Streamline (28 page)

Denny braced himself, unsure of the guard’s next move.

“Drop and give me fifty.”

Denny began his punishment immediately. He wasn’t a young man anymore, and the nine months in prison had weakened him.

As he struggled through the twentieth pushup, he heard Perrick bark to the other MP. “Get rid of this, Ollie. I’m taking the other cons to chow — I’m sick of waiting for this old man.” His arms shaking and his breath coming in quick gasps, Denny finally finished his last pushup and returned to attention.

The remaining MP handed him back the photo. “Will you please hide this better next time?”

Denny stuffed it underneath a cracked tile in the floor. “Sorry, sir…couldn’t sleep so I looked at it last night. I still haven’t heard how she swam at state.”

“I’m sure she did great. C’mon, it’s time for you to force down some of that crap they call dinner.”

As they approached the cafeteria, the MP said, “So I hear you’re no longer the highest ranking officer in here.”

“What do you mean? Who’s here?”

They entered the cafeteria, and Denny had his answer.

He bristled the moment he saw Commander Scott sitting off to the side, slowly eating his chicken and rice while another MP stood guard right behind him. James still wore his khaki uniform and looked out of place in the sea of navy blue jumpsuits.

“What is it?” the MP asked when Denny stopped moving.

The prisoner’s eyes honed in on his former CO, weighing the odds of getting in a few good punches before being restrained. “The commander’s a child abuser. He threatened my daughter. What’s he doing here?”

“Supposedly he beat up his kid so bad he’s in the hospital.” Denny inhaled sharply. His heart pounded.

Perhaps feeling their eyes on him, James looked up and met Denny’s cold stare. He put down his fork.

“I have to talk to him, sir.”

“That’s not a good idea, Denny.”

“I just need to find out if Audrey’s hurt, Ollie. Please.” Hearing no response from the MP, Denny headed for James’s table. The commander stood as he drew near. The guards hovered nearby. “So, you finally got caught,” he said when he was close enough for James to hear. “This time you went too far. You put Leo in the hospital?”

James said nothing.

“You’re still in uniform,” Denny observed.

“I won’t be here long,” James said. “I don’t belong here.” Denny took a step closer. “You’re
exactly
where you belong.”

“Denny,” the MP warned. “You don’t want to go to solitary over this.”

“You don’t know what I want!”

“You won’t be able to see visitors if you’re in the hole,” Ollie reminded him.

“Just tell me if Audrey’s okay,” Denny demanded, glaring at James but keeping his hands at his sides.

James’s eyes widened. “She’ll be fine.”

“She’ll
be
fine? What does that mean? What did you do?” Denny eyed him suspiciously. What if James
was
leaving the brig shortly?

This might be his only chance.

Sizing up the taller, fitter man, Denny scanned for the spot he’d hit first, hoping to unleash nine months of imprisoned emotion in one swift punch.

A radio squawked on the MPs belt: “Visitors for Prisoner Rose.” Ollie grasped Denny’s arm. “Let’s go.” He continued to glare at James.

Ollie stepped in front of Denny, blocking his view of James.

“Hands forward, Rose. I’m transporting you to your visitors.” Denny sighed and drew his hands together at his waist.

Ollie snapped handcuffs in place. “About face.” He guided the prisoner to visitation.

The moment Denny caught sight of Audrey, a wave of relief crashed over him. She was safe. But he knew he’d never seen her so miserable. She looked as unhappy as he felt.

He brought the phone to his ear, waiting for Audrey to mimic him. When she’d failed to visit him on Sunday, he’d suspected her meet hadn’t gone as planned, and her reluctance now only confirmed his suspicions.

He watched JoAnne cajole Audrey but couldn’t hear their words.

Audrey finally picked up the phone and lifted her head.

“It’s okay if the meet didn’t go so well, Audrey girl.” She exhaled. “Well, I won the one hundred breast again.”

“What’d you go?”

“One-oh-two.”

“That’s right near your best. How was your IM?”

“Two-oh-five — I got third place.” She studied his face.

Attempting to hide his disappointment, he then realized how unimportant swimming was in light of current events. “What am I thinking asking you about your meet?” he said. “First I should find out how Leo’s doing. And are you okay?”

“You know what happened?”

“I just ran into James.”

“Did he hurt you?”

Denny shook his head.

“Did you hurt
him?”

“No. I wanted to, believe me. But you and Mom got here just in time…two minutes later and I might have been in the hole for some time, unable to see you. So thank you.”

“Leo’s father really hurt him, Dad. He had a splenectomy.” She glanced at her mother, who nodded grimly. “We just left the hospital.”

“I’m glad you visited him there.”

She looked down. “Uh, Dad, I wasn’t at the hospital only for Leo.” She sniffed. “I had a miscarriage.” He felt his mouth fall open.

Audrey’s face crumpled. “It was our first time, I promise,” she sobbed. “I-I didn’t think it would happen. It ruined my meet.” JoAnne wrapped her arms around Audrey.

Denny felt sick. He scooted forward on his chair. “James found out about the pregnancy…” he said softly, replaying his recent conversation with the commander.

Audrey gave a culpable nod. “When he found out, he beat Leo unconscious. I was so scared when I saw L-L-Leo lying there. And then, then it happened — I started bleeding and cramping.” Her tears reminded Denny of another girl crying about an unplanned pregnancy. Cameron Walsh. She’d come to him after a swim meet he’d officiated, begging for his help. He’d helped her the only way he could, and thankfully her parents had forgiven him.

Now looking through the glass at his daughter, Denny longed to help her too. But he couldn’t. He wanted to wipe away her tears and squeeze her tight. But he couldn’t. He wanted to shout barbari-cally and hurl a chair across the small visiting room. But he couldn’t.

He could only watch the devastation caused by James Scott play out in front of him. He shook his head. By jettisoning Jason from the family and beating Leo unconscious, James had caused the deaths of both his grandchildren.

“Audrey.” Denny was surprised at the steadiness of his voice. “Look at me.”

She glanced up, trembling.

“I love you, Audrey girl.”

Her head dipped back down, and she seemed to cry harder.

Denny tried to keep it together. “Now, please go wait outside while I speak to your mother.”

“Yes, sir.” Audrey walked out, her eyes barely leaving the floor.

JoAnne took the phone and they stared at each other wordlessly.

Denny spoke first. “I sure didn’t see that one coming.”

“She obviously needs more supervision. I wasn’t there for her.”

“This wasn’t your fault, JoAnne. She’s practically an adult, making adult decisions. Even if you weren’t traveling, you couldn’t be there all the time.”

“Denny, I need to tell you something.” JoAnne hesitated. “I have to go back to New Orleans soon. So, I, uh, I asked Mary and Leo to move in to our home.”

“You
what?”
Denny’s fist clenched. “You just invited the boy who knocked up my daughter to
live
with her?”

“I didn’t know what else to do!” JoAnne cried. “I’m leaving soon — ”

“And by inviting his wife and son to live with Audrey, you bring the menace of James Scott into our home!” Denny grew even more incensed. “What were you thinking?”

“I’m sorry! You don’t know what it’s like to do this all by myself. I have absolutely no help!”

He closed his eyes. A tense silence hovered between them.

“I already asked Mary, and she agreed,” JoAnne finally said.

“There’s no way I can rescind the offer now. And I won’t send Leo back to that house, back to James. I just can’t do it. You didn’t see him, Denny. You didn’t see how badly he was beaten.”

“The only way I allow this is if Leo comes and talks to me. I have some things to say to him.”

“Well, I’ll ask Mary, but I can’t imagine Leo would willingly come to see you.”

“The
only way
. You make sure Leo’s here. If he’s man enough to father a child, he’s man enough to talk to me.” A voice broke in on the line to inform them the visit was over.

“I’m so sorry, JoAnne,” Denny rushed to say. “This is on me. I’m not there to protect you and Audrey.” Before the MP yanked the phone away, Denny whispered, “I’m an anchor.”

Jason grinned from the passenger seat. “Thanks for picking me up.” Cam smirked. “Oh, just another day in the life of dating Jason Scott…You know, attend his sentencing hearing, pick him up from jail, chauffeur him to an AA meeting…” Her eyes left the road for a moment to meet his.

Jason continued her list of duties: “Attend Al-Anon, drive him to the hospital to see his brother…I owe you big time.” Warmth settled in his chest as he looked at her. “How was Al-Anon?”

“Good. I found out I wasn’t the only one retrieving an alcoholic from the courthouse today.”

“Ah, Brett’s wife was at Al-Anon too? I figured she came to post bail after he saved my butt. CS riled up this big dude in the holding cel , then left me alone to deal with him. The cretin was about to pound me when Brett showed up. Then it became two against one again.”

“And you like those odds.” She smiled.

“Yep, the guy changed his mind.” Jason smiled for a moment, then snapped back to the present. “Uh, Cam, can you drive any faster?” There’d been an image in Jason’s head of Leo lying vulnerable in his hospital bed ever since he’d watched the MPs lead CS away from the holding cell.

“Leo will be okay, Jase.”

“Don’t underestimate my father.”

“I know what CS is capable of. That’s why I handled it.”

“Cam?” Jason’s voice rose with reproach. “What’d you do?”

“After the detective told me how badly Leo was hurt, I went to Captain Payson to make sure your dad wouldn’t weasel out this time.”

“Really? How’d he take it?”

“He was shocked. He said he’d make sure to protect Leo.” As Cam parked in the hospital garage, Jason shook his head.

“That was freaking brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because I’m smarter than you.”

Jason laughed and stroked her hand, rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. “Now the Navy knows. They can’t turn a blind eye to the abuse anymore.”

“They better not.”

“Now I
really
owe you.” He grinned.

“Big time.”

To express his gratitude, Jason delivered an urgent kiss.

“Wow,” she mumbled, smoothing her fingers over the stubble on his jaw. “Not only a kiss, but free exfoliation too.”

“Do you need anything before I leave, Leo?” Mrs. Rose asked, standing over Leo’s hospital bed.

“I’m fine, ma’am.”

“You sure? I’ll be gone over an hour while I check on Audrey and bring your mother back.”

“I’m sure, ma’am.”

Mrs. Rose nodded faintly and left.

Leo sighed. He was so sick of being in bed, so sick of people staring at him with thinly veiled pity. He’d been a strong, untouch-able athlete. Now he couldn’t even go to the bathroom on his own.

Audrey
. He missed Audrey.

She was the only one who truly
saw him
when she looked at him. Everyone else — the surgeon, the nurses, Captain Payson, his mother, even his brother — stared at his wounds while trying to hide their distress. They were distracted and repelled by the welts covering his body, and they couldn’t see past them. Nobody saw an athlete, a scholar, a boy who tried to do the right thing — all they saw was an abuse victim. They saw the son of an abuser, nothing more. Leo wondered if he was forever marked.

Worst of all was the Navy social worker who’d taken photographs of his injuries — a stranger forcing light conversation as she recorded evidence. All privacy was out the window, and Leo felt the heat of a huge spotlight, highlighting his helplessness and humiliation.

“Leo?”

Looking up, he found Coach Matt in the doorway wearing jeans and a tie-dyed shirt that read
Gratefully Deadicated to Swimming
.

“You came to visit me.”

“Of course. When you didn’t show up to practice, I figured you were either getting a huge head after that meet you had and thinking you didn’t need to practice anymore, or sneaking off somewhere with Audrey to get a room.”

Leo smiled.

“I called your house to chew you out, but there was no answer.

So I called the Roses’.” Matt’s smile faded. “And your mom told me you were here.”

Leo turned away. “Did she tell you what happened?”

“Yeah, you had a splenectomy.”

“A swimectomy, you mean,” he mumbled.

“What was that?”

Leo set his jaw and stared straight ahead. “I can’t swim for six weeks, sir.”

“I heard that too.” Matt paused. “So you’ll miss nationals, our last meet together, and I won’t get credit for coaching the first spleenless swimmer under twenty seconds in the fifty.”