Closure that wasn’t too painful.
“Well, I enjoyed working with you, and I’ll look forward to seeing for myself. I mean, reading for myself. Bye.”
He slid his cell back into his pocket and began straightening the place as best he could. But his gaze kept straying to the door as if he could see what was going on across the hall. He was torn by the desire to see Grace again and the knowledge that getting to know her family would only make his leaving more difficult.
His cell rang once more. Once again he took the cell from his pocket and answered. “I thought we were finished.”
“Wrong person, man.”
“Hey, Leon.” Ben listened to the reason for Leon’s call and muttered a curse.
Guilt took on a whole new meaning. He should have known better than to think Grace would trust him to take care of things downtown. That damn independent streak of hers would be the death of him yet… especially if something had happened to her.
He shoved his phone into his pocket and took off running.
* * *
When Ben arrived, he found the scene Leon had called him about—an unfamiliar building and a swarm of people with a police car out front. If the subway hadn’t been ninety degrees, he would have broken into a sweat from fear alone—until he caught sight of Grace, unhurt and unharmed. But only because he hadn’t gotten hold of her yet.
“Hey, man,” Leon said.
Ben turned toward the tall, lanky kid who excelled on the courts and to whom he now owed his unending gratitude. “What happened?”
“Your lady knows how to get into trouble. She shows up with the camera around her neck, snooping around, askin’ questions like anyone seen Bobby when everyone knows Bobby don’t want to be seen. So, she takes the little brother out for a walk when everyone knows Bobby’s got Kurt running errands for him if you know what I mean.”
“Apparently not everyone knew better than to stay away from Bobby.” Ben muttered a curse.
“You got that right.” Leon nodded in agreement. “So, like I was sayin’, she gets herself alone with Kurt and then Bobby gets himself alone with your lady.”
Ben’s stomach twisted in tight knots. “What happened?”
“Lucky for everyone, Mrs. Ramone knows her boy and she called the cops.”
“Before anyone got hurt.”
Leon nodded again. “And before anyone sees me ratting, I’m outta here.”
“You be at the basketball courts tomorrow,” Ben called after the youth.
Then he turned toward Grace. The crowd had dispersed and the police were getting into their cars and driving away as Ben made his way to the front stoop of the old building.
He knew better than to lecture Grace in public, but heaven help her when he got her alone. “Hi, Gracie.” He clenched his hands into fists at his side.
“Ben!”
She stood quickly. “What are you doing… Never mind.” She was obviously surprised to see him—and just as obviously aware of his mood because she backed up a step and ended up falling back down on her behind.
She donned a sheepish grin, one he’d have a hard time resisting if fear for her safety wasn’t still pumping through his veins.
“Have you ever met Mrs. Ramone? She’s Kurt’s mother. You remember Kurt? The cute kid in the picture I showed you?”
“I remember the picture,” he said through clenched teeth. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ramone.” Ben shook the older woman’s hand, taking in her tearstained face and the weariness in her eyes that made her old before her time.
In Mrs. Ramone, Ben saw all he’d feared happening to his mother, but thanks to her optimism and Ben’s determination to get them both out of the old neighborhood fast and safe, Ben’s mother had fared much better. Even with the onset of blindness and age, she appeared happier and more youthful than this woman ever had a chance of being.
As he listened, she explained how Grace had shown up at her door, the incriminating photo in hand. She’d sat the woman down and shown her proof that her older son was dealing drugs and her younger son’s idolization of his brother would get him in serious trouble. Then she’d taken Kurt for ice cream. On the walk home, she’d run into trouble in the name of Bobby Ramone.
“But the police were waiting, and I’d given them the picture. They have Bobby in custody, and we can only hope it’s not too late for Kurt,” Grace chimed in. “There’s an after-school program I’ve heard about, and if we can keep him busy and educated, maybe he won’t end up like his brother,” Grace rambled, her residual fear still obvious, and her nervousness about letting Ben get a word in equally apparent.