“I CAN’T take this anymore!” Jeffrey shrilled loudly enough to send a jolt up Kip Rogers’s spine like nails on a blackboard.
“Then don’t. It isn’t like you actually live here,” Kip countered. This shit was starting already, and Jeffrey had just gotten in the door an hour ago. “You breeze into town once or twice a month and can’t figure out why I can’t just take off work and spend my time with you.”
“I come here on weekends,” Jeffrey countered as though he were stating the most obvious thing in the world. After all, Jeffrey kept lawyer’s hours; in his world, no one worked weekends. “I know you have to work and all, but it’s a weekend and I gave you notice.”
Three days. “You told me Tuesday, and I can’t get my schedule changed that fast. Besides, you had plenty to keep you busy while I was at work.” Kip was trying to be civil, but even his patience was quickly coming to an end.
“I came here to be with you.” Jeffrey stormed into the bedroom and returned with his roller suitcase behind him, swinging his hips like a 1960s TWA stewardess. All he was missing was the updo and the scarf around his neck.
“No. You came here because you wanted some attention and because you were horny. That’s all, and you’re angry because I can’t spend all my time with you even though I cleared the rest of my weekend schedule and put off going out with friends because you called.” Kip paused, contemplating giving Jeffrey another chance, but he’d had enough. There was only so much stomping a man’s pride could take, and he had reached his limit. He walked to the front door and pulled it open. “Let me help you.”
Jeffrey blinked a few times, and then crocodile tears began filling his ice-blue eyes. “You really want me to leave?” He turned slightly to the side. What the hell was this? Jeffrey had to be on something to flip from anger to seduction in two seconds flat. Kip thought back and realized this was his game, the way he got what he wanted. Anger followed by forgiveness and then sex. He should have seen through this shit before, but he’d been too busy thinking with his dick to look any deeper. Right now his dick was asleep, and from the looks of things, it wasn’t waking up anytime soon—not for Jeffrey.
“Yes,” Kip answered forcefully. “Go back to Mommy and Daddy and all those friends of yours who are in denial. How the hell they don’t know you’re gay, with the way you prance around like a frilled-up peacock, is beyond me. They must be dumb as a box of rocks.” Kip waited while the tears instantly dried and enticement turned to rage.
“I’m not coming back once I go through that door,” Jeffrey warned.
“What are you, six? Go on and get the hell out of here. Oh, and I suggest that you get out of town.”
“Is that a warning, Officer?” Jeffrey asked seductively.
Kip blinked, and then it hit him: Jeffrey thought this was some kind of game. He knew Jeffrey liked playing games—role-playing in bed, head games out of bed. That was his forte.
“No. Your car is parked illegally, and if you’re not gone in two minutes, I’ll call someone to ticket it. I wonder how many outstanding tickets and violations they’re going to find when they run your plates. Maybe you’ll even end up in jail. I can see to it that you get a couple of very large roommates. Maybe guys who have been there a little longer than they should have been.” Kip waved his hand toward the door. “This isn’t a game, Jeffrey. I’ve had more than enough game playing in my life.” He held his gaze steady, as cold as he could possibly make it. “It’s time for you to go and find someone else to play with. I’m through.” God, he was so over all of this.
“You’re shitting me!” Jeffrey screeched. “This is for real?”
“Oh, yeah. Looks like you overplayed your hand.” Kip crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m done. I don’t know what’s one of your damn games and when you’re being serious anymore, and frankly I don’t care. You’re selfish, hurtful, and a pain in the ass all the time, so it doesn’t matter. I’m not a toy.” That felt so good to say.
Jeffrey took a few steps. “Fine,” he said, jutting his nose into the air. He walked past Kip and out onto the porch. “You were just a bit of fun, you know. A pretty good lay and nothing more.”
“You were a selfish lay and managed to be a demanding pain in the ass from the bottom.” As soon as Jeffrey’s suitcase crossed the threshold, Kip closed the door and threw the lock. A clap of thunder rolled over the house, and Mother Nature chose that minute to open the skies. Rain had been threatening all day, though it had held off until now. Kip pulled the curtains aside and watched as Jeffrey hurried to his Porsche. He popped open the hood and dropped his bag inside. By the time he scurried to open his car door, Jeffrey was nearly soaked. Kip thought about taking pity on him but couldn’t bring himself to do it. If he had to listen to Jeffrey screech one more time about his work schedule or how Kip’s house wasn’t as grand as the ones Jeffrey’s other closet-case friends had…. It was time to make a clean break and give his self-respect a little boost.
Why it had taken him so damn long to figure out Jeffrey was only using him for some occasional weekend fun was beyond him. He was a police officer—he should have been able to take a closer look and see what Jeffrey really was: a user and a manipulator. Hell, he had the credit card bills to prove the manipulator part. Every time Jeffrey came to town, they went out to expensive restaurants that Jeffrey made the reservations for, but when the check arrived he’d bat his eyes, and Kip would pay to avoid a scene. He did that same thing in stores. The last weekend Jeffrey had spent nearly $500 on food and drinks alone. This was for the best.
Kip watched Jeffrey pull away and speed off down the street. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but Jeffrey was an adult and needed to take care of himself. Hopefully he’d just head home to Pittsburgh and leave the midstate alone for a while. But more likely, he’d head downtown and wait for the clubs to open so he could try to pick up another guy, another sucker, to sponge off of.
Kip released a sigh of relief, and the tension that had been building for days flowed out of him. God, it was good to be able to relax again. Jeffrey was wound so tight that he always filled Kip with so much anxiety that it took days after he left for him to decompress. With a second sigh, he turned and headed through the entrance hall to the stairs, climbing them slowly and then making his way to the master bedroom. Kip still felt off sometimes using that room. It had been his parents’ bedroom when he was growing up, and after they passed away and left the house to him, he’d moved in because he couldn’t bear to see it empty.
The house was way too big for him alone: massive kitchen, a living room and a dining room, a formal parlor, and four bedrooms upstairs as well as what had once been a maid’s quarters on the third floor. It had been built a century ago and was more solid than anything built today. Friends had advised him to sell it when his father passed away, but once he’d gotten a job in Carlisle, it seemed stupid to sell a house that was paid for and had been in his family. The best homes in town rarely came on the market. They sold privately or stayed in families, and Kip had a great house. Granted, it took a lot of his spare time to keep it up, and as he went into his bedroom to get ready for work, he noticed that the paint in the hallway and bedroom needed refreshing. Another project to add to the list.
Kip shucked his jeans and shirt in favor of one of his police uniforms. He pulled off the plastic wrap from the cleaners and got dressed. He liked the way he looked in his uniform. Jeffrey had told him once that it made his ass look great and that he was very sexy in it. Of course, Kip wasn’t sure if that was real or just another one of Jeffrey’s games.
He left the bedroom and went down to the kitchen. He made himself some food for his meal break. With the second shift rotation he was on, he didn’t know whether to call it lunch or dinner. All he knew was that he was always hungry when the time rolled around. Once he had everything he needed, Kip locked the house and hurried to his car, thankful the rain had let up a little.
Steady rain made for a miserable shift, and that was what Kip knew he was in for as he drove to the station. It was only afternoon, but it felt like much later in the day, the low thick clouds more indicative of late fall than September, along with the chill in the air. Usually this weather held off for a few weeks at least.
Kip parked in the lot and went into the station. “Hey, Red,” he called with a smile, and he got one in return. Red smiled more often now. Kip used to avoid him, but now he liked talking to him. “How’s Terry?”
“Training every chance he gets. He has his heart set on the Olympics, and he’s qualified for the team, so next summer he and I will be going to Rio.” Red’s grin was extraordinary. “He wants to qualify for a number of events, so he’s working hard on different strokes.” Red’s partner, Terry, was a swimmer, and a damn good one, judging by all the success he’d had.
“You know I’ll be cheering him on.” Kip wished he could go someplace exciting like Rio to watch the Olympics. But the closest he was ever likely to get to something like that was his television.
Red nodded. “Are you just coming on shift?”
“Yeah.” Kip continued through with Red, and they both clocked in, then went in for their assignments. Kip had been on the force a few years, but he wasn’t one of the senior guys, so he still got mostly patrol duty. That was fine, and on a night like this, at least he was inside a car as opposed to walking one of the neighborhoods.
“Me too. I hate working second.”
Kip nodded. He hated it mostly because it meant he never saw any of his friends. His schedule was too opposite theirs. Thankfully this was his last week on second shift, and then he’d rotate to first shift for a while. He needed a little normalcy in his life. “When do you rotate off?”
“Got a little more than a week,” Red answered, and they sat down, waiting for the captain to brief them on what was happening and what they should look out for. Mostly it was the usual stuff: reports of dealing, unruly kids, some vandalism. Drugs were making their way back into town, but they’d had a reprieve after Red had helped take down one of the leaders and they’d been able to round up much of the organization.
“There have been reports of dealing after dark in Thornwald Park, so if you’re on patrol in that area, be sure to pass through. Not that there’s likely to be activity on a night like this, but if the rain lets up, there will be. Are there any questions?”
Kip raised his hand. “At the corner of the alley behind Ridge, there’s a brush pile that’s acting as a dead drop. One of my neighbors told me what he saw this morning.”
“That’s pretty bold,” the captain said. He looked out over the assemblage. “Good, let’s get going.” He stepped down, and Kip retrieved the keys to his patrol car and began his shift, signing on to his computer and letting dispatch know he was on the job.
Kip was relieved he hadn’t been put on traffic duty. He hated spending an entire shift sitting in one place waiting for drivers to speed by just a little too fast. Yes, it was done in the interest of public safety, but it was boring as all get-out.
He’d been assigned the north side of town, so he began his patrol, making a police presence visible. He answered calls and helped a couple whose car had broken down. He also broke up a domestic dispute. He wished the woman had been willing to press charges. Domestic disputes were the worst, because Kip knew another officer would end up paying them a visit again, but until charges were filed there was little he could do. It was one of the most frustrating parts of the job, knowing someone was being hurt, and would be again, but not being able to help. Kip stopped back at the station on his break and ate his late dinner before heading out again.
With the continuing bad weather, traffic was light and there were few people out on the sidewalks, even in the busier areas of town like outside the theater and restaurants. Darkness came early with the cloud cover, and Kip resumed his patrol. He took the back streets, watching for trouble. The streetlights came on, and Kip was thankful everyone was indoors. He wasn’t looking forward to traipsing around in the rain.
“A report of someone sleeping in the doorway of Hansen’s Mens Wear” came through his radio from Dispatch.
“I’ll take it,” Kip said, answering the call and making the turn back toward the main street of town. With the weather like this and the fact that the store was one of those old-fashioned ones with the deep display windows, someone was bound to try to take shelter there. Kip made his final turn and came up on the store. He passed by but didn’t see anything, so he went around the block and pulled to a stop. The trees that lined the street cast shadows over the windows. Kip groaned as he pulled on his hat and raincoat before getting out of the car and tugging them tight around him. The cold and wet went right through the coat as the swirling wind blew water in all directions.
He took it slow and placed his hand on his gun as he approached the front of the store. Sure enough, a dark figure lay pressed back against the door of the closed business. It was covered in a dark blanket. As Kip got closer, he heard something he didn’t expect: singing. It barely reached his ears over the noise of the rain and water dripping off eaves and tumbling through drainpipes, but it was there. A lullaby, most definitely.
“I’m sorry. You need to move on,” Kip said as gently as he could. He didn’t want to frighten them. He pulled out his flashlight, shining it around. The blanket lowered, revealing a pair of haunted blue eyes. Kip was careful not to shine the light in his face, but he needed to see the man. “This is private property and you can’t stay here. There’s the Salvation Army a few blocks down. They have a shelter.”
“They’re already full,” the man said, though he sounded like a kid. “We got turned away from there a few hours ago.”
Kip’s suspicion rose. We? What exactly was going on under that blanket? Kip waited, and the man lowered the blanket farther until a small blond head made an appearance. The man—though now that Kip could see him better, he really wasn’t much older than a kid, maybe nineteen or twenty—held the young boy closer.
A pair of eyes that closely matched the older kid’s looked up at him, and then the boy darted back down, hiding under the blanket. Kip stopped the gasp that rose in his throat. That was quickly followed by anger. “The Salvation Army turned you away?” He wondered if they’d seen that he had a child.
“Yeah. It seems everyone in town tried to get in, and they filled up right away. I knocked, but they said they were full without really looking at me.”
Kip stepped back and made a call to Dispatch. “I checked out Hansen’s.”
“Is it clear?”
“Negative,” he answered and waited for a response.
“We’re going,” the kid said as he slowly got to his feet and then lifted the child, who looked about three, into his arms. He wrapped the child in a blue blanket that had been hidden under the darker one and finally pulled the other blanket over them both. “You don’t need to take me in or anything. I wasn’t causing any trouble.” The kid stepped out into the rain and walked down the street toward the square.
“They’ve moved on,” Kip said, watching from the shelter of the overhang. Then he turned and shone the light into the store. Something glinted on the stoop when the beam passed over it. Kip stepped over and bent down, lifting up a gold chain with a coin on it. He didn’t know if it was real gold or not. Kip turned and hurried back to the sidewalk, but the kid was no longer in sight.
Kip got in his car and pulled into traffic. They couldn’t have gone very far. At the square he turned and saw the kid huddled under an overhang with the child in his arms. He pulled into a parking spot so he wouldn’t spook them, scrolled through his phone, and made a call. “Carter, it’s Rogers from work.”
“Hey. What’s going on?”
“I need a favor, or at least….”
“What is it?”
“I got a call about one of the usual homeless hangouts. Hansen’s Mens Wear. When I got there, it was a guy about twenty and a kid, maybe three or four. They were under this blanket and….” He tried not to let his voice break, but it did anyway. “Now I think I know how you felt when you found Alex last year.”
“You can take just about anything, but when it’s kids….”
“It rips your heart out,” Kip finished. “Yeah. I’m hoping you could get in touch with Donald. When I talked to him, the guy said the Salvation Army had turned them away. They need a dry place for the night and probably longer. They’re in a bad way, and the situation on the street is only going to get worse as the weather turns.”
“Let me call him. Can I use this number?”
“Sure. I have them in sight. Right now they’re standing under one of the bank awnings on High Street. They’re dry for now, but the guy looks about ready to collapse, like he’s had about all he can take…. Shit.” Kip saw the guy slide down the wall and end up in a heap on the sidewalk, the youngster still in his arms. The little kid was crying as Kip approached.
“I’m okay,” the older kid said, and he tried to get up but ended up sitting on the sidewalk with the kid curled in his lap.
“Jos, open your eyes. Don’t go like Mama.” The younger kid began to cry, and Kip lifted him into his arms.
“It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you,” Kip told him as he gently rubbed his back. The guy got to his feet but wobbled and seemed drunk, except there wasn’t the faintest scent of alcohol on him. “I’m not going to hurt you either.” Kip took his arm with his free hand and led him to the car. “Just get inside. It’s warm and we can talk. I’m not arresting you, and I won’t hurt you. I promise.” It took him a few minutes to coax Jos into the car, and once he was seated, Kip placed the boy in his arms. Kip left the door open and popped the trunk, grabbed a large umbrella, and held it over all of them.
A call came in and Kip explained that he was already busy. He heard one of the other patrols take it. Then he opened the front passenger door and grabbed one of his bottles of water. He handed it to Jos, who opened it and gulped like he was dying of thirst.
“When was the last time you ate?”
The guy shrugged at him, eyes blank and a little vacant. Kip got a package of peanut butter cheese crackers that he kept in his bag and handed them to Jos. He looked at the food in disbelief and then opened the package, handing the first two to the kid before eating one himself. The kid nibbled while Jos finished three of the four pieces in three bites.
“Feeling better?” Kip asked, and Jos nodded before sharing the water with the kid, who had finished his crackers and was looking around for more.
“Yes. Thank you. Can we go now?” Jos asked as he finished the bottle of water.
“Just take a few minutes to rest. I’ve called a friend, and he’s seeing if he can help you with a shelter for the night.”
Panic rose in Jos’s eyes. “I need to go,” he said, lifting the kid into his arms. “I’m not letting anyone take Isaac away from me. He’s my brother and I’ll take care of him. Those vultures will only put him with strangers, and I just need a chance to get on my feet.”
“No one is taking anyone,” Kip said. “Donald is a friend of mine, and he’s trying to find you a place to stay. He can help you if you let him.”
Jos shook his head. “I’ve heard the stories. I know what those people do.” He held Isaac tighter and shifted him farther from Kip, probably in case he tried to take him. Kip had no intention of taking anyone anywhere other than to a place that was safe and dry and where they could get food and any help they needed.
“No one is going to take Isaac away from you. I’m just trying to help,” Kip said. His phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.
“Every shelter I called is beyond full,” Donald explained. “I tried to call in favors, but it did no good. I can give them some supplies if you can bring them to the house. I can also give them a good meal.”
“That’s a start,” Kip said. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He hung up and then called in to Dispatch to explain what had happened and where he’d be. His call was acknowledged, and he was given permission to do whatever he could.
“Nothing, huh,” Jos said, and he began sliding along the seat to get out of the car. “No one has been willing to help.”
“The shelters are full, but my friend said he’ll help you with supplies. He can also give you a good meal.”
Jos stood and shifted Isaac away from Kip. “And what does your friend want for his help? My mouth? Maybe my ass? No, thanks.”
Jesus, how long had they been on the streets? And what had happened to him? Jos was a combination of bravado and tough guy mixed with the fear that shone in his eyes.
“No,” Kip said. “Donald works with child services, and he can help you. He cares enough to have me bring you by his house and to cook for you and Isaac. So if you want a good meal, then come along with me. If you don’t, then you’re free to go.”
Jos got out of the car and wrapped the mostly wet blanket around him and Isaac. Then, without another word, he began shuffling down the sidewalk. Kip knew there was little he could do and was about to get back into his cruiser when he remembered what he’d found. “Jos, is this yours?” he asked. He grabbed the chain and hurried down the sidewalk. Jos turned and his eyes widened. He set Isaac on his feet and patted his pockets. Then he extended his hand, and Kip placed the chain into it.
“Thanks,” Jos said and lifted Isaac into his arms again before hurrying off down the sidewalk. Kip didn’t know what else to do for them. He picked up the phone once he got back to his car and called Donald.
“They decided to go their own way,” Kip said.
“Okay,” Donald said with resignation.
“It doesn’t surprise you?”
“No. Many of the people on the streets are suspicious of everyone. They’ve been hurt too much. Some of them have mental issues that, if treated, would allow them to function more fully, but they don’t get it and fall further and further from the rest of society. You helped them and that’s all you can do short of bringing them in, which would have been even more traumatic.”
“What about Isaac, the kid?”
Donald sighed. “That’s the tough point. You could turn them in, and then child services could put him in foster care. Truthfully, there’s no easy answer there. You end up taking the child away from the family, and then the path for reconnection can be nearly impossible. You made a decision, and I’d say you might have made the best one for now. I don’t know.”
“Well, thanks for being there,” Kip said and disconnected the call. Then he pulled out into traffic and back on patrol. But Jos and Isaac weren’t far from his thoughts as he continued his shift.
After answering another call that turned out to be an older lady scared that someone was in her garage, Kip ended up chasing away a feral cat and helping close up a hole in her garage door to keep it from coming back. She thanked him profusely and even offered him coffee, which he declined.
The rain had stopped by the time he left, and Kip was looking forward to the end of his shift. He called in to tell them he was free and decided to make another pass through town. He drove down Hanover and turned west on High in the square. After going a block, he turned left onto Pitt and cruised slowly, watching the sides of the street for anything unusual.
The last house on the first block had been empty for a while, so when Kip saw activity outside, he slowed to a stop. A small figure stood at the side of the porch. Kip recognized him as Isaac and pulled the cruiser to a stop. He got out, forgetting his hat, and hurried up to the porch. Isaac stepped back until he was pressed to the wall of the house, holding his blanket, panic in his eyes, a thumb in his mouth.
“It’s okay. Where’s Jos?” Kip asked.
Isaac blinked at him a few times and then pointed to the side of the house.
Kip was about to walk around the side when he heard a scuffle of some sort. He called in for backup and then turned to Isaac. “Can you sit over there and make yourself really small?”
Isaac nodded and backed away in the corner of the porch, practically curling into a ball. The scuffing sound came again, followed by a muffled cry. Kip pulled his gun, slowly making his way around the corner.
Two figures were beside the house, and one had the other pressed to the wall.
“Stop right there!” Kip shouted and raised his gun.
“There’s nothing to see here,” a gruff voice growled back.
“Police. Step back and get on the ground,” Kip said.
“It’s nothing, officer. My boy and I were just having a conversation.”
Kip wished he could pull his flashlight, but he didn’t want to break his concentration. “Then let him speak for himself. Is that you, Jos?” He heard a mumble, but that was all. “Let him go. Now!”
“He and I were just having a little fun.” The voice was softer now, but Kip wasn’t buying it.
“I said back off. I can hit a fly at this distance, so I’ll have no problem putting a bullet in your ear. Get on the ground, arms and legs out where I can see them. Now!” Sirens sounded in the distance, and Kip was relieved that backup was on the way. He saw the guy looking in various directions. He was starting to panic now. Kip knew the signs; he was looking for a way out. “You move, you die.”
The man released Jos and slowly got down on the ground. Kip saw Jos reach down and realized he was pulling up his pants. Jesus Christ, he hoped like hell he’d gotten there in time. The other man’s pants were in place, so he prayed he had. Other cars pulled up, and Kip saw that Jos looked about ready to spook.
“Isaac,” Jos said softly.
“He’s fine. He’s up on the porch. He told me where to find you.” Kip got his cuffs and clasped them on the man. “Stay there.”
“But it’s wet,” he grumbled.
“Get up and it’s resisting arrest. I’ll start by tasing you. That should be a delight.” Other officers came into view, and Kip holstered his gun. Thank God one was Red. He told them what was going on and asked them to lead the suspect to the car. Red was reading him his rights clearly and carefully just before they put him in the car.
“Good thing you got here fast,” Kip said to Red.
“What about the other one? Did you know there’s a kid on the porch too?”
“Yeah. I encountered them during that homeless call I had earlier at Hansen’s.” Kip looked over at Jos, who was doing his best to comfort Isaac, who held on to him and whimpered.
“Do you think the bruiser got to him?”
Kip wasn’t going to shiver in front of his colleague. “I don’t know. I hope to hell not. Jos’s sole concentration seems to be on watching out for Isaac, and I think if he thought it would keep Isaac safe, he would do just about anything.”
“Well, go find out. Because if we want to keep this piece of work off the streets, we have to have something we can charge him with other than trespassing. We’ll take him in and get him settled in a nice dry cell. Maybe with him gone, you’ll get something out of him.” Red motioned with his head to Jos, who stood with Isaac in his arms, singing the same lullaby he had before.
Kip slowly walked over to where the two of them stood. “Jos, what happened?”
He didn’t answer, standing taller and staring Kip down. Of course it didn’t work, and Kip simply stared back and repeated the question, adding a fierceness to his tone until Jos began to shift from foot to foot.
“Are you going to follow us around all night?”
“If I have to. Now tell me what happened.”
“I am not his boy,” Jos said defiantly.
Kip waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “What’s his name?”
“Tyler Adamson, but I don’t know if the name’s real or not. He laid claim to me about a week ago, and I’ve tried to keep Isaac and me away from him. I did good too, until he found me a while ago.”
“Did he hurt you?” Kip asked.
“You mean did he manage to fuck me? No. You were in time to stop that.”
Kip suppressed a sigh. “Did he hit you or grab you?”
“He pushed me against the house. That hurt. He threatened to hurt Isaac if I didn’t do what he wanted. Said he’d cut his… you know off. The guy’s a pervert—likes guys and girls, or so I hear, but wants it rough and likes them unwilling, if you know what I mean. Word on the street is that the more they fight, the more he likes it.”
“Okay. I need you to come to the station with me so you can tell me what happened. That way I can keep him in jail.”
“What about your friend? Is that offer of food still good? Isaac’s really hungry, and….”
Kip would make sure they ate. That wasn’t optional now, as far as he was concerned. “Here’s the deal. I’ll make sure you both eat all you want. You need to tell me what happened so I can get your statement.”
“Then we can go?”
“Then you need to show up at the police station tomorrow morning so you can identify this Tyler Adamson and formally press charges. I have enough for assault, attempted rape, and I’ll see if I can add some more once I have your statement.” Kip stepped closer to Jos. “You have to trust me. I’m not going to hurt either of you, and if you let me, I’ll try to help.”
“Why?” Jos shot back. “Nobody does something for nothing. Never has, never will.”
“Maybe I’m doing it because I don’t want Isaac sleeping on the street. Isaac’s relying on you to take care of him. Are you going to give up a chance for him to be warm and comfortable?”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go with you.”
Kip nodded and checked the time. His shift was just ending. “Then let’s get you in the car. I need to take you to the station so I can punch out and then get my car. I’ll call my friend so he can help you. Donald is a good man, and he said he can give you some things for Isaac—clean clothes, things like that.”
“You’re really going to help me?” Jos asked.
“Yes.”
“And you don’t want nothing?”
“No. I don’t want anything from you other than your honesty. Now let’s get in the car so we can get you two fed and then find you a place to sleep, okay?” Kip motioned to the cruiser, and Jos helped Isaac and then got into the backseat without another word.
Kip drove to the station and transferred Jos and Isaac to his car. Then he went inside, clocked out, and left for the night, calling Donald as he went. “Is that offer of dinner still on?”
“What happened?” Donald asked. “And yes. If they need it, you know I’m there. I’ll see what I have. Bring them over. Carter is home, so he can help too.”
“Thanks,” Kip said as he got to his car. Isaac fussed as they rode, and Jos did his best to soothe him, but he couldn’t be soothed. Kip figured he was hungry. When he parked in front of Carter and Donald’s house, Donald met them and ushered the three of them inside.
“I have food heated up, so come to the table.”
“This is Jos, and the little one is Isaac,” Kip said. “He’s Donald and this is Carter,” Kip added as Carter came down the stairs. Isaac stayed plastered to Jos’s legs, staring up at the newcomers. “Alex is in bed, I’m sure.” Donald and Carter’s energetic little boy was a little older than Isaac.
“Yes, and he’ll be disappointed that he missed someone he could have played with,” Carter said.
“Are you hungry?” Donald asked Isaac, who nodded. “Then come with me. I have macaroni and cheese. Do you like that?” Isaac nodded again and looked up at Jos. “I also have some soup, and I made some sandwiches, so come to the kitchen.”
Jos took Isaac’s hand and led him to the table. Donald helped Jos put Isaac in a booster chair and then set a plate in front of him. Isaac looked at Jos once again and then began to eat. Donald gave him a sippy cup of milk, but Isaac barely stopped shoveling food into his mouth to notice. Jos sat next to him, and Donald brought him a plate of food as well as a bowl of soup.
Kip sat down, and Donald brought him a sandwich before sitting down next to Carter.
“Will you tell me your full name?” Kip asked. He wasn’t sure Jos would, but he hoped rescuing him and helping feed him and Isaac would go a long way.
“Josten Applewhite,” he answered between bites.
“How did you end up on the streets?” Donald asked Jos.
“Got kicked out.” He barely paused to talk before going back to eat.
Kip shared a glance with Donald and Carter, ate his sandwich, and accepted a cup of coffee, watching both Jos and Isaac eat.
It wasn’t long before Isaac began to tire. He ate a large amount of food for a boy his size and drank two glasses of milk. Once he was done, he began falling asleep in his chair. Jos lifted Isaac out of the chair, setting him on his lap, and Isaac put his arms around Jos’s waist and his head on Jos’s chest and fell asleep. Soon Jos had eaten his fill too, and he sat back in the chair.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Kip was pretty sure Jos was very close to reaching the end of his rope.
“You’re welcome,” Donald said and then excused himself.
Kip shared a glance with Carter, who nodded, and Kip followed Donald out of the room.
“What should I do?” he asked Donald quietly in the hall. “I can’t put them back out on the street, but all the shelters are full to bursting.” He hoped Donald would offer to let them stay here. But they had Alex, and Kip wasn’t sure they even had room.
“It’s nearly midnight. I suggest you take them back to your house and put them to bed for the night. They need a chance to rest. I’ll come over in the morning and see what I can do to help.” Donald led Kip to a small room off the living room. “Here are some pajamas that should fit Isaac.” Donald grabbed a grocery store reusable shopping bag and began putting some things inside. “I’ve got clean clothes and things for him, as well as some other supplies you’ll need. If you don’t use it, bring it back.”
“Thanks. What about Jos?”
“I’ll let you help him. He’s closer to your size.” Donald grinned and handed Kip the bag. “They’re both dead on their feet, so take them home, put them to bed, and I bet you won’t hear a peep out of either of them for hours.”
“I hope you’re right,” Kip said and took the bag before returning to the kitchen. Isaac was still asleep, and Jos seemed about ready to fall asleep as well. “Come on. I’m going to take you home so you can both get some sleep.” He helped Jos to his feet and carried the things.
“Thank you,” Jos said to Donald and Carter as they left the house.
“You’ll need a booster seat,” Donald said as he rushed to the car and got it installed for Isaac in the backseat. “Can’t have you breaking the law, Officer,” Donald teased. He stood back as Jos got Isaac strapped in and then got in next to him.
“I appreciate your help,” Kip said.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Donald called, and Kip waved before closing his door and pulling away from the curb.
He was dog-tired and glad he only had to go to the other side of town. The five-minute drive took most of the energy he had left. Kip parked in front of his house, and Jos got out, gathering Isaac into his arms.
“Is this where you live?” Jos asked.
“Yes. It was my mother’s dream house,” Kip said, watching Jos stand on the sidewalk, looking up at the large house in front of him.
“I like the porch. I bet it’s nice on summer nights. I remember—” Jos stopped cold and shifted Isaac onto his other shoulder, stepping out of the way. Kip locked his car and walked to the front door, then let them in. He turned on the hall lights, but not the ones to the other rooms. Kip intended to get them all up to bed, so he made a direct line to the stairs.
“I’ll put both of you in the guest room. I’m assuming Isaac is going to be most comfortable sleeping with you.” Kip opened the first door at the top of the stairs and turned on the light. “Get yourselves comfortable.” He set the bag on the bed. “There are pajamas for Isaac and some fresh clothes for him to have in the morning.”
“Can I take a shower?” Jos asked longingly.
“Sure. I’ll get you something to sleep in. The bathroom’s right there.” Kip opened a door across the hall and got out some towels for Jos. Then he went to his room and found a comfortable T-shirt and some light sweats. They’d be too big, but it was something clean for Jos to wear. “I can throw your clothes in the washer if you want. Just give them to me when you’re done, and I’ll put them in before I go to bed.”
Kip left Jos alone and heard him gently singing to Isaac. Kip went to his room and changed into comfortable clothes. When he returned, Isaac was already in bed, nearly asleep. Jos looked like the walking dead as he shuffled into the bathroom and closed the door. Kip knocked and handed Jos the clean clothes when he cracked the door. Then he left him alone to clean up.
Kip purposely had Jos use that bathroom. There was nothing in there but the basic things for guests. He didn’t know him that well and hadn’t wanted him to use the other bath, where he kept his various medications. He hoped Jos wasn’t using drugs, but he didn’t want to provide any temptation.
When Jos was done showering quite a while later, he looked a little revived and smelled a hell of a lot better. Kip took his clothes and carried them all the way to the basement, started the machine, and put in the clothes. He also made a note to remember to see to it that Jos had something to wear for the morning. The clothes he was washing didn’t seem as though they’d hold up much longer. When he climbed the stairs, Kip found the guest room door closed and the bathroom door open, towels hung to dry, and the sink and tub clean. Jos was neat—Kip had to give him that.
Kip went to his room and got ready for bed. He climbed between his crisp, clean sheets and realized just how much he took for granted. He didn’t want to think about the last time Jos and Isaac slept in a clean bed. Yet he hated it when his sheets were scratchy. Kip rolled onto his side and tried to go to sleep, but he ended up listening to the sounds of the house. Of course he knew he was listening for Jos and Isaac, but they were quiet.
He fell asleep but woke with a start in the middle of the night. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. He stilled and listened, and a soft rustling reached his ears.
Kip got up and left his room. The door to the guest room was closed, and the sound came from there. Kip stepped to the door and stood still. Whimpering—he was hearing soft whimpers. He sighed. It was sobbing, muffled by bedding. Tears someone didn’t want heard and was trying his best to keep quiet.
Kip reached for the doorknob but stopped himself. He wasn’t going to intrude. Even if he wanted to try to help, there were limits to what he could do other than provide them a place for the night and try to see to it that both of them were safe. He went back to his room and climbed into bed, wondering how much he dared try to do to help.