Chapter 8
Memphis
“Memphis, over here,” Tristan said as he tugged on my hand before I could even talk to the woman behind the desk. I turned to where he was pointing and saw Ronan, Seth, Zane and two little kids sitting in one corner of the busy waiting room.
“Ronan,” I called softly because it looked like both kids were asleep. The little boy was tucked up against Seth’s side and the girl was pressed up against the boy.
Ronan got up and leaned down to say something to Seth who nodded. Both men looked like shit.
“I’m gonna go sit with Seth,” Tristan said to me as his eyes shifted back and forth between Ronan and Seth. I nodded and brushed a kiss over his lips.
“Can you text Brennan and let him know where we are?” I asked.
Tristan and I had been grocery shopping when I’d gotten the call from Ronan to meet him at the hospital.
Brennan had been in class at the time so we hadn’t wanted to disturb him, but he would be on his way home now and I knew he’d want to be here to support our friends.
“Yeah,” Tristan said. He reached out to hug Ronan as he passed him on the way to where Seth was sitting. Ronan returned the embrace and then he made his way to my side and motioned to a section of the waiting area where there weren’t as many people.
“Thanks for coming,” he said, his voice sounding rough.
“How’s the girl?” I asked. Ronan had given me enough information over the phone that I knew the basics of what was going on.
“She’s going to be okay. They’re closing her up right now. The bullet nicked an artery but luckily didn’t do any other major damage.”
“Thank fuck,” I muttered as I shook my head.
“Listen, I need you to stay here with Seth and the kids and keep an eye on them. There was an…altercation…between me and the guy who shot the girl. I rode over in the ambulance so I’m guessing the cops will be here soon.”
“What kind of altercation?” I asked.
Ronan lifted his eyebrows just slightly and I shook my head.
As if on cue, Declan Barretti appeared and immediately zeroed in on Ronan.
He glanced briefly at Seth and Tristan and I saw Tristan get up and go to him.
The big man embraced his nephew and then said something softly in his ear and Tristan glanced at me and Ronan worriedly.
But he returned to his seat. I saw Zane and Declan acknowledge each other before Declan made his way to us.
I automatically tried to stand in front of Ronan, but Ronan put his hand on my arm to stop me and shook his head.
Declan and I hadn’t gotten off to the best start with each other the previous summer when Brennan had been shot, but we’d managed to make peace after I’d begun seeing both of his nephews.
And he’d been instrumental in dealing with the fallout from Brennan, Tristan and Tanner’s abduction.
“Ronan,” Declan said with a nod and then his eyes shifted to me. “Unclench Wheland,” he said with a slight smirk.
“Fuck you, Declan,” I said, though there was no real anger behind the words. I knew the guy was just doing his job. I’d seen the man with his partners and his daughters and knew he was actually a good man.
“If we could do this outside, I’d appreciate it,” Ronan said as his eyes shifted to Seth. I didn’t miss the tension in Seth’s gaze and I guessed if he hadn’t had the kids to worry about, he would have been at Ronan’s side.
“Here’s fine,” Declan said and I felt my gut clench.
“Declan-” I began, ready to ask the guy nicely not to arrest Ronan in front of his husband and new family.
Declan put his hand up to stop me from speaking, but kept his eyes on Ronan. “Zane told me what happened when he called me. I’ve smoothed things over with the security guard and he’s not pressing charges for that little trick with the gun,” he began.
“Why not?” Ronan interrupted. Leave it to Ronan to not just accept what the man was saying.
“I may have reminded him that it wouldn’t look so good on the six o’clock news that not only had the man shot a fourteen-year-old girl and put another one at risk with his actions,” – Declan’s eyes shifted to where the little girl was asleep on the bench – “he’d also interfered with the life saving measures being taken to help the girl and then allowed himself to be disarmed by a civilian.
” Declan added a slight drawl to the last word.
Yeah, the man knew Ronan was anything but your average guy.
“Declan-” Ronan began, but then fell silent. He clearly hadn’t expected the turn of events.
“Can you do me a favor next time, Ronan?” Declan asked.
“There won’t be a next time,” Ronan responded, but Declan just tilted his head knowingly. “What?” Ronan finally asked.
“Next time just knock the fucker out cold…saves me a lot of paperwork.”
With that, Declan turned and motioned to Zane who got up and joined us. “I did the search you asked for,” Declan said to Zane.
“What search?” Ronan asked.
“I asked Declan to search for any missing persons reports for the kids,” Zane said. “All the searches we did before were for two kids, not three, and we didn’t have their names.” Zane paused before saying, “Ronan, I’m sorry, it’s my job-”
“It’s okay,” Ronan interjected and his eyes shifted to Declan. “What did you find?”
“They’re runaways. They were living with their aunt and uncle in Portland after their parents died in a car crash earlier this year. The oldest, Willow, took the kids while the aunt and uncle were both at work almost three months ago,” Declan said.
“Why?” I asked. All three men looked at me and I clarified, “Why did they run away?”
“The aunt said Willow had some mental problems and was convinced her parents were still alive. They grew up around here so they think Willow brought them here to find their parents.”
Declan shifted his eyes back to Ronan. “The aunt and uncle are on their way here. They should be here in an hour or so.”
Zane shook his head. “We’ll confirm that they’re the kids’ legal guardians Ronan…” Zane began before glancing at where Seth and the kids were sitting, but he didn’t finish his sentence and he didn’t need to. We all knew what the turn of events meant.
“Thanks,” Ronan said dully and then he began heading towards Seth.
I knew what was coming and I could see Seth did too because his fear-laden eyes were on his husband and his grip on the little boy still asleep against his side tightened.
Tristan got out of the chair Ronan had been sitting in and came to my side. I automatically put my arm around him.
“Seth,” Ronan began but Seth shook his head and I could see he was struggling to hold it together.
“Don’t,” was all he said and then he dropped his head to Ronan’s chest.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Ronan murmured and Seth nodded. I heard a muffled sob escape his throat, but he managed to hold it together.
“Let’s go get them some coffee,” Tristan said as he leaned into me.
I nodded and took his hand. We searched out the cafeteria and got some coffees, a couple of bottles of milk for the kids and some snacks and took everything back to the waiting room.
Ronan and Seth thanked us, but didn’t show any interest in the coffee.
The little boy was awake and playing with Seth’s phone, but the girl was still asleep.
“Seth, is there anything we can do?” Tristan asked as he knelt down in front of him .
Seth shook his head. “Um, Zane just left to take Bullet to Hawke and Tate’s house so we’re okay, thanks.”
“Jamie! Nicole!”
We all turned our heads at the sound of a woman’s voice.
“Oh thank the Lord,” a woman in a long red coat sputtered as she hurried towards us.
She was nearly as tall as the man behind her and thin as a stick.
Her hair was twisted into a severe knot on the top of her head and her makeup looked like it had been applied with a paint roller.
I guessed her to be in her early forties at the most and she was professionally dressed in an expensive looking pants suit.
The man behind her was also dressed in what I figured was a designer suit.
His face was drawn into a severe expression.
Ronan stepped in front of the woman before she could reach the kids and her husband immediately moved to her side.
“Who are you?” the man asked as he pulled the woman back just a little.
“My name is Ronan Grisham-” Ronan began.
“The foster parents,” the man cut in. His eyes shifted to Seth and the kids.
The girl was still asleep but the boy had actually buried his face in Seth’s armpit as if trying to hide from the man.
“I’m Gene Teasdale. This is my wife, Alana,” he said as he motioned to the woman next to him.
“We’re supremely grateful that you were willing to step up to watch out for these guys,” – the man motioned to the two kids – “and we understand you’re the reason Willow is alive.
” The man extended his hand. “Thank you…we’ve been so worried about them since they disappeared. ”
Ronan hesitated before finally taking the man’s hand and I could tell he was sensing the same thing as me…the words coming out of the guy’s mouth were the right ones but there was something just…off.
“Jamie, we missed you,” Alana said softly as she dropped down in front of the bench, but the little boy didn’t acknowledge her except to burrow farther into Seth’s hold.
Alana turned her attention to the little girl.
Ronan had told me the girl, Nicole, was deaf so I wasn’t surprised when the woman shook her awake instead of calling her name .
Nicole was groggy at first and my heart went out to her when I took in her tear-stained face.
Her long blonde hair hung in a messy tangle and she pushed it from her eyes before she settled them on Alana and then Gene.
Her eyes flew open and she scrambled to her brother’s side.
I could see her fingers moving lightening fast as she looked at Seth and I realized she was signing.