Page 81 of Last Chance Christmas
“You okay?” Kianna raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah.” He swallowed. What was he supposed to tell her? That he didn’t want to answer her question because he was too afraid of vulnerability? Of being known, then losing someone?
He shook his head. Even in his own mind it sounded ridiculous, never mind spoken out loud.
“My dad was in law enforcement.” Cole veered to the left and continued to follow the path, but he scanned the perimeter, squinting in search of any movement among the trees. “He let me tag along to the office every year on ‘take your child to work’ day, and I loved it. The adrenaline of hunting down the bad guys and keeping people safe was exhilarating. Even if I only heard about it from the office conversations. My dad garnered a lot of respect. The way he cared for the community and his own family each day made me want to do the same.”
“I can’t imagine how hard he worked. And the courage it took to protect people.” Kianna smiled. “Is he still working?”
“He retired almost two years ago,” he said matter-of-factly. Rather, he’d been forced to retire. Cole’s throat tightened. No, he wouldn’t dwell on what had happened. It wouldn’t change the outcome.
He had a mission to focus on right now. By doing his job, Cole could honor his dad. Walk in his footsteps and leave a similar legacy.
He’d find Mackey no matter how long it took.
Kianna pulled up her hood and tugged the zipper of her jacket higher.
“Why were you so”—how did he say it nicely?—“adamant about searching for Mackey?” Especially when it was frigid out and she could be safe and warm at home.
“He killed someone I was close to.” She pressed her lips together.
Cole froze in his tracks, and air whooshed from his lungs. “I’m so sorry.” He wanted to ask who, but he already had an indirect answer.
Mackey targeted foster kids. Those who didn’t have steady families looking out for them. Who were vulnerable and easy to prey on because the promise of love and acceptance was enticing, regardless of who was offering those basic human needs.
“What happened?” Cole stopped moving for a minute and pulled out two water bottles. “Here.” He handed one to Kianna, then took a swig. He didn’t want them to be lured into a false perception of being hydrated just because it wasn’t hot.
“Thanks.” She capped the bottle and gave it back to him to put in his backpack. “When I’m not on the clock as a medic, I tutor kids in math and science. Each semester, a few of the teachers at Last Chance Middle School give me a list of kids who are falling behind and need extra help.”
Cole started walking again, and Kianna followed suit.
The whir of helicopter blades buzzed nearby. He lifted his head but couldn’t make out the aircraft through the tree cover. Which meant the crew would be having a challenging time too. People were searching, but so far, no more reports had come through his headset on sightings of Mackey.
Cole focused back on the area around them. “What does that have to do with Mackey?”
“One of the kids referred to me was Jaxon. He was in foster care.” She grimaced.
A knot formed in Cole’s stomach.
“He had ambitions. Dreams of going to law school. But math wasn’t his strong suit, and his foster parents didn’t have time to help him.”
“So you took it upon yourself to help him pass his class.”
“I grew a soft spot for the kid. And when he mentioned having another guy in his life who’d started playing basketball with him at the park courts, I was thrilled. Everyone should have a mentor who can help them through life. Especially young men.”
“It was Mackey. Grooming instead of investing.” Bile rose in Cole’s throat, and he coughed.
Kianna nodded. “Jaxon started running late for our tutoring sessions. When I asked him about his tardiness, he said he and his friend had been finding treasures around town and were selling them online. The profit they made was being set aside for a college fund for Jaxon. Until Jaxon discovered the truth that the money was really going to Mackey. He told me, then went to the police, but Mackey got to him first.” Kianna sniffled. “His body was found a few days later.”
Cole gripped Titan’s leash harder. He recalled the last part of the story all too well. The endless hours of search and rescue that had turned into search and recovery. “The manipulation of that man. Lording his power over those kids.” Preying on their innocence. “He looked to the least of these and stripped away their dignity.”
“The exact opposite of what Jesus did.” Kianna’s voice quivered. “It breaks my heart to see anyone treated as such when we’ve all been made in Imago Dei.”
A verse from Matthew 20 came to Cole’s mind. “Christ came to serve and not to be served.” The Lord cared for the outcasts. The lowly. The vulnerable.
“Indeed.” Tears gathered in Kianna’s eyes. “All I wanted to do was show those kids they mattered. And I missed the signs with Jaxon that could have kept him safe.” She rubbed her hands together and blew on them.
“You had the right intentions, so don’t beat yourself up over the outcome. It won’t change anything. All we can do is move forward.” Cole bit down on his tongue. He didn’t have the right to tell her that. Not when he wasn’t following his own advice. Sure, he spoke from experience, but he hadn’t taken steps to move forward when the circumstances with his dad had rocked his world.
