Tru watched as a good looking guy with long brown hair locked up the office for the night and headed to his car. When he had driven off she crept out of the shadows and lay down by the front door to sleep. While lying there she thought about how it had got this bad and how she had got here. Her boyfriend Peter well ex-boyfriend now had come home the night before claiming she was sleeping with his best friend Ben. Who had come up with that she didn't know.
When she said she wasn't he had smacked her about and threatened to kill her. So she ran from the house last night and ended up here as she was tired. She had no idea where she was going to from here but it would do for now. She finally fell into a restless sleep at around 2AM. When Leland returned to the office the next morning he found a pretty girl of around 30 with a tear stained face asleep on the front steps.
He set down his bag then gently tapped her on the shoulder. She awoke with a jump. He could see she was clearly used to violence and terrified by her black eye and split lip. "Sorry I meant to be up and away before now," she mumbled as she bolted down the street despite her cracked ribs. "Who was that?" pondered Leland as he picked up his bag. 'I wonder if she'll be back tonight?' he thought to himself as he opened up the office for the day.
He was still thinking about the mystery girl when his dad called. "Howz it," said Leland as he answered his cell phone. "Howz it son, just to let you know we're in Kona and on our way to you," said Dog as he grabbed his bags from the baggage reclaim. Leland wasn't paying attention as he thought he saw the mystery girl going past. It wasn't though she was too tall.
"Leland are you listening?" asked Dog bringing him out of his thoughts. "Sorry dad, what?" asked Leland who still wasn't listening. "We're on our way, then you can explain what's up," said Dog repeating himself as they (Dog, Beth, Youngblood and Daune-Lee) headed to the car. "Ok...I'll see you then, k bye," said Leland knowing they would help him find her.
45 minutes later Dog, Beth, Youngblood all walked in the door. "Hey brah, howz it going?" asked Daune-Lee as he pounced on his brother playfully. "I need a favour," said Leland as he lit a cigarette. "What's that?" asked Beth looking sceptical; she knew what Leland's favours could be like. "There was a girl sleeping on the steps this morning, she looked like she was in trouble but ran off before I could help," began Leland going bright red.
"And let me guess you want to find her," supplied Beth instantly knowing what he wanted to do. "Yeah, I do," said Leland throwing Beth a thankful look. "What does she look like?" asked Dog as they put out their finished cigarettes. "Well she's about my height with shoulder length red hair and sparkling blue eyes, she has a tattoo of a heart on her elbow just below a bruise. You'll know it's her by the black eye and split lip," said Leland thinking back.
"Well if she's homeless and sleeping on the steps she maybe at the soup kitchen. I'll check them, you guys keep busy, I'll go alone as she's probably scared of men," said Beth getting up. They all nodded knowing that Beth was probably right. "Take some mace with you in case you need it," said Dog as he handed a can over to her and pulled out a file. "Thanks Bethy," said Leland throwing her a smile. "No problem brah," said Beth as she walked out the door.
She headed to several soup kitchens with no luck. As she started to go round them again her cell phone started to ring. "Any luck?" asked Leland when Beth answered the phone. "Not yet brah, I'm going round them once more then I'll be back," said Beth as she shook her head. She knew that Leland had a thing for helping someone in trouble. "Thanks Bethy," said Leland before hanging up. She headed round to the first soup kitchen she had been at that day and spotted a girl walking out of it matching the description that Leland had given her.
"Hey sista, I've been looking for you," said Beth smiling as she walked up to the girl who looked scared. "Me?" asked Tru as she got ready to run. "Don't worry I won't hurt you, I only want to talk to you," said Beth thankful that the mace can was in her bag. "Ok," said Tru as she relaxed a little. Beth took in the state Tru was in as they took a walk along the beach. She noticed that not only did Tru have a split lip and two black eyes but she had bruises up and down her arms.
"My name's Beth Chapman, what's yours huni?" asked Beth after a few minutes of silence. Chapman, Tru knew that name from somewhere...then she realised that they were bounty hunters. Why would they be coming after her? "Tru," she replied as she watched the ground, she was getting herself ready to run in case she didn't like what Beth had to say. "It's nice to meet you sista," said Beth sticking out her hand for Tru to shake. She still had no idea what the woman wanted but she shook her hand anyway.
"I believe you were sleeping on the steps outside my son's office this morning," said Beth kindly as they sat down. Tru should have known that it was something to do with that, she realised where she knew the Chapman name...it was from watching it on the TV. The office she had slept outside of was Leland Chapman's. "I'm sorry I had nowhere else to go," mumbled Tru as she studied the ground. "Aw my sista I ain't here to shout, Leland was worried about you and wants you to come back to the office with me," said Beth smiling.
Tru's head snapped up...go somewhere where there was a man...after Peter she wanted to stay well clear of them. "I'm sorry I can't...I just can't," said Tru as she got up and ran down the street taking all the alleyways so that she could lose Beth in the process. Beth sighed and headed back to the office, she had been right the poor girl was terrified of people. "Did you find her?" asked Leland as she walked into the room. "Yeah but when I mentioned your name she was off running like a rocket," said Beth as she sat down heavy hearted.
"I don't understand," said Leland looking confused. "It means she's had a bad experience with a guy and she doesn't want to be near any at the minute," said Youngblood clearing things up for him. They all thought for a few minutes on how they could help her start to trust them and come to them. "Tonight I could leave a blanket and some food for her, soup all the time gets boring," said Leland thinking out loud. "That sounds like a good idea, have you got a blanket here?" asked Daune-Lee as he looked round the office for nice things to eat.
"No I don't I better get one," said Leland looking worried. They had caught the guy they were looking for while Beth was out so they were done for the day. "I'll run and get one now," said Leland as he grabbed his car keys and headed for the back door. "Get nice food for her to," shouted Daune-Lee as the door banged shut.
Leland jumped in the car and headed round to the shop that sold general supplies and looked through the blankets. He picked a nice thick one as he knew it could be cold at night. He then headed for the food section and got her ready cooked sausages and chocolate. He picked up a bottle of cola as he headed for the checkout. When he returned to the office that evening the others were getting ready to leave.
"Here put this in the bag," said Beth as she placed a note inside. "What does it say?" asked Leland being nosey. "Just that this stuff is for her and I would like to meet her again at Zippys for lunch," said Beth as they turned the lights out and headed out the door. Leland set the stuff on the step and looked into the shadows where Tru was standing, if he saw her he didn't say anything as he headed inside and locked the back door and came out and locked the front.