How Little We Know - M J Marlow (top 10 novels .TXT) 📗

never give me custody, Lil,” Mary protested, even as a faint hope rose inside of her. “I’m just the woman who practically raised him, not blood kin.” “The boy spent more time with you,” Lillian reminded her, “than he ever did with his motherand father. Smart judge would see that the boy should be with you.” Mary remembered how Joyce had begged her to nurse her baby when she realized she could not produce milk. Holding the boy when she had just lost her own was a pleasureand a pain. Joyce had let her name the boyand used her as a baby-sitter as often as she could. Mary had taken the job with the Sheriff’s Office finally to keep those times to a minimum. She jumped as someone thumped on the front door. “It’s not Evans,” Lillian assured her. She touched Mary’s hand and looked concerned. “You can’t let them do this to you, Mary Elizabeth. I’m coming!” she sighed in frustration as the pounding continued. Mary put her head in her handsand jumped as someone knocked softly on the back door. She answered itand saw Bobby standing there looking terrified. “Bobby?” Mary crouched downand hugged him to her. “What’s wrong, darling?” “The Sheriff came to our home, Mary,” the little boy said as he shut the door, a hunted look on his face. “He told Daddy that he found my ID in the Widow’s garden.” He looked upand Mary saw the bruises. She gaspedand went white. “He said I was a bad boyand I needed to learn to behave.” Lil came backand she saw the child. When she saw the bruise on the boy’s face she got the ice. Mary took her nephew to the tableand made him sit down. Bobby clutched her hand and looked at her in terror. “Please don’t send me back, Mary,” Bobby pleaded with her. “He’ll take out the beltand whip me until I can’t move!” “Oh God,” Mary chokedand pulled him to her. “How long has he been hitting you, Bobby?” she asked the boy. “Since Mama died,” Bobby whimpered. “He’s been so mad since then.” He bit his lipand the tears were flowing. “Mama used to make him happy but she’s not there anymore. I’ve been trying to be good for him,” he was sobbing now, “but he gets mad even when I’m good.” “You poor angel!” Mary sobbed. She kissed Bobby on the forehead. “Don’t you worry, I’ll make him stop! He won’t hit you ever again.” The boy looked at her happilyand she got her jacket. “I’ll be right back, Lil. You keep Bobby hereand don’t let his father inside this house while I’m gone.” “What are you going to do, Mary?” Lil asked worriedly. She saw the shotgun that Mary had taken from over the fireplace; her father’s gun. “You can’t talk to him when you’re this upset.” Mary looked at her dead calm. Lil shook her headand took the gun. “Not like this, sweetheart. You sit downand eat your supperand we’ll discuss what we should do.” Mary took off her jacketand did as she was told. No one argued with Lillian when she got that tone in her voice. They got Bobby fedand left him in the living room watching a movie. Mary went to the phone, watching him as he sat hugging his knees to his chest. He was still so scared, she noted. Well, she was going to do something about that. “Matthew,” she said as she called Braden. “I have a problem.” She bit her lip as she heard what he had to say. “He came to me, Matthew. Bobby said you showed up at their houseand told Eric he’d been in Widow Marvin’s garden. Eric hit him! He says that his father has been hitting him since his mother died.” She was growing angry. “I won’t let him hurt this boy, Matthew! He’s the same kind of sadistic bastard his brother was!” She was shaking for real nowand she knew what she had to do. “I’m going to see him.” She hung up the phoneand got her jacket. She didn’t need the gun so she left it with Liland told her not to be afraid to use it to protect the kids. She walked out of the houseand was not surprised to see a familiar pickup in front. Jonah White, one of Eric’s friends, was behind the wheel. “You brought Bobby here,” Mary guessed, “didn’t you?” “He wants to see you, Mary,” Jonah said as he leaned overand opened the door for her. “The kid is his calling card.” He saw the anger in her eyesand didn’t blame her. “Get in. I’ll take you to him.” She didn’t hesitate. She had a lot to say to the bastardand she was going to say it. They drove out of townand headed to the Evans’ farm. It sat on top of the hill overlooking the town like a castle its village. Mary felt the familiar chill striking her as they went under the signpostand pulled up in front of the main house with its wraparound porch. She had spent nearly two years of her life hereand had no happy memories associated with it. “Good of you to accept my invitation, Mary,” Eric smiled as he rose from the swing on the front porch. He saw the anger in her eyes. “I take it my boy found his way to you.” “You bastard!” Mary hissedand came at him. Jonah held her back. “You’re even lower than your brother. He never hits kids!” “He did, Mary,” Eric told her. She looked at him in shock. “He used to practice on me while we were growing up. I made a vow when I was twelve that I would dedicate my life to destroying him.” He brought his hand up to her cheekand she pulled away from him. Jonah tightened his hold on her. “He knew I wanted youand he got in my way.” “Let me go!” she demanded. “You have no right to treat me like this, Eric!” “Who do you think called the Sheriff when Sean raped you, Mary?” Eric continued as he stroke her hair. The expression in his eyes told her that she was not going to be able to reason with him. “Take Mary insideand keep her quiet,” he said to Jonah as he saw flashing lights coming up the hill. “I’ll see what he wants.” Mary tried to pull free but Jonah was far too strong for her. He got her insideand closed the door. He pressed her into it, his mouth clamped over her mouth so she could not cry for help. She heard a car door openand steps on the stairs. “Twice in one day, Sheriff,” she heard Eric laugh. “To what do I owe this visit?” “You are supposed to stay away from Mary, Evans,” Braden’s voice filled her earand she felt hope flooding into her. “Maryand I are having a serious family discussion, Sheriff,” Eric replied, at his con artist best. He paused a moment as he saw Braden was not moved. “She got mad when she heard I had to discipline Bobby for trespassing.” Mary bit down on the man’s hand but he did not even flinch. She tried to struggleand he tightened his grip. She could feel her skin bruisingand she quieted. He was not letting her go until Eric said he could. Good dog, she thought uncharitably. “You bring her out here now, Evans,” Braden’s voice was filled with quiet menace, “or I’ll be taking you to jail.” “Mary?” Eric said as he opened the door. “Your white knight is here to take you home.” He stepped in a moment. “He didn’t believe me, Mary,” he frowned at her, “so we’re going to have to come to an agreement quickly.” He cupped her chin in his hand and glared at her. “You want me to quit hitting my boy then I will,” he told her; ‘but on one condition.” He saw that she knew where this was going. “That’s right, Mary. You are going to become my wife.” “I will NOT!” Mary snapped at himand kicked him in the shins. “You have no choice,” Eric nodded to Jonahand the man let her go. “You’ll see that soon.” She hurried out of the houseand Eric watched her go, frowning darkly. He met the menace in Braden’s eyesand was relieved at the knowledge that the man would be gone soon. He was going to Denverand his replacement would learn quickly who was in charge in Evansville. “That was a remarkably stupid thing to do, Mary,” Braden said to her as he drove her home. “What would you have done if he hadn’t backed down?” “I had to talk to him, Matthew,” Mary replied. “He’s hitting Bobby! I can’t have that.” The car pulled up in front of her house a few minutes laterand she smiled at him as she kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Matthew.” “Robert is going to keep an eye on the man,” Braden nodded as his worry for her mounted. “But you have to promise me that you will stay away from him, Mary. I don’t want to hear about him hurting you.” Mary noddedand went into the house. She froze as she saw the trustee seated there. Stanley Lane had been practicing law in Evans County since her father’s dayand Mary trusted him with her life. The look on his face warned her that she was in for a fight. “Lil called me when you ran out of here,” Stanley said to her, “and told me what happened.” He peered at her over the top of his glasses. “That was a remarkably…’ “Sheriff Braden already read me the act, Uncle Stan,” Mary sighed as he broke in. Lillian brought her a cup of tea. “Thanks, Lil.” “So what did the mighty man have to say for himself?” Lil asked her as she sat near Stanley. “He said he would stop hitting Bobby when I married him,” Mary told them both bluntly. She saw the censure of Stan’s face. “I can’t let him hurt the boy,” she told them. “What am I going to do?” “It’s been done,” Stanley replied. “I called my old friend, Judge Matson, at the request of Sean Evans;and he had issued a temporary guardianship order. Bobby will be in his uncle’s custody but he will stay with you, Mary, until this issue can be resolved.” He saw her hesitate. “You practically raised him, girl. This is a good thing for everyone.” “I won’t do it unless it’s what Bobby wants,” Mary told him. “I’m not taking a boy away from his father.” “Don’t send me back, Mary,” Bobby said from the doorway. He was wiping his eyesand looking very tired. Mary held her arms out to himand he came to sit in her lap. “Do you understand what Mr. Lane is saying, Bobby?” Mary asked as she looked into his dear little face. He was very intelligent for a four year old, but he was still only a child. “You’ll come hereand live with meand your Daddy won’t be able to touch you.” “Yes,” Bobby nodded. “I’d like that, Mary. You are my best friend.” “All right, Uncle Stan,” Mary nodded as she set the boy on his feet. “I’ll agree to the order. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Bobby needs to be in bed.” “There’s going to be trouble over this, Stan,” Lil sighed as she went to pour him a whiskey. She brought it back to himand sank down at his side. “I don’t want her getting hurt.” “That makes two of us,” Stan noddedand took the drink. “Take the documents to the Sheriff in the morningand let him know how things stand. Sean had asked the Judge to include a caveat that his brother is not to have access to Bobby unless Mary allows itand not without him or the Sheriff present.” He sighed as the alcohol went