Someone To Watch Over Me
by Purple Lacey
Part 10
The evening was quiet. Dinner was over, and Buck and Ezra had retired to the den. Buck had built a fire in the fireplace and he and Ezra had spent an enjoyable part of the evening playing the racing video game that Buck had bought for the boy the day before. Buck and been very impressed with the Ezra’s dexterity and agile mind. The child had an uncanny ability to assess the dynamic situations found in the fast paced game and determine the appropriate course of action quickly. Much to Buck’s surprise, when Ezra finally won their game it wasn’t because Buck let him win.
The two had wandered to the pinball machines next, with Ezra seated on one of the high wooden stools that sat at the end of each machine. Ezra didn’t care for the machines much at first because his arms were too little to stretch to either side of the games and reach the flipper controls. Buck had solved the problem but pulling his own stool up beside Ezra and the pair had played the machine together, Buck working the control for the left flipper and Ezra the right. Suddenly the game became much more fun for the little boy. Ezra was giggling so hard at one point that it was only Buck’s quick grab that saved him from tumbling off the stool.
The pair had eventually ended up in the big recliner near the fire with a book Ezra had chosen from the library. The boy had nestled cozily in the big man’s lap, leaning against his strong chest and encircled by his loving arms, and felt more contentment and happiness than he had ever guessed was possible. Listening to Buck’s deep voice read the story caused a warm, relaxed feeling that was so completely strange to the child who had learned to be constantly on his guard.
Buck reached the last page and closed the book and let it drop by the side of the chair. Neither Buck nor Ezra felt any great desire to move. Both just enjoyed the quiet time in the other’s company. Buck really hated to spoil the peaceful moment, but he had made a promise to the others and had put if off all day. He knew he couldn’t put it off any longer.
“Ezra,” he said softly. The boy leaned his head back slightly to look at him in question. “I have some news for you. I want you to listen to what I have to tell you, but I don’t want you to be afraid.”
Buck could immediately feel the tension return to the boy’s body. He sighed in regret for having to upset the boy this way.
“The police have arrested your stepfather. They are charging him because he hurt you. He’s not supposed to do that. It’s against the law. He will have to have a trial and hopefully will be sent to jail for a long time. I wanted to tell you what’s going on because you will have to talk to the police about how he hurt you.”
“He’ll just get mad,” Ezra said in a tiny voice and tears began to fill his eyes and overflow down his cheeks. “He’s really mean when he’s mad.”
Buck pulled the child closer and whispered fervently, “It doesn’t matter how mad he gets, Ezra. He won’t be able to hurt you again. I won’t let him. And Chris won’t let him. Neither will Vin, or Josiah, or Nathan. You’re not alone anymore, little one. You don’t have to be afraid. We’re all here to stand between you and anyone or anything that wants to harm you.
“But what if he hurts you?” The little voice asked, full of a new worry.
Buck hugged him close again then pulled back to assure him, “He won’t. I’m bigger than he is, and I can be twice as mean when someone I love is threatened. Anyway, I’ve got the guys to watch my back, too. They wouldn’t let him hurt me anymore than they’ll let him hurt you.”
Ezra thought on that for awhile.
“Will you be there when I have to talk to the police?” he asked hesitantly.
“You betcha. Because I’m your legal guardian, they can’t talk to you unless I’m there anyway,” he said confidently.
Ezra relaxed a little with this reassuring news.
“Vin is going to come by tomorrow and we’ll all go to the police station together,” Buck told him.
“Vin is a policeman. Can’t I talk to him?” Ezra pleaded with big eyes.
Buck shook his head sadly and said, “No, I’m afraid not. Vin will be there but another police officer will be the one in charge of the case.”
Buck had been almost as upset as Ezra when Vin had phoned him just this morning with the news that he had been pulled from the case because his captain thought he was too emotionally involved. He had sent the case to the Special Victims unit who, he stated, were better qualified to handle such cases.
The only concession Vin had been able to wrest from the man had been to make sure the case had been assigned to one particular detective. Detective Susan Torrance had gone through the academy with Vin and he knew she was like a bulldog - she never gave up. She had the second best conviction rate of any cop in the precinct; Vin himself having the distinction of being first.
Vin had assured Buck that Detective Torrance was good with children and had lots of experience in questioning them. She would do everything possible to make it as trauma-less for Ezra as was possible. Vin had already turned over his notes and reports to the woman along with copies of the pictures of Ezra’s injuries that he had taken at the hospital, and had a long talk with her. She was not adverse to his help, but had made it clear that it was her case. She would tolerate no interference in the way she decided to run it.
Vin had relayed the request from Torrance to question Ezra the next day. She had offered to come to their house but Buck had not wanted Ezra to have the bad memories he would be reliving tainting his happiness in his new home. The man wanted the house to be Ezra’s refuge from them. Therefore, Buck had agreed to bring the child down to the police station at ten o’clock the next morning.
Ezra had been quiet for the rest of the evening and while he was getting ready for bed later. Buck tried to reassure him as best he could but Ezra would only look at him with a worried expression and nod his head. Lying next to the boy tucked into the big four poster bed, Buck had to read three books to the child before he relaxed enough to even get drowsy. Every time Buck moved, even if he was only shifting position to get more comfortable, Ezra would instinctively clutch at his shirt to hold him close before he realized what he was doing and would release his hold on the man.
When Ezra’s eyes eventually began to close, Buck started to get up and tuck him in but Ezra’s sleepy little whisper stopped him in his tracks as the child said, “Please...don’t go.”
The murmured plea of the drowsy little boy melted the heart of the big man looking down at him and Buck slid down until he was fully reclining beside him. Buck made sure Ezra was tucked in and then laid his arm across the boy’s waist to pull him closer.
“I’m here, little man. I won’t leave you,” he promised. He stroked Ezra’s hair lightly for awhile and watched as the child finally slipped into a deep sleep. Buck closed his eyes and soon followed the child into slumber.
Across the room in the deepest shadow, an Angel smiled tenderly at the sight of the man sleeping on top of the covers next the little boy. Larabee silently walked across the room to the walk-in closet and reached on to the top shelf to retrieve the extra blanket that was kept there. He unfolded it and spread it across the sleeping man. Then he faded back into the shadows to resume his watch over both his charges.