Chapter 4 - Ethan Had A Secret Phone Number
I thought Ethan meant on Mom's phone.
He didn't.
His school had a supervised mentoring program.
Older community volunteers.
Homework.
Basketball.
Reading.
Sometimes lunch.
Lucas Hale had joined six months earlier.
Not using Hale.
Lucas Grant.
His mother's last name.
Nobody at the school knew he was Gary's son.
At least not at first.
Ethan hadn't known either.
Holloway stared at my brother.
“How long have you been talking to Lucas?”
Ethan shrugged, then winced like even that movement made him nervous.
“Since fall.”
Gary stepped forward.
Rachel Dunn blocked him.
“Stay there.”
Gary pointed at Ethan.
“He's been contacted by somebody without parental permission.”
Rachel answered:
“The school has consent on file.”
Mom looked up.
“What?”
That surprised her.
I turned.
“You signed him up?”
“No.”
“Gary?”
His face answered.
Ethan looked at me.
“Dad signed the form.”
The word dad still belonged to Gary.
I hated that part of me wanted to correct it.
I didn't.
Gary's anger shifted.
“I didn't know who the volunteer was.”
Holloway asked:
“Did Lucas know?”
Ethan nodded.
“When?”
My brother looked at the floor.
“First day.”
My stomach tightened.
“How?”
“He said I looked like him when he was little.”
Gary swore.
Rachel told him to stop.
I crouched near Ethan.
“Did he tell you he was Gary's son?”
“Not at first.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That he used to live here.”
I glanced at Mom.
She looked sick.
Ethan continued:
“He said if I ever got scared at home, I should tell Ms. Foster.”
“Your counselor?”
He nodded.
The school report.
It had not begun with bruises.
It had begun with Ethan telling his counselor he hated Fridays.
Because Gary drank on Fridays?
No.
Because Fridays were when Gary reviewed Ethan's behavior chart.
Missing homework.
Talking back.
Leaving food.
Lying.
Punishments.
Points.
Rules.
Ethan had told Lucas.
Lucas encouraged him to tell Ms. Foster.
That was the report.
Not proof of abuse.
Concern.
Enough for a child-welfare call.
Enough for Holloway to recognize the address when the report crossed his desk.
I looked at him.
“So you came because you remembered Gary.”
“Yes.”
“You didn't know Lucas was involved.”
“No.”
That mattered.
This was not a coordinated revenge scheme.
Not Lucas using Ethan to destroy his father.
At least not yet.
Gary obviously thought otherwise.
“This whole thing is Lucas.”
Holloway looked at him.
“How?”
“He got into my son's head.”
“By telling him to talk to a counselor?”
“He told him I was dangerous.”
Ethan shook his head.
“He didn't.”
Gary snapped:
“Be quiet.”
The room changed instantly.
Ethan shrank.
Holloway saw it.
So did Rachel.
So did I.
Gary saw all of us seeing it.
He closed his mouth.
I asked Ethan:
“What did Lucas say about Gary?”
My brother looked at me.
“He said I get to decide when something hurts.”
I couldn't speak.
Gary laughed bitterly.
“There. That's exactly the kind of garbage.”
Holloway turned.
“What part?”
“Children don't decide discipline.”
“No.”
Holloway's voice stayed calm.
“They do get to say they're afraid.”
Gary's jaw tightened.
Mom sat very still.
I finally understood her relief when I arrived.
She had been waiting for something.
Not Holloway exactly.
An interruption.
Anybody.
I looked at her.
“You knew Ethan was talking to someone at school.”
“No.”
“Did you know DCF called?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“What did they say?”
“That someone would follow up.”
“And you didn't tell Gary?”
She stared at the table.
Gary turned toward her.
“What?”
I watched his face.
He hadn't known.
Mom whispered:
“I thought you'd get angry.”
He took one step toward her.
Rachel moved.
“Mr. Hale.”
He stopped.
Mom's eyes stayed down.
I should have felt sympathy.
Instead I felt furious.
“You were afraid he'd get angry, so you said nothing and left Ethan here with him?”
“I was here.”
I looked at her.
“Exactly.”
That landed.
Mom's face collapsed.
Rachel said:
“We're going to make a plan for tonight.”
Gary objected immediately.
Ethan could remain with me temporarily if everyone agreed and if DCF cleared my apartment.
Gary said no.
Mom said yes.
They turned toward each other.
He stared at her as though she had betrayed him.
She whispered:
“He can't stay here tonight.”
Gary's voice dropped.
“You don't get to do this.”
For the first time, something changed in Mom.
Not courage exactly.
Exhaustion.
“I know.”
He frowned.
She looked at him.
“I spent years believing that.”
Gary stared.
Mom turned toward me.
“Take Ethan.”
I wanted to.
Immediately.
Then Ethan asked:
“Can Lucas come?”
Everyone went silent.
Gary's face hardened.
Holloway looked at Rachel.
Rachel looked at me.
I asked Ethan:
“Why?”
My brother's lower lip trembled.
“Because he told me if this ever happened, he'd come get me.”
Holloway glanced toward the front door.
Then toward his phone.
Something in his expression changed.
“Lucas isn't answering.”
Gary looked almost relieved.
I caught it.
“What?”
He shook his head.
“Nothing.”
I stood.
“Why do you look happy?”
“I don't.”
“You do.”
Holloway's phone buzzed.
He checked it.
His face tightened.
“What?” I asked.
He looked at Gary.
May you like
Then at me.
“Lucas's car was found two blocks from here.”
