Chapter 13
As the afternoon sun dipped below the horizon, painting the western sky in bruised shades of purple, orange, and deep crimson, Jax stepped outside the front doors of the precinct to catch a breath of cool evening air. The oppressive heat of the day had finally broken, replaced by a gentle breeze that rustled the oak trees lining the municipal courtyard. He pulled a small notebook from his pocket, jotting down a few final notes for his incident report before closing the cover with a quiet snap. His shift was technically over, but he wasn't quite ready to head home yet. He wanted to ensure that Toby was settled in for the night at the temporary emergency foster home designated by Eleanor’s department until Arthur arrived the following morning.
Inside the building, down the quiet hallway of the family services wing, Toby was drifting off to sleep in a comfortable, softly lit bedroom decorated with cheerful wall murals. The wooden lockbox rested securely on the nightstand right beside his pillow, its brass latch gleaming softly in the dim amber glow of the bedside lamp. Eleanor sat quietly in a chair by the doorway, finishing her paperwork as the steady, rhythmic breathing of the sleeping boy filled the peaceful room. The duct tape marks on his chest were a fading memory, replaced by clean linens and the comforting knowledge that no one would ever lock him away in a dark jacket again. The nightmare of the highway was officially over, locked firmly in the past where it belonged.
Jax walked back inside the precinct lobby, pausing briefly to glance through the open door of the family wing. He saw Toby curled up under the quilt, his messy light brown hair splayed across the pillow, looking smaller and far more peaceful than he had out on that baking asphalt hours earlier. Jax smiled faintly to himself, feeling the familiar, quiet satisfaction of a job well done. He knew the road ahead for Toby—dealing with the loss of his father, the trauma of the abduction, and the transition to a new life in Maine with his grandfather—would not be without its challenges. But children were remarkably resilient, especially when they knew they were loved and protected. Jax turned away from the doorway, grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, and headed out into the cool night, ready for whatever tomorrow might bring.
