Substitute Father

“He died a long time ago,” Troy told him solemnly. “When I was borned.”

Luke glanced from face to face, seeing pain, terror and worse—a disheartening lack of hope. No doubt they were hungry and tired as well. “Okay, I won’t call the police. For now.”

Brian looked suspicious but relieved.

Luke considered his options and knew he had only one. “You’re all going home with me.”

“We don’t want nothin’ from you,” Brian asserted. “We’ll pay you back for the food.”

“I have a better idea. We’ll take the groceries to my house and cook some supper. Then you can help me figure out how to work my PlayStation.”

Although Troy looked intrigued, Brian was still resistant. “We’re fine here.”

Hannah hiccuped. “I’m hungry.”

Obviously torn, Brian stared first at his younger sister, then at Luke.

Taking charge of the situation, Luke tugged the cart from behind the curtain, turning it toward the door. After shifting the groceries, he picked up Troy and deposited him in the cart. Then he lifted Hannah to rest on his hip. Luke kept his tone mild as he met Brian’s gaze. “You coming with us?”

With no other choice, Brian nodded.

“Where are your things?” Luke asked.

Brian shrugged and again Luke felt his heart constrict. Not even a change of clothes among them. “Traveling light has its advantages.”

Brian nodded, but Luke could see the boy’s throat working, either from gratitude or shame. Casually, Luke draped one arm over Brian’s shoulders. “I’ll need your help to get the younger ones across the street.”

Brian straightened up and nodded, obviously relieved to be assigned some responsibility. Briefly, Luke wondered at the hand of fate that had placed these kids in such a predicament. Then he concentrated on getting them out of the alley.

It didn’t take long to get them into his Bronco. Luke wasn’t certain if it was fatigue or fear that kept the children quiet once inside.

Within a few minutes, Luke drove the short distance from the grocery store, then stopped the SUV in front of his rambling, old Victorian home. The large house looked imposing, but he’d purchased it for a song, doing most of the renovation and restoration work himself. It had proven perfect for both his home and his veterinary practice, which was located in the front of the house.

“You live here?” Troy asked, obviously impressed by the proportions of the house.

Luke unbuckled their seat belts. “Yep. It gets kind of drafty in the winter, but otherwise it’s okay.”

“Okay…” Brian repeated in awe, staring up at the third-floor dormer windows of the attic.

Luke wanted to chuckle at their reaction, but realized the children would think he was laughing at them. Instead, he handed each one a sack of groceries, then shepherded them up the walk.

Once inside, they stared upward at the impressively tall ceilings. Luke remembered a similar feeling when he’d first stepped inside the house. Then it was run-down, in danger of being condemned. But he had seen past the ramshackle condition to the possibilities contained beneath layers of peeling paint, torn wallpaper and threadbare carpet.

“Put the sacks on this table,” Luke instructed, showing them an old drop-leaf hall table that had once belonged to his grandparents.

Although they complied, each one was trying to take in the unusual house.

“Who else lives here?” Brian asked, still gaping.

Just then several dogs started barking ferociously. All three children turned to stare.

“That you, Luke?” Wayne Johnson called out from the clinic portion of the house.

“Yep! Come on out here.”

Curtained French doors swung open. A fortyish man stepped out, wiping his hands on a towel. The volume of the dogs’ barking increased with the opening of the doors. Wayne carefully looked over the trio of children. But he didn’t show more than mild surprise. “Howdy.”

The kids responded with a variety of greetings.

“I don’t suppose you all are here to help me with the critters,” Wayne commented.

Luke smiled, realizing his assistant had accurately assessed the situation. His calm demeanor was helping defuse the tense atmosphere.

“Critters?” Troy asked.

“Yep. Dogs, cats, a raccoon, couple of ducks and even a snake.”

The kids faces reflected varying shades of fascination.

“Snakes are icky,” Hannah announced. But the boys didn’t look as though they agreed.

Relieved to hear her speak without crying, Luke sent his assistant a look of gratitude. “Tell you what, guys. If we can talk Wayne into giving you the grand tour, I’ll start some supper.”

“Be my pleasure,” Wayne told them. “Course I might need a volunteer or two to help with the ornery animals.”

Their eyes grew even rounder as they trailed Wayne into the clinic.

Not bothering with the groceries, Luke strode quickly into the kitchen. In moments he was dialing the phone. His sister, Rachel, a social worker for the county, answered her office phone on the first ring.

Quickly he filled her in on the situation.

“Do you want me to send someone to pick them up?” she asked, concern filling her voice.

He paused. “Actually, Rach, I want to keep them here until you can find their relatives. That shouldn’t take too long. I was hoping you could get me some sort of temporary permission.”

“Why you?”

“They’ve been through so much already. They’re scared to death of being separated. They were tired, hungry. And if you could see their faces…”

Rachel’s own compassion was felt in the sigh that reverberated over the phone line. “Enough said. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Rach. Oh, do I need to call the police, let them know the kids are here?”

“No, I’ll take care of that. If they’re telling the truth, there’ll be a record of the mother’s death.”

“Why would kids lie about a thing like that?”

“You forget, I’ve seen more kids in trouble than you have.”