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He nodded. “God knows nothing else did.”
“But it didn’t work.”
“No. She was worse than ever after Tyler was born. And one day while I was at work, she got high and tried to take him out for a walk. He was a month old. We lived in a fifth-floor apartment and the elevator wasn’t working that day. She fell, crashed down two flights of stairs, took him down with her.”
“Oh my precious little Ty,” she whispered, her hand going involuntarily to her heart.
He drew a breath, an unsteady, stuttering breath, as if just the memory was more than he could bear. “He was all busted up. We almost lost him. But the lasting damage was to his spine. That’s why he’s wearing the braces, suffering through PT twice a week, and waiting for yet another operation.”
“I’m so sorry, Jimmy.”
“I divorced her, naturally. Gave her the option of surrendering parental rights to Tyler or going up on charges for possession and neglect. She signed him away like he was nothing. She never wanted him to begin with. And we didn’t see her again. Oh, I knew, though. She was still using, sliding further into the gutter with every month that passed. Last I knew, she was selling herself on the streets for drug money.” He looked at Kara intently. “I didn’t know she was using. I never would’ve left her alone with my son if I’d known.” Then he shook his head slow. “Maybe I just didn’t want to know.”
She stroked the back of his lowered head. “Why is she here?”
“I busted a man in Chicago for dealing in child pornography. He’s a wealthy pig, made his fortune in legitimate porn. We got a tip and raided his home. Found the evidence and made the arrest. But this guy has money and apparently powerful connections. The evidence vanished. Just disappeared from the evidence room.”
She frowned, searching his face, her heart in her throat
“Angela showed up at my door before I left Chicago, begging me to change my testimony against this guy. Says he’s the love of her life. He’s got her convinced he’s going to scrape her out of the gutter and make her fantasies come true. Fact is, I’m convinced he only took up with her to get to me. After the evidence vanished, the only thing left to put this guy away is my testimony. Mine and Colby’s, that is. Our chief thought it best we both get out of town until the trial.”
“You think this man is with her? That he’s come down here after you?”
He nodded. “Last night I learned that both he and Angela had fallen off the radar. Today she shows up here.” He shook his head. “No way is it a coincidence.”
She nodded slowly.
“And Colby’s missing.” He shook his head hard. “I thought he’d just taken off. He was a little pissed at me over... something. But now that I know they’re in town... “
She blinked and sucked in a sharp breath. “Do you think they’ve done something to him?”
Jim closed his eyes. “God, I hope not.”
He turned to face her, took her hands in his. “I know none of this gives me a reason for misleading you before, Kara. I just—hell, it’s just easier to say she’s gone and let people draw their own conclusions than to admit the truth. That I left my son in the care of a drug addict who damn near killed him.”
“She was his mother, Jimmy. You can’t take responsibility for what she did. No one can, no one but her.”
“I don’t agree with that. But that’s beside the point, Kara. I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“You didn’t exactly—”
“I did. I knew what you assumed and I didn’t correct you. I’m sorry. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I hurt you like that. You don’t deserve it.”
“Given the circumstances, I think I can forgive you.”
He smiled a little, but then his eyes turned solemn again. “Not that it matters at this point. I can’t risk them catching up to us. I’ve got to take Tyler and leave town.”
She put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not sure that’s the best thing here.”
He lowered his head. “It makes no sense to think all Skinny Vinnie wants is for me to pull my testimony against him. What would stop me from changing it again as soon as conditions changed? No, he’s up to more than that. I don’t want to leave Big Falls–or you–but I have to put Ty first.”
“So do I,” she told him. “Come on. Jimmy, you know me well enough to know I wouldn’t suggest anything that would put you or Tyler at risk. What I want doesn’t even enter into it. Just hear me out, okay?”
After a moment he nodded. “You’re right. I do know you well enough to know that. Okay, so what are you thinking?”
“Just this. If you take Tyler anywhere else, what’s to stop these two from tracking you down again? And then there would be no one but you to watch over him. What if they get to you? What if they do something to you, make you disappear the way they maybe did to Colby? What happens to Tyler then? He’d be all alone.”
Jim lowered his head. “I won’t let that happen.”
