Part 5 (1/2)

She drew a breath. ”It's an old picture. From college. My hair was longer,for one thing, and I was much thinner.”

Of course Jimmy would remember his mommy, she rea.s.sured herself as she jumpedup to return to the window.

”Maybe I should have had you pick up a hamburger when you went out forgroceries,” she murmured, leaning closer to the window in an effort to seeheadlights at the far end of the block. ”Jimmy always liked hamburgers-” Shebroke off, her heart taking off suddenly as a dark-colored pickup trucksuddenly came into view below. Even before it slowed she knew.

”Oh, G.o.d, they're here,” she whispered, her gaze riveted to the truck turninginto the residents' parking lot.

Flynn surged to his feet and hurried to join her by the window. Her heartthumping wildly, she watched Grady park next to Flynn's vintage XKE, thenclimb out. He paused to grab a couple of bags from the back, then circledaround to open the pa.s.senger door.

Her breath dammed in her throat. ”There he is,” she exclaimed eagerly as aboy climbed down. ”Flynn, it's Jimmy. Oh G.o.d, it's really my baby.” Shepressed closer, desperate to see her child's face. But she was too far away tomake out his features. ”He's gotten so tall.” Her voice broke, and she bit herlip. ”He's all arms and legs.”

Beside her, Flynn cleared his throat. ”Looks like the kid hates haircuts asmuch as his old man does.”

Riachoked out a laugh, but her gaze remained glued to the man and the boy walking toward the entrance to the building. They were so much alike, bothlong and lanky, with the same wide shoulders and loping walk.

”I'm so scared, Flynn,” she whispered when they disappeared from view.

He slipped a brotherly arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeezebefore he let her go again. In unison they turned to face the front door.

Grady had never been insideRia's new place. Never even driven by, althoughhe'd had the new address scrawled in his Rolodex next to her new phone number.A couple of times when he'd found himself in the area, he'd been tempted tostop by, just to make sure she was settling in.

Like she would actually let him in, he thought bitterly. It was a decentneighborhood, a mix of town houses and single-family, moderately expensivehomes. The area had average crime stats, mostly break and enter. Just in case,he'd had a quiet talk with the desk sergeant in charge of scheduling, and, inthe way of cops everywhere, had let it be known he'd consider it a personalfavor if the guys on the street kept a close watch on this particular complex.Specifically the pretty, dark-haired lady in Unit B in Building 2. And in theway of cops, the sergeant had understood that in granting that favor he wasent.i.tled to a favor in return.

So far Sgt.Gruen hadn't called in the marker. Maybe he never would. Copsdidn't take kindly to attacks on one of their own.

”Nice place, huh?” he said as he guided the reluctant child up the steps tothe second floor. ”Real cla.s.sy.”

Jimmy grunted something unintelligible, his gaze fixed on the carpetedrisers. Talk about stubborn; this scruffy six-year-old with hot, angry eyescould give lessons to a barnyard mule. In the three days since Grady hadwalked into that small pink bungalow in Calexico-and d.a.m.n near lost it infront of a roomful of strangers when he'd recognized his son-Jimmy hadn'tvoluntarily said more than a couple of dozen words to him. This from the kidwho had once started his day chattering about everything and anything, rarelystopping until he fell into bed at night.

He glanced down at the unhappy little boy. ”Your mom is pretty emotional, soshe's probably going to cry all over you,” he told the boy as they headed upthe carpeted stairs leading to the second floor. ”When you're older, you'llrealize women do that a lot. Sometimes at the darnedest times. Best thing todo is just suck it up and let her vent.”

The boy flicked him a sullen look. ”She's not my mom,” he grumbled in a surlytone that set Grady's teeth on edge. ”I don't know why I have to be in thisstupid old place, anyway.”

”Because this is where you belong.”

At least part of the time. They hadn't worked out a custody agreement in thedivorce settlement. He'd had to fight to getRia to accept half of theira.s.sets, though he would have willingly given her everything he owned. But noway would he give up access to his son.

When they reached the landing, Grady put a hand on the boy's shoulder anddrew him to a stop. When he had the kid's undivided attention, he croucheddown so they were face-to-face, eye to eye.

He hated the defiance he saw there, but he understoodit. Maybe he evenrespected it. In Jimmy's world, he was the bad guy, the stranger who'd takenhim away from the parents he loved. The boy was fighting back the only way hecould.

”No matter what anyone has said, youare my son. All you have to do is look atmy face, then look in the mirror. Your name isn't Steven Wilson. It's Jimmy.Jimmy Hardin.” He kept his voice soft, but with enough bite to make the pointstick. ”Maybe you don't want to believe that, but it's as true as true canbe.”

Jimmy's eyes flashed. ”It's not! My mom and dad wouldn't lie to me! You'rethe one who's lying. You put them in jail, and Ihate you!” He tried to jerkaway, but Grady wrapped a hand around the boy's bony shoulder to keep himrooted.

”Think a minute, son. I've explained about the man who had you kidnapped andwhy. Tomorrow, your mom and I will show you the videos we took of you when youwere a baby.” The memories he'd locked away came flooding out. ”After we tookyou to the circus on your third birthday, you announced that you were going tobe a clown when you grew up. Clowns made people happy, you said. And happy wasa good thing. You said your name wasn't Jimmy anymore because that wasn't aclown's name. So your mom and I started calling youJimbo .”

Something flickered in the boy's eyes before he dropped his gaze. ”My name isSteven Allen Wilson. You can't make me say it isn't.”

In spite of the bravado, his lower lip trembled a little, and he clamped itstill between his teeth. Grady had to clench his jaw to keep from begging theboy to forgive him for pus.h.i.+ng too hard too fast. Patience, he remindedhimself. He andRee had gotten their son through colic and a h.e.l.lish series ofear infections, and they'd get through this.

”It's okay to be scared, and it's okay to be mad at me. You can even hate meif it makes you feel better-although I hope you won't, because I love you.”

Jimmy started at that, his eyes widening visibly, as though the concept wasforeign to him. d.a.m.n, Grady thought, clamping down hard on the need to swearlong and hard. Couldn't those pieces of human garbage have spared a fewminutes to show a lonely little boy some affection?

”I love you,” he repeated more softly, and with more force, just in case theboy was having trouble getting his mind around the idea. ”And your mom lovesyou, too. So much she was like to die of grief when you were taken from us.Which is why I want you to be real polite when you meet her.”

He waited a beat while the boy absorbed that. While he waited, he toldhimself it would be all right. He andRia had had Jimmy for three solid years.Sweet, happy years when the big old house was filled with laughter. Somewherein the boy's psyche the memories of those years were waiting.

Still, he wasn't about to kid himself. It was going to take time to get pastthe lies theWilsons had fed him.

Set limits of acceptable behavior and stick to them,the therapist hadadvised. Children needed boundaries. Especially children dealing withlife-altering situations. When everything else was s.h.i.+fting and changingaround them, a child needed a lifeline to hang on to. Something solid andreliable. And safe.

Grady had to admit it made a weird sort of sense. He'd been heading down along road to some serious trouble until his father had laid down the law. Insome perverse way he and his dad had been closer after that.

But d.a.m.n it was hard. Instead of playing hardball with the boy, he wanted tos.n.a.t.c.h up his son and hold tight.

”Are we straight on this, son?” he asked quietly when, finally, Jimmy met hissteady gaze again.

It wasn't really a nod, more like a flicker of his eyelashes, but pressingthe boy for more would only serve to dent the kid's pride. Most likely it waspretty stiff. Had to be, he decided as he stood. The boy was a Hardin, wasn'the?

Chapter 4.

Riaheard voices outside her door, then an impatient knock. Her heart startedslamming like crazy, and her knees jellied.

”Oh, G.o.d, I thought I was handling this so well, but now ... I'm petrified,”she whispered, clutching Flynn's arm.

”Hang in, Sis. It'll be okay.” Flynn gave her another quick squeeze, an evenquicker grin, and then strode quickly to the door. He paused, braced hisshoulders and opened the door.

Flynn was betweenRia and the boy, so all she saw were the frayed hems offaded jeans and boy-size, scuffed high-tops that looked much too big for herbaby. Suddenly she couldn't seem to breathe.

”Hey, Bro, welcome back,” Flynn said, his voice rough.

”Thanks, kid.” Grady cleared his throat. ”Jim, this big ugly guy here is yourUncle Flynn.”

”Hi-ya,Jimbo .” Flynn's voice was very gentle, very gruff. ”I sure am happyto see you.”

The boy mumbled something she didn't catch. Apparently Flynn did, however,because she saw him exchange a quick look with Grady who shook his head.

”d.a.m.ned if he doesn't look exactly like the picture you sent out,” Flynnmuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. ”Mom is gonna be flat-out amazed.”

”Hear that, Jim? Uncle Flynn here thinks you and me look alike.”

”Don't, neither. I look like my grandpa Wilson. Mama said.”

Mama? she thought as she took a few steps forward. As though sensing herapproach, Flynn stepped away from the door. Grady dropped a hand on the boy'sshoulder and guided him over the threshold.