Written in the Sand (Pacific Shores Book 4) Read online

  Her attorney steepled his fingers. “And did Remington run off to Portland last week?”

  She swallowed. “He did. But then he felt bad and came home.”

  “And who did he call when he was on his way home?”

  “He called me.”

  He gave her a nod of assurance. “That will be all, Miss Ross. Thank you for your time.”

  “Cross examine?” The judge asked the other attorney.

  He declined.

  “Any other witnesses, counselor?” the judge asked as Riley returned to her seat.

  Riley’s attorney called Remington to the stand.

  Riley felt sure that if she had eaten any breakfast that morning, she would at this very moment be in the ladies’ room casting it up. She would have given just about anything to spare Remington from going through this.

  Remington looked small in the witness box, his head and shoulders barely rising above the low wall that separated it from the rest of the room. But when his attorney asked him how old he was, his voice rang out clear and firm. “Fourteen.”

  “And do you have a preference of whom you’d rather live with while your mom is incarcerated?”

  Remington nodded. “I do.”

  Riley held her breath. Please, Rem, don’t do anything stupid.

  “And who would that be?” Remington’s attorney paced before the stand.

  “My sister, Riley.”

  Riley’s relief rushed out in an audible release of air.

  Jalen hadn’t taken her hand again, but he reached over now and patted her knee with a smile of support.

  “Why do you want to live with your sister?”

  “Because, for as long as I can remember, she’s been the one who’s taken care of me. And because I’ve only ever met my uncle once, and he only wants me so he can have the money from the support checks my dad will send him.”

  “Objection!” Uncle Doyle’s attorney jumped to his feet. “The boy can’t know the reasons. My client has his best interests at heart, Your Honor.”

  The judged waved him back into his seat. “Sit down, counselor. Objection granted.”

  Remington’s lawyer said he had no more questions, and Uncle Doyle’s lawyer declined a cross examination, apparently afraid of what Rem might say to any of his questions. So their attorney gave a few words in closing.

  Everything he’d offered up seemed paltry and inadequate in the face of all the recriminations the court had heard about her this morning, but it was going to have to do. She didn’t have anything but the truth on her side.

  Riley realized the time for the judge to offer her decision had arrived as silence settled.

  The judge simply stared at the podium in front of her for a long minute. Then she glanced up as though suddenly realizing there were people waiting for her to make a decision.

  Her gaze bounced off Riley’s as she banged her gavel. “Court will recess for thirty minutes while I consider my judgment on this case.”

  Everyone stumbled to their feet as the judge rose and made a hasty exit.

  Riley realized she was chewing on her fingernail and yanked her hands down, folding them in front of her. Her stomach still felt like it might empty its contents right there in front of everyone.

  Rem turned from where he was standing and gave her a pleading look that held an apology and a cry for help all in one. Uncle Doyle turned and glowered at her, causing her stomach to drop. She frowned. Shouldn’t they all be on the same side here? Wanting only what was best for Rem?

  Jalen cupped one hand to the back of her neck and squeezed gently, and she had to admit she didn’t know what she would have done without him there by her side. “Jalen, thanks for being with me. Win or lose, God’s in control. I’m trying to remember that. But it helps to have…a friend.”

  His hand tightened. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  Dakota approached, wearing an expression of uncertainty. Taysia was by her side, looking like she was there for moral support, her one-year-old daughter, Zoe, on her hip.

  Riley leapt out of her seat and threw her arms around Dakota. “It’s okay.”

  “I’m so sorry! They forced me with a subpoena.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You only told the truth.”

  Riley also gave Taysia a quick hug and pinched Zoe’s chubby cheek, eliciting a cute grin around her pacifier.

  Taysia offered a smile of encouragement. “Marie said to tell you she’s praying. She’s covering the gym for me today so she can’t be here.”

  “I know she’d be here if she could.” Riley turned back to Dakota.

  There was moisture in Dakota’s eyes. “What they didn’t let me say was that you are not the same woman today that you were back then. You’ve figured out you are special and valuable. And I should have been allowed to say so.”

  “Thanks. At least I was allowed to say so. Hopefully the judge will keep that in mind.” Riley squeezed Dakota’s hand and that was when she felt the ring. Her eyes widened and she glanced down. The rock sparkling on Dakota’s finger was surrounded by rubies, and graced her hand perfectly. “Dakota!”

  Dakota’s face pinked, and just then Justus stepped up by her side.

  Jalen grinned and held out a hand to the man. “Congratulations, my friend. When’s the big day?”

  Justus shook his hand, but his gaze slid to Dakota. “We’re still discussing that.”

  Dakota blinked innocently. “For some reason the man thinks three months is too long to be engaged.”

  Riley did her best to smile at the levity of the moment. “I’m sure you two will get it all figured out.”

  Jalen turned his attention to Zoe then, making faces and crazy noises. She giggled and held out her pacifier to him, as though she wanted to share it.

  Riley smiled. Zoe was so adorable. She had Kylen’s dark curls, and Taysia’s blue gray eyes, soft round cheeks, and always a ready smile. Riley didn’t think she’d ever heard the baby cry.

  Jalen pretended to gobble up the pacifier, much to Zoe’s delight. She giggled and tucked her head shyly into Taysia’s shoulder. But after only a few seconds she must have changed her mind, because she turned back to him and held out her arms, leaning toward him, and obviously wanting him to hold her.

  “Wow,” Taysia said as she passed the baby over to him. “That’s high praise, coming from this one. She’s always more than willing to flirt, but only so long as it’s from the safety of Kylen’s or my arms.”

  Dakota poked Jalen’s shoulder. “Jalen is like a baby magnet. Every time I’ve been at his and Justus’s old church he’s had a different baby in his arms.”

  Justus clapped Jalen on one shoulder. “You better get busy finding a woman to give you a passel of your own kids.”

  Justus’s words might not have carried so much punch except that right at that moment Jalen looked at Riley as he bent to blow a raspberry against one of Zoe’s little cheeks. She felt the look all the way to her toes. The man obviously wanted children of his own one day. Deserved to have children of his own one day.

  Dakota and Taysia, who both knew Riley’s situation, exchanged glances.

  Dakota cleared her throat and took Justus’s hand. “How about we go get a coffee before the judge comes back in?” She cast Riley an apologetic look, her gaze bouncing to Jalen and back, before ending with a sad smile and a wink of encouragement as she and Justus walked away.

  Riley swallowed away the remorse and depression that threatened to blanket her. No matter how nice it had felt to have Jalen’s support today. No matter how much she wanted to give in and see if a relationship between them might work, she had to let that desire go and quit being selfish.

  For his sake.

  She needed to end this right away before it got any more complicated and difficult.

  Chapter 6

  Riley’s heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest as she watched Jalen hand the baby back to Taysia.

  Taysia said she was going to run change Zoe and headed towards the lobby, after another quick hug to Riley’s neck.

  Riley and Jalen resumed their seats. Riley fiddled with the ring on one finger for a minute trying to work up the courage to do what she knew needed to be done. If she didn’t cut the strings right now she might never have the strength to do so.

  She looked over at him. “Jalen, I really appreciate you being here. But you don’t have to hang out here all morning. I’m sure you have other things to do. I’ll be fine.”

  He only looked at her with that gently intense expression that almost made her feel like he could read her mind. For a long moment he didn’t say anything. His gaze moved beyond her to the door that Taysia and Zoe had just exited through. And then he looked back at her, a slight furrow in his brow. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  She pressed her lips together. Nodded. Tucked her thumbnail between her teeth. She dared not say any more. The man was far too perceptive for her good. Once today was over. Once he wasn’t sitting by her side all supportive and enticing, then she’d find the strength to push him away.

  The minutes dragged by after that, and if Jalen hadn’t given her an old receipt from his back pocket with the instructions “Here, torture this,” all her nails would have been gone by the time the judge came back into the room.

  As it was, when the woman did reappear, the receipt was a little pile of shredded pills on the seat beside her.

  Riley kept her hands firmly fisted and as far from Jalen as possible this time, determined to begin dealing on her own with whatever the situation would be.

  Judge Mason peered at the courtroom over her bifocals.

  Riley held her breath, afraid to miss even one word as the judge began her decision.

  “First I’d like to say that I believe every young man who is Remington Ross’s age ought to have a strong father figure in his life. It is the court’s opinion that the lack of a good father-figure is what has filled so many of our jails with young men and women.”

  Riley’s world turned black around the edges. Uncle Doyle was going to win custody!

  As if he sensed it too, her uncle turned and offered her a triumphant smile.

  “Second, I would like to say that this has not been an easy decision for me.” The judge paused and sipped from a glass of water.

  Riley felt like she just might leap across the bar and shake the ruling from the woman. She gripped the edges of her seat to keep herself from doing anything rash.

  The courtroom was so quiet that the judge’s glass reconnecting with her podium was distinctly heard. “While Miss Ross can and should be held responsible for her past actions, it appears to the court as though she’s turned over a new leaf and is doing her best to move on from some admittedly big red flags. What she can’t be held responsible for are the actions of her brother who is obviously young and rash. The fact that it was to her he turned when he was returning home and not to anyone else speaks volumes to their relationship, and to Miss Ross’s care for the boy.” She paused for another sip of water.

  Riley gripped her seat so hard that her arms ached. If the woman took one more drink she just might throttle her!

  Judge Mason skimmed the room, her focus flitting first from Rem, then to Riley, and finally onto Uncle Doyle.

  Jesus please…

  “Thus it is my judgment that Remington Dylan Ross be remanded over to the temporary custody of his sister.” Judge Mason’s gavel fell with a loud smack, and she gathered her papers and exited the courtroom.

  Riley sat stock still for only a fraction of a second and then she was on her feet, through the bar, and with her arms around Remington’s neck. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.

  “Riley!” Remington pushed her away. “It’s not like we didn’t drive here together this morning. Just chill.”

  But Riley could tell from the spark of life in his eyes that he was just as happy about the decision as she was.

  She mussed his hair. “And it’s not like I’m not going to have chores for you to do when we get home today, either.”

  He groaned audibly.

  Riley didn’t care. She was just so relieved, she wanted to cry. One hurdle down and only another year or lifetime of them to go. She sighed.

  Uncle Doyle grumbled something to his lawyer and then brushed by them without even pausing to say hello. And Riley couldn’t say she was sorry to see his back as he slapped open the courtroom doors and stormed from the room.

  At the rear of the room, Dakota and Taysia had their arms around each other, their heads tipped together, and big smiles on their faces as they looked at her. Baby Zoe bounced up and down gleefully on Taysia’s hip, as though she too were rejoicing in the decision. The girls both gave her a thumbs-up.

  Riley smiled her thanks for their support.

  Her gaze connected with Jalen’s. His hands in the pockets of his slacks, he was watching her with a tender expression of joy on his face.

  Every young man ought to have a strong father-figure in his life. The judge’s words came back to her and she felt an urgent sense of responsibility toward her brother.

  Maybe she would ask Jalen if he would mind spending some extra time with Remington, but only for Remington. She would steel herself from anything more personal. In fact she would just stay as far away as possible when Jalen was around.

  And she would work at reshoring up the walls around her heart, because the man seemed to be able to breach them without even trying.

  Jalen stood by his rig and watched Riley hurry Remington to her Jeep. He jingled his keys in his pocket and clamped his tongue with his side teeth. Something had changed in there and he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. One minute he was thinking maybe he hadn’t blown things with her as badly as he’d feared the other night, and the next she was stiffer than a desiccated starfish.

  She pulled from the parking lot not even giving him a second glance.

  Ouch.

  Sighing, he pressed the unlock button on his key fob, pulled open his door, and slid into his seat. But for a long minute he rested his wrists against the top of the wheel and just stared out at the hedge on the other side of the walkway in front of his rig.

  His sister Celina’s face came to mind. When was the last time he’d thought of her? It had been so many years and he’d only been young when her husband had punched her, hurtling her across a room where she’d struck her head and died. But he remembered Mama’s worry and fretting in the months before that. They’d all known something wasn’t right. Celina, normally so confident and full of life, had become distant and guarded.

  Guarded.

  That was the perfect word to describe Riley. Jalen knew she’d been abused by Nate. And he suspected she’d been abused, especially emotionally, by her father too.

  Lord… He lowered his forehead to the steering wheel. Help me to give her what she needs. I know what I want, but help me to put her first. She’s already had so many people misuse her. I don’t want to be added to that list. So give me patience, Father. Where I would rush in and press for my way, remind me to give her space and time. But help her to see that You know the plans You have for her and that they are to prosper her and not to harm her. To give her a hope and a future.

  With a breath, he forced himself to start the rig. Back out of his slot. Pull onto the street.

  His hands were tight around the steering wheel and he forced them to relax.

  He would give her time. He wouldn’t call her unless she opened the door to it first. But… Lord… That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be praying like a mad man in the meantime.

  The next day Riley sat in the visitation area of the local jail and waited for an officer to bring Mom in. Mom would be transferred to a bigger facility, probably by the end of the week, but for now she was still being held in the Marinville jail, and Riley had wanted to visit her right away because after she got transferred she would be several hours away and it would be more difficult to find the time to go see her.

  She’d been praying all morning about what she was going to say to her, and she still wasn’t sure she had all the right words.

  Riley couldn’t help but wince when Mom stepped into the visitation room.

  If anything, her bruising looked worse today than it had yesterday. Her hair was in a wild disarray and her hands trembled visibly when she sank onto the plastic chair on the other side of the table. Her cast thunked against the table when she settled her hands there.

  Riley reached over and took her fingers between her own. Once Mom got into a bigger facility, they might be separated by Plexiglas for visitations. Would this be the last time she got to touch her mother for over a year?

  There were so many questions she wanted to ask. So many reassurances she wanted to offer. But she had no idea where to start, so she simply bracketed Mom’s hands and tried not to blubber like a baby.

  Mom hung her head and played with her fingernails. “I guess I was pretty stupid. I don’t even remember leaving Pete’s that night.”

  Riley held her silence. She could have heartily agreed with that assessment, but she hadn’t come here to criticize or lecture. Jesus, help her to feel Your love through me.

  A quick pain-filled glance, and then Mom asked, “Where’s Rem?”

  “He’s at school. I’ll try to bring him by to see you before you get transferred.”

  “Did you get custody?”

  Riley swallowed. Nodded.

  Mom pursed her lips. “That’s good. I didn’t want him going with Doyle. I know you’ll do right by him.”

  “It would be better for him to have two parents that were doing right by him.” Riley groaned as soon as the words leapt from her mouth. “I’m sorry, Mom. I really didn’t come here to be like that.”

  Surprisingly, Mom didn’t retaliate with a sharp comeback like Riley expected. Instead, she seemed to deflate. “You’re right of course. I’ve made plenty of mistakes.”

  Riley squeezed her hands. “We all have, Mom. And we have to live with the consequences of those mistakes. But the good news is Jesus made a way for us not to have to live with the consequences for eternity. And He can give us joy even as we muddle through the results of our actions here on earth.”