Page 10 of In Hiding

“I’m not a kid anymore.”

“You’re not a legal adult, either. You do know what the legal drinking age is, I assume.”

He looked hurt. “All the kids my age drink.”

“And if they jumped off a cliff, would you follow?” Sarah heard her voice rise and took a breath to calm herself. “You had me worried, Will.”

He filled his mouth with food and chewed. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled around the crumbs. “I didn’t think.”

“Who was with you?”

He avoided her eyes, which told her more than any words could.

“Tim Milligan, Sam Newman and Ty Stevens, no doubt. Let me guess, it was Sam who suggested the idea and Tim who raided his father’s stash of alcohol. Am I right?”

Her son looked at her with admiration. “How do you do that?”

“I’m your mother,” she explained, “and as such, I’m telling you now, you will spend the day splitting wood and doing the schoolwork you are currently missing. Were you all driven home by the police?”

Will stared at his empty plate. “Are there any more pancakes?”

She retrieved the fry pan from the stove and flipped two more onto his plate. “Well?” She tapped her foot as she waited for an answer.

He shook his head. “Just me. The cop rang their fathers, but he said he didn’t want to make you have to come all the way into town and pick me up. He just wanted an excuse to see you.”

“That would be Sergeant Wilson to you.” She emphasized Wilson’s official title, surprised by her son’s take. She turned to take the fry pan to the sink and the sudden spin sent her head into a whirl. The pan slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor as she reached for the counter to steady herself.

In a flash, Will had an arm around her and led her to a chair. “Here, Mama, sit.”

She patted his hand. “I’m okay. I didn’t sleep, is all.”

He took her hand in his and studied the bandage covering her injured finger. “What happened?”

“It’s nothing.” She tried to tug it out of his grasp, but he refused to let go. The fright in his bright blue eyes implored her. “I was cutting onions, or rather, I should have been. Instead, I cut my finger.”

He shook his head. “You need to take care. You can’t afford these kinds of accidents.” Suddenly he sounded like an old man.

“It’s fine, Will. Really.”

He blinked and a tear landed on her hand. The effort to hold back his fear made his hands shake. She’d seen it in him as a boy and now as he got older, the old habit seemed ingrained. Opening her arms, she welcomed his embrace and held him tight. His entire body trembled and his fierce grip squeezed her hard enough to cut off her breath. Sarah smoothed a hand down his hair.

“It’s okay, my sweet boy,” she whispered at his ear. “No harm done.”

With a huff, he pulled out of her arms, the guilt in his eyes heartbreaking. “I’m going outside to chop wood. You should rest. I’m sorry.” He fled from the kitchen with such speed she didn’t have time to get another word out.

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