Second Time's the Charm

He needed to tell Lillie his story in his own way.

He should have done it before he slept with her.

He just hadn’t wanted to lose her.

Jon started to stand again. He wasn’t going to do this here. Not in front of Lillie.

The sheriff was on his feet before Jon was. “Mr. Swartz?” The words were more warning than question.

“We don’t need to tie up Ms. Henderson’s time with our business,” Jon said, his voice and expression giving no hint whatsoever to the turbulence roiling inside him—a skill he’d learned at a young age.

“Agreed,” Richards said, “but I’d like you to come with me.” Jon hadn’t doubted that for a second. By the stoniness of Richards’s expression Jon figured the sheriff already had him tried and convicted.

He wasn’t in Atlanta anymore. And he wasn’t a kid, either. Wasn’t protected by the juvenile court system, or held accountable only until his eighteenth birthday. That had all come and gone.

Lillie’s cheeks were white, her eyes wide. And Jon had one thought.

He couldn’t let the state take his son.

“Keep Abe for me,” he said to her, knowing that she loved his son enough to do as he asked, even if she didn’t want to. Knowing that he was manipulating that love to make certain that his wish was granted. “If it comes to it, I’ll sign whatever papers I have to sign to give you temporary guardianship.”

The sheriff coughed, but he didn’t move. Not until he had her promise.

“Lil, please?” He’d beg if he had to. Not for himself. Never for himself, but for his son.

Seeing her nod, Jon set his keys on her desk and, turning, followed the sheriff out to his car.

* * *

LILLIE WAS ON the phone before her door was fully shut behind the sheriff and Jon.

“Bonnie? What’s going on?” She didn’t bother to identify herself.

“I don’t know, Lil. All I got out of Greg was that it has something to do with the break-ins.”

Greg. Hearing the sheriff referred to by his first name, the name by which Lillie normally addressed him and heard him addressed, took a small bit of the sting out of what had just transpired. But only a small bit. “Greg” had not been present in her office.

Still, she knew him. Knew he was fair. Just.

Jon would be okay.

“Why Jon?”

“I don’t know,” Bonnie said. “I asked the same thing and all I got was that Greg just had some questions to ask him. I wanted to wring his neck.”

“If he’s not saying, it can’t be good.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions yet.” Bonnie’s tone softened. “Not until we know something for sure.”

“Greg would have said if Jon wasn’t in trouble.”

“I know it’s hard, Lil. I’m dying to know, too. Just hold on. You want me to come get Abe? I could take him home with me.”

“Of course not!” Lillie’s emotions were on overdrive. “Abe’s comfortable with me. And...I told Jon I’d keep him. I’m going to take him home to his own house. To his own bed. Jon left his keys. And the little guy has been through too much today. Besides, that way he’ll be there when Jon gets back.”

Because he was coming back.

And then he had some explaining to do.