“Stay safe.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible.”
Chapter 21
Doreen headed down the cul-de-sac but kept looking behind her. When she finally got to the corner and was ready to go around the block, she caught sight of eyes staring at her—and a small brown face and towhead.
She smiled and said, “Hi, Isaac. How are you doing?” At that, the face disappeared behind the tree. She backed up a bit, casually calling Mugs and Goliath to her.
“Isaac, do you want to come say hello to the animals?” His head popped around the corner again. “Hi, little guy,” she said. “Come say hi to Mugs and Goliath.”
He hesitated, looking at the dog and cat, but, when Mugs caught sight of Isaac, he barreled forward, woofing excitedly, his tail wagging. The little boy laughed.
“See? He likes you,” she said, with a bright smile. He looked up at her hopefully. She nodded. “It’s true. He doesn’t do this with everybody.”
Isaac looked down and wrapped his arms around Mugs, as she smiled. “See? He definitely doesn’t do that with everybody.”
The little boy laughed again. Goliath, not wanting to be left out, moved closer to get some of the attention. Immediately Isaac wrapped his arms around the cat and hugged him close.
Doreen smiled. “We’re so glad we saw you this morning, Isaac,” she said. “Are you doing okay? Did you get lots of sleep last night?”
He just nodded.
She studied him, noticing he wore the same clothes he’d been in before. As she glanced down the pathway behind them, no one was in sight. “What about your mom?” she asked. “Is your mom doing okay?”
Immediately the little boy stopped and looked up at her.
Doreen nodded. “I hope so,” she said.
He just nodded and didn’t say anything, but it was obvious that the mention of his mom had affected him in some way. She continued to smile and to talk gently to him. “Mugs really likes to have his belly scratched,” she said.
Isaac immediately reached for Mugs and scratched his belly. Mugs obliged by throwing himself onto the sidewalk.
She chuckled. “See? He is always happy to get lots of love and attention.” The little guy looked up and seemed to relax a bit more. She glanced around. “Are you allowed to be out here on your own?”
He shook his head.
She nodded. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.” He didn’t say anything but continued to pet Mugs. She wished he would talk, but she knew he wasn’t impaired; he was obviously just insecure, scared even. Doreen waited and gave him some time to play with the animals. Then she said, “Shall we walk you back home again?”
He hopped to his feet and started to walk up the pathway. She followed behind. When he realized that she was following him, he looked a little surprised, but Mugs immediately raced up to his side again. Isaac laughed and led the way forward. When he got to the place where she had been taking photos, he hesitated, gave Mugs a great big hug, then instantly disappeared. Doreen immediately raced forward, trying to see where he disappeared to.
She discovered a gap in a nearby chain-link fence that she hadn’t seen before. And with the thick bushes on the inside of the fence, she couldn’t see into this particular backyard. She didn’t dare go inside herself, and there was no reason to, since this is obviously where Isaac belonged. Now she just had to get Mack to do something about checking things out further. She had to ensure the child was safe. It really bothered her to think that something negative could be going on in his life.
Happy that she had at least found out where he lived, she took a quick photo, and, with the animals at her side, she headed back down to where the pathway opened up to the cul-de-sac. As soon as she did, she found several men standing there, hands on their hips, glaring at her. She sighed. “Good morning, guys,” she said in a cheerful voice.
“You were told to stay away,” one man said.
She looked at him in surprise. “Who said that?”
He didn’t say another word and just crossed his arms over his chest.
“So you’ll call the police then?” she asked him gently. “I’m just concerned that little boy is okay.”
“He’s fine,” the man said.
“If that were the case …” she muttered, eyeing the three of them closely and realizing that this could get ugly very quickly. “If that were the case,” she repeated, “why are you so worried about me being here?”
“Because we don’t want you to bug him.”
“But we’re not bugging him at all,” she said. “He really loves my animals, and they really love him as well. Is that wrong?”
“Leave and don’t come back,” said the man who had been quiet until now.
“Well, I live here in town,” she said gently, “and obviously you have a reason for not wanting me around. It’s just making me mighty curious.”
At that, the smiles—or at least the somewhat genial look on the third man’s face—fell away. “Don’t come back,” he warned. “You’re not welcome here.”
“Why is that?” she asked. “Are you keeping Isaac a prisoner?”
He looked at her in surprise. “Hell no.”
“Well then, why are you so worried about me finding out more about him?” she asked slowly. “Because, if you’re not involved in something that’s hurting him, why do you care?”
He just shook his head. “You don’t know anything.”
“No,” she said, “I don’t know everything, but I do know a lot, and that little boy could use a little more love and attention.”
“He’s getting it,” they said, almost in unison.
She frowned. “I’m not convinced. And, if I’m not convinced,” she said, “I’m not leaving.”
They just stared at her, looked at each other, and one said, “Why are you being so difficult?”
“Because you’ve threatened me,” she said, “and that makes me worried about Isaac’s care. Anybody who will neglect a little boy like that doesn’t deserve anything but jail time.” At that, one of the men got extremely angry, and she shook her head. “Don’t bother trying to threaten me,” she said, glaring at him. “I would much prefer to champion the underdog and see that little boy gets a decent life than listen to you guys threaten me.”
At that, the third man, who had been studying her, spoke up. “I think I recognize you,” he said.
“You don’t know me from shit,” she said. Then she clapped her hand over her mouth because she swore. She dropped her hand away, hoping they hadn’t noticed. They were looking at her curiously now.
“What do you mean, you recognize her?” one of the guys asked the third guy.
“She’s that crazy lady with the animals.”
She gasped. “I’m not crazy,” she said.
He sneered at her. “You’re the one who’s been digging around into all the cold cases,” he said. “You’re definitely crazy for doing that.”
“Well, it might not be for everyone,” she said, with a shrug, “but that doesn’t make me crazy.”