My 6-year-old granddaughter phoned me in panic just after midnight. “Mommy says the baby is coming! Help!” I asked, “Where’s daddy?” She answered, “He k!cked mommy’s tummy and left.”…..

Baby was born premature. The man who did it is walking free because he’s got friends in the sheriff’s department. Marshall’s jaw tightened. Trent Huxley. You know him. Know his type. Bullies who think they’re untouchable because they’ve got money and connections. Marshall sat down heavily at the table.

What do you want me to do about it? Help me take him down. Not legally. That system’s broken. Our way. Our way usually involves violence. Sometimes violence is the answer. Harry said quietly. Some people only understand pain. Marshall was quiet for a long time, staring at his purple heart. When he looked up, his eyes held the same cold determination Harry had seen in soldiers who’d made peace with what needed to be done.

You pulled me out of the gutter when everyone else had given up, Marshall said. Gave me work when I couldn’t hold a job. Helped me get clean when I was drowning in a bottle. I owe you. This isn’t about debt. No, but it’s about right and wrong. and what Trent did to your daughter. That’s wrong in ways that legal remedies can’t fix.

...continue reading…