Molly appeared with two steaming cups in her hands. “Here guys, have some apple cider.” She placed the cups down, gave Hunter a kiss on the head, sat and held his hand.
Ginger’s eyes were vacant after the tears, and that worried Jimmy. She stared at her lap where her folded hands were busy wringing themselves together.
Jimmy nodded at Hunter. “What happened?”
Hunter shifted in his seat. He rubbed his head, making a swishing sound in the silence of the house that intertwined with the flicker from the candles. “We found Patrick.”
Everyone at the table shifted closer to the light, except for Hunter and Ginger. Jimmy felt a twinge of pain prodding his ribs as a reminder of his last encounter with Patrick.
“Did he recognize you?” Scout asked.
“No. I’m supposed to meet him tomorrow. He’s going to give me some easy job to earn my chips.”
Raven laughed. “That’s perfect. You’re in.”
Hunter didn’t say anything more. His brow knotted tightly like his head was about to explode. He swayed in his chair, agitated by something other than finding Patrick.
Jimmy looked from Hunter to Ginger, him with the anger, her with the sadness that was pulling Jimmy emotionally apart. His concern rose like a flash flood through a dry creek bed. “What else happened?”
Hunter glanced at Ginger, sighed and spread his hands on the table. His knuckles were red and swollen.
“You got into a fight,” Jimmy said.
“How did you know that?” Hunter asked. Jimmy pointed and Hunter hid his hands underneath the table. “Yeah, I had to.”
“Not with Patrick?”
“No, he helped me.”
Ginger stood and hurried from the room.
Molly pushed Jimmy down gently when he tried to go after her. She said, “Let me.”
Jimmy settled reluctantly into his chair. “What happened?”
“Some guy started messing with Ginger.”
Jimmy’s throat constricted and a cold lump dropped into his stomach. He narrowed his eyes. “Messed with her how?”
“First he was just hitting on her, being rude and stuff. The next time he was grabbing at her. That’s when I got into the fight.”
The cold expanded outward and froze Jimmy solid where he sat; he couldn’t move, speak or climb up on his chair and scream. He wanted to throw both his fists through the table and head for the front door on his way to find the kid that had touched Ginger.
He had one question. “What did you do?”
Hunter flared like a struck match. “What do you think I did? I beat the shit out of the guy! And then Patrick finished him up. Apparently the kid has a reputation.”
“Tommy the Perv,” Raven said. Hunter nodded. She shrugged at Jimmy. “Sorry, I forgot about him.”
Hunter’s face split into a humorless smile. “Well, we won’t have to worry about him anymore. Patrick told him to leave town. I’m pretty sure the kid took the advice.”
Jimmy’s mind processed the events and he came away feeling more than a little angry. Number one, he hadn’t been there. Number two, someone touched his girlfriend and he hadn’t been there. Number three, he now felt like he owed the kid that once beat him close to death some type of gratitude, all because he hadn’t been there.
“Where are you meeting Patrick tomorrow?” Raven asked.
“Back at the cafeteria for breakfast,” Hunter said. “Do you know what kind of work I’ll be doing?”
Raven rolled her eyes. “Something easy, I bet. Patrick doesn’t get his hands dirty, unless there’s a fight. Which cafeteria were you at again?”
“Place called Jackson’s Joint.”
Raven made a face. “Yeah, that place was always disgusting.”
“It still is.”
“Scout and I can start there,” she said. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and pick up his trail.”
“Why? I’m set up to meet him in the morning. You guys don’t have to risk yourselves tonight.”
Scout jumped from his chair. “Oh, yes we do. I can’t stay in this house a straight twenty-four. I’ll go crazy. Plus, every second counts. Right, Jimmy?”
“Cut the crap, Scouty,” Hunter said.
Jimmy broke out of his thoughts. “We’re close now. Let’s not get careless. We’re lucky Hunter and Ginger made it back tonight. I worry about you two just as much as I do for them when you’re out there.”
“Then why aren’t you waiting at the window when we get back?” Scout asked.
“That’s my job,” Molly said, reentering the room. “I promised your sister, remember? Why do you think I sleep on the couch?”
“Because Hunter snores.”
“Good point.” Molly touched Jimmy on the shoulder. “She wants to see you. Just take it slow with her. She’s under a lot of emotional strain right now.”
Kicking his chair back, Jimmy pushed off the table with a great deal of nervous energy. The chair clattered over. Molly gave him a funny look, but he walked into the dark hallway before she could evaluate his behavior further. A light shone under the door to the bedroom he and Ginger shared. The candlelight wavered when he opened the door, but the small flame quickly regained its brilliance.
Ginger sat on the bed staring at the flickering flame, her feet on the floor, hands folded in her lap. He never liked the idea of her coming on this rescue mission, but feared he wouldn’t make it back to see her before his birthday. Seeing her like this caused him to regret his selfishness. She was everything to him now.
Anger rose up in Jimmy again, but he buried the feeling deep and closed the lid. The time for anger had passed. Hunter settled the score, and Jimmy was confident his brother did it right. Ginger was here and Jimmy only wanted to be here for her. He sat down next to her, letting a quiet moment pass.
“I made candles today,” Ginger said.
He nodded. “That’s an important job.”
“I’m so sorry, Jimmy.” She brought her hands up and caught her tears before they fell. “I didn’t know what to do.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “What happened is not your fault. I’m just glad you’re back and you’re safe.”