“The problem is theyweren’tthinking, and now they’re in a heap of trouble,” the younger officer said gruffly. He eyed us with suspicion, like he didn't quite buy our story. “So, James has been here all night?”
“Yes, he went to bed over an hour ago,” I said firmly.
The officer's expression remained doubtful. “You're sure about that? He didn't slip out to meet up with his buddies?”
I bristled at his challenging tone. “I'm quite sure. He's been in his room since he went downstairs. Why would he tell his friends he was staying home, and then sneak out? That doesn’t make any sense at all since we’d given him permission.”
We stared each other down as the tension mounted. Billy squeezed my back, willing me to stay calm.
My heart sank as the officers asked to speak with Billy, alone. We'd both known this could happen.
Officer Mickelson was nice enough, but his partner, Officer Hargrove, still seemed uncertain we were telling him the truth about James not having left the house all night. He pressed for details of where James was right then and why he hadn't come out while they were there.
I couldn't help myself. Freaking Hargrove's doubts niggled their way into my mind, and I needed to see for myself that James was where he was supposed to be. Sure enough, there was a teenage boy shaped lump snoring beneath the covers.
The officers were thanking Billy for his help when I got back to the foyer, though Officer Hargrove still seemed unconvinced we weren't covering for James. The guy was a real piece of work.
“What about Theo?” Knowing both of our boys were safe in their beds, I poured a couple fingers of whiskey to soothe my nerves. Talking to Harmony Grove's finest hadn't been on my agenda for this evening. I didn’t breathe easier until the door closed and I saw their headlights backing out of the driveway.
Billy shook his head. “They didn't say anything about him, so either he wasn't there or he was smart enough to get the hell out of there before he was spotted.”
“That doesn't seem like him,” I protested. Theo was a good kid, the type of young man any parent should be proud for their child to date.
“It’s out of character for any of them.” Billy flopped onto the couch. As soon as I sat down, he listed to the side, resting his head in my lap. “What in the hell were they thinking?”
“I think it's safe to say they weren't,” I deadpanned, parroting what Officer Hargrove had said. I hated knowing I agreed with him about anything. “Did Kevin say what they were spray-painting?”
“Yeah.” Billy chuckled, shaking his head. “The idiots got as far asJesus had 2before they were caught. It's a fucked up show of allyship for sure, but the assholes out there don't make it easy to like them.”
“True, but that doesn't mean they can vandalize the building.”
We both quieted at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. “What's going on? Theo texted me to see if I was in trouble. Am I?”
“No, man, you're good. As it turns out, your spidey senses were right to warn you about tonight,” I explained. “Did you know anything about some of the guys going over to Truth and Light Assembly tonight?”
James shook his head. His face drained of color. “I swear I didn't. What did they do?”
“They spray-painted a few things on the side of the building,” Billy said. “Nothing too serious, but enough to get them in some trouble.”
James sighed and leaned back against the couch. “That's not good. The pastor's probably going to think I had something to do with it.”
“Hey, let's not go borrowing trouble. You were here in bed the entire time,” I reminded him. “So, unless you told them to do it, you have nothing to worry about.”
“But Pastor Isaac—”
“Is a bag of dicks,” Billy offered, the laughter in the room breaking the tension. That was a change from when the younger pastor had first taken over the parish. Originally, Billy had held hope Isaac would be the one to effect change at Truth and Light. “If he tries pushing any ideas about you being involved, we'll tell him where he can shove it.”
James’s early night might have saved him from involvement, but the law enforcement interaction triggered a visit from his caseworker first thing on Monday morning. A slew of questions and a thorough inspection of the house followed, casting a shadow over our once peaceful home. She also strongly advised that Billy and James might want to consider going back to Billy’s. When I agreed with her, Billy reminded me this was the home James was used to.
Throughout it all, James slowly pulled away from us. He spent most of the day in his room, only coming up for meals.
The incident with his friends provided a harsh wake-up call. Billy and I ensured he understood the seriousness of the situation, but also reassured him we were there for him, regardless of what happened. His biggest concern seemed to be his place in our home.
“You did nothing wrong,” Danny reminded him. He and Blake had come over on Monday night, hoping to help us pull James out of his funk. “It might be for the best if you steer clear of Connor and Deacon for a while, but this isn't your fault. Billy and Michael love having you here, and you know you'll have a place with us just as soon as we untangle the last of the red tape.”
That reminder didn't have the uplifting effect I'd intended. Far from cheering James up, it seemed to hit a raw nerve, causing him to curl into himself like a wounded animal. The rest of the evening, he barely spoke a dozen words, each one a single-syllable response when he was addressed directly.
His silence was louder than any words, a chilling testament to the pain he felt. I wanted to thump his so-called friends for igniting this downward spiral, for making him question everything once more.
