Just One Kiss (Fool's Gold #10)(76)

Police Chief Barns smiled. “Impressive. I’m going to need to write a report. I wonder if a man can slip and dislocate his shoulder. Then Felicia was being neighborly by putting it back in place. I’ll have to think on that.”

She walked into the store.

In less than a half hour, nearly everyone was gone. Sam had been taken to the hospital. The police chief had her statement from Felicia, who had insisted on telling the truth. Although Patience had a feeling that the actual report would say something slightly different.

“He’ll be arrested,” Charlie said as they stood by her truck. “More important, if Helen wants to stay gone, she can. Mayor Marsha knows people who can make an abused woman disappear into a new life. She’ll get counseling and help finding a job and an apartment. It’s a chance for her to escape. Let’s hope she takes it.”

“Thanks for your help,” Patience said.

“Happy to.” Charlie looked at Felicia. “You’re my kind of girl. Glad you decided to settle here.”

She got in her truck and drove away.

Patience looked at Felicia. “Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I had a lot of the same physical training as the guys. I just didn’t get to use it much. Until now.”

Patience impulsively hugged her. “You were terrific. I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I shouldn’t get involved, but you got right in that guy’s face.”

“I hate bullies. He was a jerk.” She brightened. “I wonder if he’s going to sue me.”

“That would mean admitting he was beaten by a girl.” Patience linked arms with her and led her back inside. “Just for the record, you are good with people. I’m just saying.”

* * *

“CAN WE put flowers on the ribbons?” Lillie asked.

Justice glanced at Steve, who held up both hands.

“I’m hardly an expert,” the older man said.

Justice wasn’t, either, but he was good at solving problems. He stepped back and studied the bike. Tomorrow was the Spring Festival—yet another Fool’s Gold tradition. Kids rode bikes and were pulled in wagons all decorated with flowers and ribbons and bows. The festival took place over Mother’s Day so dads were supposed to do the work and the mothers were to watch and marvel. As Lillie didn’t have a father, he and Steve had volunteered to help her decorate her bike.

With the help of a glue gun and fasteners, there were pastel-colored ribbons flowing from the handlebars. A big bouquet of silk flowers sat in the basket. Now the question was how to make a garland they could weave through the spokes.

Lillie sat cross-legged on the grass by the driveway. Steve wove thin strips of plastic through the spokes.

“We could glue the flowers onto this once it’s secure,” he said.

Lillie nodded. “That would be nice.”

Justice studied her. She wasn’t her usual happy self.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, hoping she felt okay.

She looked at Steve. “You’re my daddy’s dad.”

Steve froze, then nodded.

“Did you like him when he was little?”

Justice sank next to her on the grass. That wasn’t the question she wanted to ask, he thought. She wanted to know why her father hadn’t loved her enough to stay.

Steve turned toward her. “I wasn’t there for him, Lillie. I left when your dad was small.”

“Why did you go away?”

“Because I thought work was more important. Because I wasn’t grown up enough to understand what I was losing and work things out with his mom. I regret what I did, but I can’t change it. When I left, I taught Ned a very wrong lesson. That it’s okay to leave your children.”

“It’s not?” she asked softly.

“No, it’s not.”

Justice put his arm around her. She leaned against him, watching Steve.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “How could you go?”

How could he go?

Steve turned away, but not before Justice saw tears in his eyes.

Justice kissed the top of Lillie’s head. “You take a dance class, right?”

She looked at him. “Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Some of the other students are better than you and some are worse, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“The ones who are better can do things you can’t do yet.”

“They can do a lot of things I can’t do. I’m scared to go up on my toes. It’s going to hurt.”

“Some people are better at relationships than others. Some people have a natural ability. Like dance. Others have been hurt along the way and are afraid to try. Your dad was hurt by his dad. That’s not an excuse,” he added quickly, knowing he was giving Ned more of a break than he deserved, but this wasn’t about him. This was about Lillie.

“He’s right,” Steve told her. “My dad was a—” He stopped, then swallowed. “My dad wasn’t a great guy, either. So I never knew what a good dad was like. I walked out on my son and my son walked out on you.”

“Am I going to be like that, too?” Lillie asked, sounding worried.

“No.” Justice held her tight. “You’ll be like your mom, because that’s what you’ve learned. You’ll be loving and kind and you’ll always be there.”