David Baldacci - True Blue

Ty opened his mouth, and though no sound came out it was clear that he was shouting for joy. Mace showed him to how to bank a shot in. Every time he made a basket he would open his mouth, raise his arms in triumph, and then look at his mother. A few minutes later Alisha and Mace chased Ty all over the court as he bounced the ball and played keep-away. Thirty minutes later the two women sat down on a section of pullout bleachers while Ty kept bouncing the ball and hustling around the court.

“Okay, I’m officially worn out,” said Mace as she watched the little boy run.

“He wears me out too. That little apartment ain’t big enough to keep him tired. But it better than some alley.”

“You should feel good you got out of that, Alisha. Real good.”

“That man, Mr. Altman, he say we can stay here long as we want to. And he say he got some folks to look at Ty.”

“He’s a very kind man. If anyone can help Ty, he can.”

Alisha looked around the immense building. “But we can’t be staying here too long. I need to get me a real job. Take care of Ty good. Get going on my own.”

“That will all come, Alisha. It’s all part of the program. Mr. Altman will explain it in more detail.”

“Yeah, that what he said. He wants me to get my GED and then he talking maybe college.”

“That’s great.”

She looked worried. “I don’t know. Folks in college they real smart. And the way I talk and all.”

“The way you talk is fine. And I wonder how many of them could have survived what you did. You can do this. You’re smart too.”

Alisha smiled. “Sound like my granny. Be anything you want to be.”

“You can.”

Alisha stretched out her hand and placed it over the top of Mace’s. “Thank you.”

“Have you talked to Darren?”

“Unh-uh. Thought he call me, but he ain’t.”

“And he knows what Psycho did to you?”

“I know I shouldn’t told him. He in prison when it happened.”

“What was he in for?”

“Carjacking and stuff. Stupid. He got in with some real bad dudes. But he’s smart. He done real good in school. He got a job to help me and our granny. But then she got sick and ain’t had no health insurance. He had to make more money.”

“So drug dealing? Carjacking?”

Alisha nodded. “He got arrested on my birthday. Just turned twelve and he bought me a dress and we were having ice cream in the food court over at the train station. And the blues bust in and then he gone. Didn’t really see him again till he got outta prison. They sent him all the way to Ohio. Ain’t no way I can get there with Ty.”

“You think he might try to go after Psycho?”

Alisha’s lips trembled. “I pray to God he ain’t do something that dumb. Psycho kill him.”

“We’ll do everything we can to make sure that won’t happen.” Mace looked over at Ty as the little boy lined up a shot and made it. “I think Ty needs an uncle in his life. And from what I saw at your apartment Darren is really good with him.”

“Oh, he loves Ty and Ty loves him. Funny because they ain’t been around each other all that long. But it like they know each other a long time, you know what I mean?”

Mace nodded and then her attention turned to the door of the gym as it shot open.

“Darren!” Alisha cried out and jumped to her feet.

Ty stopped bouncing his ball and looked around at his uncle.

Right behind Darren was Rick Cassidy, his arm on Darren’s shoulder.

“You know this guy?” said Cassidy.

“We do,” said Mace. “What’s going on?”

“Caught him climbing the south wall,” said Cassidy.

As she drew closer Mace could see that Cassidy had placed a gun against the small of Darren’s back.

“It ain’t like I gonna just walk up to the door of a place like this and knock,” said Darren sullenly.

“You should’ve given it a try,” said Mace in a scolding tone. “We would have let you in.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Rick, you can lose the gun,” said Mace quietly as she saw Ty running toward them.

“Okay, but I confiscated two pistols from him.”

“Keep ’em for now.”

“You sure, Mace?”

“I’m sure.”

Rick holstered his gun and patted Darren on the shoulder. “You were actually pretty stealthy coming over the wall and you sure can run. Might make a good Navy SEAL.”

“Yeah? Well, I don’t see that in my career future, okay?”

“Never know.” Cassidy turned and left.

Alisha put her arms around her brother while Ty gripped his legs.

“Okay, okay, don’t knock me over, little guy,” Darren said in a mock angry tone. He reached down and lifted Ty up.

“I was worried ’bout you,” said Alisha. “Tried calling, but you never answered.”

“Got tied up doing stuff.”

“How’d you know she was here?” asked Mace.

Darren smiled. “That lady at Social, Carmela? Think she likes me. And the Razor got him some moves.” He glanced at the door. “Was that dude really a SEAL?”

“Yep. You’re lucky he took it easy on you.”

“When he grabbed my arm I couldn’t break his grip. Man, it was like steel.”

“Welcome to the world of special forces.”

He looked around. “Damn, what is this place anyway?”

Ty jumped down, picked up his ball, and bounced it back to Darren. Darren caught it, did a couple of dribbles between his legs, and passed it back. Ty bounced the ball down the court and made a layup.

Darren shot his sister a glance. “Who taught him how to do that?”

Alisha pointed at Mace. “She did.”

“Hey, Razor, why don’t you go play with your nephew for a while,” said Mace. “And keep all thoughts of Psycho from your head.”

“Ain’t nothing gonna do that, woman. Playing with Ty or not.”

“See, that’s the very reason you should. Ty and Alisha need you, Darren. Not in prison. And not dead. You let me worry about Psycho.”

“What you gonna do about Psycho? You can’t do shit about him.”

“All I’m asking is that you let me try. That’s all.”

“Please, Darren,” said Alisha. “Please.” She gripped his arm tightly.

Darren looked back and forth between the two women. Then he pulled free from Alisha. “Gotta go teach my little man some street moves.”

He jogged down the court to join Ty.

Mace’s phone rang. It was Roy. His message was brief, blunt, and yet stunning.

“Alisha, I’ve got to go out for a while. Just chill and I’ll be back, okay?”

“Okay. Sure.”

Mace ran to her Ducati.

POTOMAC CRYOBANK, LLP. You sure this is the place?” Mace asked Roy as she looked up at the sign over the door.

They were standing outside of a white brick building just off M Street in Georgetown. They’d driven over on her Ducati. The place was less than a ten-minute walk from Shilling & Murdoch.

“It’s not like there are fertility clinics and sperm banks on every corner. Based on what the Captain told me, this is it. It’s the only one within walking distance. And it’s white.”

They went inside and spent five minutes getting nowhere with the receptionist. Finally, a thin woman dressed in white pants, a blue smock, and rubber-soled shoes came out, steered them to a room off the foyer, and seated them at a small table.

“So what exactly is this about?” she asked sternly.

Roy explained as much of the situation as he could.

“That’s ridiculous,” said the woman.

“Why?” asked Roy.

“This person claims he just walked in off the street and was paid two hundred dollars for a semen donation?”

“That’s right. Why is that ridiculous?”

“You don’t know much about sperm banks, do you, Mr. Kingman?”