stack next to his bed. “Thanks.”
“When do you get discharged?”
“Don’t know. Not sure I want to.”
Somewhere along the line, as the days in the hospital dragged by, Leo had stopped caring. Assisted trips to the toilet and shower, bland meals, occasional awkward chats with visitors who seemed much more interested in the discussion than he was — it had all bled together in an exhausting jumble.
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