Building Baby Brother (continued)

I turned back to face the officer.

“Nothing in particular.”

Bentley stared at me for several moments. Finally, he stopped looking and, murmuring something too quietly for me to hear, added something to his notes. He looked up again and seemed ready to say something, but then seemed to change his mind.

Picking up his hat, he tucked both it and his computer under his arm.

“Sorry to bother you folks.” He nodded to Josh. “Have a good evening.”

I followed him to the front door and opened it for him. He did not look at us as he left, but I was certain that I saw him shake his head very slowly as I closed the door behind him.

I turned back to Josh. He stood there before me, clearly shaken.

“Why’d they take Jeremy’s dad away? Did he do something bad?”

His voice trembled. His eyes shone and he seemed to be shaking.

I shook my head.

“I don’t know.”

Although they don’t usually take you away in cuffs for doing something good . . .

I motioned for him to come toward me.

He hesitated for a moment, and then almost ran into my arms. He hugged me close. I think he wanted to cry, but managed to hold it in.

I waited for his breathing to return to normal and then turned his face toward mine.

“Josh?” I asked him gently. “Did you call the police?”

His eyes grew wide. For a moment, I thought he might actually cry.

“You’re not in trouble,” I reassured him hurriedly. “I just need to know.”

He shook his head sharply to each side several times.

“No.”

He answered so softly that I could barely hear him.

“Okay,” I said, giving him a big smile and pulling him close in a hug.

As he clung to me, I stared over his shoulder, wondering.

It must have been a technical glitch. With all those automated systems, even the 911 system was bound to make mistakes sometimes . . .

My train of thought slowed.

Automated systems . . . Gavin?

I frowned silently.

That didn’t make any sense. It had to be a glitch.

I relaxed my hold on Josh. He moved away and sniffed. He hadn’t cried, and he was still pretty shaken up. I figured the odds were pretty good that I would have company in my bedroom that night.

“C’mon,” I said, forcing a light tone. “What do you say we put our pajamas on and go to bed?”

Josh nodded in silent agreement. His eyes still glistened brightly.

I took his hand and, together, we climbed the stairs back to his bedroom.