Free (Save The Kids Book 4) Read online

  "What about getting an attorney?" Patrick asked.

  "Yeah, guess I'll have to deal with that. I'm sure they'll be dragging me out for more questioning. I'll see if I can get them to make the call for me once they do. Like I said, I doubt I'm going anywhere. Even the best attorney couldn't fight the charges I'm facing."

  "Dude, it can't be that bad." Patrick set his tray down and hopped up on his own bunk.

  "You have no idea." Dyson eased back on the one-inch mat that was his mattress and tried not to think about what the next few weeks would be like.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  It had been a week since Dyson had been arrested. The tension was high, and Noam wished he could find a way to ease things around the STK house. Bryon was taking things hard, blaming himself for everything. No matter how many times they told him it could have happened at any time to any of them, he insisted it had been his job to keep the team safe. Noam didn't see it that way. The word team said it all. It took everyone working together to keep them all safe.

  He might not have been with the team as long as the others, and he may not be part of the ones who took the highest risk, but he was there enough to know that the whole group leaned on each other and worked together to protect one another no matter what was going on. More than once he'd seen Kacey go in when he was supposed to have the night off because a sting was more dangerous than they'd thought and they wanted an extra person there.

  Noam signed in at the front desk of the jail. He'd had no problem convincing authorities that he had a good reason to speak with Dyson. He told them he wanted his sources, to find out all he could to help his own program of tracking down offenders and having them arrested. It was an easy cover story, but now that he was here, he had to figure out how he could discuss other things with him.

  He'd hoped to get permission to meet with him face to face, but they would only allow him to meet through the normal glass window. It would have to be enough. At least he didn't have to wait for Dyson's normal visiting days, and could come and go as many times as he needed. If nothing else, seeing a friendly face would hopefully help Dyson's mood and assure him that he wasn't forgotten.

  He walked down the long hallway, watching for B pod. Once he found it, he entered the small visiting area and took a seat behind one of the windows. It was five minutes before the door on the other side opened and Dyson walked in.

  Noam had to school his features, not daring to show the shock at how thin Dyson was looking after only a week. He decided then and there, it didn't matter if it raised eyebrows, he was putting a hundred dollars on Dyson's books so he could order extra food. He reminded himself that he had to act as if the two of them had never met. He was aware that anyone could be listening and that everything was recorded.

  Noam stood, giving Dyson a nod as he approached the window. He saw the wonder in Dyson's eyes. He had to be shocked that anyone from the team dared come in to see him. "Hi, my name is Noam Levinsky, and I'd like to ask you a few questions."

  Dyson sat down, resting his arms on the small counter. "What kind of questions? I've already said everything I have to say."

  "Which I hear isn't much." Noam smiled. "I'm not here to ask you about what you did to the men and women you hunted. Let's say I'm more on the same team as you are. I'm interested in learning about how you found them. How you figured out all these people were pedophiles."

  Dyson shrugged.

  "Listen. I work with a group that goes online with fake accounts, acting like they are young children. We lure the pedophiles in and get them to agree to meet us. When they do, we arrest them. Did you use any apps or anything that might help us?"

  "What's in it for me?" Dyson narrowed his eyes.

  "Listen, I know you might not know because you're in here, but you have support out there. People are calling you a hero. After years of no one knowing about what you do, the media finally found out and broke the news. You're the top story right now. Women and children you've saved are coming forward to defend you by telling their stories. I'm not here to judge you. I get why you did what you did. Right or wrong, you saved lives. I just want to continue to find these people. Continue to work with my team to help you." He was trying to word things so Dyson would know the team was working to get him out, but it wasn't easy.

  "How can you help me?"

  "What do you need? You got everything you need in here?" It was a simple enough question to find out if he was okay.

  "I could use some books. They have to be sent from Amazon directly, but I'll read anything. I'd also like someone to go by my house and make sure it's locked up and safe. I know the cops had to have raided it. Can you drive by and check on it for me?"

  "Sure will. Is there anyone I can contact for you?"

  Dyson shook his head. "There isn't anyone."

  "You have more people standing with you than you think. Have faith this will all work out." He stared into Dyson's eyes, hoping he caught that they were going to help him. They would get him out.

  Dyson nodded. "Thanks. I don't know how much help I can be." He named off some of the more obscure apps that he knew they searched, ones that wouldn't be well known to anyone listening. "You could try those. Mostly it was surveillance. I'd watch them, learn everything about them. I was patient, took my time."

  Noam nodded. "Think about things. I'd be willing to testify on your behalf if you are willing to share the names of those you were watching. Give us a lead so we can go in and save the children you didn't get to? I can't endorse what you've done, but I hate that there are others out there that we can save."

  "Come back and see me soon and I'll have a list of names for you." Dyson stared at him.

  Noam didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay, keep Dyson company, let him know that he wasn't alone. It was impossible. Any hint that they knew each other could ruin everything. "I'll be back then. Thank you. I promise to drive by your house and make sure it's secure. I'll also get you some books. Just promise you won't lose hope. What you did might have been illegal, but in my mind, and many others out there, it was deserved."

  "Thanks, not that it will do me a lot of good." Dyson sighed.

  "It won't take long to figure things out. You've got a good legal team behind you. They'll take care of you." Noam stood. "I appreciate you being willing to work with me."

  "I want those kids safe." Dyson gave him a small smile. "I might be out of a job, but if others can save them, they need to do it."

  "I promise you, my team and I will make sure the kids are saved." Noam gave him a wave. "I'll speak to you soon, Dyson. Take care, okay."

  "Doing my best." Dyson stood and walked out without another glance.

  Noam sighed. Hopefully, he'd been able to convey the message that the team was working to get him out. He'd figure out more to say when he came back.

  He left the jail, wishing there was something more he could do. The team had made sure Dyson's house was safe and secure. His stuff was safe, and they'd make sure it stayed that way. Sending books to him would be easy. He'd let the team know it's what Dyson wanted. He wasn't sure how much longer he'd be in jail, but if it was more than a week, he'd make sure he got some books. He also had another idea that he knew would really boost Dyson's mood.

  Once in his car, he grabbed his phone and called Bryon.

  "Hello?" Bryon answered on the first ring.

  "Hey, I'm just leaving."

  "How is he?" Bryon asked.

  "He looks depressed. He's lost weight. Can't blame him for being a bit scared and nervous that we won't come through for him. It's got to be hard to sit in there without any information."

  "I wish we had a way to talk to him. Did you manage to tell him anything?"

  "He knows we're working on things. I couldn't say much more. It was impossible to talk without people listening. I did tell him that he had support. In exchange for the info I asked for, he asked me to check on his house, and to send him some books to read. He didn't care what books."

  "I'll ha
ve Carter order a bunch as soon as I hang up. I'm hoping to have him out within a week or so, but we have to wait for everything to be right. I can't take risks on this. If anything goes wrong, we'll lose him for sure." Bryon sighed. "He's really okay?"

  "Yeah, he is. As good as he can be for where he is. I dropped a hundred dollars on his books. Anyone will assume it was for information. I was also thinking, I told him that the public is behind him, and that those he saved in the past were speaking out, telling their story about how he saved them. So I was thinking, could we have Faith write to him? Act like she's just contacting him as someone who he saved years ago. She won't be able to say anything personal, but I mean, she's sixteen, she can go on about how her life is now and how good it is because of him. Little hints of what she's been up to the last while. It's just something simple that would help his mood a bit."

  "That's actually not a bad idea. I'll talk to Matt about it. It's got to be his call, because that will draw attention, but I don't think the police are smart enough to look at it as anything more than someone reaching out to thank him. It will do Faith good too. She's been having some trouble accepting everything that happened."

  "We all have." Noam pulled out on the road. "How long until we get him out, Bry? We can't leave him in there."

  "I'm working on it, I swear. Every piece of this has to be ready. I can't do this half-assed. When we do this, we do it all. He's not going to like my plans, but it’s the only way. We'll get him out. But when we do, that's when the real hard part begins."

  "Still not going to let us in on what your plans are?" Noam asked. Bryon promised that Dyson would be safe once he was out, and that he could go on, have a normal life, but he wouldn't give them any of the details.

  "I'm not going to have you guys trying to change my mind. A few of you might not like what I have to do, but it's the only way. I'm mostly worried about Xander. This is all hitting him hard."

  "Yeah, I talked to him a couple nights ago. He's having a hard time waiting for us to get him out, and not working is also taking its toll. I suggested they get away for a few days, but he refuses to leave. Anyway, do you want me to talk to Faith? I'm headed over to give Xander an update now."

  "Yeah, let her know we need to read everything she says. We can't risk letting on that they know each other."

  "I'll make sure. Thanks, Bry."

  "No, thank you. I'm glad at least one of us can get eyes on him. Give me a call if you hear anything more or if there is any new information from the police on his case."

  "I will. I'll let you know what Faith says. Kasey and I will be by later tonight. Tell everyone we'll bring dinner." Noam was sure most of the team would be there. They were most nights. It was like they couldn't stand to be apart while they waited. Other than Beau and Parson, the whole group spent the night in the game room of the house, trying not to think about what happened, and what they could be doing if they were allowed to work.

  It was hard knowing kids were being hurt, and the cases that Carter and Trenton found that could be passed on to Noam's team were, but that meant most of the really bad offenders – the ones who did much more than try to pick up teens online - weren't getting caught.

  Determined to somehow see this through without all of them losing their minds, Noam headed over to Matt and Xander's. Faith would be out of school soon, and he wanted to talk to them before he talked to her. This had to have her fathers' approval.

  Somehow, this was all going to work out, even if as of right now, he just didn't see how.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Dyson,

  You don't know me, but my name is Faith. Years ago, you saved me from a horrible man who kidnapped me. I had no idea that it wasn't the police who did this until recently when I heard your story on the news.

  I'd sat through the court hearings, even though I was really young, and I heard what had been done to the man who took me. When I heard on the news you'd saved a lot of kids, I knew it had to be you that saved me.

  Thank you!

  Even though we don't know each other, I think about you all the time now. I want to hug you and tell you how you saved my life and made all the horrible things stop. I am sixteen now and have a good life. It can still be hard at times, but I have the best group of friends who are always there to help me. I hope you have friends who are helping you too, now that you face bad times.

  I believe I'll get to meet you someday and thank you personally. I can't wait until that day. I'm writing to the police, the lawyers, the judge, the news, and anyone who will listen to tell them what you did for me. Saving me shouldn't be one of the reasons you are in jail. I hate that. Now you are unhappy and I'm happy. It doesn't seem fair.

  Anyway, I'm giving you my address so that you can write me back if you want. I'd like to stay friends. My dad knows I'm writing to you and he is okay with it. He said to tell you thank you for bringing me home to him, and if given the chance, he would have done the same thing to my kidnapper that you did.

  I'll understand if you don't write back, but I want you to have the chance if you want.

  I hope you're okay and jail isn't horrible.

  Your friend always,

  FAITH

  Dyson fought back tears as he read the letter. It was almost enough to break him. Out of all of the people who could have contacted him, could have shown support, Faith was one that meant so much more than the others.

  He read through the letter a dozen times, reading between the lines, and seeing what she was telling him without saying it outright. It was an ingenious way to get him messages.

  From what Noam had said several days before, and from what Faith's letter said, it was clear they expected to get him out of there. He just wasn't sure how or when they were going to pull it off. He had to be ready for anything.

  Faith's letter gave him hope. He was sure all of her talk about meeting him someday was meant to tell him they were working to get him out. It was like all Noam's talk about his team. It was all meant to communicate something, he just had to figure out exactly what.

  "Good letter?" Patrick asked.

  Dyson glanced up at his cellmate. "It's from a girl I rescued years ago. She's thanking me for what I did and telling me she's writing letters to let the judge and everyone else know I don't belong here. I never expected a letter like this, ya know?"

  Patrick jumped down from his bunk and sat on the small stool. "You know, people are talking about you. Everyone knows from the news who you are and what you did. Everyone here has your back. Doesn't matter who you are or what your crime is in here, no one has any respect for a pedophile. What you did took guts, and to get away with it for as long as you did is amazing."

  Dyson shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal."

  "The hell it isn't. Kurt gets the paper sent in. It's a few days behind, but an article today said you'd saved hundreds of kids over the years. You found kids that the police had given up hope of ever finding." Patrick smiled. "That's a big deal."

  "I'd like to think anyone would do it if they had the chance."

  Patrick nodded. "So do I. I know I would if I had the opportunity. After seeing what that fuck did to my sister over the years, I'd go after abusive men and women of all kinds. My sister was raped twice by him. It's why I didn't think twice about shooting him."

  Dyson stared at Patrick, thinking of how it took people like him and Patrick to go after the abusers. It took someone willing to give up everything to save another. That's what they had in common. It was what STK did. Even at the risk of their freedom, they went after those who hurt the most innocent. "Now we're both stuck in here, doing no one any good."

  "Yeah, but like your letter from that kid, I get them from my sister. She's in college again, getting her nursing degree finally. Her husband would never let her go to school. If she has a good life, gets her degree, and who knows how many lives she might save as a nurse, then all this was worth it. Seeing her smile again makes up for me being in here." Patrick nodded to Dyson's letter
. "There are probably many more out there who feel the same way about you. Remember them when it gets tough in here."

  Dyson smiled. "You know, all those kids I saved, I never met them, never saw them. I let the police rescue them. I went in, made sure the men or women hurting them were taken care of, then I called the police and told them about the kids being held. I never wanted any of the kids to see my face. What I did wasn't for the innocent to ever know about. I wanted the police there to protect them from ever seeing what I'd done."

  "Well, everyone knows who you are now. I'm pretty sure those families will never forget you."

  "Just like your sister won't ever forget you."

  Patrick sighed. "Think there's a chance we'll end up at the same area once we go to prison?"

  Dyson doubted he'd make it as far as prison, at least he hoped he wouldn't. His team would have a hell of a time getting him out once he was there. "It depends. With my crimes, they could choose to keep me in maximum security. You, I think you'll get into general population. I'd like it if we were. You've been the perfect cellmate. Last time I was in, I was with a guy detoxing. It was only for a day, but it was hell. He spent the whole-time puking. The cell stunk so bad. I swore I'd never come back to jail after that."

  "Yet, here you are."

  "Yeah, but luckily with you." Dyson laid back on the bed. "So how are you hearing all this gossip about me? We're locked in here twenty-three hours a day. We get an hour for showers or phone calls. You never talk to anyone."

  "Ah, that's where you're wrong. You might head straight for the shower, and never talk to anyone, but me, I linger, listen at the other cell doors, and they always let two of us out at a time. Everyone wants to know about my cellmate. Why do you think everyone stops to say hi when they walk by our cell? They are hoping to see you, gain some information on who you are and what you're like."

  Dyson rolled his eyes. "What do you tell them?"