Page 28 of Awakening the Sheriff

“I know,” I whispered, a mix of shame and fear warring inside me. “I just don’t know how to get through to him. He won’t talk to me about what’s bothering him.”

Auden sighed, running a hand through his short gray hair. For a moment, his tough exterior seemed to crack, revealing the vulnerability beneath. “Do you think he’d talk to his mother?”

“Mandy? I doubt it. She has shown little interest in getting involved in his struggles, only focusing on the fun stuff. I could ask her, but I’m not sure it would do much good.”

“Is there anyone else he might trust? A teacher, the guidance counselor, anyone?”

I shook my head. “He has made no friends so far, and the feedback I get from his teachers is less than stellar, to put it mildly. He’s smart, but he’s struggling academically.”

Auden scratched his beard, the lines on his face deepening. “What about family? Does he have anyone in his family he’d be willing to talk to? Uncles, grandparents, maybe cousins?”

I appreciated him brainstorming with me, but I had to disappoint him once again. “I’m an only child, and Mandy has two brothers, but Byron is not close with them. He has no other male role models in his life.”

An idea popped into my head. Auden had fantastic social skills. He seemed to sense people’s emotions and was apt at navigating social minefields. Plus, he had the experience from his job. Could I ask…?

No, it was too much. I couldn’t ask that of him. He’d already done a lot for me, and I had no right to get him involved even more.

“What?” Auden asked. “I can see you thought of something.”

I took a deep breath. “Would you be willing to give it a try? Talk to Byron, I mean? You’re so good at making people comfortable, and he may respect you based on your appearance, job, and background.”

Unlike me, but I didn’t say that aloud. Byron had expressed his contempt over my job. As if I had picked this profession to torture him. The last time he’d accused me of that, I’d told him the world didn’t revolve around him. He hadn’t appreciated that answer.

“I don’t know if I would succeed.”

“I understand, but it can’t hurt. It’s not like you could make the situation any worse.”

Auden’s mouth curled into a smile. “That’s quite the vote of confidence.”

Oops, he was right. “I didn’t mean that—”

“It’s fine. You’re not wrong. Okay, I’m willing to give it a try, but I need you to promise you’ll be strict with him. This can’t continue.”

My shoulders were hunched, but I nodded. “I will. You have my word.”

“Good. Byron has to face the consequences of his actions. I’ll handle this myself by assigning him community service. That’ll give me a chance to connect with him, and that way, he won’t have to appear before a judge and end up with a juvenile record.”

I swallowed hard, my heart aching for my son but also understanding the necessity of punishment. The alternative could be much worse. “I appreciate you being lenient this time.”

“But if something like this happens again,” Auden warned, his eyes fixed on mine, “I’ll have no choice but to involve a judge.”

I nodded, gripping the edge of my chair. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

Auden studied me for a moment, then gave a small nod. “I want you to know this incident won’t change anything for our friendship.”

His voice had been much softer, and relief washed over me like a warm wave, loosening the knot in my chest. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been dreading the possibility of losing his friendship. “Thank you. That means more to me than I can say.” I hesitated. “I loved hanging out with you.”

He smiled, a small but genuine gesture that seemed to chase away some of my sadness. “Right back atcha. So let’s agree we won’t let this come between us.”

“Absolutely. Can I take Byron home?”

“Yes. I’ll reach out to you about the details of his community service. I’ll find some project he can quote, unquote volunteer for so no one will be the wiser.”

Phew, he was thinking of everything. “Perfect, thank you.”

“Let’s go see Byron.”

The sun cast long shadows as I approached the holding cell where Byron sat, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. My heart twisted at the sight of my son, so clearly struggling but unwilling to let anyone in.

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