Chapter Five
L eon and Calderone stepped outside.
Leon took in the scene in front of him and he heard her remark. He motioned the guard away from the two of them. Then he walked slowly down the stairs.
The young woman stood up and moved toward the kid without touching him then she looked up at Leon. “Mr. Vincinti, my name is Rowen Caldousce and this is my little brother Calli. He’s a little nervous right now, that’s why we stopped.”
Leon stared at her and nodded, then he looked over at Calli and said, “There is no reason to be afraid, young man. I don’t bite.”
“I’m sorry sir, but Calli doesn’t like to be touched,” Rowen explained. “He has Autism and that’s one of his quirks. We left our father’s house a little while ago and he insisted we come here. I think he has something he wants to show you, he’s just too afraid right now to do it.”
Leon leaned over to look into Calli's eyes and he could see the boy’s terror. “Young Calli, please don’t be afraid of me. I’m not such a bad guy.”
Just then, a dog raced around the corner of the house and a young woman chased after him. The woman stopped and watched as the dog came up to Calli and Rowen.
“Meena, call off the dog,” Calderone shouted out sharply.
“Cheri, come here girl,” Meena called out.
The dog stopped but she didn’t go to Meena, instead she carefully walked toward Calli. The dog stopped and stared at the boy then moved toward him slowly again.
Calli didn’t move but he watched as the dog came closer. Then he seemed to relax as he simply stared at the animal, not in terror but in awe.
The dog, Cheri stretched her neck out to sniff him and Calli let her. Then Calli reached out his hand and Cheri sniffed his fingers then licked them.
Rowen gasped softly and her own eyes widened.
Calli knelt as he slowly raised his hand to stroke the animal and Cheri allowed it.
Meena gingerly moved towards the small group. “I’m sorry, Cheri got away from me.”
“Please don’t be mad,” Rowen begged them. “I’m so sorry but this is spectacular. Please don’t be mad at the dog.”
Leon looked at her and asked, “But what does this mean?”
Rowen had tears in her eyes as she watched the first contact Calli had with anyone other than their mother when he was a baby. “Calli can’t bear anyone touching him. This is the first time he’s willingly touched anyone, even me.”
Leon’s eyes widened at this startling news while staring at Calli and shook his head. Then he looked back at Rowen and asked her, “You sent me a message this morning, didn’t you? A warning about a threat against me.”
Rowen nodded but couldn’t take her eyes off her brother, finally she tore her eyes away from Calli and looked at Leon. “Yes I did, I’m glad you got it. But Calli has something to show you on his computer and that’s why I came back.”
“Can you and Calli show me then?” Leon asked.
Calli listened then he let go of the dog and he got to his feet. He patted the laptop and nodded. He looked down at the dog and took a step toward Rowen.
The dog stepped closer to him again.
Calli’s eyes brightened and he almost looked pleased.
Rowen saw the pleasure in her brother’s eyes and not the fear he always had when he was home. She wanted to hug him but she didn’t dare. She looked at her brother and asked, “Are you ready?”
He nodded then patted his laptop.
She turned to Leon and said, “I think he’s ready to show you whatever it is he wanted you to see.”
“You don’t know what it is?” Calderone asked her as he then glanced at his father. “Maybe we should rethink this, Dad?”
Calli shook his head and patted his laptop again then motioned at Leon.
“I think he really wants Leon to see this,” Rowen said.
Calli nodded then patted his laptop again.
Leon turned and started up the steps.
Calderone shook his head and turned to follow.
Rowen motioned for Calli to go.
When he took the first step, the dog Cheri went with him.
Rowen then Meena and the guard were right behind them.
They all followed Leon into his office.
Leon motioned for Calli to sit at the desk.
Calli sat down, opened his laptop and began powering it up. Then he went to his files and opened one of the files. Pushing the laptop around, he positioned it so Leon could see it.
Leon frowned as he read the conversation. He paused to stare at Calli then he looked over at Rowen. “Is this for real?”
Rowen moved over to see what he was looking at. She felt confused as she read the two sided conversation. She raised her brows as she glanced at Leon. Turning her head to Calli, she asked him, “Where did you find this?”
Calli pointed at the screen and tapped one of the two names on the conversation.
She sucked in a breath as she realized the implications of this. “Oh my God, he got this from my father’s computer.” She stared at her brother. “Is this on Dad’s computer?”
Calli nodded.
Rowen sat down hard on the chair next to her brother.
Raising her head, she stared at Leon. “I didn’t know,” she whispered in fear.
“I swear that I didn’t know about this. I can hardly believe it!
This is a conversation between him and my grandpa.
My grandpa is in prison. How could they be in contact?
Dad hasn’t seen my grandpa in ten years.
He stopped going to the prison a long time ago.
Or at least, he told me he stopped.” She was silent for a moment then snarled, “He lied to me. All these years, he lied to me.”
Leon looked over at Calli and quietly asked, “May I read this?”
Calli nodded and pushed the laptop over to him.
Leon sat down behind the desk and began reading the conversation.
Suddenly, Calli reached inside his pocket and brought out a flash drive then set it down in front of Leon.
Leon glanced down at it and asked, “What is this?”
Calli tapped the flash drive then pointed at the laptop.
Leon studied the drive in his hand and then he asked, “This is more conversation between your father and grandfather?”
Calli nodded.
Leon sighed hard and reached for his phone. “John, I need you. My office.”