Page 22 of Hiding In the Dark (The Righteous 4)
“The little bitch stole my last baggie. I had one left, and she took it for herself,” Chelsea pointed at Zumi.
Zumi shook her head back and forth. “I didn’t take it. I don’t do drugs, Mom.”
“You’re a liar. You stole it so I couldn’t have it. Maybe to sell, but you took it from me.” Chelsea glared up at him. “Let me go.”
“Or what? Are you gonna call the cops on me? What are you going to tell them? That you were abusing your nine-year-old daughter because you think she took your coke and I stopped you? Do it. I need a good laugh today.”
“This is none of your business,” she spat back.
“I don’t give a fuck about anything else you do in your life.” Kes released the woman’s arm before he broke it for fun. “But if you hurt Zumi again, I’ll make sure there is nothing left of you for anyone to find.”
He watched the skeletal woman blink as she processed his words. “You’re an asshole.”
“And I like it.”
Stepping around Chelsea, he placed a hand on Zumi’s shoulder and guided her away from her mother. While she was in the state of needing a hit, there was no telling what she might do next.
“She’s my daughter, you can’t have her.”
“Then start acting like it,” he snarled over his shoulder. Chelsea threw her hands in the air and continued to tear apart the little tarp home.
“Thanks, you didn’t have to do that,” Zumi whispered.
“Why do you continue to say stupid crap to me, Kid?”
Zumi lifted a shoulder as she used the back of her cuff to wipe away the tears. It was a tough lesson to learn that not all parents are superheroes. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
Kes nudged a milk crate over to her with his foot so she could sit down while he grabbed a five-gallon bucket from the other spare items he stored beside his tent. His ass already felt like it had a premade circle in it from sitting on one of them all night. What the fucking difference did a few more minutes make?
They sat in silence and watched as Chelsea tore apart the small home that the two females shared.
“Kes?”
“Hmmm?”
“Where do you go at night?”
He looked down at his pint-sized snooper. “Nowhere, just around.”
“You’re a liar,” she said quietly and then shrugged. “But it’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”
What the fuck was up with everyone being all up in his business today? “The better question is, why do you care?”
She laid her cheek on her knees, and her face turned away from him. “Anything has to be better than this?”
Kes swallowed hard. He wanted to give her a hug and tell her it would all be alright, but instead, he turned his eyes to Chelsea as she threw something shiny out of the home with a loud crash.
“Trust me, Kid. The outside world only looks better, but looks are deceiving. There is just as much sadness and abuse in the pretty houses and impressive buildings.” Zumi turned her head to look at him. “They’ve simply mastered how to hide it better behind their shiny doors and fake smiles.” He turned his head to stare into Zumi’s eyes. “That makes them deadlier. Never forget that. Wanna get out of here?”
She nodded, but there was no exuberance, and he hated to see her so defeated.
“It’s going to be okay, Kid.” Kes laid his hand on her shoulder as he directed her away from her still screaming mother. “I promise you that.”
Ashley made the journey to the front door of Salvation Place she detested the fact that she was holding onto a cane. She glared down at the piece of wood as if it had offended her. At least she didn’t really need it this morning. There was only a mild lingering weakness left in the wake of whatever had happened yesterday.
One thing was certain, she needed to stop drinking wine. She’d had this intense dream about Kes and didn’t even remember finishing the bottle or making it to her bedroom to sleep.
Gripping the large brass handle of the church, she pulled open the heavy door to the vestibule and was greeted by the smell of the Saturday special, bacon. Her stomach growled at the greasy scent.
