Page 85 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“I’m far from perfect too. I should have told you about the boy showing up sooner, but I felt caught in the middle. I wasn’t sure how to approach it.”

“Because he wouldn’t let you call me.”

“Yeah. I tried every which way to Sunday to get him to tell you, but he kept threatening to run off, and even though I know I should tell you everything he told me, I still feel this weird loyalty to Lady.” When he didn’t protest, I continued. “This boy came to me because he thought I could protect him, and reaching out to me may have saved his life.” I shook my head. “I’m not suggesting I actually saved his life, but he was scared, and when he felt he had no one to turn to, he came to me. He walked for miles to get to Bruce Wayne’s jobsite to find me. I guess I couldn’t help but think that if I handed him over to you, no one would ever trust Lady again.”

“But she doesn’t exist, Rose,” he said insistently. “You let her go years ago.”

“I know, but he thought of Lady as a safe refuge. How do I destroy that? Especially if something sinister is moving back into the county.”

“But we don’t know that something sinister is moving back into the county, and can’t you see that by letting this boy come to you, others might do the same? Then you put yourself and the kids in danger because people seeking sanctuary are running from people who might try to get to them through you.”

“I know, Joe. I know. And I’m torn up and confused about the whole thing. I just want to help people.”

“There has to be another way, Rose. It’s too dangerous to keep this up.”

I knew he was right, but I couldn’t stand the thought of people coming to harm when I could have helped them. “We don’t know that anyone else will come to me. This kid asked his friend for help, and it was his friend who suggested he call Lady.”

“I don’t like that people are still talkin’ about her,” Joe said, his voice tight.

“I was surprised by it too, but I didn’t waste any time calling Dermot, and he came and took the boy to a safe house.”

His eyes narrowed. “You sure you can trust him?”

“Yes,” I said. Even though I was having doubts about his involvement in this mess, I knew in my heart that he’d never hurt me. “I’d trust him with my life, and you know it. Three years ago, you trusted him too.”

“We’re in different positions now. I’m representing the law. He’s on the other side.”

“I’m not going to debate that with you,” I said, wishing he’d understand. “But I needed help, and once again, Dermot showed up to give it to me.”

“You could have called me. You should have called me.”

I looked him in the eye, my heart aching that we were still disagreeing over this. “And you know why I couldn’t. Perhaps you should be more worried that a kid witnessed a crime and was too scared to tell the authorities, and instead took a risk and asked to see someone who hasn’t been around in nearly three years.”

He did a double take, then started to say something when the screen door pushed open and a bleary-eyed Hope wandered out with Muffy on her heels. “I was looking for you, Momma and Daddy,” she said in an accusatory tone.

Muffy took off for the front yard to do her business.

Joe took another long pull of coffee, then set it on the floor before he reached out to her. “Sorry if we scared you, sweet pea.”

“I wasn’t scawad,” she said, waddling over to him. “I was lost.”

“You weren’t lost, silly,” he said as he pulled her up to sit between us. “You were exactly where you were supposed to be.”

“But I lost you,” she said, sticking out her bottom lip.

“I’m sorry if we scared you,” I said, tucking the blanket around her legs. “How did you know where to find us?”

“I heawd you and Daddy talkin’.” She glanced over at Liam, outrage in her eyes. “Liam, you ate bweakfast without me?”

“He just had some Cheerios,” I said. “I haven’t made breakfast yet.”

“Do we have school today?” she asked, leaning her head into my side. I couldn’t resist leaning over and inhaling her sweet scent.

“Not today. We get to spend the whole day together.”

“Can I play with Daisy?”

“You play with Daisy every day,” Joe said. “Today you get to spend the whole day with Mommy.”

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