sarcasm isn’t necessary or helpful.”
“Safe?” Wentworth spit out. “He’s clinging to some strange woman I’ve never seen before who almost got him shot, and he thinks he found his mother.”
“Yeah, well, this strange woman likely saved your son’s life.”
“If you had done your job correctly, the way I—”
“Hey, guys.” Kelly shouted over the rising voices. She placed her hand protectively on Jason’s head as he burrowed into her shoulder. His entire body shook with the force of his sobs.
Wentworth whirled on her.
Kelly met his penetrating gaze. “This is so not what this little boy needs right now,” she told him in a quiet voice.
TREY STRUGGLED TO control his frustration as he watched his precious son—his blessedly alive son—weep on the female cop’s shoulder. Why was he lashing out at Ballard? The angry voices only confused Jason—upset him worse. But the way his son looked at him had pierced him to his core—like everything bad in the world was his daddy’s fault. And maybe it was.
Officer Jenkins murmured soothingly to Jason, and his sobs gradually diminished.
“Gentlemen,” the woman said in a level tone, her hand cupping Jason’s head. “This strange woman is freezing her ass off and really would like someone to call her lieutenant.”
After a long quiet moment, she said, “Please?” in a hopeful tone.
Noting gooseflesh on Jenkins’s long legs, Trey removed his jacket and wrapped it around her and Jason. He took the opportunity to give his son a quick kiss on his flushed cheek before stepping back. Jason’s gaze locked with his briefly before he turned away.
“Thank you,” Jenkins said meaningfully. “You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”
“Of course,” Trey said.
Ballard raised his phone. “Give me a number,” he said. “I’ll explain the situation to your department.”
She gave Ballard the information, and the agent stepped out of the room with his two colleagues, leaving Trey alone with Jenkins and his son. Trey sat in a chair beside them. His son still refused to look at him and sucked on a thumb, something he hadn’t done in a while. Trey rubbed Jason’s back, grateful the agents had left.
“Thank you for rescuing my son,” he told Jenkins.
“You’re welcome.” She glanced down to Jason then carefully mouthed, “Where is his mom?”
“Dead,” Trey mouthed back.
She closed her eyes.
“Hey, buddy,” Trey said. “How are you doing?”
Jason buried his face deeper into the officer’s shoulder.
“Don’t you want to say hello to your daddy?” Officer Jenkins prompted. “I know he’s been very worried about you.”
After a moment, Jason raised his head. “Hi, Daddy,” he said in a small voice.
With a rush of relief, Trey nodded his thanks to Jenkins.
Jason placed his small hand on the woman’s cheek. “Don’t send Mommy away again, Daddy.”
Jenkins’s bright blue eyes widened.
Trey shook his head. “Of course not, buddy,” he soothed. He knew Jason blamed him for his mother going away. He was too young to understand divorce, the accident or Darlene’s death, and right now was crazy mixed-up. He needed time and more therapy to get his memory straight.
Jenkins eyed him suspiciously, probably wondering what he’d done to make the kid act so hostile toward him. God, she likely thought he was some kind of monster. He tried to smile at her reassuringly, but she only narrowed her eyes.
His son had certainly picked the right stranger to help him, and he got why Jason had latched on to her. Definitely pretty, though rough around the edges. Blond hair, blue eyes, tall, slender, all the same as Darlene. When she couldn’t get pharmaceuticals, Darlene used running to control her weight and often took Jason with her in a special stroller. Likely the physical resemblance and the jogging had gotten his son all twisted up. What his daddy needed to do was untwist him without causing more damage.
He needed to get Jason home. If his son fell asleep in his own bed, maybe when he woke up in familiar surroundings he’d be grounded in reality again. Dr. Carico could resume regular therapy. Obviously, they’d cut back on treatment too soon.
The immediate problem was getting him to let go of the female cop. Trey knew he should be grateful to Kelly Jenkins, but couldn’t help but resent the way Jason clung to her. He wished his son would just once demonstrate the same sort of affection toward him. Not likely. Well, no way was he or anybody else wrenching his son away from her. Whatever the reason, this woman made Jason feel safe, and he had to respect that no matter how much it rankled.
How much would it take to convince her to accompany them back to the villa? Probably not much. Cops were notoriously underpaid.
“Listen, Officer Jenkins, I was wondering if you—”
Ballard swept into the room with his entourage and handed his phone to Jenkins. “Your commanding officer wants to speak to you.”
Jenkins held the phone to her ear away from Jason and shifted his son higher on her lap. Trey felt a twinge of sympathy. He knew how heavy a four-year old could get.
“Yes, sir?” she said. “That’s correct, sir. Of course, sir.” After several nods she said, “Thank you, sir,” and handed the phone back to Ballard.
“Are we good?” Ballard said into the phone. “Right. You’ll have my report as soon as it’s completed. Right. Thanks for the cooperation.”
“You’re square?” Ballard asked Jenkins.
“Released from duty for the day thanks to you,” Jenkins said. “But I’m going in as soon as we’re done here. He’s pissed, and I don’t want to be in his shitcan.”
Trey winced at her choice of words.
“Maybe you should take the day,” Ballard suggested.
“Can’t do that,” Jenkins said. “So what now, Mr. Wentworth?”
Jenkins shifted her gaze to Trey, eyebrows raised.
“How would you like a hot shower and some hot food?” Trey asked.
“A hot shower sounds like heaven on earth, but what about your son?”
“Look,” Trey said. “Obviously my son is confused because of the abduction. Forcing him away from you right now will only upset him further, agreed?”
She
