Always My Hero (26 page)

“The big kids on the playground were being really mean. They were saying that my mom stole my grandfather’s hardware store. Then they were making fun of my dad, calling him a dork for just letting her get away with it. My dad is not a dork!” He looked miserably down at the tray.

“When we were supposed to line up for recess, I snuck out the back. And you know what? They were wrong! I went to the store and it’s there. It’s still there. Why would they say that?” Cupping his hands around the huge mug, he brought it to his mouth and took a few sips.

“Was your dad still at the store, Wes? Did he see you? I’m sure the school has reported you missing and no doubt he’s worried sick.”

“I didn’t think about that.” He frowned.

“Why don’t I call him and tell him you’re here? You don’t have to see him just yet, if you aren’t ready.” She made to pull her phone out of the pocket of her pleated khakis but Wesley put up his hand in a gesture that bordered on desperate.

“Wait! I saw him. But you’re right, he didn’t see me. I heard him talking to Grandma. Bree, it’s real bad. He wants Grandma and Grandpa to come live with us—in our condo in California.”

The poor child was confused. He’d walked in on a conversation already in progress and he wasn’t getting the whole story.

“He said we
had
to go back. But I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave you.” Had the tray not been sitting firmly across his legs, Bree was sure he would have launched himself into her arms again. Poor child.

“Okay, well then he feels he doesn’t have a choice, sweetheart. He wouldn’t do this unless he couldn’t think of any other way.” Her heart ached for all of them, herself included.

How did one explain to an eight year old that his mother had sold the family business right out from under his dad and grandparents and then stolen the money? In little Wesley’s world, bad guys were more recognizable, like Voldemort. Bree didn’t have the heart to tell him that his own mother was the evildoer in this case.

“Maybe if we could just ask my mom to take back what she did? Make it all right again?” Wesley looked up hopefully.

“That would be great, Wes. It’s just that your mom isn’t in Scallop Shores anymore. She bought a plane ticket to Los Angeles and that’s a really big city. There is no telling where she is right now.”

“She’s not in Los Angeles. She’s in New Hampshire.” Wesley looked just as confused as she felt.

“What makes you think she’s in New Hampshire?” Everyone knew she wanted to go back to her career, back to the chance for fame and fortune in Hollywood. And New Hampshire was only one state away. If she was looking to hide, wouldn’t it be smarter to give herself a bit more space?

“I heard her on the phone one night. Dad was over here. She was talking to a friend that she used to go to school with. Um ... Willow?” He rubbed at his forehead as he searched for the right name.

“Willow Fox? They were on the cheerleading squad together.” Maybe if they could track down Willow they might have a shot at finding Haley.

“Yeah, that’s the one. My mom said she needed a place to lie low until things died down. Is she not feeling well?”

“You think Willow is living in New Hampshire and that’s where your mom went?” But would Willow still have the same last name? Did they have enough information to track down her address? Maybe her parents were still in town. No, they’d sold their lobster pound and moved to Santa Barbara ages ago.

“I know that’s where she went. 94281 Badger Falls Road, Chester, New Hampshire,” he recited.

Bree’s jaw dropped. She stared at the boy. How on Earth?

“Wesley?”

“I know. Weird, huh? I’ve noticed that happening more and more lately. I hear something once and it just stays there, in my head. It sticks.” He grinned broadly. “Comes in real handy at school though.”

Wesley had a photographic memory. Holy crap!

“Kiddo, I think you may have just saved the day.”

If she hurried, she could get to Haley first, convince her to return the money. Ryan would see that she was willing to do anything to help him, help his family. Then maybe he’d forgive her for not telling him about the baby. He and Wesley would stay, right? They could still have a chance at making things right.

“Wes, put on your shoes and coat. I’m going to drop you off at the hardware store, assuming your dad is still there.”

“But you’re going to get my mom, aren’t you? I want to help.”

And his father would kill her for driving his child to another state, possibly putting the boy in danger if Haley was feeling cornered.

“Buddy, you’re in deep enough as it is. Don’t forget there are already going to be consequences for leaving school property without telling a teacher.”

“Oh yeah.” Wesley hung his head, pushing at the glasses that started to slide downward.

“Come on. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.” Bree lifted the tray so Wesley could scoot out from underneath it.

“And Wes? Your dad needs to know where I’ve gone. But he doesn’t need to know right away. Do you understand what I mean? If you could give me a head start, I’d appreciate it. I think your mom would much rather talk to me than the police, don’t you agree?”

The boy nodded gravely and ran to the hallway to put his things back on.

Bree grabbed her purse, checked to see that her phone was charged and shrugged into a raincoat. At the last minute she realized she was still wearing her fuzzy pink slippers. A heroine off to save the day she was not!

• • •

Ryan’s hands shook so badly, he dropped his cell phone. This wasn’t happening. His nightmare of a day had taken a horribly sick turn for the worst when the school called to inform him that Wesley was missing.

“What do you mean, missing? Where would he go?”

“That’s what we were hoping you could tell us. He did not return to his classroom with the rest of the students and a search of the building and the school grounds came up empty.”

Wesley would never leave school on his own without telling anyone. He was a good kid. The only alternative that came to mind chilled his blood. What if Haley kidnapped Wesley to use as leverage so that he wouldn’t press charges? She’d give him his son back if he let her take the money and walk away?

“My ex-wife. Maybe she … I don’t know … ” He couldn’t even voice his fears. Saying it out loud lent credence to the fact that it could actually be true.

“Mr. Pettridge, I am sending a police officer to your house right now.”

“The store. Please send him to the hardware store. That’s where I am,” Ryan corrected the school principal.

Given everything Haley had put him through, he knew she was capable of this and more. She was probably realizing just now that she hadn’t thought through her escape. If he had his way, Haley would be on the run for the rest of her life. If he couldn’t see her behind bars, then he would make damned certain her life was a living hell.

Swiping all the phone parts off the floor and snapping them back into place, Ryan let out a sigh of relief when he found it still worked. Now he just had to sit around and wait for Haley to call him. She’d want to hand him off and be done with this sooner rather than later, right?

Choking back a sob, Ryan clenched his fists and wore a trail from the front of the store to the office and back. Taking shallow breaths to keep from losing it altogether, he whispered prayers to a God he hadn’t ever taken the time to acknowledge before.

He ought to call someone. His parents—no. They had just left the store not too long ago and he knew his father would be resting. The man had been under far too much stress for his overtaxed body. Bree. Yanking his phone from his pocket, Ryan dialed Bree’s number and cursed a blue streak when she didn’t answer. And why should she? He’d given her the bum’s rush earlier. She probably thought he hated her. Truth was, he needed her now more than ever.

The front door rattled and the telltale bell overhead rang out as someone entered. Hopefully Chief Hanson had sent Chase back. If he had to deal with the police twice in one day, he wanted it to be someone he could count on. Ryan spun on his heel and hurried back to the front of the store. But instead of Scallop Shores’ finest, Wesley stood just inside the door, looking tiny, wet, and thoroughly bedraggled.

“Oh, thank God! You’re okay!” Ryan ran forward, dropped to his knees and pulled his son into his arms. He let the tears course, unchecked, down his cheeks.

“Did she hurt you? Did she threaten you in any way?” He studied the boy’s face for cuts and bruising, checking his clothing for rips and tears.

“Nobody hurt me, Dad. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your mom. How did you get away?”

Wesley’s answer was muffled against the fabric of his shirt as Ryan had already wrapped him in another Papa Bear hug. It didn’t matter anyway. He was home. He was safe.

Chase chose that moment to walk in. He stood quietly to the side while he waited for Ryan to pull himself together. The relief on his friend’s face was an expression only another dad would have. Chase got it. He’d be bawling like a baby too if his kid had been taken.

“Does this mean she’s still in town? We can still catch her.” Clearly, the officer had come to the same conclusion as Ryan.

“Dad, I wasn’t kidnapped.” Wesley pushed himself out of Ryan’s arms, refusing to look at either man as he studied the toes of his soggy sneakers.

“But the school called. They reported you missing.”

“Am I going to be arrested?” Wesley looked up at him with huge eyes. His whole body was shaking.

“Of course not! Kiddo, we’re just so happy that you’re safe.” Ryan was starting to realize what his son was trying to explain to him. “Wait, Wes, did you leave school on your own?”

His answer was a slow, guilty nod.

“Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me! Why would you do that?” Backing up to give the kid some space, Ryan raked his hands through his hair.

“The older kids at recess were picking on me, saying Mom stole from the hardware store and making fun of you for letting her do it.” Wesley’s small voice was filled with righteous indignation.

“Hey, I’m gonna get out of here, let you two have some privacy.” Chase ruffled the boy’s wet hair, nodded at Ryan and left the store.

Ryan scooped Wesley up and set him on the counter by the cash register. He ought to be mad as hell that his kid had scared twenty years off him. But he was just so relieved Wesley had made it to him in one piece.

“Why did it take you so long to get here? The school called ages ago.”

Again with the guilty look. “I was here ... earlier. I slipped in while you were talking to Grandma. I heard you saying we were moving back to California. I got mad at you. I don’t wanna go!” He let out a wail, the likes of which Ryan hadn’t heard out of him since his terrible twos.

And he deserved it. He’d pushed Bree away and then he’d sent his kid running off, God knew where. Ryan braced his hands on either side of Wesley and leaned forward until they were touching foreheads.

“If you’d stayed a bit longer, you would have heard your grandmother chew me out for that decision.”

“Yeah?
You
got in trouble?” Wesley sniffled, scooching forward to wrap his arms around Ryan’s waist and rest his cheek against his father’s chest.

“Kinda. It’s been a long day, kiddo. What do you say we go home and I run you a hot bath?”

“Big boys don’t take baths.”

“Big boys that don’t want to catch pneumonia take baths.”

“Fine. You win.” Wesley hung on tight as Ryan hooked his hands under the boy’s arms and swung him off the countertop.

They shut down the store and got settled in the car. Ryan drove through town, wipers slapping at the rain that seemed determined to stick out the day. There was a reason why New Englanders called spring “mud season.” It was going to coat everything.

“Dad, why were you so worried that Mom had taken me? She’s my mother. She would never hurt me, right?”

Ryan always prided himself on being honest with Wesley. Well, with a little leeway when it came to Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and all his imaginary friends. He hated to badmouth the kid’s own mother, but it was high time he tell him the straight-up truth.

“Your mom made some bad choices, bud. You know how you felt when Officer Eaton came in? Probably kinda scared and like you wanted to run and keep running until you knew you were safe?”

Ryan kept one eye on the road but watched for his son’s reaction in the rearview mirror. He looked thoughtful, a little worried. His nod was quick, jerky.

“Well, you didn’t do anything wrong. Now imagine your mom, who knows she has done something that can put her in jail. She must be feeling incredibly desperate. And desperate people do dangerous things. They can’t help it, bud. They’re scared out of their wits and they just lash out.”

“So, she could hurt someone that might be trying to help her?”

The tone of Wesley’s voice, more so than the actual question, had Ryan yanking the truck to the side of the road. He turned in his seat to find that Wesley had gone ghost-white. His eyes were wide and he trembled, shaking his head from side to side.

“Wes, what’s going on? You need to tell me so I can help. Please.” He tried to keep from shouting but his nerves were about to snap. His whole body told him this was bad. This was worse than Haley stealing the money from the sale of the store bad.

“We were trying to help you. Bree said if she could talk to Mom, she could convince her to give the money back. You could buy back the store and we could stay in Scallop Shores.

“I didn’t know she could get hurt. Dad, we have to save her!”

Sweet Jesus, Wesley had gone to Bree! Ryan closed his eyes, feeling as though a thousand shards of ice stabbed through his skin. Heart pounding viciously in his ears, he gave Wesley what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“You know where your mom is, then?”

A small nod.

“And Bree is already on her way there?”

“I was supposed to give her a head start,” he muttered shamefully.

Pulling into the nearest driveway he came to, Ryan turned the truck around and headed for his parents’ house to drop off Wesley. If Haley touched a hair on Bree’s head he was going to strangle her with his bare hands.