This Cradle Won't Fall (The American Soldier Collection 18)

Tex was talking with Ford and Ghost, along with Frankie and Pierce. He could see Vye walking Benny in the stroller and heading down the sidewalk with Kenny tagging along.

“Looks like you guys are being replaced right now with Kenny for a stroll,” Ford said and Ghost chuckled.

“That boy has been obsessed with Benny and Vye since they came to Salvation,” Ghost stated.

“He’s a good kid,” Frankie said and Tex smiled.

“Did Ford tell you the story about the day Lois went into labor?” Ghost asked Tex and Frankie.

“No, he didn’t,” Tex said.

“Oh, you’re going to get a kick out of this one,” Ford said and began to explain about Kenny’s concerns over Vye and Benny and how he’d told Ford that he needed to assign the McCann brothers as her guardians. They looked at Vye the way Ford and his brothers look at his mommy Lois. The men chuckled as Vye and Kenny disappeared around the corner.

“That explains the sit-down Kenny asked us for earlier today,” Tex said.

“What sit down?” Ghost asked.

Frankie chuckled.

“You didn’t catch sight of the deep discussion we all had with him by the lake?” Frankie asked and smirked.

“Oh boy. That kid is too much. What exactly did you all talk about?” Ford asked.

“Seems he may take over your job Ford, when you’re ready to retire,” Tex said and Frankie laughed.

“I have got to hear this,” Ghost said and Ford narrowed his eyes and looking serious. It made Tex chuckle, but then they told him about the conversation and how Kenny laid down the law and made sure they knew how to be patient and understanding to a woman who had been abused and treated badly. They were shocked at how much the poor boy had witnessed of his own mom’s abuse. It made them think about how lucky Benny was not to be exposed to his violent father, or the circumstances of that life back in Pennsylvania. It just made them feel even more protective of Vye and Benny. They gained a great deal of respect for a nine-year-old little boy like Kenny.

* * * *

It was quiet and Vye and Kenny were walking back down the sidewalk toward the main event and crowds of people while Kenny was pushing the stroller.

“I like Tex, Kendrick, Pierce, Frankie, and Lou. They’re good men, and they love you a whole bunch,” Kenny told her and she smiled.

“That noticeable, huh?” she asked, knowing how in tune Kenny was to everything that was going on. He was so smart and caring. Lois and the men were lucky to have such a great son. In fact, she noticed most kids around here seemed respectful and kind. It was a small town. A very close knit one and it made it even more special of a place.

“Benny is going to have five dads who will love him, play ball with him, and teach him lots of cool stuff like my dads taught me and Waylan,” he said to her, and she smiled.

“I hope so. They really seem to love Benny and he likes them, too. Gets all excited and babbles, raises his hands out for them to pick him up whenever they approach. It’s comforting,” she said and then noticed a car ahead with tinted windows, and a man standing outside of it, right across the street from where they were walking. As they passed, the window rolled down and she gasped. Oh, God, no. Murdock.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Kenny asked as the car door opened.

“Kenny, get Benny out of here. Get him to your dad, to Tex and my men, now.”

“Wait. Why? Who is that?” he asked. She looked down at Kenny with tears in her eyes and a serious, firm expression.

“He’ll hurt Benny. You have to save him. I’ll distract him. Hurry,” she said and pressed against Kenny’s back. The boy walked quickly, pushing the stroller and glancing over his shoulder. She took a deep breath. She had feared this day would come. What would he do? What would he say to her? Would he want to hurt Benny? Take him? She glanced up the sidewalk. Kenny was far ahead and disappearing into the crowd.

Murdock closed the space between them, eyed her over, and grabbed her arm.

“Let go of me,” she demanded and yanked her arm free.

He lifted his shirt, revealing the gun.

“I’ll start shooting fucking people. You think I fucking care?” he said and pulled her along toward the car.

“Why are you here? I left and you wanted nothing to do with me.”