Glynna Kaye - Look-Alike Lawman

If this past weekend his sister Violet hadn’t told him of the challenges she and Jack faced growing up without a dad, he’d have minded his own business. If Maddie hadn’t shared the struggles her soon-to-be stepdaughter experienced when her father had been absent during her earliest years, or Gray hadn’t been reminded of the impact the church youth coach Reggie Lenard had on his own life, he’d never have considered it.

If he hadn’t seen that stupid cowboy hat in a truck stop...

So, bottom line, he was good with being let off the hook. God was looking out for him, as He had the night he’d dived off that balcony to elude an unhappy guy with a gun.

His plate was already stacked high enough, what with physical therapy to get a dislocated shoulder back in shape and trying to find his dad. He’d scheduled a few days off this week to devote time to the latter pursuit. He could only hope and pray he’d be the bearer of good news soon.

He’d pulled the steak from the grill and deposited it onto a plate when his cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number as work or family related, but maybe it was someone responding to a query about his dad’s whereabouts.

“Wallace.”

“Grayson Wallace?”

The lilting, feminine tone didn’t sound like your typical telemarketer.

“Speaking.”

“This is Elise Lopez—Cory’s mother.”

Well, well, well. He eased himself into a nearby patio chair, picturing her as he’d last seen her—arms folded and dark eyes pleading with him to get lost. Sensing the armor around her from the moment their gazes first met at the school, he had no idea how he’d gotten up the nerve to hand her his business card. She’d probably thought it a mighty bold move. After last night’s send-off, he never expected she’d use it. Had she thought of yet another reason why having him around wouldn’t be in her son’s best interests and was dying to share it with him?

“I’m sorry to disturb you this evening,” she rushed breathlessly as if wanting to get the call over with as quickly as possible, “but I’m afraid I’ve underestimated the situation with Cory’s adjustment to school. Do you have time to meet with me this evening? If it’s not too inconvenient, at the coffee shop across the street from the clinic where I work?”

He gave a longing glance at his cooling dinner, but sat up straighter at the note of urgency in her voice. “I can do that.”

“Thank you.”

“Is everything...okay?” Dumb question. Of course it wasn’t or she wouldn’t be talking to him at the moment. It didn’t take a genius to figure out calling a cop for a favor—any cop—was clearly an act of desperation.

“It looks as if—” her words came softly in his ear “—I’ll be taking you up on your offer to spend time with Cory.”

* * *

“I got a call from the school early this afternoon.” Elise leaned forward in the coffee-shop booth next to a window, arms resting on the table as she took in the concerned countenance of the last man on earth she wanted to turn to for help. “He’s been suspended for two days. For fighting. And not just fighting, but for starting the fights.”

Grayson frowned. “Fights. As in plural.”

“Yes.” Could he hear the shame in her words? Know how hard she fought to keep her lips from trembling?

“The first time when playing cops and robbers during recess and he didn’t get picked to be a cop. A relatively minor scuffle. But later in the day there was an altercation in the lunchroom. Cory was showing a classmate a picture of his dad in uniform and an older boy made a comment about Duke not being too bright if he stood there and let someone shoot him.” She took a steadying breath. “I guess that was all it took. Cory bloodied his nose. Another kid joined in and the next thing you know—”

“You’ve got a brawl.”

“Yes.”

“Was Cory hurt?”

Her lips tightened. “Minor scrapes. Bruises. The other boys the same. Nothing of a serious nature...but enough to get him suspended.”

“Were the other boys suspended, too?” To her relief, he sounded as if he was in Cory’s corner, making sure he hadn’t been singled out for punishment.

“One day. Cory got two because both times he threw the first punch.”

Gray let out a gust of breath. “He must have been pushed to the max. My gut instinct is that Cory isn’t a violent-natured kid.”

So did that mean he was willing to help Cory?

She toyed with the coffee mug in front of her. She hadn’t taken a single sip. Grayson’s mug, likewise, sat neglected.

“I spent the afternoon in the school counselor’s office.”

“Does Cory understand the ramifications of what he did? That you had to miss work?”

“I explained that I have to take those hours off without pay or use vacation time that I could have otherwise spent doing something fun with him.”

“And he apologized?”

“To me? Yes. And to his principal and the lunchroom monitor.” She leaned back in the booth seat, recalling the humiliation of the meeting in the counselor’s office. “A couple of the other boys have been in trouble before. Their parents shrugged the whole thing off when I made him apologize to them. It was almost as if they were proud their kids held their own in a fight that warranted a suspension. But I’m ashamed.”

“You weren’t the one who landed a punch.”

“No, but I should have been more alert to how deeply the loss of his father has impacted him. It’s been several months since he’s cried about anything, no matter how upset. Even today, not a single tear. He’d seemed to be adjusting. Did well in kindergarten, but now...”

“Sounds like the other boys know what buttons to push.”

She solemnly traced a finger along the rim of the coffee mug. “Unfortunately.”

“So what do you have in mind? For Cory and me, I mean.”

A young, dark-haired waitress paused at their table and the conversation momentarily halted. The teenager appeared surprised that neither had touched their aromatic brew, but discreetly departed without comment.

Elise pushed her coffee aside. “Miss Gilbert and Mrs. Clifton, his counselor, suggested I take you up on your offer to spend time with him. To see if a responsible male can instill positive reinforcement before—” she paused, then forced the words “—before we seek professional help. I don’t have the financial means for a psychologist, and my insurance doesn’t cover that type of thing. Of course, I’ll do whatever it takes to help Cory, take out a loan if necessary, but—”

“Elise.” Grayson rested a palm on the table, his expression earnest. “When Miss Gilbert approached me about entering the mentoring program, I was dead set against it. I’m not a trained counselor. I’m not even involved in the youth programs at church. I’m not qualified to handle a situation like this.”

“But you offered.” Why did she have to sound so desperate? So needy? What was she doing here begging this man for assistance?’

“I know I did, but—”

“But that was before he turned—” she almost choked on the word “—violent.”

The flattened hand on the table fisted. “Decking a kid who was asking for it is unfortunate. There’s a definite anger control issue coming into play. But Cory isn’t, in my estimation, turning violent.”

She let out a soft sigh of relief. “When you made the offer last night, you must have thought you could help.”

Gray grimaced. “It’s a long story which I won’t go into, but I know of a situation... I learned over the weekend how growing up without a father can affect someone.”

The recently discovered brother and sister he’d mentioned earlier?

“So you see,” he continued, “I’d come back home with my Superman cape on, thinking I could make a difference for Cory by bringing him the hat and hanging out with him. But I’m not educationally qualified for something like this.”