LITMIR.BIZ

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said. He jogged through the snow. When he reached the back of the graveyard, he saw a dark figure hunched over.

      Relief tore through him. “Danny, I’ve been calling you.”

      Danny’s head was lowered, his hands jammed in his pocket and his shoulders tucked forward as if he could close into himself. He stood in front of his grandfather’s grave, his body shaking and not just from the cold. His eyes were red-rimmed. “I’m sorry. It was a bad day.”

      Rafe drew the boy into his arms. He didn’t like treating Danny like a child, knowing he wasn’t. And given what he’d been through, Danny was more mature than most boys. But Rafe couldn’t stop himself now. He hugged the boy and wanted him to know he was a friend.

      “What happened?” he asked.

      “I asked a girl to the winter dance,” Danny said.

      Rafe had been in his shoes enough to know this could be going many painful places. “Didn’t go well?”

      “She said she wouldn’t go out with someone like me,” Danny said.

      Someone like him? That could mean anything. “Like someone smart, strong and brave?” Rafe asked.

      Danny let out a short bark of laughter. “Right. I’m none of those things.”

      Rafe’s heart squeezed. He took Danny by the shoulders. “Look at me. You are all of those things. Every single one. If she’s too clueless to see it, then forget her. You don’t need that dragging you down.”

      Danny shrugged him off and looked away. “No one wants me. Everyone rejects me. My mom died, my grandfather died, my dad didn’t want me. Matt says he wants me, but he rarely comes by. And you...”

      Danny didn’t need to finish the thought. Rafe’s guilt did that for him. He was leaving. He was another person in the long line of people who had let Danny down. It felt terrible.

      “Danny, I think you’re amazing. I think you’re an incredible person with a bright future. You know I have to return to my job in New York. I signed a contract. I gave them my word.”

      “You have a job here,” Danny said. “The clinic needs you.”

      It was a job he liked, but a town he didn’t. “Before I leave, we will find you a good family.”

      “Yeah, right,” Danny said. “I wish you would stay. Forever.”

      Rafe put his arm over Danny’s shoulder. “Let’s talk more about this at dinner.”

      “Are you pissed I was late?” Danny asked.

      “Not really. I was worried,” Rafe said. “Maybe we need a better check-in policy.”

      “Okay,” Danny said.

      Rafe was surprised he was agreeable to it. He expected resistance. He would have resisted if his parents had tried it with him.

      “Danny, I need to talk to you about something that happened tonight.”

      Danny sighed. “Here it comes. Am I grounded?”

      Was he copping to the attack on Dr. Rand? Rafe sensed this was still about going missing. “You’re not grounded. This isn’t about coming here instead of being home. There was an incident at the clinic and Chief Colton needs to speak with us about it.”

      Danny shook his head. “I’m not talking to the police. I didn’t do anything.”

      “I know you didn’t. But we’ve had some problems at the clinic and Chief Colton wants to speak with us to make sure we’re safe and that we’re not doing anything wrong,” Rafe said.

      Rafe read anger in Danny’s face. “I’m always doing something wrong. Everyone expects me to screw up.”

      “I don’t,” Rafe said. “I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong.”

      Danny looked at the ground. “I want to go home.”

      Rafe hated forcing Danny to speak with the police, but drawing it out meant the real attacker was at large and Danny would remain under suspicion. “We have to talk to Chief Colton. He’s a friend. Trust me on this, Danny.”

      Danny let Rafe lead him to the car. Once they were closer, Danny stopped when he saw Gemma. “Is she your girlfriend?”

      “I don’t have a girlfriend. I would tell you first if I did.” He wanted Danny to feel safe in his home and not worried about random women passing through. Random flings weren’t Rafe’s style, anyway. “You know Gemma. We work together at the clinic.”

      Danny tossed Rafe a half smile. “I know her. Maybe she’ll go to the dance with me.”

      Rafe gave Danny points for courage. “She’s a little old for school dances.”

      Danny mumbled under his breath, but he climbed into the backseat of the car.

      “We were so worried about you, Danny. Are you cold?” Gemma turned up the heat in the car.

      “I’m good,” he said.

      “You look upset,” Gemma said.

      “Girl stuff,” Danny said.

      “Can I help? My brothers used to tell me about their girl problems when they were in high school,” Gemma said.

      “Nah, I’m okay,” Danny said.

      Gemma made small talk, mostly with Danny.

      “We’re going directly to the police station,” Rafe said. “To talk to Flint.”

      Rafe glanced in the rearview mirror. Danny appeared scared.

      “Chief Colton is my brother. He’s a good guy. Trust me. He’s just trying to figure out what’s happening at the clinic,” Gemma said.

      Hearing her words, Danny seemed to relax. Gemma drove them to the police station and parked.

      “Gemma, could you give me a minute alone with Danny?” Rafe asked.

      Gemma nodded as she exited the vehicle. “See you inside.” She closed the door and hurried to the station.

      Rafe faced Danny. “I will only ask you this once and I will believe anything you tell me, okay?”

      Danny nodded. “Something bad happened. I knew it. You’re blaming me.”

      “I told you we had trouble at the clinic. Were you near the clinic today?” Rafe asked. He realized he was holding his breath and he let it out.

      “No.”

      “Did you go to football practice today?” Rafe asked.

      Danny shook his head. “I skipped it. I didn’t feel like it.”

      No alibi then. “Have you seen Dr. Rand today?” Rafe asked.

      Danny shook his head again. “No.”

      It was all Rafe needed to hear. Though he wouldn’t say why he believed Danny was telling the truth, he did. Wasn’t that what a good parent was supposed to do?

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