Love’s Journey Home by Kelly Irvin Read Free Book Online

these boys so their
     folks can take them home. The bondsman guarantees the bond.” Chief Parker stalked
     over to a desk covered with paperwork in neat stacks and picked up a file. “You pay
     a percentage and Edmond can get out on bond until he has to appear in court. If he
     doesn’t show, you have to pay the bondsman the full amount of his bond.”
    Pay a percentage. Appear in court. Helen’s stomach flopped.
    “We’ll help,” Thomas said, as if he knew what she was thinking. “Emma and I have money
     set aside.”
    “That’s your emergency fund.”
    “This would qualify.”
    “But the bobbeli will be here soon.”
    “And the community will help. As always.”
    As always. Helen nodded and sank into the chair Chief Parker offered her. He slid
     papers across his desk and handed her a pen. She stared at it as if it might bite
     her. Chief Parker cleared his throat. “Take your time, Mrs. Crouch. Craig Southerland
     already filled out the bond papers. All I need from you is a cashier’s check or cash.”
    She had neither.
    She picked up the pen. It shook in her hand. She tried to focus on the words, but
     the strange dreamlike quality of this moment made everything around her shimmer. She
     glanced away. A silver picture frame sat on the corner of Chief Parker’s desk. It
     held a photograph of Charisma Chiasson and her two kinner. Things must be going well
     with them if he had her picture on his desk. Helen sometimes wished she had a photo
     of George to remember him by. But she only had to look at her children to see him.
    “Helen.” Thomas towered over her. “Sign it. Everything will be fine.”
    The door slammed open so hard it smacked against the wall, making her jump and drop
     the pen. It rolled across the desk and disappeared on the other side. A sign on the
     wall that said visiting hours were from ten to noon on Monday through Friday shook
     and then slid to the floor with a tinkling of broken glass.
    “Where he is? I demand to see him this instant!” An open umbrella in one hand, Mayor
     Gwendolyn Haag stomped across the office, smacked the swinging gate that separated
     the lobby area from the desks, and halted in front of Chief Parker. She leaned over
     and tapped the chief’s chest with a long, pale pink fingernail. “Who do you think
     you are? Arresting my grandson?”
    “Beg your pardon, Mayor Haag?” Chief Parker’s tone remained even, his expression polite.
     He leaned back to avoid the rain dripping from the mayor’s umbrella. “Did you need
     something?”
    Mayor Haag whirled, and advanced on Helen’s chair. “Helen Crouch. Your boy Edmond
     started this, didn’t he? I heard people talking on the parade route. This is all your
     son’s fault.”
    “My son will take responsibility for the things he has done.” Helen stood and planted
     herself on both feet. Her stomach churned and her heart ached, but she stood firm.
     “As each boy should do.”
    “Christopher’s never been in trouble before. Now he’s been hanging around with your
     son, and look what happens.”
    “Likely, it’s the other way around.” Thomas stepped between them. “There’s little
     history of Plain folks drinking, if you’ll beg my pardon for saying so.”
    “There’s no history of Christopher drinking—not until your son started coming around.”
    “Isn’t Christopher staying with you because your son sent him to you to straighten
     out?” Chief Parker waded into the fray. “Got kicked out of school, didn’t he?”
    “He’s a sensitive boy. Very smart. Got bored at school.” Mayor Haag waved a hand as
     if waving away the question. “This Edmond boy encouraged him not to go to school.
     Said it wasn’t necessary for real men.”
    “I see.” Helen did see. Edmond simply shared the ways of Plain people. Boys Edmond’s
     age learned a trade from their fathers. They prepared to become men and fathers themselves.
     Thomas and her own brothers had stepped in to help her with