Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

18

MARY CATHERINE WASN’T SURPRISED at the small house Lexy lived in or the fact that it appeared to be in one of the roughest projects, just a few blocks from the youth center. Even so, she didn’t worry about her own safety. This was the sort of thing Mary Catherine lived for. She knocked on the door and waited.

A young teenage girl answered. She looked down the street one way and then the other. “Come in. Hurry.”

Clearly the girl didn’t want to be seen talking to her. “Are you Lexy?”

“Yeah.” She cocked her head back. “My grandma wants to meet you.”

An older woman shuffled into the room. “My name’s Anna.” She shook Mary Catherine’s hand. “I don’t understand . . . Why do you want to take my Lexy out?”

Mary Catherine was actually glad the woman cared enough to ask. She explained her role as a volunteer for the Last Time In program. “The goal is that this will be their last time behind bars.”

“I have my own crimes. Years ago.” The old woman nodded. She was still beautiful, and clearly Lexy favored her. But her hands shook and she looked frail, timid. “Too many men. I’m trying to make up for it now.” Tears filled her eyes. “The guns and violence, kids killing kids. It gets worse every year. You aren’t someone unless you’re a WestKnight or an EastTown gang member. It’s not good for anyone.” Anna looked at her granddaughter. “It’s not too late for Lexy. She needs a way out.”

Lexy stared at the floor, like she was unwilling to look at her grandmother or acknowledge the truth in the woman’s statement.

Mary Catherine was still standing. She took hold of the older woman’s hand for a brief few seconds. “I want to help.” She looked back at Lexy. “The police agree with you. They think she has a chance. That with help she could find her way out of this life.” Mary Catherine paused. “If she wants to.”

Anna nodded. “Very good.” She looked deep into Mary Catherine’s eyes. “Take care of her.” She wiped at a tear. “She’s all I have.”

It was a common theme here in the projects. People were broken and battered, scared and alone. Most of them were lucky to have one person who cared for them or lived with them. For Anna, that was Lexy. Her granddaughter. The only family she had.

“We’ll be gone a few hours, if that’s okay.” Mary Catherine had a plan in mind. But she wanted to clear it with this dear woman first.

“Yes. Please.” She was trembling again. “Lexy won’t talk to me. Maybe she’ll open up with you.”

There was so much Mary Catherine wanted to say. Questions she wanted to ask. But she needed to get to know Lexy first. “Yes, ma’am.” She nodded to Anna. “I hope so.”

They were in Mary Catherine’s Hyundai and nearly out of the neighborhood before Lexy said anything. “Do all the volunteers do this? Take their kid out for ice cream?”

Mary Catherine thought for a minute.

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