Pathfinder

Part 2 - 20

TWENTY – BRODY

After hearing Lexi's voice, over the phone, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was prepared to do whatever it took to get my nephew back, safely, even if that meant sacrificing my own life. On the other hand, I wanted to live through this because I suddenly, very much, wanted to see Lexi Green face-to-face, even just one more time. I wanted to see how life had changed her. If it changed her. I needed to know that she was happy. I'd hate to learn that I'd sacrificed everything, throwing our love aside, only to have her living an unhappy existence. I kind of wanted to punch Lance in the nose again, now that I thought about it.

I had to save Ricky first, before I could figure anything else out. I studied the seedy motel, where I'd tracked Ricky's cell phone, so I knew they were holed up inside. Now I understood what dad had always meant when he said, money could buy you anything. I'd only had to make one phone call and write one check, before I knew where Ron had taken Ricky. The cell phone company cracked so fast, when I flashed money their way, that I was considering buying the company in order to take it over and make everyone's life more secure. If I owned the company, I'd make sure people's privacy was guarded. On the other hand, they might have just saved the life of my nephew. Dad had been wrong though. Money couldn't buy you everything. It couldn't buy you love. Sure, it could buy you a wife like the Whitney's of the world, but the Lexi's of the world weren't interested in shallow riches. That's why the Lexi's were more valuable.

Deciding I'd wallowed in self-pity long enough, I pulled out my cell phone and made another call, "Ty, I need your help."

"Brody Vincent, long time no talk to, man." Tyler Gnome said, instantly recognizing my voice. We hadn't talked in years. I'd gone into business with my father and Tyler, surprisingly, was now a cop. If anyone had told me that trouble-making class-clown, Tyler Gnome, would become a cop someday, I'd have called them crazy.

"Yes, it's been a long time."

"You sound serious. You're not going to talk me into something that would get me fired, right?" Tyler said, chuckling. When I didn't join in his humor, Tyler cursed, "Seriously, Brody, what's going on?"

I quickly explained everything, but hastily added, "Don't be sending a fucking swat team, Ty. All I need for you to do is show up at the Motel 6 in about five minutes. Keep your siren off. Better yet, park down the street. I'm hoping this will go smoothly and you can just arrest the fucker."

"Brody, I don't like the sound of this. I really think I should tell my—"

"Ty! Don't you dare tell anyone else, you hear me? I'm trusting you with this. This could mean life or death for my nephew. Ron Depew is off his hinges and I don't trust him not to do something stupid if a bunch of cops show up. I'm hoping, by the time you get here, I'll already have him detained and you can just slap the cuffs on him." I tell him with more confidence than I felt, as I watch a maid heading toward Ron's door with a stack of towels. Again, all I'd had to do was flash my wallet at the motel's front desk and I had a room number. I quickly told, Tyler, "Shit, I've got to go."

I disconnected the call, shoved the phone into my pocket and hurried to intercept the maid. A fifty dollar bill was all it took for her to knock on the door, say, "Housekeeping" before she walked away, leaving me holding the towels. Ron opened the door a second later and I threw the towels in his face, at the same time I tackled him. Ron began fighting me and I didn't have time to glance around, looking for Ricky. I pulled my fist back and then cracked it against Ron's face, several times, before he slumped, only semi-conscious now.

Ron tried correcting his focus, by blinking, as I growled, "You messed up, Fucker. Nobody messes with what's mine. I'll have your parental rights terminated. You don't deserve those kids and you definitely never deserved my sister. That proves how fucked up dad's thinking was when he set you two up. You're done in this town. I'll see you rotting behind bars, if it's the last thing I do."

"Alright, you can get up, Brody. We'll take it from here." Tyler Gnome stepped into the room, along with another officer. It had taken them less than five minutes to get there, considering the police station was only two blocks away.

I glared at Tyler for involving someone else and I glared at the other cop for intruding on what I deemed a family matter. I rolled off Ron anyway and hopped to my feet, glancing around for Ricky. I didn't see him, but the bathroom door was shut, with a chair wedged under the knob, keeping it locked from the outside. I went over to it, tossed the chair aside, and opened the door. Ricky sat, huddled in the bathtub, trembling, and the sight cracked my already battered heart. I whispered, so not to scare him, "Ricky."

Ricky's head snapped up and his watery eyes met mine, before he scrambled from the tub and threw himself at me. I wrapped my arms around him as he hugged me tight. His voice sounded gravelly when he asked, "You didn't really pay him, did you?"

I chuckled, "No. I just showed up, like the badass I am, and kicked his ass instead. How does that sound?"

Ricky nodded, enthusiastically, "That's awesome. Brody, I don't ever want to see him again. He's not a good dad. I don't want him to be my dad anymore. I'd rather not have a dad than have him."

I pulled Ricky against my chest again, "Don't worry. You'll never have to see him again, if that's really what you want."

"Uh, Brody, we'll need you both to come down to the station. Maybe have Cammy meet us there?" Tyler interrupted.

I nodded, "Yea, we'll see you down there in a few minutes."

On the way to my car, Ricky said, "I bet mom is freaking out."

"Damn straight, she's freaking out. You're her baby." I tell him, ruffling his hair and thanking the God I rarely prayed to that he was alright. Maybe I'd start going to church or something?

Ricky scoffed, "I'm twelve."

I chuckled, "You'll be her baby forever, no matter if you're twelve, twenty, or fifty-two."

What would it be like to love someone like that? Cammy was a great mom and she loved both boys equally and unconditionally. I loved them too, but I was sure an Uncle's love was different. I still remembered when they were little and Ron tried to make them into clones of himself. The douche-bag. Thank God Cammy hadn't allowed a total transformation and as soon as she was free of him, she and I had both done our best to erase any kind of damage Ron had done to them over the years. They were both pretty cool kids. I still couldn't believe that Ronny was fifteen and a sophomore in high school. Was it fate that had brought Lexi back just in time for Ronny to go to her with this Ron problem? If it weren't for that I wasn't sure when and how I'd get to talk to her, but hearing her voice on the phone today had been pure heaven. If only I could somehow figure out a way to make it a regular occurrence without having one of my family members in a life-threatening situation.