The Homecoming (Thunder Point #6)(89)

Twenty

Just because Thunder Point was a little town on the coast and there was rarely any excitement didn’t mean they ignored threats or potential danger. When Seth got Iris’s text for help, he did what he was trained to do—take every precaution. He didn’t know exactly what Iris was up against. The Sheriff’s Department, State Police, Coast Guard and all area first responders were well trained and took zero chances. It’s not as though school shootings and other such tragedies were unheard of. In fact, they happened in the most unexpected places. He called the school and said, “Lock it down! I’m calling backup and medical.”

Within minutes the building was surrounded by local and semi-local police. SWAT arrived soon after and the USCG landed in a safe but close parking lot. Paramedics waited on the scene for possible injured. Teachers still inside were locked in their classrooms, secretaries were under their desks, athletes had exited the building through the locker room’s back door. SWAT and the police cleared the building.

The threat was one unarmed sixteen-year-old boy. Thank God.

By the time Seth walked out of the school with Iris and Rachel, most of the town had gathered there. The women were taken straight to the paramedics where Rachel agreed to go to the hospital to be checked, mostly because she’d had so many recent injuries including a concussion. Iris, on the other hand, decided on a visit with Scott Grant; she was a little bruised but didn’t think she was seriously hurt.

SWAT brought Brett out of the building. Troy walked behind them. One of the things that had been overlooked around Thunder Point was that the thirty-year-old history teacher was a marine who had served in Iraq. He was a very capable assistant to dealing with the emergency and he could be credited with stopping the suspect before he got away.

Seth looked at the scene surrounding the high school. He was grateful it hadn’t been a full-scale war, but even that didn’t lessen the impact.

Mac McCain walked toward him. Mac was still in civilian clothes, but Seth noticed his department car was parked at the back of a long line of emergency vehicles. “So it was a kid,” he said. “Lucky.”

Seth shook his head. “Lucky. Mac, I don’t want to ever see my school surrounded like this again. Never again.”

“I hear that. On the other hand, it was a damn good drill. Excellent response, outstanding performance. It’s always good to know we’re ready for anything.”

Seth looked over at Brett, who was being loaded into the back of Pritkus’s car. He was going to the headquarters in Coquille where he would be booked on every charge Seth could think of.

* * *

Robbie Delaney was a smart guy, Seth decided. He’d gotten himself derailed when Sue Marie got pregnant in their first semester of college. He wanted to marry her, make a family with her; he loved her. He still loved her, but he realized there were issues. In fact, he told Seth, Rachel might have come by some of her problems through her parents’ dysfunctional relationship.

“Rachel sees the light where Brett’s concerned, but that doesn’t mean she’s a hundred percent ready to have a healthy relationship—she needs some help with that. We all need a little help with that. Rachel’s going to start in a teen group in the new year, and the boys and I will get a little family counseling. Sue Marie can join us if she wants to, but if she has better things to do, we’re pressing on. We’re celebrating Christmas here at our house. We’re putting up the tree, laying in the Christmas ham and we’ll invite Sue to be here. We’re going easy on presents this year—everyone gets forty dollars to spend. But you know what? It might be our best Christmas yet.”

“It sounds like you’re making progress.”

“I think the kids are changing schools,” Robbie said. “Rachel was the last holdout, but she doesn’t think she can be in the same school with Brett. And if she changes right after Christmas, she can try out for cheerleading in the spring.”

Seth laughed. “Sounds like the timing is on your side.”

“We have to get it together by spring,” Robbie said. “When the weather lightens up and spring hits, I do a real good business—painting lines and trimming trees. Running back and forth to Thunder Point really cuts into my time. There are more things like a computer and some cheap cell phones when Papa makes money!”

Papa. Seth smiled to himself. Robbie might have some serious problems to resolve, but he was devoted to his kids and did the best he could. A lot of guys just succumbed when the problems looked bigger than they were. Robbie, he realized, had always been focused. Nobody’s perfect, but he was a loving dad.

Brett Davis faced a number of charges, all misdemeanors. He served thirty days in county and, thanks to the committed caseworkers in DHS, they were working on an intervention to get him into a program of some kind, which was required during his probation. Whether it was anger management or domestic battery intervention, Seth had no idea. But there was still hope for Brett. How much hope would depend on a lot of things, mostly his desire to change.

The Davis family, allegedly headed by an abuser, was not so lucky. There were no charges and no probation of any kind. Mrs. Davis was encouraged to phone for help if she needed assistance, but that was all anyone could do. Right before Christmas, the house was vacated and listed for sale. As Seth well knew, getting people in situations like this to reach out was difficult. Brett’s advantage had been a judge.