Page 65 of Ultimate Freedom

Demi did say she’d gotten away from the creep, thanks to the other teens kicking in and getting the lawbreaker to leave. Otherwise, who knew what might have happened? Isabella felt her nerves tighten. She knew from experience, kids like the described Hewie were lightning rods, and could lash out with no restraints. Demi had been lucky. She might have been killed.

Waiting at the door to be let in, Isabella witnessed the cracked window and her leashed anxiety stirred. For months now, she’d been after Demi to get a security guard for the night hours, but she’d refused. Said it would scare off the kids if they saw anything like that.

In minutes, Demi unlocked the door, her expression agitated. As she stood aside, she kept her face turned away. But Bella saw the bruises on her cheek where her eye had beenblackened and rage ignited. This young woman’s civic conscious knew no bounds when it came to helping kids and the thought of her being injured while trying to do that work seemed unconscionable.

“Hey, Bella. I’m glad you came.”

“Sure, no problem. You call. I come. As simple as that.”

Demi’s smile blossomed, not something seen very often and Bella’s urge to hug her foster sister had to be restrained. She knew how it would be received. Demi would stand like a stick and basically bear having someone touching her. Not wanting to stress her sister out any more than necessary, Bella just held out a hand that Demi gratefully took to lead her inside her small cubby-hole office.

“So, what’s happening?” Bella pointed significantly at Demi’s face.

“Bossy-boots.” Demi chuckled. “Always the cop. Can’t you give me time to offer you a coffee or even a sandwich?”

Bella laughed at herself and added sheepishly, “Sorry. It’s just that you seldom call me to come in if we had no arrangements for the night. And when you do, I know it’s because something happened outside your expertise. Usually something to do with a lawbreaker. I can see my hunch was right.”

“Stop looking at my face like you’re examining a victim. It’s fine. Like I told you on the phone, one of the kids came to the door in a mess and wouldn’t behave. He got a bit physical.”

“Right. You sugar-coated the incident. Tell it to me straight, or I’ll ask Nora.”

“Nora’s a big worrywart. She’ll enlarge the whole scene until it’s like an invasion by the devil himself. Like I told you, a kid called Hewie got temperamental, then confrontational, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Eventually, some of the otherkids convinced him to come back when he knew his own name and could speak English rather than gibberish.”

“And you’re worried he’ll be back tonight?”

“I know he will. He’s been hovering around the front. I noticed the skinny punk earlier. When he saw me at the window, he pulled up his t-shirt and showed me a gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Look, I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Yet I didn’t want to freak them out by sharing my concern and calling in the cops.”

Bella smiled with little humor. “You knew I’d understand and keep it to myself.”

“Of course, You’re my angel, always here when I need you.” Demi’s shy grin placated.

“And… what’s his name… your bro Tanner, was he busy tonight?”

“Couldn’t get a hold of him.” Demi’s eyes lit up at the mention of the man who also came running when she needed help. He too had a sincere wish to be involved. “He goes off the radar sometimes. This couldn’t wait.”

“Hey, don’t worry. He’d only piss me off and call me Izzie. I’m glad you reached out. How many times have I told you to? Both of us are here to help, you know that.”

“Yet you’re never here together. It’s like you do everything you can not to be in the same vicinity as Tanner. Why?”

Unable to explain her reasons, not wanting anyone to know of her secret dislike she’d been nursing for years, Isabella just laughed slightly and answered. “Even though we’re both employed by the Feds, we’re in completely different sectors. He works as a field agent mostly in homicide and after that last undercover operation where we had the drug crackdown, they’ve been keeping me busy in the office.”

“You almost died during that raid.”

“But I didn’t. We stopped the pipeline of drugs from Mexico, and I survived. Story over. And quit stalling. What happened after you saw the creep’s gun?”

“He mouthed the words “later bitch”. I figure he’s got it in for me because I wouldn’t allow him to come inside to look for some guy he was searching for. Not only was he drunk and abusive; he meant to hurt the kid. Who, by the way, wasn’t here. But Hewie wouldn’t listen.”

“So he got punchy.”

“Right, until Nora got some of the kids to step in and get rid of him.”

“But not until after he put his stinking hands on you.” Bella felt anger course through her body at the thought that anyone could hurt Demi. “See… it’s times like this you really need to call the police.”

“You know what happens when they come around. The kids fade away and many never come back. I just hate to force the issue to that extreme.”

“Instead, you let the assholes use you as a punching bag.”

Suddenly, they both heard the ruckus outside the front door and stood quickly. Demi looked at Bella and didn’t have to say the words, “he’s back.” She didn’t need to.

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