Page 9 of S.O.S. Billboard

He dialed Mrs. Jakes’ number.

“Billboard?” She answered breathlessly on the first ring, a question in her voice.

“Yup. I have him.”

“Oh! Thank God. I was so worried.”

“I know, and he’s remorseful over having caused you any grief.” Billboard attempted to smooth things over a bit with the woman before raising his brows at Ethan. “But the good news is, he’s all in one piece, and he wants to talk to you.”

“Please,” Mrs. Jakes replied.

Billboard held out his phone to the boy, who walked forward and took it without a hint of reluctance.

“Mom?” he began, “I’m sorry.”

Billboard couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but by the looks that flashed across Ethan’s face, his mother was giving him a mixture of both love and censure, which was exactly as it should be.

“Yeah, Mom. We’ll be home soon,” Ethan assured her, before a new animation appeared on his face. “And Billboard says he’ll show me more survival skills and some self-defense stuff, too,” Ethan paused, then added, “if it’s okay with you.”

He gave a thumbs up and flashed a grin Billboard’s way, so apparently Mrs. Jakes had agreed.

“Yeah. I love you too. See you soon.”

He disconnected and handed the phone back to Billboard, who got up from his rocky perch.

“I don’t think I’m in too much trouble,” Ethan beamed, looking way up at him.

Billboard chuckled and shook his head, turning to walk back in the direction from which they’d both come. “I wouldn’t be so sure. You caught her when she was relieved that you’re okay. Once she’s had time to think about it…” Billboard trailed off to let that sink in.

“I get it,” Ethan agreed, falling into step beside him. “But I’mstillnot upset. Because meeting you and maybe making some new friends will make it waaaay worth it.” He smiled from ear to ear.

“Okay. But make me a promise,” Billboard cautioned, in what he hoped was a serious, grown-up voice. “If you ever have the urge or theneedto take off again,”—Right.Need.Because there was something spooking the Jakes duo—“you call me and give me a heads up so I can come join you.”

“That would be cool,” Ethan agreed. “Then you can start teaching me stuff. Or maybe we can—” His face fell. “Darn. I’m signed up for some college math courses for the last two weeks of school, so it’s gonna hafta be after that.”

“Do you have classes this coming Saturday?” BB asked.

Ethan brightened. “Nope. Why?”

Billboard gave him a light tap on his shoulder. “Because that means we won’t have to wait. If it’s okay with your mother, I’ll pick both you and Rory up this Saturday morning. We’ll head to Quincy where we’ll grab Lakisha and Rainie, then I’ll take you all to the Blue Hills where we’ll practice all kinds of stuff. How does that sound?”

Billboard extended his hand out for a high-five.

Ethan leapt up and they slapped palms.

“Like the best Saturday ever.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“Brigid!” O’Shea squealed.

She’d opened her hotel room door at the brisk knock to see her old Opeloosa PD buddy. O’Shea had been expecting her, since Mizzay had said she’d contact her after imparting that Brig worked the seven-to-three shift. But Brigid must have boogied. She certainly had gotten here fast.

“O’Shea!” Brigid echoed, throwing herself forward for a huge embrace that ended up with them jumping-up-and-down in each other’s arms. “I couldn’t believe it when Mizzay called and said you were here. Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?”

O’Shea stepped back a few inches, unable to keep the beaming smile off her face. Continuing to hold Brigid’s hand, she dragged her friend into the room and closed the door behind her. “It was kind of a spur of the moment decision,” she allowed a little more cautiously than she normally would have with Brig. “I had time accrued, and decided to take it.”

Brigid sobered, still in tune with her after almost a year of living in Boston. “Is everything okay in the department?”

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