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came to stand at my side. “I’ll put up bail. Just tell me how
much and—”
“There is no bond in juvenile cases, ma’am,” the man said.
Marcus reached across the man’s desk to shake his hand, and
I was glad he was in uniform.“I’m Marcus Lockwood,” he said.
“The boy’s uncle.”
“You the fire marshal in Surf City?”
Marcus nodded.
“What do you mean, no bond?” I asked.
“He’ll have a secure custody hearing within five days and the
judge will decide if he waits here until his trial or if he can be
released to home. Given the serious nature of the crime,
though, I imagine he’ll be staying here.”
“Five days!” I said.“I won’t let him stay here a single night!”
before the storm
321
I grabbed Marcus’s arm, knowing I was digging my nails into
his flesh but unable to stop myself.
“Andy has special needs,” Marcus said. “He won’t do well
in detention.”
“Mrs. Lockwood here’s explained about his special needs,”
the officer said.
“I didn’t realize you expected him to actually stay here when
I told you, though!” I said.
“What did you think the word‘detention’ means, ma’am?”
he asked.
“She didn’t know it meant overnight,” Marcus said with
more calm than I felt.“He’s never stayed away from home over
night.”
“I’ll recommend a hearing be scheduled as quick as pos
sible,” the officer said.
“Today,” I said. “Please. It needs to be today.”
“Ma’am, it’s already three o’clock. This is not considered
an emergency case. However, one thing you may not have
thought of is that when this gets out, the community is going
to be mighty angry. It may be best your boy remain here for
his own safety, and the judge will take that into account.”
“There’s no way it would be best for him to stay here!”
“She’s right,” Marcus said to the officer.“Aim for tomorrow.”
Andy returned to the room in a navy jumpsuit that was too
big on him and blue flip-flops. The skin around his eyes was
puffy and red, but he no longer looked terrified. More like
defeated. I drew choppy breaths through my mouth, trying to
keep from crying. That would only scare him more.
Marcus hugged him, and I wanted to pull him into my
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arms again, but knew I’d fall apart if I did. Andy didn’t say
a word. It wasn’t like him to be so quiet and I worried
about what the other officer might have said—or worse,
done—to him.
“Andy,” I managed to say, “please don’t worry, sweetie.
We’re going to get this all straightened out.”
“Y’all can sit down again,” the intake officer said, although
he remained standing himself. “I need to make a copy of the
petition. We’ll be sending it along to your attorney, ma’am.”
We sat down on the hard wooden chairs as he left the room.
“The man said I have to stay here.” Andy looked at Marcus.
“For a couple days,” Marcus said. “It’ll be all right. Your
mom has an attorney…a lawyer. He’ll come talk to you.”
“His name’s Mr. Shartell, Andy.” My voice sounded re
markably calm given how hysterically I was screaming inside.
“He’s on your side, sweetie, so you don’t have to be afraid to
tell him the truth when he comes, all right?”
“I don’t want to stay here.” He hadn’t heard a word I’d said.
I was sure of it. I wondered if Marcus caught the tremor in his
chin.
“I know,” I said. “I know you don’t. And we’ll get you out
as soon as we can.” Over Andy’s head, I mouthed the words
to Marcus, I can’t leave him here!
Marcus reached across the back of Andy’s chair to squeeze
my shoulder.
Andy looked at Marcus again. “I don’t understand, Uncle
Marcus,” he said. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Marcus moved his hand from my shoulder to Andy’s, a
small smile of encouragement on his lips.“I know, son,” he said.
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I stared at Marcus. I’d never heard him call Andy “son”
before. Never. That was the way I’d always wanted it. But
now, I wanted to hear him say that word again and again and
again.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Marcus
1992
JAMIE DIDN’T LET ME SEE LAUREL TILL SHE’D been in rehab
three months. Not that I didn’t try to visit her before that. Got
turned away by the sentry at the front desk.“Only her husband
and people he authorizes can visit her,” I was told. Apparently,
I wasn’t one of those people. Jamie said I’d “enabled” her
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