Ash crouched closer to Beverly, his tone calm but steady. "Beverly, listen, kiddo. You're safe now, alright? No one's gonna lay a finger on you ever again."
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to… He was just mad because—"
James cut in, kneeling beside her. His tone was firm but kind, like an older brother giving advice. "Nope. Stop right there. None of this is on you, Beverly. Whatever he said, whatever he did, that's on him. Guy's a walking disaster, not your responsibility."
Beverly sniffled, her hands trembling as she wiped her face. Ash pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, holding it out. "Here. It's clean, I promise," he said with a small smile. "Well, mostly."
She took it, managing a shaky laugh through her tears. James glanced at the unconscious man on the floor, still cradling his jaw from where James had decked him. His knuckles itched to swing again, but he forced himself to focus on Beverly.
Ash broke the silence. "Beverly, got anyone else you can crash with? Relatives?"
She hesitated, her voice small. "My aunt… She's across town, but Dad always says not to call her. Says she's no good."
Ash rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yeah, well, your dad sounds like he's full of it. Your aunt's probably a saint compared to him."
James nodded. "We'll get you to her. You're not staying here another second."
Beverly's face twisted in fear. "But he'll find me. He always does. He says no one wants me, that I can't leave him."
James clenched his jaw so tight it hurt but kept his tone calm. "Look, Beverly. He's a bully, and bullies are only tough when no one stands up to them. He's not coming near you again. Not on our watch."
Ash extended a hand, smiling warmly. "Let's blow this joint, huh? We'll sort the rest out later."
After a moment's hesitation, Beverly took his hand. Ash helped her to her feet, moving slow and careful. James caught sight of the bruise on her wrist and had to turn away for a second, his fists curling.
In the car, Beverly hugged a stuffed bear tightly, her eyes downcast. James turned toward her, his voice steady. "Beverly, we need to talk about your dad."
She looked up warily. "What about him?"
Ash glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his tone light but serious. "What he's done? It's not just wrong, it's illegal. We've gotta report him to the cops."
Her grip on the bear tightened. "The police? What if they don't believe me? What if they send me back?"
James shook his head, his tone sharp but supportive. "That's not gonna happen. You've got proof—the bruises, his belt, all of it. And you've got us."
"But… he's my dad," she whispered, tears threatening again.
Ash sighed, his voice softer now. "I know, kiddo. That makes it harder, but trust me—being a dad doesn't give him a free pass to hurt you."
James leaned forward, meeting her gaze. "This isn't just about stopping him from hurting you again. It's about making sure he can't hurt anyone else."
She hesitated. "But what happens to me? Where do I go if he's… gone?"
Ash gave her a small, reassuring smile. "You've got options, kid. Your aunt, for one. And until everything's squared away, you've got us."
Her voice was barely audible. "You'd do that for me?"
James smirked. "What, you think we're just gonna drop you off at the nearest bus stop? Come on, Beverly. We've got your back."
Finally, she nodded. "Okay. I'll talk to the police."
Ash and James brought Beverly to the police station. At the front desk, James flashed his FBI badge. "We're here to report child abuse."
The officer straightened, his demeanor shifting to serious. "Follow me. Let's talk in private."
Beverly paused, glancing nervously between Ash and James. "You're staying with me, right?"
Ash smiled. "Like glue, kid. We're not going anywhere."
In the room, Beverly told her story, her voice trembling but steady. She described the years of abuse, the fear, and the events of the day. Ash and James sat beside her, their presence steady and supportive. The officer took detailed notes.
"We'll open an investigation," the officer said. "Beverly, do you have somewhere safe to go?"
James answered quickly. "She's with us until CPS figures out a plan."
The officer frowned. "That's not exactly protocol—"
Ash cut in with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, protocol's overrated. She's safer with us for now. Don't worry about that stuff...I will talk with Officer Hawkins."
The officer hesitated but nodded. "Alright. Just make sure CPS gets involved soon."
---
As they left the station, Beverly looked up at the two men. "Do you think they'll actually do something? Or will he just… get away with it?"
James's face hardened. "They'll do something. And if they don't, we'll handle it ourselves."
Ash ruffled her hair gently, making her smile faintly. "Hey, chin up, kiddo. You did the hard part. The rest is just paperwork."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Beverly smiled—a real, genuine smile. As she climbed into the car, Ash turned around in the driver's seat. "Alright, lunch time. What's it gonna be? Burgers? Pizza? Sky's the limit."
Beverly's smile widened. For the first time, she felt a spark of hope.
After lunch, Beverly excused herself to the washroom.
Ash leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed, staring at the door she'd just walked through. His usual carefree grin was gone, replaced by a more serious expression. James sat across from him, his elbows on the table, his fingers tapping rhythmically.
"So, what do you think?" James asked quietly, his voice laced with hesitation. "Should we leave her with her aunt?"
Ash rubbed his temples, a sigh escaping his lips. "I mean, I thought about it. Sending her to family makes sense, right? But after today, with her dad after her? It's probably safer to keep her with us until we sort this whole mess out."
James frowned, tapping a finger on the table. "But what about what you said earlier? About her staying with us? You were pretty clear about that."
Ash gave a half-smile, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I was. But I wasn't talking about keeping her with us like, permanently. I meant taking her to Ellen's."
James blinked. "Ellen?"
"Exactly," Ash said, leaning forward. "Ellen's got a big house. She's still got that tough, old-school vibe. If anyone could give Beverly the safe space she needs, it's her. Plus, we could visit her whenever we need to. You know Ellen—she'd kick anyone's ass who tried to come after her."
James scratched his head. "I don't know, man. You really think Beverly's gonna go for it? I mean, leaving everything she knows? Her friends, her school, her whole life… I don't know if she's gonna be okay with that."
Ash shrugged, his expression softening. "I get it. It's a huge change. Well, it totally depends upon her whether she wants to come with us or stay with her Aunt."
As they were talking, Beverly walked back to them, her steps slow and hesitant. She looked at them, her big eyes full of questions. "What are you two talking about?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Ash smiled warmly. "We're just figuring out the blood thing, kiddo. How're you holding up?"
She shrugged. "I guess okay… for now."
As they had finished their meal, they headed out to the car. As they climbed in, Ash's phone buzzed. It was Officer Hawkins.
He answered with a sigh. "Officer Hawkins. What's going on?"
The officer's voice came through the line, all business. "Agent Carter, we've got another missing kid. Same deal as last time."
Ash's jaw clenched as he listened, his mood darkening. "This is getting out of hand."
Ash turned the key in the ignition, and glanced over at James, his brow furrowed. "James, come out of the car for a second."
James raised an eyebrow but got out without questioning, following Ash onto the sidewalk. Ash took a deep breath, his jaw tight.
"Another kid's gone missing. Same damn thing as last time," he said, his voice low. He paused for a moment, the weight of it all settling in. "We need to move fast."
James sighed,"I don't think we can hold going to the well house anymore."
Just then they both heard Beverly's scream from the car. It was sharp and full of terror, cutting through the air. They whipped around, eyes scanning the car and their eyes widened.
Beverly was being held by the same creepy, clown with wide, jagged teeth and he had a smile on his face that looked like it was meant to scare people to death.
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