Chapter 7
MARTY WAS nervous as he drove Cameron to Mechanicsburg on the Friday just before Memorial Day.
He had met with Cameron’s schoolteacher to explain what had happened over the past few weeks, and was told that all the kids in his class were happy that he was back.
Now there were just a few days left next week and the school year would be over.
But the teacher gave him a list of things to work with Cameron on during the summer.
“Where are we going?” Cameron asked very quietly from the backseat. “No more pokes, okay?”
Marty nodded. “We’re not going to the doctor, and you aren’t getting a shot. I promise you that. There’s someone who wants to talk to you, and when we’re done, you can get any flavor of ice cream you want. Officer Grant will be there, and so will Dexter.”
“Thanks for bringing him,” Grant said.
“Remember what I told you,” Marty told Cameron.
He sighed the way only a kid could. “Dexter is working until Officer Grant takes off his leash and lets him go.”
Marty held out his hand, and Cameron took it. They walked inside, with Grant and Dexter behind them in full uniform. Damn, he always looked handsome and sexy like that. Marty had to keep his mind from wandering to places it shouldn’t at a time like this.
“Mr. Waters, Officer Webster,” the woman behind the desk said and then beamed. “This must be Cameron.” She smiled and held out her hand. Cameron took it and then pulled his hand back. “Everything is all set with Angel.”
“An angel?” Cameron asked. Marty was about to explain that it was just his name when a man came in wearing a white shirt, blue pants, and huge white wings. “Are you a real angel?”
“My mama named me Angel, and I sometimes wear my wings.” He held out his hand, and to Marty’s surprise, Cameron took it and they went in the back together.
“You can watch the session if you like,” the receptionist offered. “Let me know.”
MARTY WASN’T sure he wanted to watch. He was curious about what Cameron had gone through, but in his mind, he wasn’t sure he truly wanted all the details.
“You need to be there,” Grant said softly. “You are his parent, and if something happens that’s really difficult for him, or if you think Angel is going to cross a line, you need to be the one to stop it. You have the authority here.” Grant squeezed his shoulder.
“Okay.” He followed Grant into the room the receptionist indicated and sat down at a table with a video monitor. It showed Cameron sitting at a table with Angel next to him.
“You can draw if you want,” Angel said. “Make a picture of anything.”
“Can I draw Mommy and Daddy?” Cameron asked, and Marty swallowed hard. Grant took his hand, and they sat quietly, Marty’s attention glued to the monitor. “They’re angels too.”
“Of course,” Angel said. “You draw whatever you like.” He sat back and let Cameron draw as they talked about things Cameron liked for a while.
Then with surprising delicacy, Angel shifted the subject.
“I understand that something bad happened to you.” Cameron stopped drawing and sat still. “That wasn’t your fault.”
Cameron continued drawing after a few seconds. “He said it was. That I was bad.” Marty could barely hear Cameron’s voice, so he turned up the volume.
“You weren’t bad, I promise you, and angels always keep their promises.” Damn, this guy was good. “Can you tell me what he looked like?”
Cameron nodded. “He was tall, like Daddy,” Cameron said as he continued working on the picture.”
“Was he as tall as Mr. Marty?” Angel asked.
Cameron shook his head. “No, tall like Daddy,” he said again. Marty turned to Grant, who had an iPad and began tapping.
“Cameron’s father, Woodward, was six foot three. So we’re looking for someone quite tall.” Grant continued working while Marty watched and listened. Dexter sat next to his leg. Grant reached over and patted his hand. “He’s doing great.”
“God, I hope so,” Marty said. He hadn’t bit his nails since he was a kid, but he felt himself wanting to do it again.
“What did his face look like?” Angel asked.
“Mean,” Cameron answered. “He was always mean, like Billy, and he said I was bad and that they didn’t want me anymore.”
“Did he have any pictures on his skin? Like tattoos?”
Cameron nodded. “A snake on his arm. It was scary.” Cameron continued coloring, which Marty figured was good. At least he wasn’t shutting down. “He had a big nose, like a clown, but it wasn’t red, and his eyes were really mean.”
“He keeps saying that,” Marty said.
“Yeah. To most kids I think it means that his eyes were set closer together. So far we have someone tall, with a bulbous nose, and close-set eyes.”
“Was his skin white?” Angel asked and Cameron nodded.
“He had funny ears,” Cameron said, and then grew quiet as he continued to color. Then he handed the picture to Angel. He held it up so they could see it, but managed to make it like he was looking at it. He’d drawn his dad and mom with wings.
“What would you tell your mommy and daddy about the man who took you?” Angel asked.
Cameron blinked and sniffed. “That I wasn’t bad.
He said that my mommy and daddy left me because I wasn’t a good boy.
But I was good. I was always good. When I told him that, he carried me to the basement, but I kicked and bit him, so he put me in that bad place and closed me in the dark. ” Cameron began to cry.
“It’s okay,” Angel said. “That man isn’t going to hurt you anymore. You’re safe with Mr. Marty, and he won’t let the bad man touch you again.”
“You promise?” Cameron asked.
“Angels never lie,” he said gently. “And angels always want to help. It’s what we do. So can you tell me anything more? Where were you when he took you?”
“I missed the bus, and I never got home.” He lowered his gaze to the table, and this time he grew quiet. When he looked up again, his lips were pursed, and Marty doubted they were going to get anything more from him. “Can I go home now?”
“Go get him,” Grant said. Marty hurried down the hall and went into the room. Cameron jumped up and ran to him, hugging him tightly.
“You did so well. I’m so proud of you,” Marty told him as he lifted Cameron into his arms. “You were really brave, and your mommy and daddy are so happy right now.” He held him close.
“Is the mean man gone?” He wasn’t crying, but Cameron held him so tightly.
“Yes. For you, he is gone, and Officer Grant and me are going to get the police to put him in jail.” He rocked slowly. “And you helped Officer Grant a lot.”
He carried him out of the room but stopped in the door.
“I hope this was helpful.” Angel seemed drained.
“You helped a lot. Thank you.” He flashed him a smile and then shook his hand before taking Cameron into the hall to where Grant was waiting for them.
He set Cameron down, and he went right to Dexter, hugging him.
Marty went into Grant’s arms right there, wanting to go to pieces because of what Cameron had gone through.
“Can we get ice cream now?” Cameron asked.
“Yes. Definitely,” Marty told him. “Officer Grant and Dexter have to go back to work. But you and I are getting ice cream. But Officer Grant is going to come to dinner, and then we can all play Legos. Okay?” He ushered Cameron out of the building, and they headed back toward Carlisle.
He knew he would do his very best to make sure that Cameron would be able to leave this behind.
“DID I do okay?” Cameron asked Grant as soon as Marty let him inside that evening.
“You were great today,” Grant told him, looking quizzically at Marty.
“Go on outside to play for a while,” Marty offered, and Grant let Dexter off his lead, so Cameron hurried outside with the now puppy-like German shepherd.
That dog was amazing as far as Marty was concerned.
In his harness he was all business, but let him off his lead with Cameron and he turned into an energetic puppy.
“Cameron has been obsessed with what happened today. I think he’s been trying to put things together.
I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
I’d be happier if he would let it go and move on.
But he told me that he should have told Angel that the man sang all the time.
Apparently at first Cameron liked him because he sang, but then he wanted to go home and the man wouldn’t let him, and that made Cameron scared.
There have been bits and pieces of information coming out for the last few hours. ”
Grant sat down and pulled out a notebook, writing down what Marty said.
“At least we’re beginning to get a picture of this guy.
Bobby gave us less information, but what he did tell us matches what Cameron said.
He was tall with a big nose. What I’m going to do is ask Carter to use his computer skills to put together a picture of this guy. ”
“You can show it to Cameron, but only if I’m there with him, and maybe Donald. I want him to feel safe, and after we got home, he sat on the sofa next to me for a long time.”
“I agree. But if I can produce an image, I need to know that we’re working off the right one.” Grant said as they headed toward the backyard.
“I know.” He opened the back door to giggles, and the worry in his belly slipped away. Cameron was on top of the play structure with Dexter looking up at him, barking and running around below. Cameron climbed down, and they ran through the yard together.
“His resilience blows me away sometimes,” Marty said as he watched them. “And the fact that Dexter is a godsend. He’s so good with him.”