AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Not that he was likely to forget, she silently admitted.
He turned and crossed over to stare out the window. They were on the first floor this time, probably per Joe’s request. For long moments, he didn’t move. She crossed over to see what had captured his attention.
A blue glow from the Christmas lights that lined the streets of Milwaukee could be seen in the distance. Ironically, the same lights she’d been entranced with when she’d accidentally bumped into the shooter.
“We’re going to be fine, Joe.” She sensed his despair. “We’re safe here.”
“Yeah.” He turned from the window, his expression seemingly carved from granite. “I promised to look after you, Elly. The shooter shouldn’t have been able to get close to you at all, much less this many times.”
“We’re alive because of you.” She subtly tugged on the uncomfortable vest. She was wearing it mostly for his peace of mind.
“I can’t lose—” He abruptly stopped himself, then moved back to the living room sofa. “Police work can be frustrating,” he said instead.
Can’t lose her? Is that what he’d been about to say? The thought warmed her heart. “What made you become a cop?” She sat on the sofa, taking care to put space between them. “Our dad was a cop; our mom was a nurse. Rhy wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps, and obviously, Tarin, Kyleigh, and even Brady did the same. My sister Alanna became a nurse, Colin a firefighter/paramedic. Quinn joined the Coast Guard, and Aiden the Army National Guard. Taking care of others seems to be a part of our DNA.”Genes we share with the Callahans, she silently added.
He stared at his hands for a long moment before looking at her. “My sister and I grew up in an abusive household. My dad—let’s just say he wasn’t anything like yours. He was a mean drunk and never hesitated to lash out at us for every minor transgression.”
She did her best not to look as horrified as she felt. “I’m so sorry, Joe. That’s awful.”
“My mom either couldn’t or wouldn’t leave. Not until the neighbor called the police during one of their physical fights, and they arrested him.” Joe grimaced. “I often intervened, getting punched when I put myself between my dad and my mom or sister. That night, I suffered a broken arm and a few cracked ribs. There was no hiding what had happened. I had to be taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital to be treated. To be honest, I was glad. And maybe a little angry with my mom for letting it come to that.”
She knew there were many factors that contributed to a woman staying in an abusive relationship. Fear of the unknown, of not being able to find work or a safe place to stay. Fear of retribution. A lack of self-confidence and self-worth.
Yet it made her shiver to know Joe had sustained a broken arm and cracked ribs. She could easily imagine a younger version of him standing up to his father. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. She blocked the image and pulled herself together with an effort. “I’m glad your mom left him. I’m sure that was scary for her.”
“Those first few months were rough. She almost went back to him, but the state stepped in and told her that she’d lose custody of us, sending me and Sarah into the foster care system if she did go back.” He sighed. “I guess she finally decided to keep us rather than going back to him.”
“It was the right thing to do, but not easy for her, I’m sure.”
“Maybe, although I can’t say I completely understand her reasoning.”
“Do you still see her?”
“No. She ended up dying of cancer when I was twenty.” He met her gaze. “My sister Sarah was eighteen. That was hard, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit I was convinced that her death was partially her own fault. I feel certain that she didn’t seek treatment earlier because she was still ingrained with that abusive mindset. That she wasn’t worth the time and effort.” He paused, then added, “I also think she blocked out the cancer symptoms the same way she blocked out the bruises and injures she sustained at my father’s hand.”
“I’m surprised you have any faith at all.” The minute the words popped out, she wished she could call them back.
He looked away. “We went to church before Dad started drinking, then stopped. But when we were in one of the group homes, a pastor came to visit regularly. He talked about God and faith. But I still wasn’t convinced, until I got to know Rhy.” A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Your brother is a man who lives his faith daily without trying to hide it.”
“He does,” she agreed. “And he made sure we continued attending church the way our parents taught us too.”
“Obviously my parents doing the church thing didn’t mean much.” He shook his head. “I’m sure my dad only attended to put on a show for everyone else. As if to prove he wasn’t a mean, abusive drunk.”
“I’m sorry,” she repeated helplessly. No child should have to go through what Joe and his sister, Sarah, had. She reached across the gap between them to rest her hand on his knee.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” He shrugged as if he hadn’t just bared his soul. He covered her hand with his, his palm warm to the touch. “You asked why I became a cop, and that was to help others. People in similar situations that we were in. It was good for me to be able to take action, just like the officers who responded to our house the night the neighbor called.” He hesitated, then added, “Unfortunately, I’ve seen far worse cases of abuse than what Sarah and I suffered.”
Her stomach rolled at the images that flashed in her brain. There was probably a good reason she hadn’t made it through the police academy. She didn’t have the physical or emotional strength that was needed to face what Joe and the other cops were confronted with each day.
“You’re a great cop, Joe.” She managed a smile despite the heaviness in her heart. “Rhy values you as a member of his team.”
“We appreciate him too.” He removed his hand as if worried Rhy might drop in at any moment to catch them together. She tried not to take his withdrawal personally. “It’s late, time for you to get some sleep.”
“Just me?” She didn’t move from the sofa. “Pretty sure you need sleep too.”
“Yeah.” He stood and paced again, clearly on edge. This case was getting to him, and she didn’t know how to reassure him she was fine. “Soon. I need to wait to see if Steele or any of the other team members find anything helpful.”
“Joe.” She uncurled from the sofa and rose. “I don’t want you to stress about this. I love my life, but I’m not afraid to die.”
