"What do you mean?" Bryon turned.
"Every new home has rules."
"Well, I guess we have rules. Don't jump on the furniture, respect everyone who lives here, don't make a mess and leave it for someone else to clean up. Basic stuff. Oh, and there's a music studio downstairs that is off limits to all of us, but other than that, I can't really think of any rules."
"So I can come and go if I want?" Geo asked.
"Yep, but I'd suggest you stick around here for now. The police will be looking for you guys. You're safe here. If they catch you, they'll probably just toss you into another hellhole. If you need to leave for a reason, let one of us know. We'll figure out a way to help you safely. I'm going to insist you don't take Lenora or Andy with you though. They're too young to be out on the streets." Bryon glanced at the coffee pot. Geo was too young as well, but something told Bryon the kid knew how to survive on the streets. "I'd like you to stick around if you want to. You can help us figure out who is involved in sending kids to homes like the one you were at. Who is behind taking the girls and trying to sell them."
Geo gasped. "Is that what happened to Lenora?"
Bryon nodded. "Becca and Faith helped her escape the man who was buying her."
"Shit." Geo sank down into a chair at the table. "I wondered, but they promised me they'd found a couple who wanted to adopt her. I guess they took Maddie there as well?"
"Probably. We're looking into that now. We want to find out who at CPS is working with the child traffickers and who the police officers are that are assisting them." Bryon nodded to the fridge. "Grab a bowl of cereal or something to eat and we can go outside and talk if you want."
Geo stood. "Where's the cereal?"
"I'm not sure, but it has to be somewhere in here. I know she bought several kinds." Bryon started opening cupboards. "Check in the pantry over there." He pointed.
Geo did and came back a second later with a box of Sugar Pops.
"Bowls are in that one." Bryon pointed. "We've only been here a day, so I'm still finding my way around. I borrowed the house from a friend who is out of town."
"Danny Prescott? I saw his picture in the room Lenora's in. Is it his house?"
"It is. He's an old friend of mine. We went to school together years ago. Lenora's in his daughter's room. We figured she'd be happier in a room fit for a young girl."
"She loves it. Said she never wants to leave here." Geo poured the bowl of cereal, then went for the milk.
"Unfortunately, she can't stay here forever, but wherever she goes, we'll make sure she has a nice room. She mentioned her parents had friends in Michigan. We're trying to locate them."
"How's Eric?"
"I haven't gotten an update, but if anything was wrong, Beau would have woken me. He's probably still sound asleep. It's going to be hard for him for a while."
"I know. He's so young. I tried to fight when the man came to take him, but I wasn't strong enough. I tried to get him to take me again, but he just laughed." Geo took a deep breath. "He did that to all the boys who stayed there."
"I figured. I'm sorry that happened to you. Are you okay? Physically, I mean."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Andy was bleeding, but he let me look and it was just a small tear. That was a few days ago. He says he's okay now." Geo met Bryon's gaze. "Don't tell him I told you about that. He'll be embarrassed."
"I'm going to let Beau handle talking to him. He'll probably come to talk to you as well. Be honest with him. Beau deals with situations like this for a living. He knows how to help you if you're still hurting or if there's bleeding. Don't be embarrassed. You're not the only one here who's been raped. A few of my men have as well in the past."
"Your men?" Geo asked.
Bryon paused, wishing he'd worded that better. He was usually more careful. He decided to be honest and share a bit of the truth with him. "They work for me. We hunt down child traffickers, rapists, kidnappers, and others who hurt children."
"That's how you found Lenora?"
"Actually, no. Becca and I came here to get married. She was having lunch with Faith when she noticed Lenora and knew something wasn't right."
Geo nodded. "Lenora told me what happened. She and I sat up talking after Andy fell asleep. She said you saved her from being raped."
"I didn't. Credit for that goes to Faith and Becca. They called us once they'd saved Lenora. When she told us about Andy, we had to make sure we got him so they could stay together."
"And Eric and me?"
