The Advocate (The Advocate Series) (13 page)

She began with her cases for the morning calendar. Elaine had pulled each file and put the appropriate, colored hearing form in the front for her. She picked up the Stevens case and read the report. She represented John Stevens, a kid in the Marine Corps, who allegedly shook his eight-month-old baby so hard it caused brain damage. The baby also had a fractured femur and broken ribs. Stevens, still denying the allegations, agreed to submit on the report. He participated in all the programs recommended by the social worker, and had moved out of the home. The maternal grandmother had flown out from North Carolina to stay with the mother and help with the baby. Sabre was pleased the case had settled. She knew it would have been a tough trial with little chance of winning.

Sabre worked through the other nine cases, leaving the Murdock file for last. At five o’clock, darkness setting in, she counted the time difference on her fingers. It would be eight o’clock in Atlanta. She picked up the phone to call Ruby Sterling, but stopped when she heard a faint knock on her front door. Sabre walked quietly down the hallway and peeked through the peephole. She could just barely see the little figure standing there. When she opened the door, Alexis strutted in. Sabre peered around outside for a car or an adult who might be with her, but saw none.

“Alexis, how did you get here?”

“I walked,” she said proudly.

“Does anyone know where you are?”

“Nope.”

“What are you doing here? Not that I’m not glad to see you; I am. But why did you sneak out and walk all the way over here? And how did you find your way?”

“I watched when we went by your office last week. Remember, on our way to McDonald’s?”

“And you remembered?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t hard. I just watched the buildings and stuff.”

“So why did you come here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Sabre reached down and put a hand on each arm and looked directly into Alexis’ eyes. “Are you all right? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, really. I just wanted to see you.” She shrugged.

“I need to call Jordan and let them know you’re with me.”

“Will they make me go back?”

“Did something happen there? Did someone hurt you?”

“No. Everything’s fine. I like living there. I just don’t want to go back yet.”

“Alexis, I need to let them know you’re okay. I’m sure they have people out looking for you. They may have even called the police. We don’t want people spending their time trying to find you when you’re safe with me. I’ll call Marla and let her know, and you can stay with me until you’re ready to go back. Okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded.

Sabre called Marla on her cell phone. “Marla, it’s Sabre.”

“Sabre, I was just about to call you. Alexis is missing from Jordan Receiving Home.”

“Marla, it’s okay. She’s with me. She snuck out and came to my office.”

Marla sighed. “Thank God. I was so worried. You sure she’s okay?”

“Yes, she’s fine.”

“Why did she do it, do you know?”

“Not yet, but I’m going to keep her with me for awhile and see what I can find out. Will you let them know at Jordan?”

“Sure. I’m just glad she’s with you and she’s safe. Something must have happened to make her sneak out. She’s not one to break the rules. I hope someone hasn’t hurt her there.”

“I don’t think that’s it, but I’ll see what I can learn. See you in court tomorrow.” Sabre hung up the phone and turned to Alexis.

“I’m sorry,” Alexis said. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone.”

“I know you didn’t. It’s okay, but next time just call me and I’ll come get you. Alright?”

“You will?”

“Of course I will. You have my cell number so you can reach me anytime.”

With her brow wrinkled, Alexis looked at her advocate. The wrinkle started to melt and she took a step toward Sabre and gave her a hug. They remained clenched for a minute before Alexis let go.

“Listen, Alexis, since you’re here, maybe you could help me with some things in the office.”

“Sure, what can I do?” Her voice brightened.

“Lots of things; I need these papers shredded, pencils sharpened, and copies made.” Alexis took directions well and asked questions when she didn’t understand something. At first, she worked without saying much, but after a little while she seemed to relax and started chattering.

Sabre worked and tried to listen at the same time as Alexis spoke, “. . . and then Joey got his foot caught between the bars on the chair and he couldn’t get it out. They tried everything, but he was stuck. They had to get maintenance to come and take the chair apart so he could get out. Joey thought he would have to walk around the rest of his life with a chair on his foot. He wouldn’t even be able to get dressed. How would he put his pants on?” They chuckled.

After Alexis described Joey’s predicament, her voice grew quieter. “My father came to see me today. He said I’d be going home tomorrow. Am I? Am I going back to live with him?”

Sabre laid her pen down, walked over to Alexis, and knelt down so they met eye to eye. “When we go to court tomorrow, the judge will decide whether or not you’ll return to your father. I’ll make a recommendation to the court and so will Marla. The judge will listen to the reasons why you should or should not go home and then she’ll make the decision. What would you like me to recommend to the court? Do you want to go home?”

Alexis lowered her head and responded in a whisper, “No.”

“Alexis, why don’t you want to go home?”

“I just don’t,” she said. After a few seconds of silence she added in a louder voice, “I like it at Jordan. It’s fun there. And what about Jamie? Will Jamie stay at Jordan?”

“I think so, at least for now. Later, he may be able to go live with you and your father if everything checks out okay.”

“No, Jamie is safe where he is and I need to stay at Jordan with him. He needs me.”

“Did you tell your father you don’t want to go home?”

Alexis spoke emphatically, “No. And you can’t tell him, either. Just make the judge leave me where I am.”

“Alexis, I can’t just tell the judge to not send you home. I need a reason. I need your help here. Remember, I can’t tell anyone what you say, unless you tell me it’s okay. So maybe if you shared with me what you’re afraid of, I can figure out a way to help you.”

The tears started to well up in Alexis’ eyes as she pleaded, “Please, Miss Sabre, just let me stay at Jordan . . . with Jamie.”

Sabre took the fragile little girl in her arms and held her, not sure what to do. She didn’t want the children separated, and she didn’t know if Alexis was afraid to go home or if she just didn’t want to leave Jamie. Sabre needed more information, something explaining Alexis’ reluctance to return, something to give her a reason for a continuance.

They sat for a long time in silence, with Alexis in Sabre’s lap and Sabre’s arms wrapped around her. Their embrace was interrupted by a knock at the front door. Sabre loosened her grip and stood up, “You stay here until I see who it is. It’s probably someone from Jordan checking on you. Just wait here.”

Sabre walked down the short corridor into the reception area, and peeked through the peephole. Just as she did, the mail slot opened and something flew at her. It hit her in the stomach, swirled around, and bright red color came zooming toward her head. Sabre screamed.

She dodged and ducked, trying to avoid contact, but it seemed to keep coming at her. She saw some white on its back and chest amidst the red blur. It appeared about six inches long with a long, narrow wingspan reaching at least a foot. At first, she thought it was some kind of strange bird. When she realized it was a bat, her fear escalated and Sabre panicked.

Screaming and twirling around the room, she crashed into Elaine’s desk, knocking over the desk lamp when her foot caught in the cord. Weaving and bobbing, she tried to avoid the missile streaking at her, until the bat dug its claws into the collar of her blouse. Sabre swung at it over and over again, her hands flaying around as she tried to remove the bat from her body. The bat, close to her throat, made her gasp for air. When it finally let loose, she tried to run, but the light cord wrapped around her foot threw her off balance. Sabre felt herself falling, and fought to untangle her foot and regain her balance, but the floor came at her quickly. She reached out to hold on to the desk. Her hand slipped across the top and her head hit the corner, knocking her out.

Alexis ran into the room just in time to see Sabre twirl and fall and the bat free itself from her blouse. She knelt down by Sabre and started to shake her, “Wake up. Wake up,” Alexis said, but Sabre didn’t move. The bat flew around and around the light near the ceiling. Scared, Alexis ran back into Sabre’s office and slammed the door behind her.

She stood by the door trying to figure out what to do. She knew she needed to call someone, but she didn’t know who. If she called 911 the cops might come and take her to jail for running away. “What do I do? Who can I call?” she said aloud. “Marla. I’ll call Marla.” She reached for the phone.

“M-M-Marla, Sabre’s hurt.”

“Alexis? Is that you?”

“Y-yes,”

“Where are you?”

“S-Sabre’s office.”

“Is anyone else there?”

“No,” she whimpered.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“You said Sabre was hurt. Do you know how bad she is?”

“I think she’s d-d-dead.” Alexis began to cry. “I can’t get her to wake up.”

“I’m coming right over. I’m on my cell phone so I’m going to keep talking to you until I get there, but I’m going to pick up the other phone and call and get Sabre some help. So you may hear me talking on the other line. Just hold on, okay?”

“Okay.”

Marla kept the cell phone to her ear and picked up her landline. She called 911 and told them what little information she had. She explained she’d be there shortly, and if they got there before her, to not frighten Alexis. She hung up the phone and climbed in her car. She could hear Alexis breathing on the other end. “I’m leaving right now. The ambulance may arrive before I do. You just keep me informed and I’ll tell you what to do, okay?”

“Okay.”

Marla continued speaking to Alexis as she drove to Sabre’s office, but all she could determine was something had come in and flown at Sabre, Sabre lay injured on the floor in the other room, and Alexis was in Sabre’s office with the door closed.

The police and the ambulance arrived before Marla did. With some work and encouragement from Marla on the phone, they convinced Alexis to unlatch the back door. She refused to go to the front door because “the flying mouse” might be in there. Shortly after Marla arrived, the paramedics carried Sabre out on a stretcher, alive but unconscious. The bat had been captured. Other than that, she obtained little information. Marla remained there while they took Alexis’ statement, then she and Alexis drove to the hospital and waited for Sabre to awaken.

14

A haze of pure white surrounded Sabre. Unrecognizable voices bounced off the fog as the room spun. She struggled to focus, blinking her eyes and straining until the fog finally dissipated and she saw a familiar face staring down at her.

“Ron,” she murmured. She reached up for the figure in front of her, but her arms seemed to be glued to the bed. They wouldn’t move. “I’m dead,” she whispered, and the darkness came again.

She struggled for the light, needing to see Ron again. Although she tried to open her eyes, her eyelids felt too heavy to move. Sabre concentrated on focusing, putting every bit of energy she could muster into opening them. As she summoned the strength from within, she could see some light streaming through. She continued to concentrate on getting her eyes open until she saw Ron’s face.

“Good morning,” he said.

Sabre tried to respond, but nothing came out. Her mouth felt like cotton. She wanted to ask for water, but no words came. Ron’s concerned face became clearer, his body leaning over Sabre’s, clad in blue scrubs.

She heard the voice again, coming from Ron, but it didn’t sound like him. Ron’s voice was strong and resonant, yet soft and comforting, unlike this ordinary voice. She struggled to stay conscious, to keep her eyes open.

“Sabre, can you hear me?”

“
Uh . . . huh
.”

“You’re in the hospital.”

Sabre responded with another guttural sound. Still confused, her mind raced with crazy thoughts about why she was in the hospital and what Ron was doing there. Was she dead? Was this heaven? Limbo perhaps. Would she remain in this state of flux and confusion for all eternity? She heard the voice again. “Sabre, I’m Dr. Steele. We met the other day when you visited Carla. Remember me?”

Things started to make sense to Sabre, though she didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. She thought Ron had returned, but only Dr. Steele stood before her. At least she was alive. She nodded her head, “
Hm . . . mm
.” Her mouth dry, she scanned the area, looking for water. Dr. Steele reached for a glass and put the straw to her mouth.