“Who?” the man asked, seeming to enjoy stoking Elijah’s anger.
“Tobi Jones. You’re his coach. Have you hurt him? Did you? Because I promise, if you harmed one hair on that boy’s head, I’ll kill you.”
Those words shredded Shep’s insides and fanned the flames of fury already burning him up from the inside out.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I think you’re confused. I would never harm somebody as little as Tobias. He’s barely more than a preschooler. He won’t be ready for a bit longer but that’s okay, I’m patient. They grow up so quickly.” He moved from behind his desk but stopped beside it. “Listen, Elijah. Somebody clearly hurt you, but it wasn’t me. However,if you signed paperwork agreeing to keep your mouth shut about this abuse, then I suggest you do just that. I’d hate for you to get sued for breach of contract.”
“You’re the one in breach of contract. You were never supposed to work with children again.”
This time the man’s voice had a hard edge. He advanced on Elijah. “Once more, I have no idea what you’re referring to, but a word of advice, read over any contract you sign carefully and maybe don’t rely on a conniving woman to do your bidding. I assure you I’m not in breach of any contract and I’m warning you once more… for your sake… to let it go. Mind your own business. You are a big star now. Leave the past in the past where it belongs. I’d hate for you to lose it all just when you’re moments away from getting everything you want.”
A strange sense of calm fell over Shep, his rage dashed to embers as he made a decision. He pushed the door open and Elijah turned to look at him with confusion. “Sam?”
The man, David Cane, was barely five-seven, he appeared small standing next to Elijah. He was almost childlike beside Shep. He stumbled back as his eyes landed on Calder and the Ruger pointed at center mass to his doughy chest.
“Let’s go, rabbit. You won’t find what you’re looking for here.”
“I’m going to call the cops,” David managed, fumbling in his pocket for his cell phone.
Calder sneered at him. “Go ahead. We’ll wait. We’d love to tell them why we’re here.”
“Listen, I don’t know who you people are, but you don’t want to get involved in this. This is a lot bigger than you are. Even bigger than him. You’d be smart to walk away,” Cane said.
Shep wrapped an arm around Elijah’s shoulders leading him to the door. “Come on, rabbit. Let’s go home.”
Elijah’s look of betrayal knifed through his chest. “You can’t be serious, Sam. We’re just leaving? He’s going to get away with this… again?”
Once they were in the hallway, away from Calder and the prying eyes of David Cane, Shep gripped Elijah’s shoulders looking him in the eye. “Do you trust me?”
Elijah didn’t hesitate, nodding his head. “Yeah. You know I do.”
“Then just trust me. He won’t hurt anybody else.”
Elijah gave a faint nod, shoulders slumping. This time the three of them took the ancient clunky elevator down to the first floor, before piling back into Calder’s extended cab pickup truck. Shep sat in the back seat with Elijah, who just lay slouched against him, like all the fight had left him.
Shep picked up his phone and sent a text to Wyatt and Charlie explaining that Elijah needed them and asking them to meet at the house. Elijah didn’t speak a word the entire drive. That was Shep’s fault, he knew. Elijah thought Shep had betrayed him, kept him from getting whatever closure he needed. But one look at David Cane and it was clear the man would never admit what he’d done to Elijah or any other child. He believed he was above the law. Shep would prove that wasn’t so, but he needed to keep Elijah out of it… for now.
Charlie and Wyatt were already there when they pulled up into the long drive of the house in the Hollywood Hills. One look at Elijah and they knew something terrible had happened. Elijah looked at Shep with confusion. “They’re your friends. They care about you. You should tell them your story. Tell them what happened to you. Get it out. I have something I need to do.”
“What? You’re leaving?”
“Only for about an hour. I want you to go inside and lock the doors. Set the alarm and talk to your friends.”
Elijah fidgeted with his hoodie strings, his cheeks flushed and his expression anxious. “What’s going on, Sam?”
“Trust me, rabbit. I will explain it all eventually, but right now, I need you to do what I say. Please. Let me do this.” He pulled his phone free and opened the CC feed. “I’ll be watching the whole time. Promise.”
“You aren’t going to get yourself arrested or anything, right?”
Shep grinned, smacking a kiss onto Elijah’s lips. “As if I’d ever get caught.” Shep turned to Calder. “You’re with me. Call Linc and get the rest of the crew back to the office.”
Shep started to turn, but Elijah snagged him. “I love you. Remember that before you do anything stupid.”
Shep shook his head. “I love you too. Talk to your friends. I’ll be back before you know it.”
With Elijah and the others inside, Shep jumped back in Calder’s truck. He side-eyed Shep. “You gonna tell me what this is all about?”
“I prefer to wait until we’re all together in a secure location.”
