Indemnity: Book Two: Covenant of Trust Series (36 page)

“
That’s just a touch on the histrionic side,” Bobbi said.

“
Don’t worry,” Chuck said to Rita. “I think Bobbi will catch Tracy so off-guard, we’ll be gone before she can come up with anything to say.”

Bobbi closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath, hoping that would settle her stomach and ease the flutter in her chest. She kept her eyes on the interior of Chuck’s car, not wanting to know how to get to Tracy’s house.

“
Here’s her street,” Chuck said.

“
Already? She lives close.” In the strikingly ordinary neighborhood, older homes with yards and trees lined the street. Maybe that was the draw, having a yard for Jack. However, children playing outside and the telltale signs of children, like bikes and swing sets, were all missing from the homes on Tracy’s block.

“
This is it.” Chuck pulled over and turned off the car.

“
I could have guessed.” The manicured landscaping and the Lexus were typical Tracy.

“
Yeah, but the house doesn’t look like her, does it?”

“
Is that part of her self-imposed witness protection program?”

“
I just figured she wanted Jack to grow up in a normal house, normal neighborhood.”

“
Then he needs a normal mother to go with it.” Bobbi clutched her purse, and climbed out of the car.

“
You’re not off to a very good start.” Chuck got out of the car and locked the door.

“
I’m trying to get it out of my system before I go in.” Bobbi rounded the car and walked with him up to the porch, debating whether to take his hand. She opted not to risk antagonizing Tracy.

Chuck rang the bell, and then stepped back away from the door. “Yesterday, I couldn’t get her to come to the door until I threatened to have the police break it down.”

Moments later, they heard the lock turn, and Tracy opened the door. She was dressed in a long sleeved fitted t-shirt, sports pants, and cross-trainers that looked as if they’d never been out of the box. She wore a gold chain, but no watch or earrings today. Her hair was casually styled, and she wore full make-up. Clearly, the crisis had passed and she was back in control.

Shock flashed across her face when she saw Bobbi, but she quickly regained her poise. “Chuck, come in. Mrs. Molinsky, I’m sorry he dragged you out.”

“
I asked to come, actually,” Bobbi said. She looked Tracy in the eye, and this time Tracy looked away first. “Can we start by calling each other by our first names? I’m Bobbi.” Tracy didn’t move, didn’t answer, so Bobbi tried again. “Jack is a wonderful little boy.”

“
Where is he? He’s supposed to be with you.”

“
My mother’s with him,” Chuck said. “He and Shannon are fine.”

His mother? Apparently mentioning Rita was too risky. In the entry hall hung a framed photograph of Jack, still with a round baby face, in short denim overalls, a polo shirt and brown leather sandals. His hair had a little wave then, but his smile was as broad and his eyes as deep and dark as they were now. “How old was he when this one was taken?”

“
Three,” Tracy answered. “He had just turned three.”

“
I’ll bet he talked early. He’s very articulate now. Brad talked early.”

“
Well, Chuck, I’m safe, sound and sober, so can I have my keys?” Tracy’s eyes lingered on Bobbi while she spoke.

“
Sure,” Chuck pulled the key ring from his pocket and handed it to her.

“
So, if you’re satisfied, I’ve got some things I need to take care of.”

“
When is your dad getting out of prison?” Chuck asked point blank, and Bobbi wanted to punch him. He’d lost his mind, baiting her that way.

Tracy rolled her eyes and swore at him. “Did you read my mail? Where do you get off —?”

“
I didn’t read anything,” Chuck answered firmly. “I played a hunch that’s what really set you off. Not Colin double-crossing you, not quitting your job.” He raised his eyebrows and said gently, “Evidently, I was right.” Bobbi watched Tracy transform, her expression changed from anger to panic. “He can’t hurt you, Tracy. He can’t even find you.”

“
You found me,” Tracy shot back. “How long did it take you to track down who I really was? A day? Part of a day?”

“
I was working backwards. I already had most of the pieces—”

“
Doesn’t matter. I’m not safe.” She rubbed her thumb and fingers together, her eyes darting to the front door.

“
What are you going to do?”

Would she run again? Would she disappear with Jack, change both of their names, just when Chuck was getting to know his son? Would she do something far more desperate?

“
I don’t know yet, but I wouldn’t tell you even if I did.”

“
Why not? That’s crazy.”

“
Chuck, you don’t get it. The less you know the better. It protects you, and it protects me.”

“
Tracy—”

“
If he can connect us, you’re in danger, and he can use you to find me! I can’t make it much plainer!”

“
Let us help you,” Chuck pleaded.

“
There’s nothing you can do. It’s over.”

“
Can’t we file—?”

“
I have filed everything there is to file.” She made a wide sweeping arc with her hand. “That’s the whole reason I went to law school!” She dropped her voice, and Bobbi wasn’t sure if Tracy was speaking to Chuck and her, or if she was reassuring herself. “John Dailey ... Mr. Dailey, he’s watched out for me all these years. He says there’s nothing left that we can do. Nothing. There’s nothing left.” She glanced at the door again.

“
I don’t believe that,” Chuck said. “There’s always something. Let me call him.”

“
No!” Tracy’s eyes flashed with nervous anger. “Just stay out of it! I can handle it.” She pulled her front door open. “The biggest help you can be right now is to go.”

Chuck hesitated for a moment, and then nodded to Bobbi that they should go.

Bobbi crossed in front of him so she could look Tracy in the eye. “I can’t imagine how hard things have been for you, but you’ve done a wonderful job with Jack.” Tracy blinked slowly. “Let Chuck, or Glen and Laurie, or somebody ... let somebody help you. For Jack’s sake.”

Tracy didn’t answer. Instead, she clung to the front door, and glanced back at Chuck. He followed Bobbi out, but before Tracy could shut the door, he turned back and said, “I won’t let anything happen to Jack.”

“
Why do you think I brought him here?”

“
I think I’m more concerned now after seeing her,” Bobbi said as Chuck turned the car around in Tracy’s driveway.

“
She was much better today.”

“
She’s on the brink of a nervous breakdown.” Bobbi blinked back a tear as she stared out the passenger window. “I know ... I know how it feels to be coming apart, losing yourself, but struggling to hide it from everyone else.” She felt Chuck’s hand on hers. “To be isolated and alone, not trusting anyone else. It’s an awful, awful place. No wonder she drinks.”

“
What does she need? How can we help her?”

“
You can’t. She has to come to the end of herself. She has to know she’s out of options.”

“
What about Jack? Wouldn’t she get help for his sake?”

“
Not if she’s decided he’s better off somewhere else.”

He squeezed her hand, and then gently lifted it to his lips. “Wanna grab a cup of coffee?”

“
On one condition.” She pulled her hand back and twisted around to face him. “You don’t talk.”

“
What ...”

“
I need to absorb this. I’m not ready to discuss it.”

A dejected, little-boy pout settled across his face. “What if I need to talk, though?”

“
You can wait until I’ve finished my second cup.” She winked at him, and he managed a half-smile. He drove to Dear Joe’s, held the door for her, and bought her a very large cup of Turkish coffee.

Bobbi slid into one of the booths away from the door, and took a long sip. “All right. What?”

“
That’s not your second cup.”

“
You won’t last. Just tell me.”

“
She didn’t answer my question. She didn’t tell me when her dad’s getting out.”

“
She doesn’t trust you with that information.”

“
Yet. I’m gonna track down John Dailey. He knows.”

“
She very distinctly told you not to.”

“
She didn’t mean it.” He gulped his own coffee with a satisfied grin.

Bobbi pulled a napkin from the dispenser, and set her cup on it. Chuck often did her the same way. Going against what she said, when he knew that was exactly what she wanted. And he had no idea how much that similarity bothered her.

The more she found out about Tracy, she discovered how much she had in common with her. The loss of their mothers, then their fathers. The insecurity. The inability to trust. The struggle with forgiveness. The love for their children. The attraction to Chuck ... And his attraction ...

“
You okay?” Chuck asked. “You look a little pale.”

“
Yeah, I think I’m ready to head home.”

“
You did an amazing thing today.”

“
No, I proved I’m not ready for this. I don’t want to have compassion for her. I don’t want to connect with her.”

“
Bobbi, ease up on yourself. I don’t think anybody is asking you to be friends with her.”

“
It’s not ... Chuck, the more I learn, the more I see of her ... the more I see myself.”

Sunday, October 7

Jack had waited all weekend for Sunday, for church, for a chance to talk to the cowboy preacher. “Mister Pastor Glen, can I ask you something?” He could feel his dad’s hand on his shoulder. Someday, soon he hoped, he’d be too big for that.

“
Sure, Jack. Why don’t you and your dad head over to my office and I’ll be right there.”

Jack twisted away from his dad. “I ‘member where it is. You don’t even hafta show me.” His dad followed him anyway. The pastor’s door stood open, and Jack started to go in and sit down, but he stopped. “Dad, I kinda want you to hear, but I kinda don’t.”

“
How come you don’t?”

“
It’s ... well ... I don’t want to talk about it, but I think I need to.”

“
You won’t get in trouble, no matter what it is.”

“
It’s not me,” Jack said quietly.

His dad knelt down so they were eye to eye. “Your mom won’t get in trouble, either.”

“
Promise?”

“
I promise.” He hugged Jack gently just as the preacher walked up.

“
All right, young man!” the pastor said, putting a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “What can I do for you?”

Jack looked down the hallway in case anyone was around. “In there.” He pointed inside the office. “I’ll tell you in there.”

“
Come on in, then.”

“
Can you close the door?” Jack asked before he sat down.

The preacher pulled the door closed, and sat at his desk, leaning forward on his elbows. “What’s wrong, Jack?” he asked softly.

“
I don’t know.”

“
Is it your mom?”

“
Kind of.”

“
What happened?”

“
She was really mad. It wasn’t just mad. It was different. Madder.” He blinked several times. “I don’t know what I did.”

“
Jack, you didn’t do anything,” his dad said. He patted his knee then steadied Jack as he climbed up on his lap. “It’s hard to understand, but what happened the other night had nothing to do with you. You were just there when it happened. She would have been just as mad if you hadn’t been there.”

“
She threw things ... busted glass ... She never did that before.”

“
It was scary, wasn’t it?”

Jack nodded with tears brimming in his eyes.

“
But she wouldn’t hurt you for anything in this world.”

Jack nodded and wiped his eyes. “But there was a kid before we moved, and his dad would get mad, and they took him away from his dad. And then you said the judge might think about it ...”

His dad pulled him close with both arms. “Nobody is going to take you away from your mom. I won’t let that happen.”

Jack pushed away. “Is she going to do it again?”

“
I told Pastor Glen, and he and I went to see your mom Friday, and Mrs. Dad and I checked on her yesterday. We’re trying to help her.”

He turned to the preacher. “She should come to church and listen to you, then she’d know you better, and maybe she’d let you.”

“
I asked her to come to church,” the preacher said.

“
What if we baptized you, Jack?” his dad said. “I bet she’d come then.”

“
What-a-tize me?”

“
We have a big ole tub kind of a thing up in the front of the church,” the preacher said. “Any time anybody believes in Jesus, we take ‘em up there and dunk ‘em under that water.”

“
Like, hold ‘em under?”

“
No, just real quick. It’s a symbol. It shows that the Jack who didn’t believe in Jesus is gone, and you’re a new Jack.”