Mark followed far enough behind where they didn't catch on they were being followed. They finally pulled into a dilapidated looking house in a bad neighborhood. Mark parked on the street and watched as Katlyn climbed out of the car and a young man got out on the other side and they went in the house.
Katlyn took a deep breath and walked in. The front room was filled with kids of all ages ranging from 6 to 18. There were 20 of them living here now.
"Tom is in the kitchen." Jessie whispered.
Katlyn looked at Jessie and tried to smile reassuringly. Jessie was the newest and she was only 6. Jessie was scared to death of Tom and with good reason. She had reddish hair and green eyes and two front teeth had just fallen out. She was an adorable child but she already had that look in eyes like she had the weight of the world on her.
Mark had snuck into the yard and looked through the window. They had candled lit in there, so they must had no electricity. He gasped at what he saw. The room was packed with kids of all ages, most of them young. He saw Katlyn bend and hug a young girl and pat her back as if to reassure her. The little girl looked scared to death. Mark saw Katlyn say something to the young boy who had been driving and she headed through a door. Mark crept around to the back of the house.
Katlyn told Joey to wait in the front room with the kids and she headed to the kitchen.
She walked in and seen Tom sitting at the old table with a candle lit on it.
He was 6"0 and had black short hair and brown eyes. He was an intimidating man and his eyes held a dead look. He looked up at Katlyn.
"What kept you Katlyn?" He asked in a calm voice.
"I got caught and the man roughed me up some and called the police. I got away though." Katlyn said.
Tom shook his head.
"Katlyn you're becoming sloppy. You stayed in the house too long didn't you?" Tom asked.
Katlyn didn't say anything she had learned it was better to say nothing than to incur his wrath.
"I suppose you came away with nothing?" Tom said.
"I had to get out of there fast." Katlyn said.
Tom jumped up and punched her in the face.
When she fell he started kicking her.
"You stupid little bitch!" Tom yelled as he picked her up and started hitting her with his fists.
Katlyn didn't fight back she knew there was no point.
Mark had walked back to the road and called the police again. These kids needed help and he was going to make sure they got it. He was sure the man Tom they had talked about was in the house.
Mark heard the high pitched scream of a child. To hell with waiting for the police. He ran up to the front door and busted it in. He was aware of all the children looking at him. The screaming was coming from the kitchen. He ran in there and stopped short.
Katlyn was curled up in a ball on the floor while a man was kicking her. The screaming though was coming from the little girl he had seen earlier. She was screaming at the man to stop. He suddenly turned and slapped the little girl hard. Mark had enough. He grabbed the man and busted him as hard as he could in the face. The man fell and screamed as blood gushed from his nose.
Mark picked up the little girl and took her in the living room.
"Keep her in here." He said handing her to an older girl.
He went back in the kitchen and picked the bastard up and punched him hard in the gut.
Once again Tom screamed.
"Don't feel good does it?" Mark growled.
He grabbed Tom around the neck and slammed him to the floor. He then drew back his boot and kicked him in the stomach. Mark looked down. He wasn't moving he must have passed out.
Mark walked over to Katlyn. He bent down and turned her over. He couldn't believe how bad she was beat. Her lip was split and bleeding and her eye was already turning black.
Katlyn trembled from Mark's touch and tried to pull away.
"Darlin I aint going to hurt ya, I promise." Mark said in a gentle voice.
Mark helped her set up and pulled his bandanna out of his pocket to wipe some of the blood off her lip. Katlyn flinched but didn't move.
"I'm sorry Darlin, I should have broken in here sooner and I could have stopped this." Mark said.
"Is Jessie alright?" Katlyn asked.
"Yea she's fine, don't ya worry none." Mark said.
Mark gently brushed the hair back from her face. Katlyn didn't know what to think of his gentle touch. Nobody had ever showed her any kindness especially not a grown up.
"I called the police. They'll put that bastard away and we'll get those kids someplace safe to stay." Mark said.
Katlyn looked up at him with such sad eyes.
"They put all the older one in group homes or detention centers;
you really think they'll be better off?" Katlyn said.
"Darlin, I promise ya. I'll make sure all the
children go to homes if I have to find them homes my self." Mark said.
Katlyn wanted to believe him but she had learned to trust no one but herself.
The cops had arrived and the place was a mad house. Katlyn had talked to the kids and convinced them to tell everything about Tom. He was carted off in handcuff and Detective Jackson told them they would all have to testify when his trial came up. When the ambulance arrived, Mark led Katlyn out to be checked out. He left her there for a few moments and went to talk to the detectives.
"So what are you going to do with these kids tonight?" Mark asked.
"Well they will have to stay at the detention center till we can get homes lined up." Wallace said.
"No!" Mark boomed at them.
"What?" Jackson said.
"These kids have been through enough. Get on the phone to social services and get them in places tonight. I would hate to call the local paper and tell them how you locked up a bunch of abused and neglected kids in a detention center for no reason." Mark threatened.
Jackson looked at Wallace. The commissioner would have his job if he let bad PR like that come down on the Police Department. Jackson got out his phone and started making calls.
"Thank you." Mark said and headed back to check on Katlyn.