Chapter 1 #2
Jackson ruffled Dylan’s hair. “We are. Nothing can change that. It’s not the way we planned it, but you know you’re my number-one priority, right? Even if I don’t have custody today, nothing matters more to me than you do.”
“Yeah, I know. But…but…he didn’t even let you talk. You were helping people, and all he talked about was how messy your uniform was.”
“I know. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Three months, Jack! Three months!” Dylan’s voice rose, then broke again. The court reporter glanced their way.
Jackson held out a hand to stop the tirade before his brother started crying or got really fired up. His kid brother looked ready to go into a full-blown meltdown. Jackson didn’t want it on display for anyone to see, especially not the judge or anyone who might report back to him.
“I know, Dylan. We can talk about this later, when we’re not out in public. For now, let’s move outside.”
“Sorry,” Dylan muttered, ducking his head.
“You did nothing wrong. I just think this might be a longer conversation. I want to talk about it though. It’s important.” Jackson’s eyes stung. He blinked. He hadn’t lied. Dylan was all the family he had left.
“Come on, Dylan.” Cynthia prompted Dylan to move toward the door. “Let’s head home. It’s been a long day.”
She gave Jackson a sympathetic smile as she and Dylan moved past him.
“I’ll call you, Dylan. I need to head back to the station. I left in the middle of my shift.”
Dylan nodded, but Jackson could tell his brother wasn’t happy. Not that he blamed him. He wished he’d taken the rest of the day off, but he’d promised the chief he’d be back as soon as the hearing ended.
Discouraged, he made his way out to his truck. He caught his reflection in the window and grimaced. His short dark-blond hair had blood in it. Blue eyes peered out of a grimy face. No wonder Gavin had looked so shocked to see him.
It had never occurred to him that he’d be returning feeling like there was a hole in his heart.
Maria Turner, known as Mia to her friends, drove past the Renegade School District sign, hands clenched on the wheel and a mission in her heart.
When she rounded the corner that passed the high school, she slowed.
A lone figure trudged toward the street in threadbare jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers so old that the back half of the soles flopped every time she lifted her feet.
She knew this girl. Emma Stacy. Mia had never had her in class, but she’d seen her in the halls. Emma’s smile had always lit up the room. Now, however, tears tracked down her pale cheeks.
Making a split-second decision, Mia pulled the car to the edge of the drive and hopped out. “Emma? Emma!”
The sophomore spun toward her, rubbing the tears off her cheeks. “Miss Turner. Hi.”
Awkwardly, Emma ducked her head and shoved her hands in her pocket.
“Is there something wrong, Emma? Something I can help you with?”
“No, ma’am. I’m fine.”
Mia stepped closer and kept her voice low and calm. “I can see that you aren’t. You were crying. Is there anyone I can call for you?”
The girl’s eyes flooded again. “Nobody’d come. My stepmom doesn’t have time for me, and Xavier just dumped me. Like I was nothing. And he said he loved me.” Emma sniffed and touched her stomach.
Mia’s breath caught in her throat. Oh no. She knew what had happened. Better than most, she knew the situation. The shame. And the despair. “Emma. Are you pregnant?”
Emma’s eyes flared wide, and her mouth fell open in a surprised O. But she didn’t deny it. “Yeah. Xavier told me to get an abortion. But I don’t want to, so he left me here. It’s two miles to my house. And I don’t know what my stepmom will say.”
It was like living her past mistakes all over again.
“Look, let me drive you home.” Mia had never let a student into her car. She couldn’t abandon her on the side of the road though. Docile as a pet dog, Emma trotted after her, back to her car. She got in and buckled when Mia told her to. “Would you be willing to talk to Mrs. King?”
“The school nurse?”
“That’s right. She’s an old friend of mine.”
Emma shrugged one shoulder. “I guess.”
Mia tried to ask a few more questions, but Emma seemed to have shut down. Mia sighed and gave up. “Where do you live?”
Emma stared out the window and mumbled the address in a hopeless voice. Mia knew the street. She drove without attempting to engage again so she wouldn’t alienate the teenager to the point where she’d refuse to confide in Mia in the future.
When they arrived at the house, there were no cars in the driveway.
“Oh, good. She’s not home.”
Mia didn’t share Emma’s relief. Two young children, no older than seven or eight, sat on the front porch, playing. “Do you have a babysitter?”
“What?” Emma’s eyes flashed to her siblings. “Oh, nah. I guess she knew I’d be home sometime.”
Mia stiffened. The casual excuse informed Mia that seeing the children home alone was a normal thing. She didn’t trust herself to speak, so she confined her response to a nod.
Emma opened the door and slid out of the vehicle. Mia waited until the teenager had taken her brothers into the house before reversing out of the driveway. She headed back to the school, seething.
She wanted to help Emma. But what could she do? She wasn’t a counselor. This was a delicate situation, and she had to step carefully. If only there were a pregnancy center in Renegade to recommend. The wish to help and the inability to do so tore at her frayed nerves.
No matter how hard she tried, she was never enough.
She needed that money from her summer job if she was going to make a difference.
At the intersection, she headed toward the school district campus.
She recalled her promise to call Shannon King, the school nurse, who happened to be Mia’s best friend since college.
Shannon had been the one to inform Mia when the position for a learning support teacher had opened up at Renegade South High School.
She punched Shannon’s button on the dashboard, then drummed her fingers and waited for her one and only friend to pick up the phone.
Mia had tried to keep her distance when she’d walked into her dorm room for the first time to see the perky blonde hanging posters on the wall.
Shannon seemed to see that as a challenge.
After a month of resisting, Mia had given in.
When she’d left Renegade after college, they’d maintained contact.
Shannon still didn’t know why Mia kept to herself and had no other friends, or why she had ghosted her parents for years. That was one reason Mia loved her. She didn’t try to force her way past the invisible boundaries Mia had drawn.
“Mia! What’s up?” Shannon’s bubbly voice oozed down the line. “Did you get your money?”
“Not yet. I got distracted—”
“Mia! You need to get paid! Didn’t you tell me that’s the only way you can afford to finish your counseling degree and open the pregnancy center? Girl, you’ve been talking about that for years!”
Shannon knew Mia’s dreams. Just not why they meant so much.
“Trust me, I realize that. Look, I called because I need your help.” She quickly described Emma’s situation. “Shan, the poor kid. And to have no one at home? I feel so helpless. I know we can’t help everyone, but we should be able to help her. Right?”
Shannon bit off what could only be described as a growl. “I thought something was up with Emma’s family situation, but I could never prove it. Are you sure there was no one at the house?”
“I’m sure. Those littles, they were just hanging out on the porch, waiting. I have no idea how long. According to Emma, her mom just ‘figured’ she’d be home at some point.”
Heat simmered in her gut. Anything could have happened to them.
“I’m going to have to ChildLine this, you know that.” The bubbly tones had molded into steel.
“Yeah. I know. I just hate that she’s suffering.”
“I get it. Look, I’ll keep you informed. At least, I’ll tell you what I can. You know I can’t break confidentiality.”
“I do. I appreciate it.” It was on the tip of her tongue to explain why she felt so strongly about Emma’s situation, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. “I’m back at the district office. I need to go see if they can help me get my paycheck.”
“I’ll let you go. I’ll say a prayer.”
“Um, bye.” Mia hung up. “That was a jerk move, Mia. Shannon was trying to be supportive. But she should know I’m not into that God stuff anymore.”
Shannon had grown up in a Christian home, vibrant with love and faith. The only thing vibrant in Mia’s home had been the facade her parents put on when they were in public. Both Mia’s parents had been cold guardians.
Sometimes she envied Shannon.
She parked her car and turned it off. Sucked in a deep, bracing breath, held it, then slowly released it. She could do this.
She opened her door, then marched up the walkway leading to the district office and pushed the buzzer. When the door clicked, she opened it and walked into the main office. Instantly, cool air whooshed over her, hitting the sweat dotting her neck. She shivered.
Casually, she glanced around, her gaze taking in the closed door to the superintendent’s office. It looked dark beyond the frosted glass.
Blaine Turner, her father, wasn’t in.
Tension leaked from her shoulders.
“Hey, Helen.” Mia smiled at the administrative assistant at the front desk.
For the millionth time, she wondered why she’d agreed to take a teaching job in the same district where Blaine Turner was the superintendent.
But she knew why. When her aunt had gotten sick, she’d needed to move to Renegade fast. The teaching job had been the only job with benefits she could find on such short notice.
“Yes, Maria. What can I do for you? Are you having an issue with your classroom?” Helen flashed a cool, professional smile, one that didn’t touch the smooth skin around her eyes. Her eyes flashed to the calendar on the wall. Clearly, someone didn’t appreciate being interrupted.