RICHIE'S SURPRISE - CHAPTER 2

AJ:

AJ had just shot a text message off to Richie. Would he really help her? Would he really get her away from her perverted foster father? The man hadn't done more than touch her a few times, but she felt like that was all about to change. Unfortunately for her, she had intuitive ability. She could read people's minds and his mind was dirty. He scared her to death. Her thoughts traveled back to Richie, maybe he would help her. Maybe she should Facebook him, it had been 30 minutes and he hadn't answered. He always answered within a few minutes.

She went into the living room, "Daddy, may I get on the computer. I have a project on Artic Animals. I have to choose an animal for my project."

Her foster father looked at her. He had thoughts running through his mind that no man should have regarding his foster daughter. He shook away his thoughts as he mentally told himself, tonight was the night he would have her, his wife had a civic association meeting tonight. "Um, certainly Allison. No more than one hour."

AJ sighed gratefully, even as she read his thoughts. She just wished she could turn this gift/curse off. "Yes sir, thank you." she said favoring her foster father with a smile. As if she had never read his thoughts and as if she didn't know what he had planned for her. She booted on the computer and signed on to her Facebook account. She had of course lied and said she was 13 when she got her account, even though she was only 10. She sent a private message to Richie: Please Richie. He touched me again. I have to get out of here, I can tell something is going to change. I have to leave tonight.

Richie:

Richie was sitting on his bed, doing his math homework. His Facebook account was open and he got an instant email that he had a Facebook message. Looking around his room guiltily, he pulled up his Facebook account and read his message. "Damn!" his swore. "I'm gonna kill that sick son of a bitch."

Richie immediately replied. "AJ, get out. As quickly as you can. Sneak out and get on public bus, just like you do when we meet and meet me at the normal place. Don't worry kiddo, I'll take care of you. Let me know when your on your way." Richie sat back and sighed. What he was going to do? Mac and Tess didn't know he had a kid sister. But, there was no way that he was going to let that sick bastard foster father of hers molest her. He thought about it. How was going to get out of the house or more importantly, getting out wasn't the problem, the problem was what was he going to do with her once he picked her up? With all the confidence of a teenager, he would just figure that out eventually.

AJ:

AJ calmed herself. It wasn't too hard to get away from her foster father for a couple of hours. At least as long as she was home for dinner. It was 4:00, she had 2 hours. It would make total sense to him if she asked if she could go to her friend Madison's two doors down. He just didn't know that she would never be coming back.

"Daddy, I'm done. May I go to Maddie's for a little while?" AJ asked, she flashed him her most innocent smile.

Her foster father was watching a football rerun on TV. "Sure, sure, you know the rules, you must be back before dinner." he waived her away. His thoughts turned toward lust again as he thought about what he was going to do to his "little girl" tonight.

AJ felt the full force of his thoughts and unconsciously paled. "Ok, Daddy. See you later." she said as she forced herself to be as calm as possible.

AJ ran swiftly to her room to get her jacket. She emptied her piggy bank of all the money she had in the world. She saved every penny. She hardly spent her allowance. She had $100. A small fortune. Sure enough to get her across town on the bus. Maybe Richie could help her find a hotel or something. She checked her backpack. Her foster father wouldn't even notice that she had it with her. She made sure she had her cell phone, a birthday present from her foster mother and foster father on her 10th birthday. She stuffed a change of clothes, her favorite stuffed animal, a monkey named "Mooch" , a toothbrush and her hairbrush into the backpack. She was all set. All she had to do was calmly walk out the door and down the street to the bus stop and away from her perverted foster father.

She steeled herself and took a breath. She cautiously went down the stairs and walked right past her foster father, backpack and all and he didn't even spare a glance. "Daddy, I'm leaving now." she sang out as she banged the door shut.

She quickly made it the two blocks to the bus stop, paid her fare and got on the bus. She texted Richie again. Heh, I'm out. On my way. AJ"

AJ sat back for the 2 hour bus ride across town and thought about Richie. He was so lucky that he had found someone decent to live with. Why couldn't she be so lucky. This was the third abusive home she had been in. Somehow she had always be lucky and got out just before the real abuse started. If she hadn't been an intuitive, she would have been abused many times.

Duncan:

Duncan was working in his office when he heard Richie's cell phone again. Another text. He started to ignore it, but he couldn't help it. Pushing the guilt away of reading his son's messages, he looked at his son's phone.

Heh, I'm out. On my way. AJ.

Duncan shook his head again. What was going on? Who was AJ?

Just then Tess came in. "Duncan, why is your head so wrinkled? Huh?"

Duncan sighed. "I took Richie's phone from him while he finishes up his homework and he got two really strange messages from someone named AJ."

"Duncan MacLoud, you read Richie's text messages?" Tess asked in mock horror.

Duncan shook his head. "Guilty as charged."

"So," she winked at him, "what did they say?"

Duncan showed her.

"Hmmm, I wonder what that is all about?" she asked.

"I dunna know. But I aim to find out." he said, the Scotch brogue coming out.