Page 2 of Stand By You
“We do,” she said watching him closely. He had to be about five foot nine or ten. Slender in build and broad in the shoulder. She suspected he had to be around forty by the way his hair was beginning to thin on top. “Mr. McGinty said it was something that his in-laws wanted when he married his first wife.”
The curtain to the bay was pulled back and a nurse handed Jillian a clipboard. “If you’ll sign by the x at the bottom of the page we’ll get you out of here,” she said.
“I’ll see you at the police station to sign your statement,” Simons said, standing.
“I’ll be there,” Jillian said, and she signed where the nurse showed.
“Is there anyone you can call to come get you?” the nurse asked. “Dr. Payne would prefer you not drive for twenty-four hours even if you don’t have a concussion as a precaution.”
“I’ll take a ride-share,” Jillian said. “My car is across town where I was attacked. I’ll pick it up tomorrow.”
“Let me drive you,” Simons said.
“You don’t have to,” she said.
“I would rather take the time to drop you off at home than risk you getting attacked again taking a ride-share,” he said. “We don’t know who is doing this to you.”
She hesitated not wanting to be a burden to the detective, then agreed. “Alright. If you insist.”
The McGinty housewas quiet when Jillian walked in. They must not be home yet. She went out back through the kitchen and down the stone walk to the guest house to her private quarters to change into clean clothes. She didn’t want Travis to see her mussed up from the attack and worry. The bandage over her eye was bad enough. She was returning to the main house when the boy came running toward her all excited.
“We’re going on a field trip tomorrow,” he called.
“You are?” she said as if she didn’t know in advance what the day camp had planned for the children.
“Zoo Miami,” Travis said. “We’re gonna see the dinosaurs.”
“That should be fun.”
“Mrs. Hudson and I stopped at the store to pick up snacks for me to take in my lunch. I can’t wait,” he babbled, practically skipping along beside her he was so excited.
“You know to stay with your group and not to stray off,” she said as they walked together to the house.
“I know.”
“But it’s important when you’re out in a group like this,” she reminded him. “The counselors are not taking extra chaperones on this trip, so I won’t be going along to keep an eye on you.”
“They told us today,” Travis said. “We have a buddy system on this trip.”
“You do?”
“Yep. I’m paired with Carlos. He’s nice. We play together even if he is a year younger than me in school.”
“It doesn’t matter what year you are in school,” Jillian told him remembering meeting Carlos’ nanny Monica at Playland Day Camp, they’d talked and even exchanged numbers. “What counts is that the two of you get along and you do what the counselors tell you so you both come home safe and have a good time.”
“We will,” Travis said. “If we don’t, we won’t get to go on another field trip. Camp Playground policy.”
He sounded so grown up she couldn’t help smiling at him. “Sounds like you are ready to go on this outing then. And Mrs. Hudson is packing your lunch? Let’s go pick out what you’re going to wear, and we won’t be late getting you to camp on time. I’m sure the bus is leaving at a certain time.”
“We’re having a picnic in a special area set aside for groups at the zoo,” Travis said. “Then we’ll get to have a special showing of exotic birds afterwards.”
“This all sounds so nice I really wish I was able to go with you,” she said as they entered the house and climbed the back stairs to the living quarters.
“Maybe we could go together sometime?” he said.
“Maybe.”
He ran ahead and had his closet door open by the time she reached his room. He was pulling out his khaki shorts and a camp T-shirt to hang on the hook by the door.
