Chapter Three
TJ
“Cody!” TJ screamed. Cody ignored him, running ahead, slipping in the mud.
The rain lashed at them as thunder rolled above their heads.
TJ’s wet clothes stuck to his body, the rain running into his eyes and making him squint so he could see Cody ahead.
TJ continued to run after him, catching up when the boy fell again.
As TJ pulled Cody up off the ground, Cody fought him, hitting him on the chest and the arms screaming in his face. “Let me go, you fucking piece of shit. Take your fucking dirty hands off me!”
“Cody, stop this.” TJ wrapped him up in his arms, holding him as Cody tried to hit him.
He screamed and screamed, his fist pummeling TJ until he fell silent and still, leaning on TJ.
He let Cody cry out all the anger and hurt, then leaned back and wiped the tears from his face.
Or tried to. The rain still fell around them, and Cody shivered in TJ’s arms. “Let’s go inside. ”
“I can’t stay with them. Please don’t make me go back in there,” Cody begged, burying his face in TJ’s wet shirt.
TJ pulled back and searched Cody’s face, then nodded. “I’ll speak to Cass, and you can stay with me for a couple of days until things settle at home. I’ll walk you to my car, then get some of your things. Okay?”
Cody nodded and buried his face in TJ’s chest. TJ held him, feeling how slim he’d become.
Too slim. His long lanky hair stuck to TJ’s arm, and he closed his eyes, ignoring the itchy feel and need to remove it.
This boy, who he’d only known for just over a year since Carter and Toni had married, had changed so drastically in that time.
If he put a picture of Cody from a year ago next to one taken today, he wouldn’t think they were the same child.
“Let’s get you to my car.” TJ slowly walked Cody to his truck, helping him every time he stumbled. In the end, he picked Cody up and carried him, shocked at how little he weighed. At fifteen, almost sixteen, Cody should have been much heavier, but he weighed virtually nothing.
At his truck, TJ carefully moved Cody in his arms to fish his keys from his pocket and then opened the door and settled Cody into the passenger seat.
He reached into the back and grabbed the blanket he kept there, wrapping it around Cody as he sat shivering.
Cody didn’t say a word, but his eyes watched every move TJ made.
“What’s wrong, Cody? You can talk to me.”
Looking away, Cody shook his head. “Please take me to your house. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
Nodding, TJ shut the door, then went round to the driver’s side and hopped in. He started the engine, then put the heating on. “It’ll help you get warm.” Leaving Cody in the truck, TJ jogged back to the house and walked in through the back, entering the kitchen.
“Where is he?”
TJ shivered, realizing how wet he was. “He’s in my truck. He’s asked to come to my place tonight, and I think under the circumstances that might be best. Things have been said in the heat of the moment and we need some time out to let the situation settle. I need to grab a few items for him.”
“You think you can help him because you’re gay?” Carter leaned against the counter. “Any advice would be appreciated.”
“I don’t know him that well. I’ve met him a handful of times, but we need to figure out what’s going on with him.
He’s spiraling, and if we don’t do something soon, he could end up in a bad place or worse.
Has anything else happened that might have caused him to react this way?
He said he didn’t take the jewelry. Is there anything else I need to know? ”
“No.” Cass looked away, then down at the floor and TJ knew he wasn’t being told the truth.
Now wasn’t the time to find out, though.
He needed to be there for Cody, and once Cody had settled, he’d find out what had actually happened.
Cody might not be a relative, but TJ’s instincts told him Cody needed support, and he wasn’t getting it from where and who he should.
Cody had hardly any weight on him. He looked dirty and unkempt, hair long, greasy, lanky. Clearly doing drugs and drinking. An intervention of some sort needed to happen before Cody did something he’d regret.
“How long has he been drinking? Taking drugs? Is he sleeping around? He’s showing signs of stress. He’s not taking care of himself. He’s falling apart. What therapy do you have arranged for him?”
“That’s none of your fucking business!” Cass snapped.
Toni leapt to TJ’s defense. “Hey! You asked him here to help with Cody. That means he gets to ask questions you don’t like. If you want to help your son, you’ll answer them.”
“Toni’s right, Cass. Cody needs help.” Carter pushed away from the counter. “Drinking maybe six months that I know of. I don’t know about drugs, though my brother might.”
Cass tensed, his face hardening. “Cody is my son. I’ll deal with whatever problems he has.”
“Cass, don’t,” Carter muttered, sounding weary.
“We all know he needs help. Let Cody stay at TJ’s for a few days, then we can talk.
Pushing him now when he’s clearly ready to run isn’t going to help anyone, least of all Cody.
Something is wrong with him. Something’s happened. It all comes down to him being gay.”
TJ watched Cass work his jaw from side to side, then nod. “Grab some of his stuff, then take him back to your place, but I want to speak to him tomorrow.”
TJ nodded, then left the kitchen, taking the stairs two at a time, then found his way down the hallway to Cody’s bedroom.
Stepping inside, TJ stopped. The place was a mess.
Food and rubbish littered the floor. A bottle half under the bed.
TJ bent down, lifted the covers and saw more, plus condoms and lube.
Sitting back on his heels, he licked his lips and blew out his breath. Fifteen and already having sex, plus drinking and drugs? What the hell was going on?
Searching the room, TJ found a bag and put the essentials in it, including underwear and some sweats and T-shirts. A couple of sweaters, and he had enough. Not that he was sure Cody would wear them. He chose to wear clothes that, if they saw the inside of a washing machine, would disintegrate.
Downstairs, he briefly spoke with Toni. “You need to rest. You’ve just had your daughter.”
“I’m worried about him. He’s changed so much.”
“Give me a couple of days and I’ll see if he will open up and talk to me.” Pausing to say goodbye to everyone else, TJ got in his truck and noticed Cody was asleep. Sighing, he put the truck into drive and left.
***
TJ watched Cody sleep, then went downstairs.
Cody had been with him for two days but had said nothing about why he wouldn’t go back home.
TJ was at a loss as to what he should do.
Cass wanted him returned home and was becoming more insistent, and there wasn’t much TJ could do.
Cass was Cody’s father, his legal guardian, and TJ didn’t have a strong enough reason to keep Cody away.
Cody was a minor. At fifteen years of age, he should be with his parents, and his parents had made it clear Cody needed to come home. It was a subject TJ didn’t want to bring up to Cody, but he knew he had no choice.
Hearing steps on the stairs, TJ poured a glass of orange juice for Cody, then placed it on the table. Cody staggered into the kitchen and slumped in the chair, laying his head on the table. “I need a drink.”
“I put some OJ there for you.”
“Not fucking orange juice! I want a real drink!” Cody shouted at him, his lips pulled back. “I need some whiskey or vodka.”
“No.” TJ straightened and stared at Cody. “You’re underage and I won’t let you drink it, and I heard about you going to bars and clubs. That will stop as well.”
Cody smirked. “Got what I wanted.”
“What?” TJ moved over to the table and sat opposite, keeping an eye on Cody. “I’m surprised you were served.”
“I didn’t go to drink. Not then.”
“Then what?” TJ watched Cody, who stared at him. “What?”
“To have someone fuck me.” Cody pushed the glass away, the orange juice sloshing over the side. “I wanted to lose the big V, so I found a man to do it.”
TJ hissed. Cody had hinted at this when they’d been at Cass’, but now he was outright confirming it. “You’re fifteen, Cody. What the fuck were you thinking? I need a name.”
“Like I’m going to give you that. He did what I wanted. Bent me over the back of his couch and fucked me like I told him to.”
The blood froze in TJ’s veins. Fifteen. Cody was fifteen, and he’d… “How old was he?”
Cody shrugged nonchalantly. “Thirtyish.”
“You look like a kid, and he took you back to his place and had sex with you?” Fuck. TJ knew it had happened. He worked for the police, but this was Cody. “He knew how old you were.”
“I said I wanted to with him, and we did.”
“When did this happen?” Cody mimed zipping his lips. “When? Last month? Last year?”
“A few months ago. Happy now?” Cody tilted his head. “I’m not a kid anymore and he hasn’t been the only one. I’ve had sex with a few guys since then.” Shrugging, Cody then stretched. “Not sure what the big deal is.”
“Because you’re underage!” TJ snapped, feeling his blood boil. An older man who had to know Cody was underage had sex with him.
Cody pushed back from the table and walked around it to stand in front of TJ. “It’s done. I’m not a boy now, TJ.”
TJ reared back in his chair. “What—” He never finished what he was about to say. Cody straddled his thighs and kissed him, his tongue shoving into TJ’s mouth. TJ grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed back. “What the hell are you doing?”
Cody knocked a hand away and kissed him again, grinding his erection on TJ. TJ grabbed him by the hips and physically picked him up, moving him away. As soon as Cody was off him, TJ stood and moved away. “Don’t do that again.”
“Why not? You’re gay and I’m gay, so let’s be gay together and fuck.
I have experience if that’s what you’re worried about.
I switch too.” Cody walked over to the bar area and grabbed a bottle of vodka, opening it and taking a large mouthful.
TJ snatched the bottle away from him and Cody reacted by trying to get it back. “That’s mine!”
“Where the hell did this come from?”
“Give that back, you bastard. That’s mine.
” Cody tried to snatch it back, but TJ moved his arm up so Cody couldn’t reach it.
“You fucker!” Cody screamed before kicking TJ in the balls.
TJ dropped, curling up as intense pain ricocheted through his body.
Cody stopped and stared, then dropped to his knees. “Oh god, I’m sorry.”
“Give me a minute,” TJ wheezed out. Fuck, it hurt. He gritted his teeth as the pain began to subside, then gingerly sat up. “Why are you doing this?”
Cody rocked on his butt. “Please don’t hate me.”
“All I want to do is help you, but you have to let me in. Sex and the drinking and drugs aren’t going to help. Please, Cody. What’s going on?”
Cody shook his head. “Can I go back to bed?”
TJ coughed, winced, but nodded. “I have to go to work, but I’ll be back later.
We can talk then.” Cody nodded and stood, then went upstairs, leaving TJ attempting to stand.
Stumbling over to a chair, he sat and waited until he felt like he could breathe again and that his balls hadn’t taken permanent residence in his stomach.
Once he felt comfortable enough to move, TJ poured the vodka out, then checked on Cody and found him asleep. Deciding to leave him alone, he got ready for work. Once he was ready, he checked on Cody again, saw he was still sleeping, then left.
Calling Carter, he sighed when he answered. “Has Cass said anything?”
“Nothing. All he talks about is Cody going back home where he belongs. How is he?”
“Asleep. I got him to eat last night, but it’ll take some time for him to put the weight on. He’s almost skin and bones. Why haven’t they done something before now?”
“I don’t know and when I ask, Cass shuts down.” TJ heard Carter sigh. “I’m sorry, TJ. You shouldn’t have been dragged into this.”
“I know I’m not family, but he knows I’m here. Look, I’m on my way to work. I’ll call you guys later and let you know how he is.”
“Stay safe.”
After a long shift dealing with idiotic complaints—the wrong pizza had been delivered, so police involvement was necessary to arrest the delivery driver—TJ drove home.
When he walked in, he called for Cody but received no answer.
Figuring Cody was upstairs and hadn’t heard him, TJ went upstairs.
Checking the bedroom Cody had been sleeping in, TJ found it empty.
So were the other bedrooms. After searching the house, he called Cass.
“Is he with you?”
“No. He’s not there?”
TJ searched the bedroom, realizing Cody’s bag had disappeared. “I’ve just come back from work. His bag is gone as well. Shit. Let me call Toni and see if he’s there. In the meantime, get together a list of people he may have gone to.”
Ending the call, he dialed Toni, but she had the same answer. Jogging down the stairs, TJ went into the living room, then noticed the empty space on the wall where he’d put his grandfather’s medals. No, Cody wouldn’t have taken them.
Calling the station, Dee Roberts answered. “I need to report a missing person. A runaway.”
“TJ? Who is it?”
“Cody Paarman. He’s missing. Gone at some point in the last eight hours.”
He heard the gasp. “Cody?”
“I need you to get everyone out and searching for him. I’m getting a list of his friends together now.”
“On it.”
The search lasted for days, with no trace of Cody. They didn’t have him on CCTV anywhere, which led TJ to believe he’d managed to get a lift out of town. Hours of searching and calling everywhere TJ could think of all led to nothing. Cody had disappeared.
As time passed, the search was eventually dialed down until it was called off.
Cody was gone.