Vigilant

sp; “Yeah, no big deal. I mean it was, but no one was really injured.”

“They said that vigilante was there and caught the guys?”

“I guess. I didn’t see what happened. I hid in a closet. But when the police came, I saw three guys in the police car.”

Just three. The one missing was Jace Watkins. The mystery guy didn’t stop him, and like Detective Bryson, she couldn’t figure out why. Could he have been out-matched by an impulsive former juvenile delinquent?

“Smart move,” Nick said. “Hiding like that. Do you think you’ll get called to court to testify?”

“Not sure. I didn’t see anything, so probably not.”

“I’m glad you got out of there unharmed.” His eyes softened. Not for the first time Ari thought she noticed a bit of interest that went beyond courtrooms and juvenile delinquents.

The look vanished and he poised his hand over the door again. “Ready?”

“Yep,” she said.

A court officer opened the door and escorted Ari into the judge’s office. The small, but intimidating woman sat behind a large desk, going through paperwork.

“Ms. Grant.” She directed her to the chair in front of her desk.

“Mr. Sanders said you wanted to see me?”

“I did,” the judge said, digging through a stack of case files on her desk. She unearthed one and held it up. “Curtis Wilson? Fifteen, petty theft, truancy?”

“He’s one of the few males on my caseload. You know they tend to be a little more hardened and generally female before they end up on my list. He phased out last year, though.” Ari sighed, annoyed he’d gotten into trouble again. “What did he do?”

“Truancy. Running from the police during a routine stop. Not a major offense but with his history, it’s only a matter of time before he escalates,” she explained. “He hasn’t officially been remanded to Juvenile Justice care yet but I’m signing these papers today. He’s headed for trouble and nothing we’ve done so far is helping. I’m requesting you take supervision of his case again.”

This conversation had already taken an unusual turn. Ari had never heard of a judge requesting a caseworker. “Me?” Ari asked. “The review panel tends to decide who gets which cases.”

Judge Hatcher gave Ari a sharp eye. “I’m aware, but this one needs a personal touch. And I want you to see that he gets in a specific placement.”

Ari frowned. Again, Judge Hatcher’s request seemed atypical. “Where do you want him to go?”

“There’s a program called the Glory Youth Center. It’s a sports-oriented program, which I think would be really great for this kid. It’s structured, with residential housing and an excellent staff.”

“The Glory Youth Center? Why haven’t I heard of this?” Ari had clients in residential programs all over the state. None had ever been assigned there.

“The students are generally hand-picked, like I’m doing. They are looking for a specific type of kid to excel in their program. They don’t just accept anyone.”

Ari nodded as though she understood, but really, it was all so unusual. “Can you tell me what Curtis has that makes him a likely candidate for the program? Because although I agree that he’s not a lost cause, he manages to find his way into trouble a lot. He gave me a lot of grief when he was on my caseload.”

Judge Hatcher sat back in her leather chair and pressed her fingers together, making a tent. “Curtis is in an environment that he can’t get out of. His father is dead, his mother has AIDS, and his grandmother just doesn’t have the energy to keep him straight. He’s athletic and has shown that if he’s in a like-minded environment, he can do well.”

“All right. If you think it’s best, I’ll start the paperwork and try to get him funding.”

“The funding has been taken care of. You’ll get the file this week and place him on Monday.”

“Great,” Ari said, working up a smile. “Easiest placement so far.”

“Thank you, Ms. Grant, for helping with this case, and for all the hard work you put in for these kids.”

In a job with low pay and constant heartbreak, a compliment went a long way. Ari raised an eyebrow and said, “Thank you, but I’m not sure I really have another choice, you know?”

Judge Hatcher nodded. “Yes, I know.”

THREE