Page 9 of Back To Our Beginning

“Eli?” I whispered.

Now that my eyes had adjusted, I could make him out.

Another soft whimper.

I stretched my hand toward him.

This time it wasn’t a whimper, it was a soft keening cry. He was more than scared, he was petrified.

“I’m a friend of Maddie’s. I’ve come to help you.”

He started to cry.

Dammit, I didn’t want to crawl under there and force him out. That would call attention to us, and it would make things worse for the little tyke. “Do you know who Maddie is? Isn’t she your friend?”

He shook his head.

That didn’t make sense. Then it did.

“I’m a friend of Miss Avery’s. She gave you the fire engine. She asked me to come get you.”

That had him lifting his head and looking at me. One dirty hand swiped at his eyes.

“You know Miss Avery, right?”

I got a small nod.

“She wanted me to come and help you. Can you come out?”

He shook his head.

“Why not?”

“Bruce will be mad,” he whispered. “He gets mad a lot.”

Fury raced through my body, but I didn’t let it show. “Bruce won’t know. I’m going to take you to Miss Avery, and everything is going to be all right.”

The boy didn’t move.

“I promise.”

“Cross your heart?” He whispered the question.

“Cross my heart.” My heart ached as I said the words.

The boy moved really slowly. When he came close, even in the dim light of twilight, I could see that his face was bruised, just like his mother’s. His small arms were covered with bruises, where a big hand had squeezed too tight.

Rage roared through me.

I kept my hands out, not trying to help him since I didn’t know where else he might be hurt. He finally crawled into my waiting arms. There was nothing to him but bruises and heartbreak.

“You’re safe now,” I breathed into his damp hair. I scuttled backward, then stood up and started to carry him to the hole in the fence, when a bellow exploded from inside.

“Interfering bitch!”

I spun around, my heart slamming in my chest.

“I’ve got to go,” I said as I laid Eli on the ground, propping him up against the fence, near some trash. I crouched down beside him, gripping Eli’s hand gently. His whole body trembled under my hands. I felt bad, but I had to make this fast. “Stay put. No matter what you hear, don’t move.”