Published: 23 Mar 2023

From The Previous Chapter:

The two shared a light hug and Mr. Ken went on to talk to the rest of the boys. When he talked with Billy, he learned how the teen handled his young ‘brother’ blaming himself for what happened to his mom, and how he thinks he and his other ‘brothers’ have gotten him to try to control his emotions and that they are now all ‘family’ and he can count on them to be there for him.

Mr. Ken thanked the teen for that piece of information. They then hugged and since the teen was the last boy he talked to, Mr. Ken headed down to his own private retreat to settle down and try to get a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow was the beginning of another full week.

At breakfast that Monday morning, Phillip asked Mr. Ken if they would be able to go over to his home and get his guitar, old clothes and a few other things he wanted after school. The man told his foster son that his home is now a crime scene, and he will have to check with his friend Lt. Dan to see when they can get access before they can get over there.

The foster dad saw how disappointed the boy looked that he might not get to go over to his old home, so he told him that he would make some phone calls and let him know as soon as he came home from school. That brightened the boy up some.

At school, Preston and Bryson saw their friend was looking sad as he got off the school bus. They figured it had to do with his mom, so they went over to him and tried to get him to talk about the weekend and his getting a new skateboard and the swimming to get his mind off of what happened to his mother.

A few of the other students came over to talk to Phillip and when they saw he wasn’t very happy they asked him what was wrong. It was Preston who told them about the boy’s mom being in the hospital. Most of the students decided to walk away, but a few stayed with the three boys.

One boy, who stayed with the small group, told Phillip that his mom was in the hospital after a bad accident last year. He told him he couldn’t believe all the I.V. and electrical lines they had leading into her when he first saw her. The boy added he felt terrible that he couldn’t do anything for her.

The boy continued and added that his dad told him the doctors and nurses would do everything they could to make sure she got better. The boy told Phillip that was what would happen to his mom and that he just had to give them time to get his mom back home.

Phillip had been looking down the whole time, listening, but when the boy stopped talking, something made him look into the boy’s eyes.

“What’s your name?” asked the Cover.

“Westin. My name’s Westin. Why?” replied the boy.

“Thank you, Westin … for saying what you did. It … it just happened yesterday morning and … and she also has all these I.V. lines and electrical lines leading under the covers, probably … probably like what you saw with your mom. I’m … I’m so scared right now,” answered the Cover, who began to cry.

Westin immediately hugged the boy because he knew what the Cover was feeling right then. Preston ran to get Matthew to tell him what was happening. Matthew told him to find Charles, while he went to his ‘brother’.

When Matthew got there, he heard Phillip thanking some boy for doing something, so he asked what was happening. Bryson then brought the older Cover up to speed to what just happened. The older Cover asked Phillip if he was going to be OK. Phillip, wiping his eyes, said he was now.

Just then, Charles came rushing up to the group of boys. “What’s going on with Phillip?” quickly asked the teen Cover.

“It’s covered, Charles,” replied Matthew.

“You sure Phillip? I can call dad if you want me too?” spoke up Charles.

“No … no, I’m going to be OK. Westin … he … he kind of put things in … in perspective for me. I’ll be OK, thanks for coming over. And you too, Matthew. I never … I never had any ‘brothers’ to care for me and here you both are checking up on me. Thanks!” answered Phillip, who wiped his eyes one more time.

Just then the first bell rang, and the boys all began heading into the school and their homerooms.

As soon as Wayne Mitchell arrived at The Cove, Mr. Ken told him to get a cup of coffee and then to meet him in the Study. There the two men discussed what happened yesterday and what it might mean for The Cove. Mr. Wayne asked his employer if Chris shouldn’t be in that discussion, as he would be the person who would handle the arrangements.

Wayne went to the Kitchen Nook to see if Chris was there, and, finding him, he told him to recharge his coffee cup and head to the Study. The Estate Master did the same to his cup and he, too, headed to the Study.

“Chris … to bring you up to speed … Phillip’s mom … she was brutally attacked in her apartment yesterday morning. She’s in the ICU. Phillip and I … we went to see her. But that is just the half of it.

“I also learned that the probable reason for the attack was … was that our Phillip … he was holding … he was holding … a gun, a 9mm by the way, for a gangbanger in the neighborhood,” offered Mr. Ken.

“You’ve got to be shitting me!” said Chris Dominions.

“There’s more. When Phillip woke up … he was saying this Rafael character, the one who gave him the gun to, get this, to hold for him, that this Rafael character was going to kill him because … because he wasn’t there to give it back to him. Dan … he stopped by to meet our newest Cover, and he talked to Phillip and got the particulars.

“Guys … I’m afraid that this Rafael person … he will want to find Phillip and exact some sort of revenge on him for not being there to give him back his gun. Dan … he feels it was him and his gang who went to the apartment looking for the gun and Mackenzie, not knowing where the gun was, got hit on the side of her head by a gun, or something similar, because she has a serious concussion.

“The doctors said they were going to do an MRI last night if she hadn’t awakened by early evening. They told me that if she didn’t wake up by then, they were afraid she might have bleeding on the brain. So, I need to call over there to find out her status before I see the boy after school.

“Also, Phillip … he wants to go by his apartment to get his guitar, some of his old clothes to play in, and a few other things. I need to ask Dan when we can go there, as it’s still a crime scene, and if he can give us an escort.

“Geez, listen to me. Asking for an escort for a ten-year-old boy. But that’s the crutch of this discussion, gentlemen. If this Rafael person learns Phillip is living here, the question is … will it cause a potential problem for the rest of the boys and their friends, and us?” finished Mr. Ken.

Chris and Wayne looked back and forth to one another. It was Chris who spoke first.

“Mr. Ken … we have armed guards here 24/7. If you believe we may need to add to them, then just let me know and I’ll call Jules and I’ll bet he’ll have them here by the next shift change. But … do you really feel that will be necessary?” honestly asked the Estate Manager.

“That’s what I don’t know, Chris, and that’s why we are talking about this. I had fifteen men attack The Cove and try to get to Collin to kill him. ‘Smokey’ … he got on the grounds, grabbed Charles and threatened to slit the boy’s throat if the Sheriff Deputies didn’t let him get away. Then four men … they almost kidnapped nine boys, four of which were my ‘sons’. I can’t let another one of my ‘sons’ be the target of a gangbanger.

“The question I have to ask myself is … will this Rafael person … will he ever find out where Phillip is living? Or, better still, can he find out … where he is living?” was the questions posed by the owner of The Cove.

“Men, I’ve got to get to the office. Brief Dennis when he gets here, and ask him to keep it under his hat. I’ll call Dan and ask him about taking Phillip to his home. I also need to call Judy. I didn’t call her yesterday, and I told Robert NOT to tell Eric. So, when I talk to her, I’ll see if he had,” now chuckled the man. “And, I need to call Stewart and Bill. I’m going to be busy this morning,” stated Mr. Ken, who then got up and left the Study to head over to his office.

Mr. Ken did call Lt. Fischer when he arrived at the office that Monday morning. It was his first phone call, even though his secretary told him he had a number of calls he needed to return. He told her to hold all his calls, and then closed the door to his office.

“Dan … Phillip … he asked me this morning when would we be able to go over to his home, so he can get a few things from there. Ms. Judy … she picked him right up from school and he came to me with only the clothes he had on. So, what do you think about us going over there some time?” explained Ken Thomas.

“Ken … let me ask Carrillo if they are finished with their investigation there. They should be, seeing how small a place it is. When would you want to go?” asked Dan.

“The boy would like to go after school today, if we can, Dan. Ahhh … because Phillip is afraid Rafael will be out to kill him … we might need someone to be there to ahhh … to run interference. Can you help us out there?” asked Ken.

“Yes, I think we can make that happen. We still have men looking for that Rafael character and his companions, over there. Oh, by-the-way, his fingerprints were on the gun, along with Phillip’s.

“Oh, and that gun … it had been fired at a recent altercation between rival gangs in that area. A bullet found at the scene matches one we test fired from the gun we retrieved. I’ll call you before lunch, and let you know,” finished, Lt. Fischer, and then he hung up.

Mr. Ken then called Ms. Judy. She was in a meeting, so he told her secretary it was important and it had to do with Phillip Girroads and she needed to call him as soon as she could.

The foster dad then called Stewart Russell. He told the lawyer all about the newest member of his ‘family’, Phillip Girroads, and all about Rafael and the gun. He said he wanted them to know that Phillip had handled the gun which Dan told him that any defense attorney could say that the gun was the boy’s and not Rafael’s. Mr. Ken also told Stewart that the gun had been used in incident between rival gangs, so they needed to be prepared to defend the boy if need be.

When he completed his calls, Mr. Ken then went out to talk to his secretary. He told her he was expecting important calls from the Children’s Protective Services Director, Judy Turner and Sheriff’s Lieutenant Dan Fischer and she was to put them through as soon as they called. He then took the phone messages the woman had for him and told her he would begin to return those calls.

Mr. Ken’s secretary was concerned after hearing those two names her boss told her to put through immediately when they called. So, she buzzed Ms. Jackie and said she had something to ask her, and asked her if she could come to her office.

When the two women were together, Rosemary Martin, Mr. Ken’s executive secretary, asked Jackie if she knew why their boss would be expecting calls from the Director of CPS, Judy Turner and Sheriff’s Lieutenant Dan Fischer.

Jackie asked Rosemary how much she knew about her boss. The older woman said she only knew that he was a very wealthy young man and that he owned that building and most of the businesses in it and the hotel next door.

Jackie asked her if she ever did a Google search of his name. The executive secretary said she really hadn’t, as she was hired through an executive hiring company to work for him in helping establishing his new Three Finger Entertainment, LLC and was needed because of her proven integrity and confidentiality in working in such a high-level organization.

Jackie told her she needed to Google his name when she got home tonight, but the one thing she needed to understand was that Ken Thomas had not only adopted two boys, but also fosters boys, as well. Jackie further explained that Judy Turner is a very good friend besides being the Director of CPS and that Lt. Fischer is also a good friend, who he had stay at his house, while he recovered from a gunshot wound back before he became a lieutenant.

“Rosemary,” began Jackie, “I’ve only worked for Ken Thomas since late last summer and I know for a fact that Mr. Ken … he will put everything on hold for those boys. So, you need to be ready to change plans at a moment’s notice, if one or more of the boys ever has a problem.”

“Mr. Ken? I’ve heard others call him by that name and for his being the owner of so many of the businesses in this building, I can’t believe he allows them, anyone, to call him that. I’ve never said anything to him, because … well, I just haven’t gotten to know him very well yet to broach that topic with him. He’s … he’ so young, I wonder if … if he knows how it sounds?” offered the executive secretary.

Jackie told Rosemary to Google his name tonight and that they’d talk tomorrow.

When Judy Turner called, Rosemary put her call directly through to her boss, Ken Thomas.

“Judy, thank you for getting back to me. Did Eric tell you what happened with Phillip this weekend?” asked a very curious Ken Thomas.

“Well, no, Ken, what happened? Tell me, Ken!” replied an anxious Mary Turner.

“Judy … Phillip … his mom was attacked in their apartment yesterday morning,” began Ken.

“Yes, Eric told me that. But there’s more … isn’t there, Ken?” asked a now inquisitive Judy.

Mr. Ken took a deep breath and said, “Yes, Judy … there is more … much more!”

Ken Thomas then proceeded to tell the Director of Children’s Protective Services everything there was to know about Rafael and the gun, and how Phillip was given the gun by the man who was now on the Sheriff’s list of people to find. The two friends talked about how the Sheriff’s Department now believe it was Rafael and his group who were the ones who attacked Mackenzie Flores, Phillip’s mom, as they looked for the gun that the boy was holding for the leader.

Mr. Ken told Judy he would call the hospital later to find out the status of Mackenzie so he could let Phillip know how well his mom was doing. He added that Dan was going to let him know later if they could go by the apartment that afternoon to retrieve any items Phillip wanted to have at the Cove. Ken told Judy that Dan promised him he would give them an escort if they could stop by the apartment. Judy was grateful for that.

Mr. Ken then got down to returning the many phone calls he already had that morning. And it was while he was in the middle of one of those calls that his mind told him to call Doctor Jennings and give him a dinner invite in order to meet his newest Cover, Phillip. Mr. Ken hurried that call up, so he could call Doctor Doug.

Mr. Ken knew he wouldn’t get to talk with the doctor when he called his office, so he told the receptionist he was calling to invite the doctor over to The Cove for dinner on Wednesday night, and for him to meet his newest member of the ‘family’. The receptionist was familiar with the Cover boys and Mr. Thomas’ invitations for the doctor to dinner, so she took the information and told the man she would call if there was a conflict.

After the phone call, Mr. Ken then told his secretary to put a note on his calendar, Dinner with Doctor Jennings, Wednesday, 6 p.m. He then asked her if he had told her about a physical at 10 a.m. on Wednesday with Doctor Powers. When she told him it wasn’t on the schedule, he told her to put it there and to make it for the entire day. He then checked with her to see if the Ground Breaking Ceremony was on the calendar for Thursday at 11 o’clock at the Blessed Waters Academy Catholic High School. It was.

Back at The Cove, Wayne and Chris sat down with Dennis and told him about what transpired on Sunday with Phillip. The Estate Master and Manager both explained about Phillip’s mom being attacked in her apartment and then the probable reason for the attack.

“Dennis,” began Wayne, “when Phillip woke up yesterday, he was crying. He was saying that this man, Rafael somebody, would kill him because he wasn’t there to give him back something he was holding for the man. Then, when Lt. Fischer came by to meet Phillip, he learned that what the boy was holding for Rafael was … was a 9mm gun.”

Mr. Dennis said he couldn’t believe that the ten-year-old would be involved with a gang. But Mr. Wayne told the man that Phillip was only an unsuspecting bystander who was intimidated by the man to hold the 9mm gun for him until the weekend.

“Dennis, after Lt. Fischer talked with Phillip about the gun, he made some calls and learned that where the boy lived had been forcibly entered and his mom had been attacked. It was further learned that Phillip’s mother received a serious blow to her head and was now in the hospital.

“It is believed by the Sheriff’s Department that it was Rafael and his cohorts who went to Phillip’s apartment looking for the gun, and Mackenzie Flores, the boy’s mother, who went by her maiden name, not knowing where the gun was, was hit on the side of her head with a gun, or something similar, because she now has a serious concussion.”

“Dennis … Mr. Ken … he feels that this Rafael character will be out to find Phillip and … and he will try to exact some sort of revenge on him for not being there to give him back his gun, which the police now have. Dan … strongly feels it was him and his gang who went to the apartment looking for the gun, but they have no definitive proof.

“Mr. Ken and Phillip went to the hospital to check on the boy’s mother, but our boss feels they think she might have bleeding on her brain, and told me and Chris they were going to do a MRI last night if she hadn’t awakened by early evening.

“On top of that, Dennis, the boy … he also wants to go by his apartment after school today to get his guitar, some of his old clothes to play in and a few other things. Mr. Ken … he said he would ask Lt. Fischer if he could give them an escort, just in case Rafael, or his cohorts, are waiting and watching for Phillip to return.”

Wayne continued and added their employer was concerned if Rafael ever learned Phillip was living there, what, if any, problems could he cause for the rest of the boys and their friends and them. He told Dennis that he, Chris and Mr. Ken discussed adding to the armed guards.

The Estate Master explained that over the years The Cove had been the sight of an armed attack by fifteen men who came to kill Mr. Ken’s first foster son, Collin Wilkinson, then a man almost killed another boy by threatening to slit his throat if the Sheriff Deputies didn’t allow him to get away. Wayne explained nothing happened to the boy because Chief attacked the man, who then got away by stealing a boat from the other side of the fence before the Sheriff Deputies could get to him.

Wayne continued by telling Dennis that next, there were the four men who tried to kidnap nine boys who were out Trick-or-Treating a few years back, four of which where Mr. Ken’s foster sons. Wayne added that Mr. Ken said he could not allow another one of his sons to be the victim of a gangbanger, and they all needed to be aware of the situation.

Mr. Dennis was taken aback by what he just heard. He had done his research about Three Finger Cove and Mr. Thomas, and he knew of the attack on the estate and the attempted kidnapping of the nine boys. But what was new to him was the telling of the boy whose throat was almost slit. He wanted to ask Wayne about that, but he knew now wasn’t the time.

“So, what does Mr. Ken want us to do?” asked Dennis Florkert, Assistant Estate Master.

“Well, first … this is something we don’t do and that is go out and tell all of our friends about what happens here at The Cove. Then, we all need to be a bit more vigilant about who comes around the estate, or who are around the boys when we take them to their appointments,” answered Wayne.

“Is he … is he going to want me to get my concealed carry, then?” asked Dennis.

“No, I don’t think he will ask you to do that. We already discussed that back when you first started working here. It is something you have to decide for yourself, Dennis,” reminded Wayne.

“What I think we should do is … this afternoon, when Phillip wants to go to his apartment … we should take him, instead of Mr. Ken,” offered Mr. Wayne.

Dennis immediately balked, but Wayne told him to hear him out.

“Dennis … if Mr. Ken takes the boy there, he will be immediately recognized and this Rafael person … he will know where Phillip is living. If that happens … that could cause potential problems for the other boys and all of their friends. We do not want that.

“But … but if we … if both of us take the boy there … no one … no one, mind you, will have any idea of who we are, and they’ll still have no idea when Phillip is living. Plus, my bet is Lt. Fischer … he will give us a Deputy to watch over us at the apartment, so we’ll be safe.

“Mr. Ken … he makes sure his foster sons are treated well, and he will do everything to keep them safe. You know what he did for Matthew, and he’s done as much and more for his other foster sons. And, as for Phillip … he will do what he can to keep the boy safe. But … he can’t do it all by himself, which is why he has us!

“So, you with me? You going to go with me when Phillip goes to his old home and gets the few things he wants from there? He’ll probably never get the chance to go back until his mom gets out of the hospital, and even then, because he was taken away from his mom by CPS, they may not be allowed to see one another until his mom meets the court’s requirements,” asked Wayne.

Dennis thought about what he was asked and eventually he said that he would go with Wayne when Phillip was allowed to go over to his old residence.

Lt. Fischer did call Mr. Ken later that morning. He told his friend that the investigation was completed that morning, and he would have a deputy meet them later that afternoon. The lieutenant asked Mr. Ken to call him when they were leaving The Cove, so they could coordinate a deputy at the apartment. Mr. Ken thanked Dan for doing that for him and said he’d call about four o’clock.

During lunch at the school, Phillip asked Westin to join him, Preston and Bryson at their table. The Cover liked what the boy had done for him earlier that morning, and he wanted to get to know the boy better.

As they talked, Phillip asked Westin if he would like to come over to The Cove that weekend. The question caught the boy off guard, as he never thought he’d ever get the chance to go there.

“But why … why would you want … why would you invite me to come over to The Cove?” asked an incredulous Westin.

“Why not?” quickly replied Phillip. “You helped me out this morning when everyone … when they all walked away after they heard my mom was in the hospital. It was as if … as if they didn’t know what to say. But you … you stayed and you helped me. You helped me to understand that eventually everything would be OK … for my mom.

“You didn’t even know me, or anything about me, but you came up to me and told me about what happened to your mom. You sharing such a personal and private memory in your life with a complete stranger says … says you are someone special and I … and I would like you to be my friend. That is … if you would want me to be your friend?” finished Phillip.

Westin smiled at hearing what Phillip had to say. He told the Cover that he would love to come over to The Cove that weekend. Phillip then told his new friend that he needed his last name and a home phone number to give to his foster dad. Phillip explained that he had to ask Mr. Ken, his foster dad, if he could invite him and then he would have to approve him coming over.

Westin was confused, but both Preston and Bryson explained that they had to do the same thing when Mark invited them over, back at the beginning of school. Westin then told Phillip his last name was Neezeman, and he would be happy to come to The Cove. Phillip then wrote down his new friend’s home phone number.

Phillip then told Westin he wouldn’t know for sure until Wednesday, or Thursday, because he had to ask Mr. Ken if he could come over, but if he could, he, Preston and Bryson, would be helping with 1000 plastic Easter eggs that Mr. Ken ordered for the Easter Egg Roll for the Saturday before Easter.

All three boys quickly asked what that was all about. But all the new Cover could tell them was that each year Mr. Ken holds an Easter Egg Roll the Saturday before Easter for kids aged 2 thru 10. Phillip said he’d never been there and this would be his first too, so they would all see what it was about at the same time. Bryson then spoke up and said he did know that was what it was called, but that he’d gone there when he was younger and had scrambled for the Easter eggs and that it was fun.

After lunch, Mr. Ken called the hospital and talked to Mackenzie Flores’ doctor. He wanted to know how the woman was doing, so he could explain it to her son. He was not ready to hear what the doctor told him, that the woman, on top of her concussion, did have some bleeding in the space around her brain, called subarachnoid hemorrhage, causing pressure to build up between the brain and the skull.

The doctor told the guardian that they had to do surgery to relieve the pressure and they placed a shunt to continue to drain any excess fluid buildup. What concerned the doctor was what long-term complications could arise from the injury.

The doctor said they wouldn’t know right away, but they had to be concerned about possible thinking, attention, communication skills and possible depression, but most importantly; balance or coordination problems, serious disorientation, along with mood changes, memory loss or even difficulty in speaking. The doctor then stressed it was way too early to tell what, or if, any of those things would ever arise.

Mr. Ken thanked the doctor for the information and frank discussion on Mackenzie Flores. He said he wasn’t sure how or what he was going to tell her son, later. The doctor told Mr. Ken to just tell the boy that his mom suffered a more serious blow to her head than they originally thought, and it would be a bit longer before she would be okay. Mr. Ken thanked the doctor for the easy answer.

Mr. Ken left the office early that Monday afternoon in order for him to be home when Phillip returned from school. That was so they could go over to the boy’s apartment and retrieve the things Phillip wanted to have while he lived at the Cove.

Phillip was happy to see Mr. Ken in his Study, with Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis, when he got home from school. He hoped that meant they were going over to his home to get his guitar, old clothes and a few other things he wanted. So, he stuck his head in and asked him if they were going to his other home.

Mr. Ken told him to go out to the Kitchen Nook and get his after-school snack, but not to eat too much, and he would come and get him in a few minutes. Phillip smiled and hurried to catch up with Charles and Matthew.

“Let me get this right. You want to take Phillip to his apartment, instead of having me do it, because you are afraid that the people there would recognize me, and then know where Phillip is living?” asked Mr. Ken, knowing that was exactly their thinking.

“Yes, Mr. Ken, that is exactly what I am saying,” answered Mr. Wayne. “You are too well known around the area and if Phillip … if he is seen with you, people … they could put two and two together and know the boy is staying with you.

“And Rafael … he will then find out where Phillip is living, through them, which is something you are trying to avoid. Ohh, and, by the way, Lt. Fischer … he is going to have one of his deputy’s meet you, err us, there to run interference, right?” smiled the Estate Master.

While Mr. Ken sat there thinking through what his Estate Master was suggesting, Phillip was enjoying his after-school snack with Charles and Matthew, and he was telling them what he planned to bring back with him from his apartment.

It was then the newest Cover remembered that he had to go up to his room to get his apartment key, before he forgot. The two older boys laughed hard as their younger ‘brother’ ran out of the Kitchen Nook, with Chief quick at his heels, to go up to his room to get that all important key.

“And you’re going to go with him, Dennis?” asked Mr. Ken.

“Yes, sir, this way the locals … they won’t know who Phillip is staying with, if that is the case,” answered Mr. Dennis. “Also, I can help with whatever Phillip wants to take. We figured we’d take the truck, so we’d have the space.”

“Guys … you convinced me. And, thank you! I never thought about that Rafael character finding out where Phillip lives. If he did that … it could cause problems for us, the boys and their friends. So, how soon do you plan to leave?” finished Mr. Ken.

“As soon as Phillip is ready,” answered the Estate Master.

“Did someone say my name?” said the newest Cover, as he came to the Study. “I had to go up to my room to get my apartment key, and I’m ready to go whenever you are Mr. Ken.”

“Phillip … there is a change of plans. Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis … they are going to take you. They feel I am too well known and … and they don’t want Rafael to know where you are living. So, this way they feel if they take you … he can’t figure out you are living here. Now, go drain your dragon, and meet them out in the parking corral in five minutes or less,” announced the foster dad.

As the three departed through the Main Gate, Mr. Ken called his friend Dan Fischer and told him about the change of plans and that they were driving the F-150. Dan told Ken that he’d have the deputy meet them at the apartment, and for them to wait for him before they went inside, so he could take an inventory of what was taken for the record.

Mr. Ken called Dennis and told him what Dan wanted them to do when they arrived at the apartment. The owner of The Cove told the man to wait inside the truck until they saw the deputy, if he wasn’t already there. He told Dennis to remind Phillip this will be his only chance to get what he wanted, so he needed to look carefully and decide before they left.

The Covers didn’t have to wait for the deputy, as he was already there waiting for them. The four walked to the apartment, the deputy removed the crime scene tape and Phillip used his key to enter the apartment. The boy wasn’t prepared to see what he saw.

“Mr. Wayne … they … they destroyed our home,” cried the young Cover, as he turned to the Estate Master and cried.

“Yes, Phillip, they did. I … I should have prepared you for something like this. I’m sorry. But … well, let’s go ahead and … and try to find the things you want to take home with you. OK?” softly said Mr. Wayne to the boy.

Dennis watched as Wayne calmed the boy, and got him going about the task they were there for. It was a bit difficult at first for the youngster, seeing everything he and his mom owned, all strewn around the apartment, much of it broken.

Phillip headed to his bedroom to look for his guitar. When he entered the room, he saw the guitar broken in three pieces. The boy picked it up and sat on his bed and started to cry. Mr. Wayne saw it all and sat next to the boy and Phillip immediately leaned into him and cried even harder. Wayne wrapped his arm around the boy and hugged him.

“Why? Why did they have to break my guitar? Why, Mr. Wayne?” asked a disbelieving Phillip, who was still leaking tears.

“I don’t really know why, Phillip. But I do have a suspicion. I think … I think they did it because … because you weren’t here and … and because they couldn’t find the item you were holding for Rafael, they … so they wanted to send you … a message,” reasoned the Estate Master.

Dennis, who really wasn’t around to watch how Mr. Ken, and now Wayne, worked with the foster boys in the household, was surprised at how easily Mr. Wayne calmed Phillip down, got him to focus, and now how simply he talked to the boy. He figured he missed a whole lot by only working part-time at The Cove.

Mr. Wayne had Phillip set the guitar aside and then search the room for any other things he wanted to take. The boy went to his closet and took out almost all of his clothes. Mr. Wayne had him go through the pile and select about a dozen shorts and shirts. The man then had the boy take the best pair of dress shoes he had and sneakers.

They then went through his dresser drawers and the boy took some crazy colored socks he liked, a couple of belts and a cigar box of mementos the boy had collected. Phillip also looked for his AM/FM portable transistor radio and headset. The boy saw his old skateboard and then asked Mr. Wayne if he should take it, even though Mr. Ken had bought him a new one. Mr. Wayne said it was up to him. Phillip decided to leave it.

The trio packed up the truck after the deputy wrote down everything they decided to take. The men thanked the deputy for being there for them. The deputy in turn told them to thank Lt. Fischer, then laughed. The three men then talked about the lieutenant and how they each knew the man. Dennis then looked at the time and said they needed to get home.

The Covers, again thanked the deputy, then got into the truck and headed back to The Cove. They drove for about two miles, talking about their trip, when Mr. Wayne noticed a vehicle making the same turns as they did.

“Dennis, and Phillip, don’t look over your shoulders, but Dennis … I want you to check your side view mirror and watch that dark blue four-door sedan, with two men inside, about five car lengths behind us, and see which way they turn when I do at this next light.

Mr. Dennis watched in his side view mirror and as Mr. Wayne turned left at the next light the dark blue car hurried to make the light and turned left, as well. Mr. Wayne told Dennis to call Mr. Ken and tell him they had a tail.

When Mr. Ken heard his people were being followed back to The Cove, he told Dennis to tell Wayne to stall and that he’d call Dan and have him send a patrol car to stop them.

“Dan … Wayne … he said they picked up a tail on their way back to The Cove. Can you send a patrol car to head them off at the pass?” chuckled Ken Thomas.

Dan got Dennis’ phone number from his friend and called it to get their street information. He then radioed the Cover’s location to the nearest radio car and told them to watch for a dark blue four-door sedan, with two men inside, following a Ford F-150 truck, with two men and a boy inside, and to watch for any moving violation of the sedan and to pull then them over.

About ten minutes later, Mr. Ken got a phone call from Dennis telling him that a Sheriff’s Deputy turned on his lights and siren and pulled the dark blue sedan over that was tailing the Covers. The owner of The Cove told his employee for them to watch for any other vehicles tailing them and then to head on back to The Cove.

The other Cover boys had no idea of the drama that was unfolding as Mr. Wayne, Mr. Dennis and Phillip were headed back to The Cove, and it wasn’t until Phillip came into the house and told them that the four other boys had to get all the details.

Since it was close to dinner time, Mr. Ken invited Mr. Dennis to have dinner with them. Since it was later than he would usually leave work, and knowing he’d also get a wonderful Momma Maria home cooked meal, he agreed.

During dinner, the boys heard about how the apartment had been trashed and most of the furniture had been tossed and much of the breakables were broken. Phillip told everyone how sad he was to find his guitar broken in three pieces. He told everyone that Mr. Wayne told him that he felt Rafael was sending him a message by destroying his guitar.

The other four Cover boys then wanted to hear about them being tailed as they drove home. Mr. Wayne looked to Mr. Dennis who didn’t want to say anything, so Phillip spoke right up.

“It was a normal drive home, I thought,” started Phillip. “That was until Mr. Wayne … he told us not to look over our shoulders and then he told Mr. Dennis … when he told him to watch a dark blue car behind us in his side view mirror and see which way they turned when he did at the next light. So, when we turned left, the dark blue car hurried to catch the light and they turned left, too. Mr. Dennis then called Mr. Ken.

“I heard Mr. Dennis tell Mr. Ken about a car tailing us and they were afraid that Rafael might be trying to find out where I was living. I didn’t hear what Mr. Ken said, but after Mr. Dennis hung up, a few moments later, Lt. Fischer called him. Then, I heard Mr. Dennis telling the lieutenant where we were. Then, a minute, or so later, I heard Mr. Dennis say he saw a patrol car behind us.

“It was a few minutes later that Mr. Dennis called Mr. Ken to tell him that he saw the Sheriff’s car turn on its light bar and we all heard the siren turn on and then the Sheriff’s car pulls the dark blue car over. I think Mr. Dennis started breathing again just then,” finished a smiling Phillip.

All the boys laughed at their ‘brothers’ last comment about Mr. Dennis breathing again. Even the adults chuckled at the comment, including Mr. Dennis, who said he didn’t know what those men in that car were planning to do.

When dinner was over, Mr. Dennis watched the boys help clean off the table and then give Momma Maria a hug and thank her for making them such a good meal. The assistant Estate Master never remembered seeing that ever before, and wondered what that was all about. He figured he would ask tomorrow when he came to work. Mr. Dennis also thanked Momma for the great dinner before saying goodnight to his boss and the boys.

The Covers headed to the Study for their usual meeting. There, Mr. Ken reviewed the coming week with Phillip having his physical on Wednesday and Doctor Doug coming for dinner that night, as well. He reminded the boys that he had his ground breaking ceremony on Thursday at Blessed Waters Academy Catholic High School and then that Saturday they would be working on the plastic Easter eggs and getting them ready for the following Saturday’s Easter Egg Roll.

Phillip then asked what they would do on Saturday with the eggs. The boy said his friends asked him and he said he didn’t know. He also told Mr. Ken that he had a new friend and he had his name and phone number for him. That surprised the foster dad, but he took the information from the boy and told him he’d let him know, hopefully, by Wednesday, but definitely by Thursday.

Mr. Ken then told Phillip how the 1000 Easter eggs would arrive either Thursday or Friday and then on Saturday all the boys and their friends would open the plastic eggs and put either candy or money in them and then separating them into three distinct groups. The owner of The Cove also told the newest Cover there would be special prizes placed into a number of the Easter Eggs for the boys and girls.

The owner of The Cover continued and told the new Cover that the following Saturday at about 10 a.m. they, and their friends, would all set the 1000 Easter eggs out for the 2- to 4-year-olds, the 5- to 7-year-olds and then the 8- to 10-year-olds to run and grab them and hope to find the coupons and get a prize.

Phillip then told his foster dad he had some homework to do, so he needed to go up to his room to get it done before he went to bed. Mr. Ken sent him up there and told him he’d talk to him just before bed time.

At bedtime, Mr. Ken asked Phillip about his new friend and how it was he was able to find one so quickly. Phillip told his foster dad that at school that morning he was feeling sad about his mom and when the other kids came over to him and learned about it, they all left him, but his new friend didn’t.

Phillip told Mr. Ken that Westin told him about how his mom was in an accident and was hooked up to all those I.V. and electrical lines and she eventually got better and that would happen to his mom too. The boy told Mr. Ken he knew right then that the boy was someone who was a caring person and he wanted him to be his friend.

Mr. Ken thanked Phillip for explaining that to him. The man then told him what he knew about his mom. Phillip asked his foster dad if his mom would eventually be OK. Mr. Ken told the boy truthfully that the doctors wouldn’t fully know until she woke up. The man told his foster son that the doctors would do everything they could to make her better, but all they could do now was to wait to see. Phillip leaned into the man and cried for his mom.

Mr. Ken got his newest Cover settled and told him they would stop by the hospital tomorrow to see his mom. That perked the boy up some. Mr. Ken then told the boy he was in a loving home with four big ‘brothers’ who have experienced many heartbreaks themselves, and that they could maybe help him get through this, too.

Phillip thanked the man and then hugged him. Mr. Ken hugged the boy back and told him to get ready for bed and he’d see him in the morning. The man then went and talked to the rest of his ‘sons’ and before long The Cove was quiet for the night.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

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