Book Five - Part Nine - Raging Evil: Chapter Two

Sunday Night – August 19th

All four sat around the dining room table and listened as Leon explained why he came back.

“After momma died, the three of you took me in, no questions asked. And honestly, I was scared. You all being white, me black, and you,” he pointed at Baker, “being a cop.”

He tilted his head down and took a deep breath.

“Then, things started going good. I mean, like Stevie, he, well; I kinda looked at him like an older brother. I could talk to him, and we did stuff together. And when you guys went places together, you took me with you. It felt like a second chance at having a real family again. Then comes momma’s sister.”

“Leon, did she mistreat you in any way?” asked Ed.

“No, sir. Well, she didn’t beat me if that’s what you mean. But she lives darn close in the middle of nowhere. No way for me to make any real friends and the kids I did meet on the school bus and in school, lived too far from me. Nearest one was Darnell Foster and he was about three miles away. Aunt Lynetta got no cable, no TV. She says all that stuff is sinful.

"She had plenty of money though to spend on her drinkin' and partyin' with her friends.

Heck, they still use a separate building to go to the bathroom they call an outhouse! Never seen one before and hope I never see one again! That’s where you poop and pee, and it smells! One time I thought I was gonna fall in!

“I don’t like it there. I don’t like living in the country. I want to live here, in Montie. I want to live here with all of you! Please?

“Besides,” and this was when Leon started to cry, “my momma is buried here.”

Baker blinked her eyes, took another sip of her coffee, and realized it had gone cold. Going back to the coffee machine for a second cup, she remembered the conversation she had with Judge Edmund Carson the very next day.

Monday – August 20th

Judge Carson’s Chambers – 9:30 a.m.

“Lieutenant, the boy has to be returned to Mrs. Mason. She is his legal guardian and currently his sole caretaker.”

“Actually, Judge Carson, she isn’t. What I found out this morning before I came here is that what remained of Leon’s mother’s money from the insurance policy, Mrs. Mason pretty much pocketed with the pretext of using it for Leon. And from what I understand, little to none of that has happened.”

“This is an issue for the State of North Carolina to handle. This is out of our authority.”

“Let me ask you, Judge Carson, if I can get Mrs. Mason to allow me to adopt Leon up here, would that suffice all parties concerned?”

“I would say it would. But is that what you want to do?”

“I have, ever since Leon’s mother died.”

“Then you want to do this out of a sense of responsibility?”

“Not at all. I want to do this because he needs guidance, love, and a feeling of belonging.

He doesn’t have that with Mrs. Mason.”

“Then here is what you must do for the time being. First: place him under foster care. Second: have foster care services notify the nearest County Courthouse wherever this Tomahawk place is located and have them notified of your intent. At which point, they will notify the boy’s aunt, this Mrs. Mason, of your intention to adopt.

“Be on notice Lieutenant, if she says no to your intent to adopt, you will have no legal recourse or responsibility for the boy. Are we clear on this?”

“We are, Judge.”

“If in fact she agrees, only then can you apply with the proper paperwork for adoption. You may have to wait up to ninety days. If, after that time, everything appears to be in order, then the boy, Leon Hargrave, will legally be your son, with either your last name, or your actual married last name.”

And that’s where things stood for a week.

Two days later, Stevie came up to her and said he wanted to play basketball, as well as coach.