Double Trouble (24 page)

“Why?” Blaine asked.

“I… you…you wanted to be my dad.”

“I am your dad.”

“How do you know that?” Adam snapped.

Blaine squeezed her hand when she started to intervene. “Because I believe your mother. She said you’re my son and that settles it for me.”

“But what if you’re not and you find out later…and then leave, or everything changes again. That would be…no…it would be the worst.”

Belinda’s heart bled at the fear and longing she heard in Adam’s voice. Once again tears filled her eyes as she wrapped him in her arms. Blaine came behind her and wrapped them both in his arms.

“I’m not going anywhere, Son. I would do anything for you, Abe, and your mom, except leave you alone. We’re family, different but still family,” Blaine said in a gruff voice full of emotion.

“You have to give him a chance, Adam. Stop fighting and hiding behind religion and everything else. Take a chance and get to know your father, open your heart just a bit,” she said softly. Adam’s eyes flicked over her shoulder before nodding.

Blaine’s arms tightened around them again.

“Ah…” she said, pushing her way out, wanting the two men to find their own way. She stepped closer to Abe and Donnie, who were watching from the sidelines. “You okay?” She ran her hand over the top of Abe’s head.

He ducked when she went to do it again. “Yeah, I’m much better now. I didn’t realize I had all that inside. I was really mad at him for leaving me.”

She nodded. “Glad you were able to release it.” Looking at her watch she called out. “It’s getting late and I am not convinced about not pressing charges. So give me a reason not to file a complaint.”

Adam ran his hand through his hair as if he were being harassed.
Tough.
“I contacted Ms. Trinity. I got her phone number off one of those cards she sends you, asked her to meet me. We talked. She reminded me of my pledge to god-mama to serve God. I didn’t think I could do it. She suggested I fast and pray to seek God’s vision for my life, and that’s what I’ve been doing. When I heard you were here looking for me, I wanted to go home.”

“So you can continue to fast and pray?” Belinda asked, wanting to slap him upside his head. She had been out of her mind worrying about him and he was taking some sort of religious hiatus.

“Huh? Um no. I pretty much got my answer. I will always be a Christian, hopefully a good one, but all this fasting and praying…that’s not for me. Ms. Trinity gave me lots of scriptures that talk about doing those things, she said that’s how I get closer to God. But I'm so hungry I can’t focus on praying for anything but something to eat.”

Abe and Donnie laughed.

She tried to remain serious but smiled.

Blaine hugged Adam. “I know a place not far from here with some pretty good food. We can stop on the way home. But your mom’s right, Trinity should’ve told your mom where you were after we got here. If she’d been checking on you, she would’ve known the fasting thing wasn’t working.”

“Well, she really doesn’t like you. That could be a part of it,” Adam said slowly.

Hearing him admit that she and the woman he had turned to were at odds, pushed the dagger deeper into her heart. “And I am pressing charges. Nothing you’ve said has made me change my mind.” Belinda turned and left the shed.

“But Mom, it wasn’t her fault. I was the one who asked her to let me hang out for a while.”

Bristling with anger, Belinda spun around, pointed at him, and stomped closer. “For all this time? In a hole? To get closer to God?” She leaned forward so he could see how serious she was. “You are sixteen, she’s twice your age and knows better. At the very least, she should have told me.” She slapped her chest. “What was going on when I asked. This playing God stops today. You are the last child she will stow away for their own good.”

“But . . . ”

“Not another word.” She took another step closer. He stepped back. “Not another word from you. That man is your father, and that one is your uncle, and in case you aren’t sure, I’m your Mama.”

“Mom...”

“No. You don’t have the right to speak. The time to talk was when you were thinking about leaving, a conversation would’ve been nice then. What about, ‘
Mom I'm concerned that if I develop a relationship with my dad he might disappear again and I don’t think I can handle that
.’ ” She tapped his chest with her finger. “That would've opened the door for this conversation we're now having… too many days later,” she yelled, overcome with turbulent emotions. “I thought…we didn’t know what to think. We saw kids who were bruised, battered, some left for dead. They called us each time because you're on the missing person’s list. Each time we looked into the face of someone else’s child we were so grateful it wasn’t you. Do you have any idea how that felt?”

Tears rolled down his face, but she was undeterred. This kind of selfish behavior could never be repeated.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted….”

“What? What Adam? You want a guarantee that life is going to be good? That your dad won’t disappoint you? Leave you? What do you want? Tell us now, because if you ever pull a stunt like this again I’ll beat your ass till it’s black and blue, dammit,” she yelled as tears streaked her face.

“I’m scared. What if he realizes what a screw up I am and doesn’t want me. I mean look at this. I thought it was the right thing to do. Seek God’s plan for my life and it turned into a mess. You’re angry with me. Uncle Red and everybody else stopped what they were doing to look for me. It never occurred to me that they would do that.”

“You mean you never thought I would look for you,” Blaine said softly behind him.

Adam nodded.

Blaine took Adam by the shoulders and turned him around to face him. “Look at me son.”

Emotionally exhausted, Belinda wiped her face with the back of her hand and hoped Blaine was able to get through to her stubborn son. She stood nearby ready to assist, but this was one time she preferred to let someone else deal with the boy.

“You left with no word.”

“But . . .”

Blaine raised a hand. “Let me finish. Knowing you had been targeted by a gang for membership, and that you were still healing from an injury and not able to defend yourself fully.” He shook his head. His deep voice sounded like a wounded animal begging for mercy. “I hurt in every part of my being not knowing what was happening to you. How could I rest? How could I not look for you? You’re my son, a part of me. I needed to see you again, alive and healthy. You prayed?” His lips curled in a wry grin. “We prayed that you were okay. It seems we all got closer to God through this.”

Belinda applauded Blaine’s efforts at making the situation lighter. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Blaine and Adam faced each other for a few moments, watching. “I’m sorry,” Adam said and hugged his father. Belinda blinked back her tears.

Understanding the enormity of the breakthrough occurring, no one spoke. Belinda turned to leave.

“Mom?” Abe called out

“Yeah?” She stopped again, wondering if she would ever leave the shed.

“Can we go back to Pennsylvania with dad and stay until school starts?”

If she had been walking she would have stumbled. The thought of the twins leaving, both sets, sent a shaft of pain through her chest, weakening her. Inhaling deeply to steady her nerves, she pasted a smile and looked over her shoulder.

“Sure, if it’s okay with your dad. I need to go speak to the police and press charges.” She moved quickly to reach the front of the building before she invited herself along.

Blue flashing lights met her gaze as she turned the corner. Veronique and Trinity stood in front of the police officer. Whereas Trinity’s arms were making wild gestures as she spoke, Veronique was a contrast in dignity and class. She stood slightly apart with an air of cool calm that conveyed authority. Belinda was glad the woman was on her side.

“Here is my client,” Veronique said, interrupting Trinity mid-sentence. “Belinda, I’ve informed this officer that you found your son locked in an underground bunker on this property. Ms. Jacobs is saying she has no knowledge how he got there. She wants us to believe he’s a stowaway on her property and that he pulled the iron door over himself.” Sarcasm dripped from every word she spoke.

“Adam is no stowaway, she hid him there.” Belinda wrestled with her conscience for a second. “He says he asked her for help and that was her solution to his problem.”

“His problem?” The officer took a step in her direction. “What’s wrong with him? What kind of problem requires being locked underground for days?”

“That’s what I wanted to know,” she said before she thought better. Exhaling, she cleared her throat. “He wanted to seek God’s plan for his life.”

No one spoke.

“I told you I didn’t do anything to him,” Trinity said, not realizing the number of incredulous stares turned in her direction.

“You told a teen-aged kid to spend time in a concrete cage to find God’s plan for his life?” the cop said, disbelief on his face as if he wasn’t sure he'd heard correctly.

Trinity blinked and looked around. By this time Abe and Donald had joined them. “I am a trained counselor and gave him my word that I would keep his secrets safe. He was disturbed, angry, out of control. I allowed him the use of this facility to find peace within.”

“Where is your son? Do I need to call an ambulance? There's one in the next county, might be a while before it can get here. We’re short-staffed right now but I can put the call in,” the officer said to Belinda.

“He's with his dad, should be out soon. As far as I can tell he’s just hungry, maybe dehydrated. We’ll have him checked out. In the meantime I would like to press charges so that this never happens to a 'minor' again.” She stressed the word minor so that Veronique understood that was the angle she wanted to pursue.

“Yes, ma’am.” He turned to Trinity and recited the Miranda.

“Wait, what did I do? He asked to come here, I used to babysit him. He’s like my own son. I was just helping out,” she said, backing up.

“Adam, tell them. You came to me for help and I helped you. Tell them I did nothing wrong,” she screamed as the officer placed the cuffs on her wrists.

“I told them that, Ms. Jacobs. Mom knows everything,” Adam said, shoulders hunched with his hands stuffed in his pockets while standing close to Blaine.

“He is a minor and you took him without permission. Kept him locked up without parental permission, and when his parents came to pick him up, you denied them access to their son.” The police officer looked at Veronique. “Is that all?”

“No, I have a few more, but I’ll put them in the formal complaint. How far is the courthouse?” she asked while waving Frank over.

“About ten minutes. I’ll put a call in so the judge is on standby. She should be this time of day. You can call your attorney from my office,” he said to Trinity.

“This… this is outrageous. Stop being so vindictive, Belinda,” she hissed, struggling. “I get your point. Leave you and your kids alone. I got it. I promise to never send you another card or speak to you again, ever. You can bet on that,” she shouted.

“Mom… please?” Adam said softly as Trinity was placed in the back of the car.

“Officer?” she called out as he rounded the car. “Veronique can I speak to both of you for a moment?”

All three of them stepped to the side.

“My son feels this is his fault since he contacted Trinity. But as his mother…I want her prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I’m not sure what you need me to do, but…” she glanced at Adam and then at Trinity. “I need you to take what he says into account.”

The police officer nodded. “Okay, but the state has a case against her for the illegal detaining of a minor. A team will come and check the premises. Chances are if she detained him, she detained others.” He shrugged and leaned closer. “I'm a parent, so is the judge. The fact that you asked for your son and she lied to keep him doesn't sit too well on my shoulders. It won't sit well with the judge either. And even if nothing comes of it, the experience of going to jail for a few hours will help her remember that promise she made you.” He winked and walked away, whistling.

Chapter 18

Two hours later, they pulled into the driveway of Lindy's father's home. Blaine stepped out and stretched while everyone else exited the car. He eyed a silent Lindy with concern. She had been curiously quiet the entire drive. Not that he blamed her. Adam had deliberately run to a woman he knew despised his mom. He saw the pain in Lindy's eyes when Adam defended Trinity and heard the pain in her voice when she yelled at her son. Adam had crossed more than one line with this stunt. Blaine wondered how they would move forward from here. On a less emotional note, he had been off from work longer than he'd anticipated and needed to return soon. But not until he and Donald came to an arrangement with Lindy.

“Adam,” Allie O'Connor yelled as she walked out the front door with her arms outstretched. Blaine winced at the look of surprise on Adam and Lindy's face as his mom grabbed her grand-son in a hug. She stepped back and then hugged him again. “I got the call that you're alright. I'm so happy to see you.” She held his hand and looked at each of them with a smile. “Good job, Abe, I heard you tracked him down.” She held out her hand to his, smiling wider as he took it. The three of them walked toward the front door before Blaine could say anything.