Shattered Justice (42 page)

He smirked. “Smart boy.”

Jayce dipped his head. “This is between you and me, Marlin.”

“You and me and your grandmother, you mean?”

“No.”

There was something in the kid’s eyes that tensed Marlin’s jaw. “No?”

“My gramma’s gone.” Jayce looked way too pleased when he delivered this tidbit of news. “Left this afternoon. I don’t know when she’ll be back.”

Tentacles of anger slithered through Marlin, wrapping around his gut, his heart, squeezing. “So … Granny’s gone, and you figure you’re free.”

“You can’t hurt her, Marlin.”

“Maybe not her.” He took a step toward Jayce. “But there
are
others.”

“You mean Miss Wilson.”

Marlin just smiled.

“I don’t think so.”

His smile faded. “What’s that supposed to—”

“She told me what happened that night. About Dan. About what he told you.”

The memory still made Marlin seethe. “So?”

Jayce smiled. The little puke actually smiled! “So I think you know as well as I do that he meant every word. And you don’t want him comin’ down on you.”

It wasn’t a question. It didn’t need to be. He was right.

“So your leverage is gone, Marlin. And that means we’re done. Don’t call me. Don’t contact me at all. You leave me alone, and I—” his gaze pinned Marlin’s—“will leave you alone.”

“Are you
threatening
me?”

Jayce lifted a shoulder. “Just telling you how it is.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Marlin’s hand slid into his back pocket, fingered the knife he kept there. He itched to pull it free and plant it right in Jayce’s oh-so-straight back.

But he didn’t.

No, that would be too fast, too easy.

And, Marlin thought as he watched Jayce disappear around a corner, one thing he would not do was make this easy for good ol’ Jayce. Oh no. The kid wanted it over. Well, so be it. Marlin would make that happen. But he’d do it his way. In as slow and painful a way as possible.

Oh, yeah. The time had come to show Jayce just who was really in charge.

Time was running out.

Dan had been waiting, just as God told him to. He hadn’t pushed Jayce this morning at breakfast, or when he drove him to school. Later that afternoon, Jayce called, as he always did, to let Dan know he was home from school. As much as Dan wanted to take a little side trip, stopping off at the house for a chat, he hadn’t done it. He just went about his work.

Waiting.

But as the day wore on and quitting time drew near, Dan grew more and more restless. He was on the phone to his sisters, asking them to pray. By the time he got home, he could no longer fight off the sense that something was wrong.

He pushed open the front door, calling as he entered. “Jayce?”

He listened for some kind of response, some movement, but heard none. He went to Jayce’s bedroom door and knocked. No answer.

Pressing his ear to the door, he listened again.

Nothing.

The apprehension that had been dogging his steps all day ratcheted up a notch, and Dan opened the door, looking into the room. It took a moment for his mind to process what he saw—the bed all but broken in half, pieces of wood lying scattered around on the floor. The bedclothes, torn and tossed about the room. The bed table and lamp on their sides on the floor. Drawers in the dresser pulled out and dumped.

It looked like someone in a rage had torn the room apart.

Jayce.

A sick sensation worked its way through Dan’s gut. Almost without thinking, he went to the phone. Dialed the number. And waited.

It seemed like that was all he was doing lately. Waiting.

“Hello?”

Dan cleared his throat at the sound of Shelby’s voice. “Hey. It’s Dan. I need you to come over here.” He glanced down the hallway at the wrecked room.

“Jayce has run away.”

Dan opened and slammed cupboard doors in the kitchen, ostensibly to fix a pot of coffee. But in reality, he was trying to vent the anger boiling through him.

He trusted Jayce.
Trusted
him. And this was how he repaid that trust. What a fool he’d been. What a stupid, blind—

The doorbell rang, and Dan slammed another cupboard shut and went to yank the front door open.

Shelby came in, laying a hand on his arm. Before he could stop himself, Dan jerked away. When hurt pinched her features, he cursed himself for being the worst fool possible. But all he said was, “This way.”

Spinning on his heel, he led the way down the hallway to Jayce’s room.

Shelby followed, then stood in the center of the room, surveying the damage. She walked over to the dresser where
clothes and books had been tossed. Slowly, she lifted each item, folding the clothes and stacking the books.

Dan went to grab up the lamp and bed table, dropping them back in place. “I thought Jayce and I were gaining ground. That he was starting to trust me again.”

“And now?”

He tried to ignore the curt tone in her voice. He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “
Look
at this place, Shelby. He’s gone. What does that tell you?”

“Nothing.”

Women. He ground his teeth. “Then you’re not paying attention.”

“Maybe
you’re
the one not paying attention.”

Dan flinched. Was everyone turning on him? “I thought you’d understand.”

“Oh, I
understand
, all right.” She squared off, arms folded across her chest. “You talk a good game, Deputy Justice, about doing what’s right, about believing in people.” Her blue eyes glittered. “About second chances. But when it comes right down to it, the minute someone messes up, the axe falls.”

“What are you talking about?”

“
You
!” She practically threw the word at him. “I’m talking about you! You’re so sure you can’t trust anyone, that you can’t ever love anyone again, because if you do, they’ll leave you.”

He stepped back. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh no? What about us, Dan? You say you want to start again. Be friends. But the second I get close, the door shuts. Right in my face.”

Her raised hand cut his reply short. “No, don’t bother. What was growing between us is in the past. I think I finally get that. But you and I are not what matters most right now.” She went back to Jayce’s dresser, grabbed something, and held it up for him to see.

What on earth?

Currents of shock ran through him. The Aslan pendant Shannon gave Jayce. The boy would never leave it behind. Dan’s gaze met Shelby’s. The censure in her eyes was almost more than he could take.

She dangled the pendant on its cord. “Do you really think Jayce left, or was he taken?”

She lowered the pendant into his palm, then he fingered the detail the way he’d seen Jayce do so often. “Taken?”

Shelby stamped her foot on the floor. “Come on, Dan. You’re a police officer.
Think!
Does this room look like Jayce ran away?”

Dan had to admit she was right. “Murphy.” Of course. Why didn’t he realize it sooner? “But why now? What could have made Marlin take this kind of risk?”

Shelby hugged herself. “I don’t know, but if Marlin is desperate enough to break into your home and grab Jayce, it can’t be good.”

“No, it can’t.” Dan closed a fist around the pendant as certainty filled his soul. If Dan didn’t find Jayce soon, it would be too late.

At that thought, terror sliced through Dan. Shaken to the core, he turned and planted his hands on the wall. Closing his eyes, he pled with God for help.

A hand on his shoulder told him Shelby was there, beside him, probably praying as well. He reached up to cover her hand with his.

Dan knew he couldn’t deny the truth any longer. Yes, as Shelby said, he was afraid. Afraid to love, to risk losing again. Oh, sure, he’d let Jayce come to stay with him. But the boy wasn’t the only one who’d erected barriers. He’d been working hard to hold his love back from Jayce. And from Shelby. Because when you love, you’re vulnerable.

And that meant you could be hurt.

But for all his effort, it hadn’t worked. The way he felt right
now was proof of that. He loved Jayce. Loved him like he was his own son.

And he loved Shelby.

These two meant the world to him. And he was about to lose them.
God, forgive me. Forgive me … and help me
.

“Dan.” Shelby’s voice washed over him, soaking him in tender concern. “Are you okay?”

He opened his eyes and turned to her, her hand still nestled in his. “I can’t do this, Shelby.”

The tiny frown puckering her brow before she turned and walked away told him she didn’t understand. But how could she? When he hadn’t been honest with her.

Well, it was time to change that. Squaring his shoulders, he took the plunge. “I can’t lose Jayce.” He drew a deep breath. “Or you.”

She faced him but didn’t move closer. Just stood there, staring at him, as though afraid to believe. Dan understood. He would have to take the first step. And the second. And the third.

He covered the floor between them, gripping Shelby’s shoulders with gentle pressure. “I’m sorry.” He lifted a hand to cup her face. “I’m so sorry. You were right. I wouldn’t let myself admit how much Jayce means to me. How much
you
mean to me.”

Tears glistened in her beautiful eyes, and slowly Dan drew her close, folding her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. She pressed her face into his shoulder with a tremulous sigh.

In for a penny, in for a pound, right? Dan spoke the words he’d been holding back for months. “I love Jayce. And I love you. Heaven help me, I love you.”

Shelby’s laughter was a blend of irony and happiness. She tipped her head to look up at him. “Not exactly the declaration of love a girl dreams of—” she grinned through her tears—“but I’ll take it. And I’ll take you. Now and always.”

He framed her face with his hands, then lowered his head
to kiss her, showing her the only way he knew how that the barriers weren’t just down, they were obliterated.

Shelby’s arms slid around his neck, holding him close. He didn’t argue. When he finally raised his head, he was breathless. And not just because of the effect Shelby had on him.

For rising from deep within him was the warm sound of Sarah’s voice. And her words rang through him:
“Live, Dan. Love.”

Moved, shaken, he took Shelby’s hands in his. “We’ve got to find Jayce.”

“But where do we look?”

Dan released her hands and went to stare out the window. “I’m betting Marlin took him to the meth lab. That’s what I’d do if I had someone I wanted to teach a lesson.”

“You think that’s what he’s going to do?”

Dan started to answer, but the doorbell sounded, cutting him off. Shelby patted his arm. “I’ll answer it. You keep looking for some kind of clue.”

Dan nodded. Just as well he hadn’t been able to answer her questions. He didn’t want to tell her that he hoped teaching Jayce a lesson was all Marlin had in mind.

God, please. Help me know where to look. Help me save Jayce …
His throat closed.
Because Father, whether he knows it or not, he saved me. Pulled me back from being alone, opened a heart I thought was closed for good
.

As Dan prayed, memories flitted through his mind … images of Marlin and his gang, things Jayce said to Dan … and suddenly, like the mechanism of a lock clicking into place, the answer was remarkably clear.

Dan spun to the door, praying it wasn’t too late. “Shelby, I know where to look!”

“Well, then, let’s go.”

Dan halted, mouth open, staring at Annie and Kyla, who stood with Shelby in the doorway of the bedroom. “Where did you two come from?”

Annie’s smile was pure sass. “Same place you did, brother mine. Our dear mummy and daddy.”

Kyla nudged her sister. “This is no time for jokes, Annot.” She came in to hug Dan. “After you phoned us earlier, Annot and I talked and decided we needed to come do what we could to help.”

Dan’s heart jumped. “Annie, did you bring Kodi?” His sister’s smile was all the answer he needed. “Kyla, you and Shelby stay here, man the phones. Call the sheriff’s office and tell them we need some backup out here right away. I’ll take my cell phone with me and keep you posted on what’s happening.”

Kyla and Shelby offered no arguments. No questions. Just a willingness to do what was needed.

No wonder he loved these women so much.

He turned to grab the Aslan pendant and one of Jayce’s shirts, then turned to Annie. “You and Kodi, come with me.”

“Dan, wait.”

He hesitated, turning back to Shelby.

“Where do we send the backup?”

Dan headed for the front door. “To the old lumberyard.”

“I’M GONNA KILL YOU.”