In The Cage by Sandy Kline Read Free Book Online

fine.”
    “Of course it is.” I reply as I turn to leave.
    I resist the temptation to look back at him. I can feel his eyes on my back…well more like my ass so I put just a little wiggle in my step for his benefit. When I return to our table I know something is wrong instantly. Diego is literally shaking in fear.
    “What happened?” I ask as I sit next to him, taking him in my arms. “Did you see something bad?” I don’t know what he could have seen in here that would scare him like this though.
    “A bad man mommy. A really bad man.” He says as his little arms circle around my waist holding me like he’s never gonna let me go.
    “Did someone bother you honey?”
    He nods.
    “What did he look like?”
    “Big.” He replies. “Real big and mean looking too.”
    “What else do you remember?” As I sit here holding my son I can feel waves of fear breaking over me. “What else did he look like honey?”
    “He had…had a red sun tattoo on the back of his head.”
    Sudden shock sends bolts of fear shooting through my body and I have to fight to keep from being totally overwhelmed by the feelings. How the hell did he find me? He can’t think Diego was Ethan. Ethan would have been fifteen and not ten like Diego. I have to wonder if his showing up today has anything to do with my mysterious appearance back in California. Have I led him to me and my son? What have I been doing over the past week or so?
    “Mom you’re shaking.” Diego observes.
    “Mommy’s just a little cold, that’s all.”
    I have to be strong for Diego. I have to be strong for my little boy but how can I when I feel like my world is about to come crashing around my head? There’s only one person in this whole world that I know who has a sunburst on the back of his bald head; King’s best friend, Boomer. At this point, the only thing I can think is that I finally decided to get revenge on my ex-husband and Boomer and I came to California to do it. That doesn’t sound like me at all. This is just crazy! That’s the only thing I am sure about.
    I turn my attention back to Diego. “What did he say to you sweetie? Did he hurt you?”
    “He didn’t do anything. He just gave me this.”
    Diego hands me a piece of paper with a number written on it. I don’t recognize the number. It’s probably to a burner phone so it can’t be traced back to whoever this asshole is that scared my son. So now I’m being stalked back. I went after Boomer and now he’s going after me. I stand up and address the patrons sitting around us.
    “Excuse me please. Excuse me! Did anyone see a very large scary man approach my son a couple minutes ago?”
    People look around at each other for a minute before an elderly woman raises her hand.
    “Did you see the man?” I ask her.
    “Yes, he was the largest man I have ever seen in my life. Had this crazed look in his eyes.”
    “My son says he didn’t hurt him. What did you see?”
    “Well…he sat down in the booth opposite your son. They talked but I couldn’t hear what was being said. Clearly your boy was terrified. He didn’t touch your son. I watched and was ready to dial 911 on my phone if he did but he didn’t. He just talked and then he gave him a slip of paper.”
    “Yeah I got that. It was a phone number. Did you see which way the man went or if he got into a car or on a motorcycle?”
    “Yes yes. I walked over to the door after he walked out. He got on this giant black motorcycle and left down that way.”
    “Thank you so much ma’am. Why don’t you let me pay for your meal? It’s the least I can do for the person who looked after my son.”
    She shakes her head. “No need to do that.” She says but I can clearly see she is pleased at the prospect of a free meal so when her waitress comes by with her check I walk over and pick it up from the table.
    “Thank you sweetie!” She says as she gets up from her table.
    “No, thank you for looking out after my son.”
    The sweet old lady