Chapter 25
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Franklin
What in the hell was wrong with Billy’s school? They didn’t even vet the authenticity of the person who’d called in, stating there was an emergency at home and releasing him from class.
True to his word, I’d found Billy huddled on a toilet in a stall in the men’s room. I’d had to announce my presence and Billy’s head ducked under the stall door to make certain it was me before he opened it and came out.
“Franklin?” Billy hesitantly asked. “Did they do something to Candy or the kids?”
I shook my head. “Your family is fine. That was my first phone call after I spoke with you. We already had officers watching your house. They hadn’t seen anything but went inside anyway and confirmed that your father, sister, and her children are all well and accounted for.”
Billy’s eyebrows pinched. “So, it was a lie?”
I nodded. “Just like you thought it might be.” Billy was hella smart. I hated the reason why he was so bright, or at least the way he had to use those street smarts.
Billy’s pallid skin appeared pasty under the unforgiving florescent lights in the bathroom. “And the men I saw—did they get them too?”
My jaw was tight enough to crack teeth. “I’m sorry to say that no, we haven’t been able to locate them.” I really wanted a word or three with these assholes. But would they even roll on Boggs? It depended on their loyalty and what Boggs had on them. Boggs knew the system. He’d gotten where he was by giving up the goods on those he worked with. Knowing that, he would need to figure out a way to make sure the same thing didn’t happen to him.
Billy hung his head and let loose a heavy breath. His disappointment was clear. “I promise you they were there.”
“And I fully believe you.” The bogus call to the school proved that. “Come on, why don’t I take you home? I got permission from your dad.” I didn’t think Billy’s brain was in a good place for learning. Plus, I wanted to get him somewhere we could watch him better.
“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” Billy answered.
“Do you have a locker?”
Billy nodded.
“Is all your stuff in there, or did you leave some of it in class?”
Billy pointed to a book and spiral bound notebook on the back of the toilet. “I brought everything with me when I got called to the office. My coat and lunchbox are in my locker.”
“Let’s go get everything loaded up, and I’ll drive you home.” We headed out of the bathroom and thankfully into an empty hall. Classes were in session and all the students were inside, blissfully unaware of the fact that someone had just made a kidnapping attempt on one of their classmates.
W e walked out of the school to the sounds of kids playing at recess. I had no idea if they were a part of Billy’s class or not. Regardless, he wouldn’t be playing any games today. With a hand on Billy’s shoulder, I led the way down the school steps. Billy’s tattered backpack hung over his shoulders. He had on the same tired coat he’d worn to the station just a few short days ago and the tennis shoes on his feet appeared equally well used, but just like the coat, they were functional.
“Was Papa mad?” Billy asked as we headed for the car. While Billy’s head was down, mine scoured the surrounding area. The street in front of the school was dotted with a few cars here and there. The trees lining the street had lost their leaves at least a month prior and their barren branches fingered into the sky.
“Not at you,” I promised. “Your dad’s worried, just as he should be. He’s also angry at the people who are threatening you. That’s also understandable and not your fault.”
Billy’s shoulders slumped. “Lucas said Boggs was scum.” Billy’s voice held a note of steel and anger. “Lucas was smarter than that. Why did he get mixed up with someone like Boggs?”
I shook my head and squeezed Billy’s shoulder. “I wish I had a good answer. All I can tell you is that people under the influence of drugs don’t make the best decisions.” That might just be the understatement of the year.
Billy scoffed and looked up long enough for me to see his eye roll.
“You’re right. They make terrible decisions.”
“You can say that again,” Billy agreed. “I just wish… I want Lucas back, but how he used to be…before.”
I didn’t need to ask what before Billy meant. I started to agree when movement caught my attention. My eyes immediately tracked to my right as my muscles stiffened. A middle-aged man with thinning hair and a slightly paunchy middle ambled toward us. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and his gaze was cast down at the sidewalk. His steps were unhurried and there was nothing obviously dangerous.
“Stay by my side, Billy,” I quietly urged.
“Trouble?” Billy asked, his tone hiding any fear lurking below.
“I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. There was something familiar about the man casually walking our way. “Probably not, but never hurts to be safe.” We were farther away from my vehicle than I’d like. I picked up the pace and Billy’s steps hurried along with me.
We’d barely gone two feet when the stranger’s words brought me up short. “You’ve given me a bit of trouble today, Billy. Perhaps you’re more like your brother than I thought.” A smirk resonated through his tone.
Billy inhaled and his small body quivered. My fingers tightened on his shoulder as my other hand itched to pull my sidearm. We were just a few feet from an elementary school and pulling my gun would be an option of last resort. My hesitation cost valuable time.
“I wouldn’t do that,” the man said with a tilt of his head toward the school. “It’s a dangerous place for bullets to go flying around, and I assure you, you’re currently outgunned.” He shifted his jacket, revealing his own weapon. “One of my men has the playground in his sights. One call from me and he starts firing.”
Shit.
“He’s not one of the guys from before,” Billy helpfully whispered.
If the artistic sketches were anything to go by, I completely agreed. However, this guy did look like someone else I’d seen a photo of. That picture was at least ten years old. Dustin Boggman hadn’t aged gracefully, that was for sure.
“Mr. Boggman,” I said by way of greeting.
Boggs’s lip twitched, and I wasn’t sure if it was attempting to frown or smirk. “Haven’t been called that in a long time. Boggs will do just fine.”
Billy’s body stiffened, his muscles pulled tight. While I couldn’t feel his pulse, I imagined it was pounding.
I pushed Billy behind me, shielding his body from view and hopefully harm. “And here I thought I’d need to flush you out of whatever sewer you crawled into.” Footsteps sounded behind me and Billy’s hand tugged on my jacket. I turned my head just enough to see another man approach. My fingers twitched. All the other officers were out scouring the area, looking for the men right in front of me.
“That’s one of ’em,” Billy said.
I’d figured as much. Now, where was the third? Was he the supposed shooter hovering around the playground? And that was assuming there weren’t even more rats out there. There could be a dozen, maybe more.
“You’re just as pleasant as I thought you’d be,” Boggs said, not at all affected by my earlier dig. My hands clenched at my sides. My gun wasn’t the only weapon I had on me.
I didn’t have to wonder about Boggs’s expression this time. His smirk was full of malicious intent. “Slowly remove your gun and hand it over to Red. Your phone too. Remember to go slow and keep your hands where I can see them. And just so we’re clear, if you do try anything, it won’t be Billy that gets a bullet. It’ll be one of those kids out there.” Boggs’s tilted his head in the direction of the playground. “Maybe more than one. Can’t say that I really care one way or the other. Billy’s too valuable to me to damage, but I don’t give a shit about the brats out there.”
Billy’s hand dug tighter, pulling at my coat. I kept my hands where Boggs could see them while slowly reaching for my gun. The man I assumed was Red quickly took my gun and my phone. Glancing his direction, it was easy to see how he’d gotten the name given his fiery ginger shock of hair.
My fingers clenched and itched to do something. Boggs had me between a rock and hard place. I wasn’t completely defenseless. After the incident in Chicago, Boone made certain I never left home without some of his Pops’s charms. While I wasn’t nearly as loaded as Boone, I had a few tricks up my sleeve. The problem was getting to those tricks and using them to the best of our advantage.
Coughing caught not only my attention, but Boggs’s too. Quickly glancing toward the school, I saw a woman holding a little girl’s hand. The child was obviously ill and going home early. Their murmurs were too low for me to hear, and they seemed oblivious to what was going on a few feet in front of them. I couldn’t blame the mom. She looked exhausted and worry for her ill daughter was clearly written across her face.
“Let’s move this discussion somewhere a little less crowded.” Boggs inclined his head and turned, walking down the sidewalk before cutting across a small stretch of yard, heading toward a nearby woods.
“Move it,” Red said. I didn’t know if the gun poking my side was my own weapon or his. Regardless, I followed. Billy clung to my jacket. I shifted my hand, appearing as if I were trying to physically comfort Billy but really aiming for my jacket pocket.
“Keep ’em where I can see ’em,” Red admonished with a harsher jab of the gun into my side. I gritted my teeth against my grunt. The barrel of the gun pushed uncomfortably between my ribs. Hopefully, the pain was worth it. I’d managed to snag one of Holland’s charms. While I didn’t recognize all of them by feel alone, I was familiar with this one. It could be useful as a distraction. I just needed to wait until the right time. I also needed time to think. This needed to end, here and now. Getting Billy safely out was priority number one, but saving him today only to be threatened again was less than ideal.
I needed to finish this before Boggs had the chance to hurt Billy or anyone else. God only knew what that man had going on and the victims still in his sphere of influence.
If Boggs got away today, he’d likely slither into some hole that was even darker and deeper than the one he’d crawled out of today. He might even switch playing fields all together and head to fresh hunting grounds. While that would get him off my streets, it would land him on some other innocent’s yard. That prospect made my blood boil.
Decaying leaves, fallen twigs and branches, and thick weeds caught at my feet and ankles. Billy tripped once, and I almost dropped the charm hidden in my hand when I reached down to steady him. Red didn’t scold me that time.
We followed Boggs deeper into the woods, far enough that if someone heard the shots, they might think it was a hunter. Boggs had made his intentions perfectly clear. He didn’t intend to shoot Billy, but he’d made no such promises regarding me. This forest was meant to be my grave.
The sound of crunching leaves sounded to the left, and when I chanced a glance, another man joined our group.
“That’s not one of ’em,” Billy whispered beside me. It wasn’t all that surprising. Boggs’s operation had to be more than three guys strong.
“Any trouble, Izzy?” Boggs asked our latest guest.
Izzy shook his head. “No one saw or followed your tracks. Nobody knows we’re here.” Izzy’s grin showed off two chipped teeth and a slew of other dental maladies.
“Excellent,” Boggs answered, a grin pulling the edges of his lips. “If that is the case—” The sound of sirens filled the air, starting soft and growing louder by the second. Boggs’s head lifted and swiftly looked around. Early winter daylight was pale in comparison to its summer sibling. Dimly lit, shadows darkened the area and added an edge of menace. “I thought you said we weren’t followed!” Boggs did not sound happy, and his hand tightened on his weapon. “Fuck, you people are idiots.”
Boggs’s gaze darted here and there, and soon red and blue strobe lights added their own peculiar light to the shadowed woods. I’d been half out of it the last time I’d seen this particular charm in action. I’d crashed the car Boone and I were in and we’d dodged bullets. Or more to the point, Aurelia had somehow stopped or perhaps, captured those bullets, protecting us both. I remember the noise and the annoying flashing lights, but I hadn’t been able to appreciate the sheer genius of the charm’s effects.
Billy’s quick, harsh breaths added the background base to the shrill sound of fake police sirens. I had a few minutes, maybe only seconds, to try and get us out of this mess because despite how it appeared, the calvary most certainly hadn’t arrived.
I had one of Holland’s shield charms in my pocket, but if I used it, that would protect Billy and me, but allow Boggs to escape. Holland’s charm now allowed someone to move while behind the shield charm, but they had to do it agonizingly slow. Rapid movement, like running, was perceived as a threat and the shield held strong and didn’t so much as budge.
What I needed, was to get our assailants locked inside that bubble. Unfortunately, the shield charm activated immediately. It wasn’t one I could activate and toss at Boggs, capturing him. Unless…
Billy choked and emitted a small whine. It was the perfect distraction. Acting as if I were comforting him, I ducked my hand in my pocket again. When Red yelled at me to keep my hands where he could see them, I pulled out my hand and dropped the shield charm.
“What the fuck’s that?” Izzy asked, stepping forward and picking up the charm. Walking toward Red, Izzy turned the charm over in his hand.
“Fucking shit,” I cursed, playing the part of someone who’d royally fucked up.
Izzy’s head snapped my direction. The sound of sirens increased until it was difficult to hear each other speak. “What is this?” Izzy asked again, and I clamped my mouth shut.
“Answer him,” Boggs demanded with the gun pointed directly at my chest. “I know it’s a charm, but what does it do? I haven’t seen one like that before.”
I gritted my teeth, but finally answered, “It’s a shield charm. It protects you from bullets and capture.” I added on that last bit, fueling their curiosity.
“Holy shit,” Red said, holding the charm in his hand now.
“Put down your weapons. We have the area surrounded!”
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The first charm I’d activated amped up, sending a sense of urgency through Boggs’s men.
Boggs took a couple of steps to the side, peering through the trees. The grip on his weapon oscillated between tight and loose. His eyes darted around the trees, and I could see his brain working. Boggs wasn’t a fool. Where there was one charm, there could be more. Doubt filled his calculating gaze. That doubt was erased when figures began dotting the landscape. If you looked close enough, you could see it wasn’t real. Some of the figures dressed as police were half concealed within tree trunks or melded with branches. The illusion wasn’t perfect, but to the stressed and terrified mind, it was more than enough.
“Cops!” Red shouted.
“Activate it,” Izzy screamed.
“Don’t—” Boggs ordered but it was too late. Red activated the shield charm, trapping himself and Izzy inside. Unfortunately, Boggs was too far away.
Red shot a triumphant fist into the air as he and Izzy laughed at their good fortune. “We can fucking shoot ’em all from here,” Izzy boasted. “Starting with you.” Izzy aimed his gun at me and fired. I jerked and Billy screamed. The bullet hung in the air, just a few inches in front of the muzzle it had fired from.
Mouth hanging open, Izzy fired again. Red joined in but every bullet did the same. Reality came crashing down on them and they beat their fists against the shield. Experience told me it was futile.
With Billy still tucked behind me, I turned on Boggs. It was now one-on-one. My odds were better, but he still had a gun and I didn’t. What I did have was the illusion of backup.
Pulling up all the bravado I could muster, I held my head high. “You gonna shoot me in front of all these officers? You know what the justice system does to cop killers.”
If possible, Boggs would have killed me with the hate streaming from his eyes. With a curse he lowered the gun, turned, and bolted. I’d hoped he’d throw his hands up and surrender but this was still better than the bullet to the chest I’d expected.
“Stay here,” I ordered Billy as I ran after Boggs. “They can’t hurt you.” That was true for a little less than twenty minutes. I had that much time to stop Boggs and get back to Billy. I checked my watch and noted the time while pumping my legs. I couldn’t believe how quick Boggs was. I wouldn’t have expected it given the length of his legs.
He dodged, weaved, and hurdled every damn obstacle. He heard me following and aimed his gun behind him, randomly firing. I darted behind a tree but not before one of those bullets caught my arm. Fire lanced through my bicep, but I didn’t let it slow me down. Leaving my tree shelter I picked up my pursuit again. Zigzagging through the underbrush to avoid the random bullets Boggs sent my way took up valuable time and energy. I’d stopped gaining on Boggs and was falling behind.
Reaching into my pocket, I rummaged through my two remaining charms. I couldn’t remember what either one did. It was a crapshoot and probably foolish, but I was running out of options. Picking one at random, I slowed long enough to get a good aim. Activating the charm, I threw it at Boggs. It didn’t exactly hit him, but it landed close. I kept running, unsure what to expect, if anything. Maybe the charm had to hit him to be effective, or maybe it—
“ Ah-choo !”
Boggs sneezed as he ran, stumbling as that sneeze was followed by another, and another, and… God, they weren’t stopping. If anything, Boggs’s sneezing worsened and became violent. Boggs’s feet stuttered to a stumbling halt as he fell to his knees. His gun dropped from his quaking hand as his arms wrapped around his middle. Doubled over, sneeze after violent sneeze erupted from his mouth. Boggs’s body seized with the need to uncontrollably sneeze.
Huffing and gasping for breath, I jogged up next to Boggs’s prone body. With a kick, I scooted the gun farther from his grip and rummaged around his body until I found my own weapon and my phone. I was fortunate Red had handed both over to Boggs, otherwise they’d be trapped within the same shield the men were in.
Snot exploded from Boggs’s nose and mouth while tears ran down his face. Eyes puffy and red, he rolled and contracted with each painful sneeze. I heard a crack and wondered if maybe the violence of the sneezing might have cracked a rib or thrown out his back. If so, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
Waking up my phone, I called Captain Cicely.
“Do you have the Davies boy, O’Hare?” Captain Cicely asked. “And what is that Gaia awful sound I hear in the background?”
I chuckled while Boggs groaned. “I’ve got Billy. I’ve also got Boggs and a couple of his associates.” I rattled off approximately where I thought we were. “You’ve got about ten minutes before the shield charm the other two are trapped in wears off.”
“We’ll be there in five,” the captain assured. “And what about Boggs?”
“He’s currently…indisposed.” I grinned while staring down at Boggs’s abject misery.
“And exactly how long will this indisposition last?”
My eyebrows rose to my hairline. “You know, I’m not really certain. I could call Holland and ask.”
Captain Cicely groaned and lamented, “Gaia help us. Sit tight. We’re on our way.”
I had no plans on leaving. The sound of sirens ended, leaving only Boggs’s sneezes as background music. Holland’s police charm had run its course, but soon enough the real thing would be here.
Finding a nearby fallen log, I sat and rested my tired legs. Boggs’s capture was messier than I’d like, but I’d still count it as a win. Depending on how long the paperwork took, I might even ask Boone if he’d like to go out to dinner tonight. I could apologize again for him having to cancel his appointment in Louisiana and celebrate getting a predator off the streets.
A stab of pain sang through my bicep as I shifted my weight. I took the time to check the wound, happy it didn’t look too deep. Maybe I could get one of those healing potions from the captain. By the time I made it to Boone, I’d be all healed up and ready for a good meal and some quality time between the sheets.
As always, thoughts of cuddling up with Erasmus Boone eased the ache in my chest and lightened the weight constantly pulling at my shoulders. I couldn’t wait to see his face, to hear his voice, and feel his touch. I reminded myself that it would be just a few short hours. Somehow, even that minuscule amount of time seemed like forever.