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He could wait.
“Back to your runaway. How old do you think he is?”
“I’m guessing around fifteen.”
“Definitely a minor, then. Did he give you any clues about what made him run?”
“No. All I have is speculation.”
“Let’s hear it, then.” He sat across from her, forearms folded on the table.
“Well…this is just a guess, but I noticed some behavior that could mean he’s on the autism spectrum. Compulsive repetitive movements, like he’s trying to calm himself. Kids like that can be challenging. The Chilkoots may not have the support they need to understand him. Kids on the spectrum are especially vulnerable because families don’t know how to handle them, and it can be overwhelming, so they revert to methods that don’t work. Physical punishment, lectures, scolding, berating. Abandonment.”
“But you don’t know if he’s on the spectrum.”
“No. But he should be assessed by a professional. I don’t believe that’s happened.”
Sam didn’t believe it either. If the Chilkoots didn’t believe in the medical system, they certainly wouldn’t believe in childhood services. “So what now?”
“Well, I was thinking that we could take him to Anchorage for a diagnosis.”
“We can’t. No one will see him without his parents’ permission.”
“What about a mandatory reporter? A teacher or a nurse or someone like that here in Firelight Ridge? If they see something suspicious, they’re legally bound to report it.”
“The Chilkoots never send their kids to the school.” Was that why? He had to wonder. That would be one way to avoid mandatory reporters. The kids he’d seen at the property had looked happy and healthy, but that might not be the whole story.
“Okay, sure, but…” She thought for a long moment as she chewed on her ham and cheese. “Okay, how about this? We say that I found him injured in the woods. So I took him to see whatever medical professional is available around here.”
“There’s a retired nurse and a veterinarian, that’s about it. I’m not sure either of them qualify as mandatory reporters.”
“So kids are just on their own out here?”
He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know how it works. I’m sure homeschooling families report to someone. But with the Chilkoots, all bets are off. I didn’t even know they had so many kids out there.”
“They could run their own school. Maybe they do.”
He nodded and frowned down at the table. At the first opportunity, he should ask Agent Bradley to do some research on the Chilkoot kids. How many were on the state’s radar? Would anyone outside the Chilkoots even know if something happened to one of their kids? They didn’t believe in the medical system. Maybe the kids didn’t even have birth certificates. “Do you think he’s in danger?”
“He seems pretty scared. I wish…” She hesitated, glancing at him as if unsure how much to share. He waited patiently. “When I turned seventeen, I emancipated myself from my family. I went to the library and researched how to do it, and then I did it. I wish he had that option.”
“How did you do it?”
“A lawyer helped me. She was the mother of one of my friends on the track team. I’m not sure I could have done it without her, and she took a huge risk because my mother was so pissed when I told her. I had no idea she’d be angry, I thought she’d be relieved. But I guess I’d humiliated her.”
“What happened?”
“You sure you want to hear this?”
He held her gaze with his. “Yes.”
She drew in a breath. “My mother grabbed her gun—which she didn’t have a license for—and dragged me over to Ani’s house—that was my friend. I was so fucking terrified that she was going to hurt someone. I told her I’d take it back, withdraw the filing, but that wasn’t enough. Mrs. Devi had gone behind her back and she wanted revenge.”
Sam’s pulse raced as he listened to her story. He reached across the table and took her hand. She clutched it, barely realizing she was doing so.
“But then we got to Ani’s house. Mrs. Devi took one look at the situation and took charge. First she de-escalated, and told my mother she understood how she felt, that it was difficult when a child decided to go their own way. She said it was a tribute to her that I was so independent and ambitious. Then she brought down the hammer. She stood there in the doorway and listed all the crimes that my mom could be charged with, and exactly how much time she’d have to spend in prison. She basically prosecuted the case right there in front of me. It was beautiful and terrible at the same time, because I loved and hated my mother. I didn’t want her to go to prison, but I didn’t want to live with her anymore. By the way, she doesn’t speak to me anymore. I don’t know if she ever will.”
He tightened his hand around hers. He didn’t know if his silent support was doing anything for her, but it sure helped him. The side of him that wanted to solve all problems and save the world had never really died away, even though he knew that most problems were not his to solve.
