“No adult should ever hurt a child in any way, honey. No adult has that right. And if it happens, it’s very important to let an adult know so it can be stopped...and can never happen again. Do you understand me?”
He kept his face averted.
“And it’s important to talk about feelings with someone like a school counselor or a social worker, or a policeman or your doctor...any adult whom you trust.”
He bowed his head. “U-Uncle Rafe hits people. Hard. And he yells bad words and uses his belt with a big buckle. H-he says that’s the only way I’ll learn, ’cause I’m stupid. And when Aunt Bess tries to stop him, he hits her, too.”
It apparently wasn’t the type of abuse she’d feared, but it was horrifying nonetheless. “That’s terrible, Bobby. He has no right to say those things and no right to hit you or your aunt. Would you be willing to talk to a deputy, who can, um, ask Rafe to stop?”
She held her breath as he wavered then finally gave a single, small nod.
“H-he won’t make Rafe mad, will he? Please d-don’t make him mad at me for telling.”
There were no guarantees on that score, but leaving that monster to terrify an ill, middle-aged woman and a young teen would be far worse.
“Let me make a quick phone call and then I’ll help you with more dusting, okay?”
Deputy Luke Dalton, one of the older officers in town, appeared thirty minutes later with a county social worker in tow. Middle-aged, with a friendly smile and brown hair pulled up into a tipsy bun, she seemed like the perfect, nonthreatening choice for Bobby and he appeared to warm up to her right away.
They visited with him privately in the back room for a good forty minutes before rejoining Keeley.
“This was perfect timing for you to call the sheriff’s office about this child—I was in town for a home visit anyway, and it was canceled. I’m Debra Yates,” the woman said, offering her hand. “Sorry I didn’t introduce myself sooner, but Bobby seemed to be in a receptive mood and I didn’t want to keep him waiting.”
“I know you probably can’t tell me much, but is he all right?”
Debra chuckled. “Right now he’s quite content back at your worktable, because I brought him a soda and a package of Twinkies.”
Keeley bit her lower lip. “Do you think it’s safe for him to go back to that house?”
The social worker tapped the manila folder held in the crook of her arm. “I see that a search for foster care has been initiated, but the homes on our list are already overcrowded and we haven’t been able to find him a suitable placement. Not everyone is willing to take on a teenage boy, you see.”
“But is it safe for him to be at Bess’s place? That’s my big question. Bobby said his uncle hits him with the buckle end of a belt and tells him he is too stupid to learn any other way. Did he tell you that?”
“Yes, and so long as that man is in the house, this child should not be there. It would be a different story if the uncle were to be removed from the home and jailed for a substantial time, but at most he might be locked up for six months to a year. And then he’d be back, probably angry, and potentially more volatile than before.”
“She’s right, unfortunately,” the deputy added. “Our judges don’t view excessive corporal punishment—essentially how Rafe uses his belt—as seriously as other kinds of abuse...and emotional abuse can be hard to prove. I’ll get a warrant and lock him up, but he’ll soon be out on bail and right back in the community. Even if he’s convicted, it won’t be long enough. Unless, God forbid, he does something worse.”
“So without foster-care placement, Bess’s home is the only option right now...and that isn’t a good idea. What about somewhere else temporarily—like my place? He’s here most every afternoon anyway.”
“Even though it might only mean a stay for a week or two, we need a background check and references,” Debra warned. “There are a few hoops to go through first.”
“No problem. I just want to make sure Bobby is safe.”
The woman beamed. “He tells me that he loves being here with you, so I’ll ask him what he thinks about this possible change before we go any further. If he’s on board with the idea, I’ll do whatever I can to expedite this. You’re sure you want to take him on for a while?”
Keeley nodded decisively. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”
* * *
At five o’clock Keeley turned off the lights in the store and moved to the front door to lock up.
She stopped in surprise at the sight of her SUV parked in front of her store. Connor?
He opened the door and stepped out, and she fought the urge to break into a run to meet him, just as the hilarious Western heroine had done at the beginning of Romancing the Stone.
Mindful of the pedestrians on the sidewalk and Millie, who was probably keeping an eagle eye on the town from her store window, she managed to rein in her emotions until she reached him. “I’m so glad to see you! How did it go?”
“Better than I’d hoped...in most ways.” He nodded toward a bench flanked with shoulder-high lilacs along the side of her building. “Can we talk?”
“Of course.” Mystified, she followed him and sat on the bench and gripped the front edge of the seat. Bad news was coming, she could feel it, and already her heart felt heavy with dread.
“It went well in Detroit,” he said. “I met three times with the lawyer your sister recommended and talked with Marsha and her boyfriend Ed several times. We came to an agreement about shared custody on our own, so my lawyer was able to make an initial appointment with the court.”
“That’s wonderful!”
“Because of the distances involved between Texas and the Gulf, Marsha agreed to have Joshua just for the summers, but I’ll have him during the entire school year. We’ll alternate major holidays. But Ed isn’t that fond of ‘having a kid around all the time’ and I wouldn’t be surprised if I were to end up having Josh most of the summer, too.”
She stared at him. “They’re moving down to the Gulf?”
“Apparently, Ed is an insurance agent, but he’s quite a gambler in his free time. He’s bent on moving down there because he likes some of the casinos.” Connor sighed heavily. “That lifestyle isn’t the kind of example I want for Josh.”
“But maybe he won’t be with them very much. Otherwise, do things look good?”
“Mostly. He and Marsha have pay stubs to prove they have incomes. But before everything can be settled legally, I need to prove that I’m gainfully employed and can do my share of supporting Josh.”
“What about your job here at the store?”
“I appreciate all you’ve done for me. But I need more income, with insurance and benefits. Unfortunately the most solid option is to head back to Texas and ranch with my brothers...at least long enough to show income and decide if that’s where I belong or if I want to do something else.”
A pang of sorrow lanced through her. “Texas.”
He gave a short, humorless laugh. “My dad and brothers were actually happy to hear from me. Dad has a heart condition and can’t do ranch work any longer, and my brothers are overwhelmed. I think they all view this as the timely return of the prodigal son.”
“It’s so far,” Keeley whispered.
“It’s my only viable choice for now. If I can’t settle the custody issue right now, who knows? I may not be granted such a good opportunity later. Marsha could decide to fight back saying I’d failed to follow through this time around and couldn’t be trusted in the future.”
Keeley clenched her hands in her lap. “So...what’s the timetable?”
“Once I get settled at the ranch, I need to go back to Detroit for a final court date and then I can bring Josh home to Texas for a few weeks before Marsha’s summertime custody starts.”
Her heart fell. “So y
ou’re leaving soon?”
“I have to. Red says he can have my truck finished on Saturday, and my brothers wired money to pay him off.” Connor reached over and took one of Keeley’s hands in his. “So I need to leave then. I’m sorry.”
She leaned against the back of the park bench and felt as if the breath had been stolen from her lungs.
“We probably won’t ever see you here in town again, then.”
“Not for a while, anyway. I have to go—for my son’s sake.” Connor swallowed hard. “I don’t want him sitting in an apartment alone day after day while Marsha and her boyfriend are at work or spending their time at the casinos. I just can’t let that happen. Not anymore.”
Keeley’s heart faltered as his words sank in. She’d known this day would come...yet the realization now settled over her like a dark and dismal fog.
“Of course. You need to do what’s right for your son above all things. He’s a very fortunate little guy,” she said lightly, trying for a smile. “But I’ll miss you. A lot.”
“I wish...” His voice trailed off as he studied her for a long moment, his eyes filled with regret and longing. “I wish all things were possible. Honestly, I do.”
He hesitated, then kissed her lightly on the cheek. Then he pulled her into his arms for a longer, deeper kiss that told her just how much he cared.
And then he walked away.
Chapter Twenty-One
Finding people to provide references in a hurry, plus completing a five-page questionnaire and a one-page written summary, had been the easy part.
By late Thursday afternoon Keeley had also been through two home visits and three interviews by various people with Child Protection Services.
The news that she’d passed with flying colors had filled her with momentary relief. But now, standing at the door of Bess’s house, she felt a surge of doubt. Did she even want to be a part of breaking the older woman’s heart?
The county would handle all of the details of this short-term foster arrangement. There was no need for her to be here, and maybe she was even breaking some protocol, but she needed to know, firsthand, that it would be all right.
Connor insisted on coming with her to make sure she was safe, though during daylight hours the run-down neighborhood looked more depressing than dangerous.
With Connor at her side, Keeley knocked on Bess’s door. She waited a few minutes then knocked again.
Finally she heard the sound of shuffling feet and then a wrinkled face appeared in the window set in the door. A chain jingled and the door opened wide.
“Come in, come in,” Bess said, stepping aside. “Both of you.”
“Is, um, Rafe here?”
Bess shook her head. “He comes and he goes. No idea where he is or when he’ll be back, but I kinda like it when he’s gone.”
“It’s good to see you again,” Keeley murmured.
“Don’t mind the clutter. Things are a little out of order, but I’ve been cleaning today.” Bess leaned forward with a conspiratorial twinkle in her eye. “That county home-aide gal comes today to do some cleaning, but I always want to pick up before she gets here.”
Hiding a smile, Keeley took a chair next to a doily-topped end table while Connor stood sentry just inside the door, apparently watching out for Rafe. “I hear you were ill. How are you feeling?”
Bess waved off her concern. “It’s just the diabetes. Must’ve got my insulin wrong—or maybe I didn’t eat right.”
“Goodness. That could be dangerous, Bess.”
“So they say. Now there’s another county gal coming once a week. She fixes my pillboxes and draws up my insulin for each day. A lot of foolishness, but that’s what makes those folks happy.”
“If she keeps you out of the ER, then that’s wonderful, right?”
“It’ll do, for now.” Bess looked around the dimly lit living room and sighed. “They tell me I’d be better off in a senior apartment, and I suppose they’re right. A lady from the county took me for a tour yesterday, and some of those places are mighty nice. I even have some old friends at the one over by Christmas Lake.”
“That sounds lovely.”
“But if I go to an old folks’ home, I can’t take Bobby. He’s been with me a long time. Me and Rafe are the only family he has left. With his special needs, how could anyone else love him like I do?” She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. “But it is what it is, as they say. Bobby’s gone all day at school, and they say I’m not safe here alone. And he needs someone who can take better care of him.”
“He loves you, you know, and he always will. He’s a very sweet boy,” Keeley murmured.
“His social worker came by this morning. She said you agreed to take him for a while, until they can find a permanent foster home.” Bess looked up at Keeley, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Is that true? Are you willing to do that for him?”
“Absolutely. And I promise that I’ll bring him to see you every week. I could even do that when he’s in his new home, if need be.”
“Then it will be all right. Everything will be all right.” Bess knotted her hands in her lap. “I used to hope he could be adopted after I couldn’t take care of him any longer. I thought I could die happy if I just knew he had a real family and wouldn’t be alone after he turned eighteen. But now he’s sixteen and there’s no hope of that, so this is surely the next best thing. Thank you, thank you—from the bottom of my heart.”
And with that, Keeley’s last shred of doubt melted away.
* * *
On Friday morning at ten o’clock Keeley sank onto the bench in front of her store and watched the county building inspector examine every last detail of the exterior, then go inside, a clipboard in hand.
With all of the smaller projects Connor had taken care of, plus all that the contractor and his team had tackled, everything should be in good order.
She hoped.
With such an old building, who could be sure? The electrical system was entirely new, the plumbing completely replaced, the roof was good and the floors were solid. Even the accessibility accommodations had been completed.
She’d taken care of everything listed in the initial report and more. Please, God, let everything be all right.
What would she do about the loan coming due and the refinancing if the building didn’t pass inspection? The thought made her stomach tie itself into a knot.
Unable to sit still any longer, she jogged over to her dad’s house and checked on him and the beef stew she’d started in his Crock-Pot this morning. Then she jogged back to the store and resumed her position on the bench.
The inspector, a tall, lean man with salt-and-pepper hair, finally stepped out of the building at two.
She jumped to her feet. “Is everything all right? Did it pass?”
“I need to write up my report first, then give copies to you and the bank,” he said, his voice firm. A corner of his mouth twitched. “But I can tell you that it’s good news.”
“Really? It really passed?” Joy rushed through her. “When will those reports be done?”
“Well...this is my last appointment of the week.” He shrugged. “Maybe later today, if I put you at the top of my stack.”
Almost dizzy with excitement and relief, she flew through the rest of the afternoon, impatient to leave for the day and do...what?
She sobered.
Dad had supper waiting in his Crock-Pot so she and Connor could have a last dinner alone.
It would be a night to celebrate the end of renovations and a successful building inspection, though with Connor’s departure for Texas tomorrow, the celebration would be bittersweet.
She didn’t even want to think about the days and weeks...and months ahead without him.
Once he fell back into his old life at th
e ranch and renewed relationships with his dad and brothers, she guessed he would soon forget about the time he’d spent in a little town in Wisconsin.
He’d forget about her.
She closed the store early, grabbed the deposit bag with the day’s earnings and strolled to the bank. After taking care of the deposit, she stopped at a secretary’s desk at the end of the hall, where a young blonde was studying her computer screen.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Grover in two weeks, but I wonder if I can move it up,” she said with a smile. “Any chance of that?”
“Have a seat and let me check,” the blonde chirped. “I think I left his calendar by the copier.”
She disappeared down the hallway and Keeley sank into the deep, plushy barrel chair to wait.
A man spoke in a hushed tone from behind the half-closed door of an office next to the receptionist’s desk. “Did you see that inspection report?”
Keeley stiffened. It could be for any number of other projects, but still...
“Yeah, never thought that old building would pass, but there it is. That gal has done an amazing job with the place.”
She stilled, filled with sudden hope. Could it be? Were her worries over?
The voice continued. “I’m still not sure about her low credit rating...”
“I don’t know. If I remember right, she was hit by identity theft last winter and also had a credit card stolen. Tough luck.”
“That building of hers housed a prosperous business for many years. Kinda nice to have that sense of heritage in town, don’t you think? With so many businesses being taken over by newcomers?”
“Is her dad cosigning?”
The other man snickered. “I hope not. I don’t know of a more difficult person to deal with. I never want to— Shut the door, will you?”
Then she heard the door close and their voices were too muffled to hear.
Keeley closed her eyes, imagining the rest of that conversation. Offering up a silent prayer.
Dad’s finances had been a mess when she’d first come back to town. He’d fallen deeper and deeper into debt as his dementia slowly advanced, and this was where he did his banking. Could they somehow hold that against her in her loan application?
The Single Dad's Redemption (Aspen Creek Crossroads Book 3) Page 17