Page 22 of Loving Trent (Love in the Bootheel #5)

“Don’t worry about me. I won’t get hurt, and I definitely won’t go to jail.”

“Damn right, he won’t. We won’t let him,” Nana speaks up finally.

Harley sets her fork down, looks at Nana, and asks, “Can I take a shower?”

“Of course, sweet girl. I’ll show you where the towels are and get you some stuff to use.” Nana holds out her hand, and Harley takes it.

Just as the bathroom door shuts, the front door opens, and Leon and Jenna walk in. “I swear this is the wettest fall we have had in years,” Leon says, shrugging out of his jacket after dropping multiple plastic bags on the ground.

“I know, right? I kind of wish it would turn cold and snow,” Jenna says, leaning forward to nuzzle her nose against the four-year-old little girl on her hip.

“Snow,” Sadie says, throwing her hands up. I let out a chuckle, and Sadie’s attention snaps to me. “Trent,” she yells and starts to wiggle.

Jenna sits her down, and she takes off and throws herself at me.

I open my arms just in time to catch her.

Two weeks ago, Leon got a call in the middle of the night.

It was a hospital out in Illinois, one of Leon’s old co-workers was killed in action, and left behind his four-year-old daughter.

Leon was named as the person that Sadie was to go to if something happened like this.

I just happened to be at his house when he got the phone call.

All three of us loaded up straight away and rushed to the hospital.

Jenna already has three grown children—Adam, Emilee, and Levi—but she wasn’t around when they were growing up.

She was in an abusive relationship and really young when she got pregnant with Adam.

She ended up addicted to drugs and signed her rights over to all three of her kids to Nana and her husband, George.

She eventually got clean but stayed away, thinking it was best for the kids.

She and Leon have known each other since they were teenagers.

So, while they have only been married for a almost two years, they are more than ready for this stage.

Jenna was afraid of how Adam, Levi, and Emilee would react to Sadie, but by the time we got back into town, she learned there was nothing to worry about.

Everyone has taken to Sadie and is very excited for Jenna and Leon to be parents.

From the little I’ve seen, they will be the best parents around.

Everyone who meets Sadie instantly falls in love with her.

“Hey, Sadie bug. What are you doing?” I tickle her sides and smile at how full of life she is. I’m sure when she gets older, the fact that both her parents passed away will try to dim that, but the Hills won’t let it. Turns out Sadie’s mom passed away during childbirth.

“We come to see Har…” She looks back at Leon.

“Harley,” he tells Sadie.

She turns and nods her head, making her black curls bounce. “Yeah, her.”

“Well, Harley is taking a shower right now. How about we watch some cartoons while we wait for her?” Nana says, walking out of the hallway. It amazes me how much love this one small woman has in her heart for everyone she meets.

“Nana. Cartoons,” Sadie says, pushing away from me and grabbing Nana’s hand.

“Trent, can we talk for a second?” Leon says, nodding toward Nana’s bedroom. I stand, take my empty plate to the kitchen, and then follow Leon and Jenna.

“How is she?” Jenna asks after she closes the bedroom door.

I pull out a stool from Nana’s vanity and sit down. “Harley is amazing. Nana got her to open up while I was in the shower. I wouldn’t believe she had been through anything if I hadn’t found her in that place. I think we found her in time before they could do any real damage.”

“That’s good,” Jenna says, wiping a tear away. “We brought her some clothes and personal items. Everything a teenager might need. Whatever she can’t wear, we can return it or if she doesn’t like something.”

“Thank you, Jenna. That will mean a lot to her,” I say.

“Have you talked to Jackson this morning?” Leon jumps straight into business, and that’s what I like about him.

“Yeah, he told me what he found and what his plan is. It adds more to our plate, but if it helps Harley out, then I’m good with it.”

“True. Well, I might have some news that will either lengthen or shorten the hunt for Tom and Sandy. I called an old colleague of mine last night. He started working on this kidnapping cold case that took place thirteen years ago, and I remember him telling me about it. Something Sonny said last night flipped a switch and made me think of it. You said Sandy had a tattoo?” I nod, and Leon continues.

“Okay, well, in this case, a twelve-year-old boy was walking home from school with his friend when a blacked-out van pulled up beside them. Jarred and Henry, the two boys, fought with the two people who jumped out of the van. Henry was able to get away, but not Jarred. The only thing Henry could remember about the people was that the woman had a tattoo on her ankle. A four-leaf clover with a broken stem. The only reason he saw it was because when she was trying to kick him, he ripped her pants.”

Sitting up a little straight, my hands clench tightly to the point that my nails will leave marks. “He’s sure it was a woman?”

“Yeah, she spoke to him,” Leon says. “My colleague is sending me everything he has about the couple. Hopefully, something in there will help us find them if it’s them.”

“Thank you.” I stand up, needing to do something to expel the anxiety rushing through me.

This is turning out to be more than I thought it would be, and I’m not sure if I’m going to be enough to take down these snakes.

I can’t fail Harley or the thirteen-year-old version of myself. That’s not an option.

As soon as Harley emerges from the shower, she glues herself to my side. The only person besides Nana who gets her attention is Sadie. All it takes is for Sadie to look up at Harley and say sweetly, “Make my hair like yours.”

Harley lifts her braid off her shoulders and smiles at Sadie. “You want me to braid your hair?”

Sadie enthusiastically nods her head before climbing onto Harley’s lap.

Introductions are made to Leon and Jenna, Harley tenses a little when Leon talks to her, but Jenna must have inherited some magic from Nana because Harley smiles at her.

I think it helped when Jenna asked permission before hugging Harley and showed her the stuff they bought.

Jenna, Sadie, and Nana’s magic worked so well that Harley asked to stay behind while I went to check out the house. The choice wasn’t difficult for me because the look of peace and relaxation on Harley’s face made me happy, and I’d do everything in my power to keep that look on her face.

The simple three-bedroom, two-bath, single-story house is located a block away from the high school that hopefully Harley will be attending.

While walking through the house, I take lots of pictures to show Harley, which reminds me I need to get her a phone, and I will as soon as I’m done here.

The house has a pool in the backyard that is surrounded by a white picket fence.

I picture Harley swimming out here in the summer while I grill burgers.

When the vision of Shawn sitting on the side of the pool pops into my mind, I shake my head to rid myself of the longing that picture created and stride out of the house to sign the papers to make sure no one else snatches it up.

Right now, it’s only for rent, but that will work.

Nana said we could stay with her until I get the house furnished with everything we need.

Since I just rented a house, I guess a call to my uncle is in store. Like he normally does, Uncle Joey answers on the first ring. “Hey, bud, when are you coming home?”

“About that,” I say, nerves creates an unease feeling to fall over me. Telling Uncle Joey about Harley will open up the can of worms that I’ve made sure has stayed sealed. “Something came up, and it looks like I’m finally moving out.”

“Really?” Uncle Joey’s voice raises, letting on that for the first time in years, I’ve surprised him. Which makes sense since I’ve never talked about moving. “What, did you get someone pregnant or something?”

Of course, that would be the first thing that he thought happened, thanks to the fact that he doesn’t know I’m gay. “No, nothing like that, but…” I shake out my arms, trying to get my nerves under control. “Look, do you think you could take a couple of days off and bring me all my personal items?”

“Yeah, sure. Is everything okay?” His voice is back to normal, but his concern hits me hard, and I hate that I’m too chicken shit to tell him everything right now. I just need a little more time.

No. Just tell him, Trent. He’s still going to love you.

“Well…” My nails bite into my leg without me realizing.

“The thing is…” Like someone not paying attention, mentally I run into an unmoving, uncrackable brick wall, and the little courage I thought I had fades.

“Yeah, everything is okay. There’s something we need to talk about, but it would be better done in person. ”

“I’ll call it a day right now and get started. I should be on the road sometime tomorrow.”

“You’re the best, Uncle Joey. I love you.

” The words slip out. Uncle Joey’s acceptance and willingness to drop everything because I needed him made it easy.

My skin doesn’t feel tight. My throat doesn’t itch, and no memories of her smack into me.

There’s a slight hitch to Uncle Joey’s breathing, but he continues on as if I said nothing.

“Anything for you, Son. Love you too.”

After Nana offered to let Harley and me stay with her, I tried to give her money for rent, but she looked like I had run over her cat.

She won’t take my money, so I’m going to fill her fridge.

There is only one small grocery store in town, Mitchell’s.

It’s on the pricy side, but it will do for now.

Turning into the parking lot, a small crowd of people to the left of the store snags my attention, but I park and head toward the entrance.

Until a female voice that I know oh so well, full of fear and panic, rises above the crowd.

“Shawn, let me call someone. The police… your family… someone.”

Before my brain has time to catch up, my feet are leading me toward the group, my hands are pushing people out of my way, and as the crowd parts, I almost fall to my knees.

I said almost, but the sight of Shawn sitting on the ground, hugging his knees to his big chest. While blood runs down one of his arms, coats his brown hair that is matted to his forehead.

The beast inside roars to life and growls…

Someone is dying today.