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Anne and Evelyn parked on opposite sides of the road facing the town landing. Windows down, motors off, they settled in their seats, apparently content to wait and see what happened. Kate heard the roar of an engine, a water taxi empty but for the captain, throttling up as it pulled away from the dock. Bright white against the royal blue water, its wake tumbled along after like puppies at play. Normally, with so few people around, she would have parked herself on the dock and immersed herself in the splendor of the moment. But she had news to share and an ordeal to face. Where the hell was everyone?
She’d expected a crowd at the dock, like it had been in Stonington, crikey, only yesterday morning. She’d also imagined a bunch of investigators milling about, and, probably off to the side, a contingent from Child Protective Services, everyone looking grim faced and officious. But it was just Tom, standing alone halfway up the hill from the dock, Nick, sitting at the picnic table overlooking the water, and an enormous man, wedged in opposite him, a box of Dunkin Donuts and a liter of Pepsi between them.
Tom looked pleased as hell to see them. Probably relieved they hadn’t made another run for it, thought Kate. She followed Maddy out of the back seat as he approached.
“Kate, they told you? We’ve picked up Whistling Dick.”
“I heard. And a few others. The bad guy’s the one named Eric.”
Tom stared.
“Maddy told me. She’s talking.” They both looked down at Maddy standing at Kate’s side. When she didn’t say anything, Kate rubbed her shoulder and turned her attention back to Tom. “There’s more.” She left the statement hanging.
“Oh. Good. Great. That’s really great, Kate. Both of you. Detective Collier, she’ll want to know. I’ll call it in but first there’s someone here anxious to meet you.” Just as he said this, a full chested guffaw reached their ears, surprisingly high in pitch, but resonating as if from a great well of mirth. It came from the big man with Nick.
Kate looked around, again surprised at how deserted it was. “Where is she?” It hadn’t occurred to her that the person from CPS could be anything other than a woman.
“That’s him, down there, with Nick. Ronald Robinson. Goes by Sonny.”
Kate stared at Sonny, now wrestling himself out of the picnic table. She thought he might end up dragging it with him. He was gigantic, in every dimension, and doughy, like an enormous pillow.
“Let me get your crutches,” said Tom when Kate made no effort to do so herself.
Now free of the table, Sonny continued speaking with Nick between great gulps of Pepsi. Kate could not wrap her head around this man being a CPS envoy. He was bearded, dressed entirely in black and sported colorful, intricate sleeve tattoos on both arms. Rings stretched his earlobes, creating holes the size of quarters. He also wore a wide silver band on his left hand. It was a wedding ring Kate realized and felt chagrined that it surprised her.
Nick said something Kate couldn’t hear, and again Sonny laughed with his whole enormous body, the sound high but full. They shook hands goodbye, Nick’s completely disappearing within Sonny’s pudgy one, and Nick headed up the hill toward the road.
“Good job, Kate,” said Nick with a nod as he passed her.
Kate paused and followed him with her eyes as he headed toward Evelyn’s truck. Another car had pulled up, the driver remaining in his seat like Anne and Evelyn had. Others were arriving by foot. Kate turned her back on them and continued downhill.
“The 4pm ferry,” said Tom by way of explanation. And then more quietly, “Sonny plans to be on it.”
Good job. The ferry. 4 o’clock. Kate felt out of synch with time; words reached her at a delay, their meaning held at bay.
“Kate,” said Tom. They’d come to a stop. She looked at Tom, his brow crinkled. He tilted his head toward Maddy. Kate looked down at her, noticed she was tugging on her shirt. Kate squatted, wobbly on her one good foot, and Maddy whispered in her ear.
“He’s really big.”
“Yeah,” Kate laughed. “He really is.”
Sonny laughed too, although Kate doubted that he’d heard what they’d said. Evidently this was a man who liked to laugh.
“Kate, this is Ronald Robinson. Sonny, this is Kate Brown. And, of course, Maddy Green.”
“Come on up here,” said Sonny, extending a hand to Kate and hauling her back up to her feet with such vigor she actually hopped. “Let me thank you proper. You’ve done right by this little girl and we’re in your debt.”
“I,” was as far as Kate got.
“You too little lady.” Ron scooped Maddy up and propped her on his excessively padded hip. “You did a fine job bringing this injured lady out of the wilderness.”
Maddy was looking at him, eyes wide like saucers, but quiet and still.
Sonny bounced Maddy up and down a bit settling her more comfortably on a roll of fat and leaned her away so he could study her face. “There we go. Now I can see you proper and you can see me. You have great big eyes for such a little girl. All I’ve got are these little squinty things.” Sonny laughed wide and loud, his eyes all but disappearing. Maddy laughed too, short and sweet.
“Tom, I sure appreciate the introduction. I can take it from here.” He didn’t wait for a response but instead swung Maddy around and set her standing on the picnic table. She came up to his chin. He motioned for Kate to come closer and indicated the exact spot where she should stand. “That’s better. Now we can all talk face to face if not exactly eye to eye. Which is important because we have some serious talking to do.”
“Wait,” said Kate. She hadn’t told Maddy anything, hadn’t prepared her in the least. “Wait,” said Kate again.
Sonny did wait. He waited until Kate looked to him for help.
“Kate, it’s been my experience that it’s best for me to explain the situation and for you to lend your support.”
Kate nodded. She smiled wanly at Maddy, who was watching Sonny, and turned her attention back to him too.
“Are you steady enough to hold hands? I’d like the three of us to hold hands but not if you’re going to fall over.” Sonny laughed and Kate and Maddy couldn’t help but laugh a little too.
“No. I mean, yes, I can hold hands. No, I won’t fall over.” Kate extended her hand to Maddy, who took ahold of her thumb. Tears instantly threatened. She looked away, squeezed Maddy’s hand twice, then extended her other hand to Sonny.
“A thumb holder,” said Sonny to Maddy. “Let’s see if you can wrap your little fingers all the way around my thumb too.” Maddy could. The three stood in a circle, Maddy holding thumbs, Kate and Sonny holding hands.
“I always talk about important things holding hands. Holding hands says, we are together, connected, talking and listening to each other, and helping each other.” Sonny waggled Maddy’s hand, looked her in the eye, and then did the same with Kate, before continuing.
“Maddy, the first important thing I need to tell you is that I work for Child Protective Services. That means, my job is to protect children. It’s a big job but I’m a big man and I’m good at it.”
Maddy grinned, let go of Kate and Sonny’s thumbs, and slapped her hands together like an alligator’s jaw.
Kate laughed, then blushed. Sonny was a lot bigger than Detective Anders. He was a lot squishier too.
“She means,” and here Kate blushed again, “you could flatten someone like a pancake. You know, if you needed to.”
Sonny laughed and his whole body shook. “That I could, that I could.”
Kate noticed people walking by headed for the dock, and also how they darted peeks at this strange threesome, curious, perplexed. She heard the distant drone of the ferry. Although it hadn’t yet rounded into view, Kate felt a rising urgency; they were running out of time. If Sonny noticed any of this, he gave no indication. He took up Maddy’s hand in his own and waited for Kate to do the same.
“Fortunately, Maddy, the police handle that part of protecting children. My job is to protect children more like a parent might. I make sure children have enough food to eat, and clothes to wear, and that they have a home to live in with people who love and care for them. Not all children need someone like me to protect them. But some do. Which brings us to the second important thing we need to talk about.”
“She knows,” blurted Kate.
Sonny kept his eyes on Maddy and Maddy looked back and forth between them.
“Maddy knows,” said Kate again, holding her with her eyes. “She knows that her mother died. She was there. We’ve talked about how it wasn’t her fault.”
Tears welled and Kate reached for Maddy, except Sonny didn’t let go of her hand. He didn’t let go of either of their hands. Instead he followed theirs with his own, offering as little resistance as possible without releasing them. It distracted Kate, like the snag of a branch, and she tugged harder.
“Go ahead. You can still hug each other while we hold hands.” He held her hand firmly now, steadying her, as Kate let Maddy pull her closer. Kate’s hip bumped against the picnic table. A crutch clattered to the ground. Their hands still clasped together Kate and Maddy buried their faces in each other’s shoulders.
The moment didn’t last long; the ferry had arrived. The reverse throttle roiled the water as the ferry edged alongside the dock. The metal ramp scraped and clanged as it was put in place. There were voices and movement, a low-level background din.
Sonny squeezed their hands and they turned to face him, their heads resting against each other’s.
“That’s a hard thing to know and you were brave to talk about it,” said Sonny.
Kate raised Maddy’s hand still clasped in her own and they swiped at their wet cheeks with the back of each other’s hands.
“We need to keep talking about it a bit more. You see, Maddy, it’s because your Mom died that I’m here. That’s the second important thing. It’s my job to protect you now.”
Sonny paused and Kate braced herself. She expected Maddy to react, fearful, desperate, like she always did when Kate was out of sight, only worse. Or? Was she happier, all of a sudden, to have this mountain of a man to protect her instead of Kate? She looked neither happy nor sad. It made no sense. She’d heard him; Kate had seen her nod.
Tom and Detective Collier walked by, headed for the ferry. Detective Anders, some of the other investigators were already at the dock. People were milling about, ferrying boxes and carts to-and-fro, stopping to chat. Everyone kept their distance.
Sonny gave their hands a little shake and still did not let go. “Good. You know my job is to protect children, and you know that because your Mom died, it’s now my job to protect you.”
“And Kate,” said Maddy.
Oh Maddy, thought Kate. You think we’ll both protect you, together. Kate quailed. She couldn’t do this.
“Maddy, there’s one more important thing we need to talk about, and that’s what happens next. First we’ll take the ferry back to the mainland.”
“And Kate,” said Maddy again.
“From there, I’ll take you to a nice house with bird feeders and a swing set and some of your things from home. You’ll stay there cozy and safe, while we figure out where you’ll live and grow up after that.”
“And…”
“Maddy,” said Sonny. “Kate can’t come with us. We’ll walk together down to the boat and then we’ll say good-bye.”
Maddy clutched at Kate’s hand, fear written on her face.
“Maddy, it’s the only way. I can’t do what Sonny can. I don’t know how.”
“Kaate,” cried Maddy starting to shake.
Kate squeezed her hand as hard as she could. “I’m with you. My heart is with you. But only Sonny can do this part. Sonny will…”
“You promised,” shrieked Maddy and heads turned. Eyes wide, she yanked her hands away from Sonny and Kate and clamped them over her mouth. Her face turned bright red holding in all that fear and hurt.
“No! No, no,” pleaded Kate. “You are not too loud. This is not your fault. None of it – your Mom dying, me staying. It’s dreadful sorrows, Maddy. We’re all caught up in dreadful sorrows.
“Please, Maddy,” begged Kate, her hands on Maddy’s wrists, gently pulling her hands from her mouth. “That’s why Sonny is here. He knows how to get through dreadful sorrows.”
Slowly Maddy let her hands be pulled away. She sobbed hard, pulling herself onto Kate, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around her. Kate sang to her and Sonny was right there, an arm around Kate, keeping her steady, a great soft hand spanning Maddy’s back.
The ferry’s horn sounded. Loud and short. A moment later, Tom approached, nervous. He picked up Kate’s crutch and stood it within her reach. “They won’t hold the boat.”
“It’s time, Kate,” said Sonny.
Kate shuddered and pivoted so that Sonny could take her. He lifted her, his large hands spanning her back and torso, and Maddy clung to Kate all the harder. Kate reached behind her, pulled Maddy’s legs loose and then did the same with her arms. Maddy clutched at Kate’s shirt and Kate pried that loose as well. The whole time Kate repeated, “I know. I know.”
Fully detached from Kate, Maddy went limp and quiet.
Kate stood, eviscerated.
Sonny positioned Maddy beneath an arm, straddled to his hip and she lay her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were open, and to Kate, seemingly vacant. But then she stuck her finger through the wide ringed hole in his earlobe and touched Sonny’s neck.
He laughed at her touch, a soft, light rumble. “Irresistible, isn’t it? Here, carry this.” He handed her the donut box which she took by the handle and let dangle at the end of her loose arm. Without another word, Sonny scooped up the half empty liter of Pepsi and led the way down to the boat. Maddy, shifted her head from one cheek to the other on Sonny’s shoulder and watched Kate following behind them.
That Maddy would survive their separation hurt Kate in an unspeakable way. It was also right and good. Although she knew this rationally, it was the hurt, and the love that lay beneath it, that most bolstered her resolve.
When they reached the boat ramp, Sonny turned to face her. “Kate, it’s an honor to have met you. You couldn’t have done more for this little girl. We won’t rest until we’ve done the same.”
Kate lifted her fist to Maddy. “She-Ra, Princess of Power.”
“No, no,” cried Maddy, panic seizing her. She wiggled and squirmed, to no effect. She tried to climb up and off of Sonny, the box in her hand smacking his face. He gently took it from her. He was too huge, she too small; the effort it took him to hold her no effort at all. Maddy stopped fighting. She squeezed her eyes shut and clamped herself tightly to him, her small arms unable to reach all the way around his neck.
“It’s okay Maddy. Sonny has you. I’m with you. My heart is with you.”
Sonny stepped on the ramp, the boat listed, and everyone on board averted their eyes. The engine roared to life. Sonny moved to the back corner closest to the dock. The ramp was hauled back, and the bow and stern lines released.
Maddy’s eyes opened as they started to pull away, and she raised her arm outstretched toward Kate.
Kate raised her arm, mimicking the gesture and beamed a smile of reassurance with all her might.
Maddy made a fist, Kate did too, and then their fingers spread wide like fireworks. Kate waved. She kept waving and smiling, long after Maddy’s arm had dropped, long after she was too far away know whether she watched. The ferry receded into the distance in almost no time at all. Kate waved until it disappeared around the bend. Only then did she turn and look toward shore. The crowd that had materialized at the ferry’s arrival was already gone, just a few stragglers making their slow way on foot. Anne was still there, out of her car now and at the window of Evelyn’s truck. Matt sat at on the edge of the picnic table speaking to an islander she hadn’t met. Closest were Nick and Tom, standing side by side, feet wide, arms crossed, being cops.
Nick noticed her looking, slapped Tom on his shoulder, and they walked out to join her where she stood. She told them everything Maddy had said, answered their questions as best she could, gave them a full accounting of everything she’d learned. The questioning completed, they invited her to stay on the island, shared that Anne and Evelyn had both offered to take her in and extended the same invitation to their homes as well.
“Can you still hear the ferry? I almost can. I think. It’s hard to tell.” Kate looked up when they didn’t answer her. “I see. Another boat then.”
“Kate, you shouldn’t be alone tonight,” said Tom.
“Tom,” said Nick. “The team needs your report. Madeline placed Eric at the scene. It will affect the charges they bring against him.”
“Can’t you?”
Nick put his hand on Tom’s shoulder and gestured for them to leave. “Leave her be. The logistics can wait until she’s ready.”