Page 30 of Heal
"I know. It's hard to sit back and wait for answers. I've always hated waiting." He at least knew that the moment they got any information, the STK team would start planning and get the kids out of the home as fast as they could. He just needed to make sure that STK was able to act before CPS got involved. He wanted the adults guilty of the crimes to pay, and not just by being arrested. "We'll find them. Now that we know, we won't give up until we are sure. Speaking of that…" Beau pulled the photos of the kids Lisa had alerted them to out of his pocket. "Lisa and Jeff gave me these when I dropped in earlier. They are still going through photos, but they said they are sure that these kids were at the parties."
Parson walked over and took the pictures, reading the information on them. "I wish I could access the files from here. I'll have the kids and the homes they are in go through an inspection. I'll file a report tomorrow, stating an anonymous welfare check call came in."
Beau shook his head. "Wait on it just for a day or two, will you? Follow up by seeing if there are any connections to Lisa and Jeff's case and see if there are any other ties that might help us flag other cases, but don't report it yet. I don't want to give whoever is behind this any warning that we're onto them. Let Lisa and Jeff get through more photos before we rush in and risk having other victims hidden from us or shuffled around the system into other homes." He really wanted to give the STK team time to act if they could.
"I get why you want me to wait, but I don't know if we should. Every day those kids are stuck with their abusers, they are being hurt." Parson sat down beside Beau on the couch. "I think we need to at least do a home inspection. They aren't uncommon. Every home should get a couple every year to make sure things are going well and there haven't been any changes to the household. I'm sure we're not up to date on all of the inspections, but it won't look strange to have us show up for one."
"It will if it's suddenly only the kids who are being abused that you toss inspections on. We need to be patient. I get it. I want to save these kids too, but by waiting we'll be able to save more without risking losing them."
Parson blew out a long breath. "I can give you a few days, but I need to act on this soon. I have another file of photos for you to take to the kids to look through, but it's not even a fourth of what I have yet to print. I can't sit here knowing children are being raped and do nothing."
Beau reached down and placed his hand on Parson's thigh. "I know. It's hard for me too, but we have to be patient. I promise we'll get them. We'll protect them, but we have a chance at taking down what sounds like a huge pedophile ring. I'd rather find out who is behind all this and take them out of the game if we can."
Parson nodded, his shoulders sagging as he covered Beau's hand with his own. "I'm trusting you to know what's best. This is all new to me. I admit I'm in over my head and acting on emotions here."
Beau liked the warmth of Parson's hand against his, in fact, it stirred something deep inside him that he'd locked away for too long. Turning his hand over, he linked their fingers together, taking a risk of offending Parson. "We'll get through this together. I promise."
Parson tensed for a moment before taking a deep breath and giving Beau's hand a squeeze. "Thanks."
Beau didn't pull his hand back. He liked having the simple connection with Parson. "I remember my first case. It was a ten-year-old boy who had been raped by his baseball coach. The parents had no idea until the boy said that his butt hurt and he couldn't sit down. The mother found the damage. Even after being treated, the poor kid was too scared to tell what happened or who hurt him. It took days of talking before he was able to open up and tell anyone what happened. I wanted to strangle the coach myself. It was the first time I'd seen a child with rectal damage from being molested and I couldn't sleep for days after it."
Parson rubbed his thumb over Beau's hand. "Yet you continued to do it."
"I couldn't quit. I wanted to be there to help. Needed to be part of their healing if even just a little. I signed up for special training and never looked back. I've learned a lot over the years from these kids. They're fucking strong. Stronger than any adult I know. My best friend, Faith, she was kidnapped and molested. That was several years ago. She's now fifteen and one of the strongest people I know."
"She's your best friend?" Parson raised a brow.
"I know, it sounds weird, maybe even creepy to those who don't know her. She and I bonded when she was recovering. I'm friends with her dads, but the friendship I have with Faith is special. She's determined to become a doctor and follows me around learning everything she can. She's amazing. The girl is going to do big things when she's older. I introduced her to Lisa the other day. Figured they are about the same age, been through some of the same things. They could use someone to talk to." Beau smiled. "Faith has a way with people."
"You sound like a proud father." Parson laughed.
"No, she's got two of those already. I like being in the friend category with her. She talks to me like a friend. Doesn't hold back like kids do with their parents." Beau shrugged. "I know it's odd. I don't have a lot of friends. Most people I know are work associates. I don't let a lot of people close."
Parson gave his hand a squeeze. "Why not?"
Beau took a deep breath. "You of all people might understand better than most. With who my family is, I never know who I can trust. I never know what they want from me. In the past, it seems more people are interested in what I can do for them, give them. They don't give a shit about me. If I wasn't a Maddington, then I wouldn't even register on their radar."
Parson smiled. "You just described my entire high school and college experiences. I hated it. Nothing hits the ego more than finding out your date is actually obsessed with your father and using you to get close to him."
"I hope you put her in her place," Beau said.
"I ended up dumping him, but not before I'd taken him home to meet my parents and he nearly mauled my dad." Parson laughed. "I was sixteen and scared to death after that to bring another man home."
"I bet." Beau liked finding out that Parson was gay. It shouldn't make a difference, but as he sat there still holding his hand, his mind was rushing to think about what could be. "How did your father take it?"
"His security escorted Phillip out of the house and my dad asked me not to bring friends home unless I was sure that I could trust them. Honestly, I thought I could. Phillip had seemed into me. Then again, at sixteen any attention would have pulled me into a sense of security."
Beau smiled. "I never had anyone use me to get to my father, just try to take advantage of what my father had. They wanted me to always pay for things. I'd go out for pizza with the guys and they'd expect me to pay. I'd go on a date and they'd be upset that I wasn't taking them somewhere expensive or giving them expensive gifts. After a while, I just quit dating. Then, as I got older and the media started paying more attention to me, it was hard. I've never understood why I can go out alone and no one pays attention, but if I'm on a date, I've got twenty cameras in my face asking me if I'm getting married."
The sound of the doorbell ringing caused Parson to pull his hand free, but before he stood, he softly said, "I'll pay for the pizza this time."
Beau's breath caught as Parson stood and walked out of the room to answer the door. It was such a simple comment, but after what he'd just said, it meant so much more. Unable to remember the last time he'd felt such a rush of interest in someone, Beau wondered if he dared push for more. It was the last thing he needed in his life, but for once he didn't want to worry about what was convenient or right and wrong. He wanted to be happy. That one comment from Parson caused his heart to race, and he wanted to continue feeling this way. He just hoped Parson felt the same, because if he was going to push for something more than friends, he wanted to be sure. He'd been alone a long time. He'd take things slow, but that comment opened the door, and dangerous or not, Beau was going to walk right in.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Parson took the pizza into the kitchen and set it on the table, wondering if he'd made a mistake tossing the subtle flirtatious comment at Beau. He'd never really verified he was gay, but a straight man wouldn't have sat there and held hands with him the way Beau had.
He could still feel the warmth of his skin against his own as he stuck his head into the living room. "Want to come to the kitchen and eat?"
