ANNA WENT HOME.
She didn’t tell anyone where she was going. She didn’t let herself worry about whether Diego might need her. She couldn’t imagine going to work tomorrow. What would she do? Lie, like he had? Claim to be sick?
I am sick.
At first she did nothing but sit on her sofa and stare at the wall, remembering every lie Reid had ever told her. Every flickering expression that crossed his face when he told those lies.
He hadn’t known her. Not well enough to realize what those particular lies would mean to her.
I don’t have to be fair.
No, she didn’t. She wouldn’t be. She was obligated to report the Hales. How could she not, even knowing what that would do to Reid?
She was hugging herself for warmth when it occurred to her she hadn’t adjusted the thermostat. It took her another five minutes to make herself get up and do it, then grab a fleece throw from the back of a chair to wrap around herself. A cup of tea would be nice but...would take more effort than she had to give.
Inevitably, her mind started clicking again, starting with a slide show. All Reid.
The man she’d first met, who was so good at hiding what he felt, she’d wondered if he did feel anything. The smiles he began letting loose. The thousand other emotions he’d let her see since.
And she remembered how much he had told her, even as he kept secrets. His wretched childhood, his bafflement over how to reach the brother he hadn’t known he had. His clumsy attempts to create a relationship she could see he craved, for all he didn’t want to need it—or to let anyone else see what he must believe was a weakness. His honesty the night they first had sex. Made love. She couldn’t imagine he’d ever revealed as much to anyone. The tenderness and passion he’d given her since, not easy for him, but a part of the man nonetheless. His cold anger at his father. His terror when he heard about the accident. The awful look in his eyes every time he came out of the ICU after sitting at Caleb’s side.
The even worse look in his eyes when she backed away, rejecting even his touch.
I love him, she thought miserably. I threw him away.
I think he might love me.
Oh, dear God. Was she really going to let the horror of Molly’s death justify a loveless life?
Curled in a tight ball on her sofa, Anna didn’t know. Had no idea how to let go of the guilt and anger and grief that had made her who she was. Or even if she wanted to let go.
* * *
WEARY TO THE BONE, Reid still made himself drive back out to the shelter that evening. When he walked in, all the boys except TJ were in the main room. Heads turned, and he saw that the sight of him scared them. As it should, he thought bleakly. He had a feeling their reaction had more to do with how he looked than with recent events.
Paula emerged from the kitchen, her eyes locking on Reid. “Boys.” She spoke sharply enough to gain their attention. “Time to say good-night. Everyone to their cabins.”
Except for a few minor grumbles, they complied, shooting backward glances until they were all gone.
“TJ?” he asked.
“Upstairs. Do you need to talk to him?”
“No. You and Roger.”
“He’s—” They both heard the back door open and close again. “That’ll be him,” Paula said with relief.
Now he was scaring her, too.
“Just taking a walk around,” Roger said on seeing Reid, who suggested they sit down.
They chose the table closest to the kitchen and the farthest from the stairwell. Reid would rather TJ didn’t hear what he had to say.
“Your cover is blown,” he said bluntly. “We expected it would be once Sergeant Renner caught up to Haveman, if he’s our guy. But it’s happened sooner than we expected.”
Roger looked stoic, Paula stricken.
“Diego tried, but he let enough slip—” No, damn it, he would not lay the blame elsewhere. “When I spoke to Anna Grant, the social worker for Angel’s Haven who is trying to place Diego in a foster home, I told her the whole story. I think she’ll report you.”
Neither said a word for a long time. Finally Roger bent his head. “I told you to use your judgment.”
“She was...angry,” Reid said with difficulty. He told them enough of her story for them to understand. “It doesn’t help that I’ve been, uh, seeing her.” Sleeping with her. Falling in love with her. “Talking to her about Caleb, but telling a pack of lies, too. The fact that this is personal for her may not help your cause. I’m sorry,” he said simply.
“No.” Paula’s gaze had never left his face. To his shock, she reached across the table and laid her hand over his. “I’m sorry, Reid. If we’re responsible for damaging a relationship that meant something to you...”
“My fault.” He couldn’t keep the bleakness from his voice. “Doesn’t matter.”
“It does.”
He only shook his head.
They were all silent for a time again. Roger was the one to speak up.
“Should we try to find places for the boys to go?”
“I can’t advise you on that. None of this will help my career, but actively involving myself now in any action you take to hide the boys would cross a line. I can’t.”
Both nodded.
“But if you want my advice?”
“Of course we do,” Paula said warmly.
“Then I’d sit tight. What I can and will do when it all comes out is my damnedest to defend and support you. And to make sure these boys’ stories are heard. My guess is you can count on Sergeant Renner, too. I don’t think any of the boys will be returned to their former homes. And, for all that she’s angry at me, I know Anna will fight for your kids.”
A nerve twitched beneath Roger’s eye. Paula abruptly bent her head to hide her face.
God damn. This was hard. Reid felt as if he was betraying them, as he’d betrayed Anna and maybe Caleb, too.
“I need to get back to the hospital,” he said. “Caleb was looking a little more active. Twitching. Even moving a little.”
“That’s good news,” Roger said heavily.
“I hope so.” He flattened his hands on the table to shove himself up, then stood for a minute, feeling as if each foot was encased in cement. Actually walking out felt beyond him.
Caleb, he reminded himself.
“I’ll keep you informed,” he said, nodded a good-night and left.
* * *
WAKING AND SLEEPING were versions of the same nightmare.
Reid had asked permission to stay with Caleb, and the latest doctor had okayed it. Caleb was struggling toward consciousness, and nobody liked the idea of him waking to unfamiliar people on top of an alien environment.
He was no longer on oxygen, but was still wired for monitoring. His slightest movement caused beeping and a wild disarrangement of one of the squiggly green lines that ran across a screen. The beating of Caleb’s heart became part of Reid’s waking and sleeping dreams, along with visions of Anna’s face while she told him about her sister.
He killed my little sister.
Reid wondered how. He’d seen enough bodies of young children to be able to envision too many possibilities, all graphic. God, had six-year-old Anna seen it happen? Discovered her sister’s body afterward?
Promises meant everything to Anna.
He hadn’t made one to her. He hadn’t broken a promise. Not to her, not to anyone. Reid didn’t ever remember making a promise beyond the most casual, the “I’ll call this afternoon” variety, until Caleb had come along.
Didn’t matter whether there had ever been an explicit promise, Reid realized. He had known how much Anna would disapprove of what the Hales were doing. No, he hadn’t known why, but his gut had told him she had a powerful and very personal reason. He’d lied anyway, because what else could he do?
By morning, he felt like hell. His neck was stiff and his skin grimy. Yesterday morning’s shower and shave were a distant memory. He clenched his teeth against the jab of another memory, that of Anna sleeping in his bed, nestled in the middle because she’d been cuddled up to him until he’d eased himself away. That had been yesterday morning, too.
He stood and stretched until his bones cracked, after which his eyes focused on his brother, who lay quietly as if sleeping. The swelling that had made half his face grotesque had noticeably gone down. No, the sleep wasn’t peaceful, he saw then—there was a lot of activity going on beneath Caleb’s eyelids. Dreams? Or a semiconscious battle?
“I’m still here,” he said quietly. He gripped his brother’s hand again. “You’re in the hospital, Caleb. I’m going to feel one hell of a lot better when you open your eyes and say my name.”
The movement under the boy’s eyelids intensified, even seeming agitated. His lashes fluttered—and his eyes opened. He closed them as quickly, opened them again, but squinting this time. Well, on his good side—on the battered side of his face, the remaining swelling allowed barely a squint anyway. What Reid could see of his eyes looked...blank.
Feeling a thrill of fear, Reid said, “Caleb?”
That uncomprehending gaze very slowly turned to him. And then his brother’s misshapen mouth twisted into what might have been a stab at a smile. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times. His tongue touched chapped lips. Finally, he formed a word. “Reid.”
“You heard me.”
The mouth formed another word, almost silent. “Yes.”
“God.” Reid dropped like a stone onto the bedside chair. “You scared the crap out of me. You’ve been unconscious for damn near two days.” He ran a shaky hand over his face. “I need to let the nurse know you’re awake. Hold on there, kid. I’ll be right back.”
He would have sworn Caleb said, “I know,” although he might have been mistaken.
Within moments, Caleb’s bed was surrounded. Reid was banned to the waiting room for the next while. Exhilarated, he didn’t mind. He walked the hall outside the unit until his muscles loosened, then took out his phone. It was early, but...he couldn’t imagine anyone else had slept much better than he had.
He called Anna first. The call went to voice mail. She might still be asleep, he told himself, but he knew better.
“Caleb’s regained consciousness. He said my name. I thought you’d want to know.” Despite the glorious relief, he became aware of the huge hollow beneath his breastbone. “Anna...will you talk to me? Will you listen?” For some reason, he waited, as if she might pick up even though he knew that was impossible.
After a minute, he touched End, then called Clay Renner, who did answer, sounding alert.
“That’s good news,” he said. “Has he been able to answer questions yet?”
“No. The doctor is in with him now. They kicked me out. But he’s all here, Clay.” His voice had thickened. “He said my name.”
“I’ll come straight there,” the other man said kindly. “See you in fifteen.”
Paula answered the phone at the lodge and began to cry when Reid gave her the news. “Thank God,” she said. “Thank God.”
He’d barely finished that call when Clay Renner arrived, a manila folder in his hand.
“Will they let us question Caleb?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” Reid rasped a hand over his jaw. “If he’s up to it, I don’t know why they wouldn’t.”
Renner eyed him. “I’ve got an electric shaver in my glove compartment. You want to borrow it?”
A reluctant grin broke on Reid’s face. “That bad?”
“Some people look good with stubble. You’re not one of ’em.”
It felt good to laugh. “Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind. I itch.”
Nobody had emerged from ICU to summon Reid before Renner returned with the razor. Reid headed to the nearest restroom, laid out paper towels to catch the whiskers and shaved. When he was done, he eyed himself, not sure the whole picture had improved. The lack of sleep showed. His hair, never cooperative, was doing strange things. He wet it down and tried to smooth it, but wasn’t sure he hadn’t made matters worse. With a shrug, he gave up, tossed the wadded paper towels and went out to join Renner.
“They’re ready for us.”
For some reason, Reid’s heart gave one hard beat. He didn’t know why.
The doctor cleared everyone out of Caleb’s cubicle when Renner and Reid went back. His brother’s eyes were closed, giving Reid another brief scare, but when he said, “You awake?” and touched his hand, Caleb looked at him.
“Hey.” He sounded a little better. A cup of ice chips sat on the bedside table, so maybe just moistening his mouth had helped.
Reid introduced Renner, who smiled. “Glad to see you looking a lot better,” he said.
Caleb slowly lifted the hand that the IV was inserted into and gingerly touched the damaged side of his face. “Yeah?”
Renner’s smile widened. “Didn’t say you looked good. Just better.”
Caleb laughed and then winced. His gaze turned to Reid. “Shaved.”
He rubbed his chin. “Yeah.”
“Thought you might be growing a beard.”
“God, no.” He stood looking down at his brother, wondering how much of what he felt was on his face. “I didn’t go home last night.”
“Oh.” Caleb seemed as vulnerable and uneasy about the unspoken emotions as he felt.
“Do you remember the accident?” Reid asked abruptly. “Neither Diego nor TJ saw much.”
Caleb didn’t move. Reid saw him absorbing the fact that, in addition to himself, at least two other boys had now been exposed. “They’re...okay?” he asked at least, cautiously.
“Yes. TJ made it into a ditch. Diego is here in the hospital, too, with a broken leg and some other broken bones. No head injury, though, unlike you. You took the hardest hit.”
“He drove straight at us.” The horror of the memory was in his eyes. “We were on the shoulder. As far over as we could go. He swerved to take us out.”
“Neither of the others was sure what the vehicle was. They didn’t get a license plate or see the driver, either.”
He looked at Reid. “Wasn’t Dad.”
“We know.” Reid took his hand again. “Sergeant Renner questioned him, but he was able to prove he wasn’t in Angel Butte.”
Caleb nodded slightly. “Dodge Ram.” Long pause. “They’ve got...kind of a different front grille. You know? My friend Ian’s dad drives one.”
“Ah.” Renner sounded pleased.
“Did you see the driver, Caleb?” Reid asked.
“Yes. Don’t know him.”
Renner said, “I brought some photos to show you, Caleb. No, don’t try to sit up. I’ll hold them so you can see them.”
Reid recognized the faces enlarged and printed in color that Renner had fanned out at the foot of the bed. He said nothing, but approved when Renner chose to start with Trevor’s uncle, deliberately skipping the photo of TJ’s father and moving on through several others before he held up the driver’s license photo of Randal Haveman.
Caleb’s whole body instantly stiffened. “Yes!” he hissed. “That’s him. Oh, man. Who is he?”
Reid kept his mouth clamped shut. Renner’s eyes met his briefly before he looked again at Caleb. “Can you keep it to yourself?”
“Yes.”
“TJ’s father. He’s...been afraid it was his father. I guess he’s been sneaking out at night hoping to catch him red-handed.”
“Oh. I thought...” Caleb closed his eyes, leaving his suspicion unspoken.
“We’ll find him,” Renner said, voice hard. “You’ll have to testify in court, Caleb.”
“I will.” His fierce stare held Clay Renner’s. “He was looking straight at me when he hit me.”
Primal rage hit Reid like the leading edge of a storm. He locked his jaw so tight, he feared his molars might crack. He wanted in the worst way to go after the son of a bitch himself. But he knew he couldn’t, for a lot of reasons. And the determination and cold anger he saw on Clay Renner’s face reassured him.
“Then I’ll get on with it,” Renner said harshly and left without another word.
Reid sat down again, allowing the silence to build. He half expected Caleb would fall asleep again, but instead he turned his head on the pillow to look at Reid, his expression tormented.
“Paula and Roger... Are they in trouble? God, if only we hadn’t gone out! Or if I could have gotten out of the way—”
“Then the truck would have hit Diego harder than it did. He might be dead right now.”
Caleb’s stricken expression didn’t change.
“This isn’t your fault, Caleb. None of it.” Familiar theme, Reid thought. On a flicker of amusement, he wondered how many times Paula had given this same lecture. What had she said to him, not so long ago?
You have no responsibility for your father’s sins.
In that microsecond, Reid let go of the belief that she was wrong. He only wished he’d have a chance to try to convince Anna that she bore no responsibility for her sister’s death.
“I told you Dad wasn’t in town,” he said. “Paula and Roger didn’t forbid you guys from going anywhere, did they? You had pretty girls in your sights. Why wouldn’t you ride down to the county park? What is it, half a mile tops?”
Caleb’s face relaxed some, although he remained troubled.
“Will they, like, go to jail or something?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Reid had to admit. “I’ll do my best to keep that from happening.”
“And what about the other guys?” This was a cry. “What if they have to go back?”
This time Reid shook his head. “I’ll fight to see that doesn’t happen.”
“You promise?” Caleb’s eyes bored into his.
“Yeah.” God. “I promise.”
The tension left Caleb’s thin body. “Okay.” But then his eyes shot open even before he had let them close. “Dad? Does he know...?”
With so much else going on, Reid had forgotten to say this. “I got a restraining order, Caleb. He’s not allowed to see you. There’ll be a hearing as soon as you’re well enough to attend. Unless you want me to look for your mother, I’m going for full custody.”
Caleb searched his eyes. “You mean...I’d live with you?”
“Yeah.” Reid reached for his hand again. Touching like this was starting to come more naturally. “You’ll live with me. I’m sorry, Caleb. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I should have done this in the first place.”
“’S’okay.” Caleb’s words slurred. “Took me away from Dad.”
It seemed Reid’s chest ached all the time now. “I wouldn’t have left you, no matter what.”
No response. Caleb had dropped off, maybe hadn’t even heard him. Didn’t matter, Reid realized. They’d said enough. He trusts me.
Doing nothing but watching his brother sleep, Reid stayed for another ten minutes before the lure of a shower got him to his feet.
* * *
AS SHE DROVE, Anna kept an eye on Diego, who had pushed the passenger seat as far back as it would go to accommodate his cast. A pair of crutches lay on the back seat, but, given that he also had a cast on one arm, he wouldn’t be making much use of them for a while.
They had sneaked him out of the hospital through the employee parking lot, and Anna was pretty confident they weren’t being followed. Diego’s body was rigid, though, and he kept glancing in the side mirror. The kid was scared to death that his father would find him.
“I picked these foster parents mostly because I thought you’d like them,” Anna said. “But there was another reason, too.”
Diego turned his stare on her.
“John is retired Marine Corps. Recently retired. From what his wife says, he was in a lot of firefights in Iraq and Afghanistan. He knows about your father. He’d be more than happy to take him on.”
Tears appeared in Diego’s eyes. He wiped at them, ducking his head. “I... Thank you.”
She patted the cast on his arm, then put her hand back on the steering wheel.
“Did you get a chance to see Caleb again?” she asked after a minute. Diego had wanted to say goodbye. Proud that she’d kept her intense interest out of her voice, Anna waited anxiously. Reid had left her two messages this week, both updating her and ending each time by saying he wanted to talk to her. She wasn’t ready.
“Yeah.” Diego brightened. “Reid brought him to see me.” Ironically, Caleb had left the hospital before Diego, whose injuries hadn’t been life threatening. Partly, that was because Diego had the mobility issue, but also because finding him a home where he could be kept safe from his enraged father had been an issue.
“Good. You know, if you both stay here in Angel Butte, you’ll go to school together.”
“That’d be cool.” From his downcast tone, she knew he didn’t believe it would happen. “He has a hearing Monday. I mean, in court. He’s pretty freaked.”
“Tomorrow?” Her pulse picked up. “That was fast.” Ridiculously fast. How had Reid pulled that off?
“Can you find out what happens? And let me know?” His puppy-dog brown eyes pleaded with her. “I mean, if he can’t?”
“I will.” She pulled into the driveway of Diego’s new home and set the emergency brake. “Cross my heart.”
He grinned, if weakly. Then looked alarmed as he gazed wide-eyed toward the house. “Is that him?”
Anna smiled. She’d had the same reaction the first time she met John Pannek. He was big, muscular and mean-looking—until he smiled. Walking down the driveway toward them, he wasn’t smiling yet. “Yep. Think he can take on your dad?”
“Yeah!” Diego exclaimed.
Half an hour later, she was back in her car. Usually she took longer to settle a kid into a new foster home, but this time she’d been able to tell she wasn’t needed. For all the abuse he’d suffered, Diego had stayed a nice, levelheaded boy. The Panneks had fostered for her before, and she had complete confidence in them. It was pure luck they’d decided they were ready for another child right now, ending her waffling about where she could safely place Diego. They’d taken to him instantly, and vice versa. If Hector went looking for him, it would appear that Diego had vanished. Unless they sent him in a wheelchair, Diego wouldn’t be able to start school for at least another month. A former teacher, Beth was going to homeschool him until the custody issue was resolved.
Anna drove a few blocks, then pulled over.
Eight other boys still lived at the Hales’. Remained vulnerable the way she and Molly had been. Because she hadn’t done what she should have done and reported the couple hiding kids from all legal authorities.
She’d been telling herself she wouldn’t have to, that with the sheriff’s department investigating, it would all come out anyway. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling shame. Whatever her duty should be, whatever her conscience said, she didn’t want to be the person Reid would blame for destroying the people he loved. She didn’t know if that made her a coward or someone whose eyes had been opened to shades of gray.
Caleb’s hearing was tomorrow. The most private of men, Reid would need to expose everything he’d suffered. He had already taken his brother home with him, even though he hadn’t believed he had it in him to be a father figure.
Was he just doing what he thought he should do? she wondered. Or had he changed his mind? And if so—was it because he’d listened to her? Believed her?
With a moan, Anna bumped her forehead against the steering wheel. She had to go tomorrow. Chances were good Reid would prefer she not be there; in fact, she suspected he’d like to have as few witnesses as possible. But...she had to be there anyway.
Because he might need me.
* * *
MOST OF THE seats in the small courtroom were empty. In contrast to criminal trials, custody hearings like this were closed to curiosity seekers, thank God. A couple of times the door in back had opened and closed. Except when he himself had testified, Reid hadn’t looked to see who was coming and going.
This morning, he’d fielded several phone calls from people who knew about the hearing, including Roger and Paula. He’d told Phil Perez what was happening, and Phil had called to say he’d be thinking about him. Alec Raynor and Jane Renner had both stopped by Reid’s office to say they’d be hoping there were no problems. Problems. Nice euphemism. That Caleb wasn’t condemned to hell again was what they meant.
Caleb had declared he wanted to stay with Reid, but their attorney insisted on locating his mother. She had gotten hysterical at the idea of Caleb going to live with her. Dean would kill them both. She had agreed, if necessary, to relinquish her parental rights. Reid hadn’t been able to tell how his brother felt about that. Caleb must have been hurt. On the other hand, his mother had left him a long time ago. This couldn’t be a surprise.
Once finished with his own testimony, Reid could only sit and listen, unable to control the direction of the proceedings. The experience was frustrating enough when he was present for one of his own investigations. This was agony. Reid kept finding new levels of fear. Dante would have written eloquently about the one that gripped him when Caleb had testified.
Damn, Reid was proud of him. Despite his father’s presence only feet away, Caleb held his head high as he talked about the abuse he’d suffered. A few times his voice shook, but he answered every question anyway. Only at the end did he look Dean in the eye, when he said, “I had to take off. It was getting worse. I thought he might kill me the next time.”
The bailiff had had to forcibly insist Caleb’s father resume his seat and shut his mouth until it was his turn to speak.
The only other cop Reid knew in the courtroom was Clay Renner, present because in the course of the investigation, he had looked seriously into the previous allegations regarding Caleb’s treatment at the hands of his father. Renner had spoken to several former teachers, coaches and school counselors, and was prepared to testify as to what they’d said.
So far, the judge hadn’t called him up. Reid didn’t know if that was good or bad. He kept reminding himself that she’d seen most of Renner’s testimony in written form.
Dean Sawyer was on the witness stand now. Already his face was mottled red with barely suppressed rage. It was probably the first time in his life every word he said wasn’t accepted as gospel, Reid thought with cold satisfaction.
The judge, a woman who looked to be in her fifties, wore reading glasses on a thin chain around her neck. She had them perched on her nose as she studied a small mobile light box, which showed an X-ray. From where he sat, Reid couldn’t see which one. It didn’t matter.
“Your oldest son has an implant and two bridges to replace teeth knocked out while he was a boy,” she remarked.
“He was an athlete. Basketball and football.” Dean paused, his gaze briefly connecting with Reid’s. “Took a beating sometimes.”
Reid’s muscles turned rock hard. His attorney laid a hand on his arm. He ignored it. He had no intention of visibly reacting to the taunt. The back of his neck prickled with an awareness that there were other people in the courtroom listening to this. My life.
The judge’s eyebrows rose. “I see. And is there a reason why you took him to three separate dentists to have the work done? It appears you yourself continued to go to the same dentist for annual checkups and any needed work, but Reid rarely saw the same one twice.”
“I had coverage through work. For my kids, it was whoever had an opening. The work was expensive on a cop’s salary, so I tried to find the best deal.”
“Yet Caleb seemingly had a regular dentist, until he needed work subsequent to having a tooth knocked out,” she murmured. “At that point, you took him to an entirely new clinic when he needed a bridge.” She made a production of flipping through papers on her desk. “Let’s see. That was in November of this last year. Right after he alleges you gave him the last beating ‘he was willing to take.’”
Reid rested his hand on his brother’s arm. He used the action as an excuse to look over his shoulder. Oh, hell, was his first thought. Alec Raynor sat at the back. But then he saw who else was there, in the seat right beside the door. His gaze locked with Anna’s, and he froze. His father was talking, but he didn’t hear.
“Reid?” Caleb whispered urgently. “What are you doing? What’s wrong?”
He gave his head a small shake and turned back around. “Nothing.”
How had she known about the hearing? Why had she come? His heart was pounding as if he’d just brought down a suspect after a multiblock chase.
The judge was talking again.
And he needed to be listening. There’d be time for Anna later.
She’s here. The knowledge sang in him. She had to care, or she wouldn’t have come. Would she?
“Your oldest son was able to provide a number of X-rays showing broken bones, too,” Judge Valdez remarked.
“He was clumsy.”
“Children and teenagers are rather resilient, Mr. Sawyer. I’m told their bones don’t break as easily as those of adults. It takes quite a lot of force to do the damage I see on these X-rays.”
The judge carefully lifted the glasses from her nose and let them fall. Her gaze pinned the man on the witness chair. “You should know, Sergeant Sawyer, that I also requested your first wife’s medical records from multiple clinics and hospitals in Spokane.” She paused. “Since she, too, apparently felt she couldn’t be seen more than once by any doctor given the rather suggestive nature of her injuries.”
Reid gaped. What?
“Given the hurried nature of this hearing, not all arrived, but some did,” she continued.
Dean half rose from his chair. “Those are completely irrelevant! You had no right!”
“I think I did.” Her voice cooled. “I believe they are entirely relevant. If your second wife hadn’t already left you, I would seek out her records, as well.”
Face beet-red now, he stood up, shoving the chair back. “This is bullshit!”
“Please sit down, Sergeant Sawyer.”
He glared at her for a moment long enough to have her exchanging a significant glance with the bailiff. Then he reluctantly resumed his seat, his movements angry.
Dean’s attorney was on his feet, protesting the inclusion of records relating to an individual not properly part of the proceedings. One look from the judge sliced him off midword.
She eyed Dean again. “Have you anything you’d like to add, Mr. Sawyer?”
He did. He’d been shaken from his game, though, by her obvious skepticism and by the united front against him. This courtroom wasn’t packed with his uniformed cronies giving their support. The judge wasn’t one he’d appeared in front of a dozen times when he was on the right side of the law.
He talked about raising two boys and doing his best for them. About just wanting his youngest home again. About how there had been bitterness between him and Reid, and he blamed Reid for influencing Caleb to make up these lies.
“You check with anyone back home, ma’am. They’ll speak highly of me. I’m a decorated law enforcement officer. I may have taken a hand to my boys a few times when they needed it, but nothing that was out of line. I love my boy. I don’t even know how all this blew up.” Did he look genuinely confused? “I just want to take him home.”
“Is that all?”
He shot a look of vitriol at Reid. “My oldest son is new in town here. You don’t know him. People are taking him at his word, but they shouldn’t be. He broke the law when he stole Caleb from me. He’s been hiding a minor for months. You can’t tell me that’s right.”
“Have you proof that in fact Captain Sawyer has had his brother with him?” she asked sharply.
His jaw muscles spasmed a few times. “He was too smart to have the boy at his house.”
“In other words, no.” She waited for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you, Sergeant Sawyer. You may step down now.”
Looking less than happy, Dean scraped the chair back and lumbered to a seat next to his attorney.
“I believe I’ve seen enough.” She looked at Reid’s father. “You ought to know that I did take the precaution of speaking to two people in Captain Sawyer’s previous department in California, his captain and an undersheriff. Both spoke extremely highly of him and were pleased to forward his records to me. Are you aware that in recent years he served on the Family Protection detail with a focus on domestic violence?”
His father said nothing.
Now her gaze touched briefly, unreadably on Reid before softening as she nodded slightly at Caleb. “I had intended this to be a preliminary hearing,” she said. “However, the evidence overwhelmingly supports the allegations of child abuse brought against Sergeant Dean Sawyer. It’s apparent that Caleb’s mother is not in a position to take him into her home. Therefore, without hesitation I remand custody of the minor child, Caleb Sawyer, to his brother, Reid Sawyer. I see no reason to revisit this decision.” She lifted a gavel and brought it down with a sharp rap.
Caleb’s body lurched in a wracking sob. Reid wrapped his arms around his brother, stunned to discover his own cheeks were wet. He squeezed his eyes shut, choosing not to see the scuffle taking place on the other side of the courtroom as his father bellowed invectives.
“We’re done with him,” he murmured to Caleb. “The son of a bitch is out of our lives.”
Caleb cried in enormous gulps that shook his whole body. Reid turned his head enough to see the back of the courtroom, hoping Anna would be walking down the aisle to them. He’d never needed her more. Instead, all he saw was her back as she slipped out the door.
The emptiness inside him expanded, the pressure feeling like a giant, dark vacuum.
He had Caleb. At least he had Caleb. Thank God.
Reid laid his cheek on his brother’s head and closed his eyes.