Boys in Gilded Cages by Jarod Powell Read Free Book Online Page A

the playful scuffle,
and approached the boys. Petor notices. “Oh, hey, Luptas.” 
Jack
muttered a half-hearted, “Hello.”
    Officer Luptas glared disapprovingly. “Let’s
cut the horseplay, okay?”
    Jack looked down. “Yes, sir.”
    After the obligatory scolding, Officer
Luptas regained his friendly demeanor. “How you boys doin’?”
    “ We’re good,” Petor said,
anxious for Luptas to leave.
    “ Yeah?” Luptas chuckled.
“How’s your daddy doin’, Petor?”
    “ He’s good. Working a
lot.” Petor was tapping his foot by then, which law enforcement
typically recognizes as a “tell.” Luptas ignores it.
    “ Hey, Jack? Can I talk to
you over at the table for a second?” Luptas asked with care, even a
tinge of sympathy. Jack looked at Luptas nervously. Petor tried to
contain his laughter, thinking Jack was probably in trouble for
smuggling the packaged baked goods.
    The two make their way to a corner table,
which was covered with crumbs from the fried chicken and donuts
sold at the convenience store. Jack sits down, sweating a bit and
folding his hands. Luptas smiled at Jack endearingly.
    “ Don’t worry. You’re not
in trouble.”
Jack looks at Luptas, waiting for an explanation.
“Okay,” he said.
    “ Did you see your mother
last night?” Luptas asked, looking serious.
    “ Yeah,” Jack
said.
    Relief washed over Luptas. “Okay,
good.”
“Why?” Jack asked.
    “ Well, you know my wife is
your speech teacher, and…uh…” Luptas shuffles his limbs, searching
for the right phrasing. “This is kinda hard, knowing you and your
family for so long, so I don’t want you to take offense to my
offer.” 
“What offer?” Jack asked, more puzzled than before. Luptas
sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to prepare himself
for delivering the news. “I almost had to arrest your mother last
night. She got into a spat with her boyfriend…uh, this fella…”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Frank. I’m sorry.”
    Luptas looks shocked at the apology. “Don’t
be sorry, Jack! It’s not your fault.” Luptas leaned in closer and
spoke quietly. “Anyway, this guy’s got kind of a reputation as
rift-raft. I just want to make sure she made it home okay last
night. And I want you to have my card...”
     
    Luptas looked at Jack with pity, and
extended his card to Jack. Jack takes it, and Luptas clasps Jack’s
hand. Jack looks somewhat startled.
     
    Luptas spoke fatherly to Jack. “It’s got my
cell phone number on the back, okay?” Jack nodded.
     
    Luptas clasped Jack’s hand more tightly. “If
you need anything at all – if you need anything at all – or if you
need me to pick you up, or if you need to crash at me and my wife’s
house, whatever – if anything goes wrong at home, I want you to
call me. You and your mama can trust me. Okay?”
     
    Jack was extremely uncomfortable. “Okay,
Sheriff—
    
“ You can call me
Eric.”
     
    “ Thanks, Mister
Eric.”
     
    Later that day, Harris and Jack decided to
get high at Jack’s place.
     
    “ You sure she’s cool with
it?” Harris asked.
     
    “ She doesn’t care,” Jack
said.
     
    Entering the house, Harris stops in the
doorway.
     
    “ What?” Jack
asked.
     
    “ Your house is a total
sty, man.” Harris said with slight disgust.
     
    “ So?” Jack
said.
     
    “ Where’s your hot-ass mom
at?”
     
    “ Shut up!” Jack said
sternly. “She’ll hear you!”
    “ Wake her up for me!”
Harris said, gyrating his hips. “I’d fix her up real
good…”
     
    Jack punched Harris in a snap of hostility.
Harris was taken back. “Ow! Out of bounds, Hypno!” He rubbed his
arm.
     
    Jack walked down the hall to Thelma’s room.
It was empty. The bathroom was also empty. He looks back at Harris.
“She’s not here?” He asked. He popped a smashed snacked cake into
his mouth.
     
    “ She’s not here,” Jack
said.
    “ Want a ding-dong?” Harris
asked, mouth full of imitation chocolate.
    

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