Between Darkness and Daylight Read Online Free PDF Page B

of what amounted to misdemeanor activity. The incidents were all on record, since Zane had filed reports; let the foot soldiers deal with it.
    Leary nodded. "So anyway, I figured I’d catch you now, fill you in."
    "Is Ransom okay?"
    Leary put an arm around his shoulder and led him to a comparatively quiet corner near a water cooler. He helped himself to a cup and held up another in question, but Zane shook his head.
    "This is the deal. Your kid got tagged for assault and batt—"
    "Assault? Battery!"
    "Relax. The vic doesn't want to press charges."
    "Why am I not relieved?"
    Leary chuckled, clapped Zane on the back. "Any more cynical and I'm going to revoke your honorary Irishman status, O'Youngblood."
    Normally possessed of a good sense of humor, Zane could barely muster a grimace at Leary's gibe. "So, what does he want?"
    "It's a she. And she just wants compensation for a broken PDA and a titanium cell phone and headset. Pretty expensive equipment for a thirteen-year-old to have to replace."
    "No doubt." Zane smirked. "Pain and suffering?"
    Leary laughed. "Nothing so melodramatic, Youngblood. She doesn't seem litigious."

    Between Darkness and Daylight
    29
    "Yet." Given the chance, everyone was litigious. Zane had been dragged into court more times than not in the course of his job just to prove it. Not that this victim could get much out of him anyway. She could try but shouldn't hold her breath. "How did this happen? Ran's not an evil kid." He wasn't really expecting an answer, hadn't realized he’d spoken aloud until Leary responded.
    "They never are."
    Zane raised a brow, disturbed that Leary was so calm and un disturbed.
    But then, Ransom wasn't his nephew.
    "He tried to lift her purse. Little lady gave as good as she got, though.
    That's where the A&B came in. There was a little scuffle. She got a couple of bruises…"
    Purse snatching? Assault and battery? Just the idea that someone could fall victim to Sinny's fate at the hands of his own nephew chilled Zane's bones.
    Where did I go wrong?
    "Where is he now?"
    "We've got him in an interrogation room. Figured we’d shake him up a little before you got here. Teach him a lesson."
    Hell, Zane was shaken up enough for the both of them. "Thanks. I owe you." He grabbed Leary's hand in a firm shake.
    "She wants to meet with you, discuss reparations, get an apology from her perp."
    "Can I see Ran first?"
    "Sure. I'll give you two a few minutes before I send her back."

    * * * *

    Zane stood outside the heavy wooden door for several long moments, took a few deep breaths and braced himself.
    The minute he opened the door and saw Ransom at the table, he could understand how his own stepfather had been driven to resort to physical measures after Zane's destructive joy-riding adventure with some friends.
    High on freedom, immortality, and youth, Zane and his boys had rented a car on spring break during his sophomore year of college. They’d gone speeding down some nameless expressway—didn't matter which, just a 30
    Gracie C. McKeever
    piece of open road and smooth pavement where they could fully experience the fancy car's speed and potential—and wrapped it around a lamppost.
    Miraculously, the four teenagers had escaped the totaled car with their lives, all avoiding serious injury. However, one of the boys had had outstanding warrants and an extensive record that made riding with him dangerous in and of itself. He’d gone up for a long time afterwards, shipped off to a state prison in Colorado, and sworn revenge against Zane and his buddies for no other reason than they had all gotten off scot-free and he hadn't.
    He approached the table and Ransom’s head popped up like he was waking from a deep sleep. His eyes were red. That could have been from tiredness, but Zane was sure he had been crying; the boy's eyes and cheeks were still moist.
    Zane popped his gum furiously, hands clenched at his sides. He hadn't laid a hand on Ransom in the year they'd lived together, but