Read Online Chosen by Denise Grover Swank - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Denise Grover Swank
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anything…”
Jake’s hand had more strength than Will thought possible in such a small boy. Obviously, Jake wanted to go with him and Will was curious why. “Emma, just go to the bathroom. I swear I’ll take care of Jake and make sure nothing happens to him.” Will stared into her eyes as he promised, surprising himself in the process. This wasn’t like him.
Emma looked from Jake to Will and relented. “Just hurry, okay?” She scanned the lot again before going into the restroom entrance.
A man and his two sons walked out as Will led Jake into the bathroom with him. Will did a quick check around the restroom and determined that no one else was there. Jake let go of Will’s hand and headed for a stall while Will walked over to a urinal.
“I’ll wait out here for you.”
The tile wall in front of Will did little to hold his attention so his mind easily wandered to Emma and Jake. Why did Emma seem so concerned, when Jake didn’t? He was sure Jake was hiding something.
Jake emerged from the stall as Will finished up. They stood in front of the sinks and turned on the faucets. Will decided to see if Jake would spill some information. “How do you know when the bad guys are coming?”
Jake carefully rubbed his hands together. “I can see them. I see them sitting in their truck watching us, or chasing us.”
“The next time you see them, will you give me some warning?”
Jake shut off the water and turned to watch him, water dripping from his hands onto the concrete floor. “I know about you.” His unblinking eyes bore into Will’s.
The blood drained from Will’s face. He broke away from Jake’s gaze and leaned over the sink, rinsing his hands. “What do you mean?”
“I see who you work for. When I was asleep, I saw you.”
Looking up in the mirror, Will saw Jake’s reflection, his piercing eyes staring at him in the mirror. He waited to see if Jake was going to say anything else before Will cleared his throat. “You mean my computer company?”
“No. The other bad men.”
Will froze. How could a five-year-old make him feel like he’d been caught? He reached for the paper towels and handed a couple to Jake. He began to wipe his hands. “Jake, that must have been a really bad dream. Why would you think that?”
“I know the truth about you and now you know that I do.” Jake stood still, his hands still wet and clutching the unused paper towels, his face expressionless.
Will knelt down in front of him, unsure how to handle this. Should he continue to protest? Should he call Jake crazy?
“I’m not going to tell Mommy.” Jake’s small voice echoed off the cinder block walls.
Will narrowed his gaze, his face less than a foot from Jake’s, and lowered his voice. “Jake, if you think I’m bad, why wouldn’t you tell your mom?”
A tiny smile lifted the corners of Jake’s mouth. “I never said you were bad.”
Will opened and closed his mouth, trying to figure out how to respond.
Jake spun to leave. “Mommy’s scared and waiting for us. Let’s go.”
“Jake,” Will called as he stood up.
Jake looked back over his shoulder.
“You didn’t answer my question about the Bad Men. Will you tell me if you see them coming?”
Jake’s face remained expressionless as he threw his paper towels in the trash can and walked out the door.
CHAPTER SIX
Will walked out of the restroom and found Jake holding Emma’s hand.
“How could you let him walk out alone?” Emma spit out through gritted teeth the moment he emerged.
Will eyed Jake with wariness. “He just ran out. Next time I’ll handcuff him to me.” His tone was shorter than he meant, but the bathroom incident still replayed in his head.
“Next time? There won’t be a next time.” She hurried toward the truck, dragging Jake behind her.
“Good.” Will had no desire to be alone with him anytime soon.
They climbed in the truck and got back on the highway. Emma was in a foul mood and Will had one to match. He
Jake’s hand had more strength than Will thought possible in such a small boy. Obviously, Jake wanted to go with him and Will was curious why. “Emma, just go to the bathroom. I swear I’ll take care of Jake and make sure nothing happens to him.” Will stared into her eyes as he promised, surprising himself in the process. This wasn’t like him.
Emma looked from Jake to Will and relented. “Just hurry, okay?” She scanned the lot again before going into the restroom entrance.
A man and his two sons walked out as Will led Jake into the bathroom with him. Will did a quick check around the restroom and determined that no one else was there. Jake let go of Will’s hand and headed for a stall while Will walked over to a urinal.
“I’ll wait out here for you.”
The tile wall in front of Will did little to hold his attention so his mind easily wandered to Emma and Jake. Why did Emma seem so concerned, when Jake didn’t? He was sure Jake was hiding something.
Jake emerged from the stall as Will finished up. They stood in front of the sinks and turned on the faucets. Will decided to see if Jake would spill some information. “How do you know when the bad guys are coming?”
Jake carefully rubbed his hands together. “I can see them. I see them sitting in their truck watching us, or chasing us.”
“The next time you see them, will you give me some warning?”
Jake shut off the water and turned to watch him, water dripping from his hands onto the concrete floor. “I know about you.” His unblinking eyes bore into Will’s.
The blood drained from Will’s face. He broke away from Jake’s gaze and leaned over the sink, rinsing his hands. “What do you mean?”
“I see who you work for. When I was asleep, I saw you.”
Looking up in the mirror, Will saw Jake’s reflection, his piercing eyes staring at him in the mirror. He waited to see if Jake was going to say anything else before Will cleared his throat. “You mean my computer company?”
“No. The other bad men.”
Will froze. How could a five-year-old make him feel like he’d been caught? He reached for the paper towels and handed a couple to Jake. He began to wipe his hands. “Jake, that must have been a really bad dream. Why would you think that?”
“I know the truth about you and now you know that I do.” Jake stood still, his hands still wet and clutching the unused paper towels, his face expressionless.
Will knelt down in front of him, unsure how to handle this. Should he continue to protest? Should he call Jake crazy?
“I’m not going to tell Mommy.” Jake’s small voice echoed off the cinder block walls.
Will narrowed his gaze, his face less than a foot from Jake’s, and lowered his voice. “Jake, if you think I’m bad, why wouldn’t you tell your mom?”
A tiny smile lifted the corners of Jake’s mouth. “I never said you were bad.”
Will opened and closed his mouth, trying to figure out how to respond.
Jake spun to leave. “Mommy’s scared and waiting for us. Let’s go.”
“Jake,” Will called as he stood up.
Jake looked back over his shoulder.
“You didn’t answer my question about the Bad Men. Will you tell me if you see them coming?”
Jake’s face remained expressionless as he threw his paper towels in the trash can and walked out the door.
CHAPTER SIX
Will walked out of the restroom and found Jake holding Emma’s hand.
“How could you let him walk out alone?” Emma spit out through gritted teeth the moment he emerged.
Will eyed Jake with wariness. “He just ran out. Next time I’ll handcuff him to me.” His tone was shorter than he meant, but the bathroom incident still replayed in his head.
“Next time? There won’t be a next time.” She hurried toward the truck, dragging Jake behind her.
“Good.” Will had no desire to be alone with him anytime soon.
They climbed in the truck and got back on the highway. Emma was in a foul mood and Will had one to match. He
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