Chapter Ten

“Mom!” Kevin called, stepping inside the house. “Are you here?”

“Sure I am. You’re just getting home now? It’s almost eight, Kevin,” Ann said, coming out of the kitchen.

“I know.”

“Christy called here, looking for you and Chad.”

“Mom, we have a problem.”

Ann went quiet.

“I brought Chad here. He needs a safe place to stay for awhile, is that okay?”

“Of course it is. But where’s Christy?”

“I’m going to get her now.” He moved aside and let Chad enter the house.

“Hello, Mrs. Richardson,” he said.

“Well, hello to you too. Say, would you like some cookies? I just pulled a batch of peanut butter cookies from the oven.”

“Sure!”

She waited until Chad disappeared before turning back to Kevin, who was halfway out the door.

“What’s going on?” she demanded.

“Kyle has been beating Chad.”

Ann gasped. “No. Oh no. What about Christy?”

Kevin shook his head. “But I’m going to get her right now. Watch Chad till I get back.”

“Of course, of course. Be careful.”

“I will.”

Kevin’s jaw was set in a tight line as he drove to Christy’s house. His mind was so full of stuff, he shook it as if to clear it. After Chad’s confession, Kevin had taken him back to the stables. They’d taken care of the horses, and then Kevin took Chad for a long walk. Chad told him everything about what had been going on. He even showed his bruises. Christy had no idea, no idea at all. Her son had been very good at hiding his injuries, and since it was summer, no one at school at seen a thing.

He came to a screeching stop in front of her house and guessed that the extra car in the driveway belonged to Kyle. He got out of the car, slammed the door shut and stalked up the walkway. He used his fist to pound on the door.

“Kevin! What on earth!” Christy cried.

Kevin said nothing, just pushed himself inside. Kyle was sitting on the couch, one hand holding the tv remote, the other holding a beer bottle.

“Hey there, I’m really sorry about what happened yesterday,” Kyle said.

“Not as sorry as you’re gonna be,” Kevin growled. It only took two quick steps for Kevin to reach Kyle. He picked him up by his shirtfront and swung him around. Beer sloshed out from the bottle and Christy screamed.

“Kevin! What are you doing!”

But he ignored her. He shoved Kyle up against the wall, knocking down a clock and smashing the beer bottle into tiny pieces. Kevin closed his hands around Kyle’s neck.

“Now you listen, and you listen good. You stay away from Chad. If I ever hear about you laying so much as a finger on that boy, I’ll break you in two.”

Christy was listening, wide eyed.

“I never touched him!” Kyle yelled.

“So how did he get the bruises on his shoulders? And his back? And his legs?” Kevin yelled back, his hands tightening around Kyle’s throat.

“All right, I did! I did!” he choked out.

Kevin let him go. He started to slide to the floor, gasping for air. But Kevin wasn’t done yet. He brought his left hand back and swung at Kyle’s face. His fist connected with bone with a sickening crack. Kyle slumped to the floor, unconcious.

Christy was sobbing behind him. Kevin turned around and caught her before her legs gave out.

“I didn’t know!” she wailed. “How could I have been so stupid?”

“I’m taking you to my mother’s house. Can you pack a bag for yourself, and one for Chad too?”

“Where is he? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine, he’s with Ann.”

Christy walked unsteadily in the direction of the bedrooms.

Kevin called the police.