Song of the Surf (Pacific Shores Book 3) by Lynnette Bonner

evening he had been pushing away the niggling reminder that tomorrow was the wedding and after that he had to make a decision about what to do with the rest of his life. He'd given eight years trying to reach boys who were heading down a path that could lead only to trouble. Up until a few weeks ago, if anyone had asked him if he felt like his job made a difference he would have unequivocally replied that of course it did. Troubled boys came to his program, and responsible young men exited it.
    That's what he would have said…
    But Treyvon McAllister had changed all that.
    Justus massaged the skin between his eyes, and battened down the curl of nausea in his gut.
    Treyvon McAllister had come to him much like any of his other boys came to him. Much like he himself had been before he ended up in the system. Trey’s grades had dropped at school. He'd ended up in juvy a couple times, always angry at home, never respectful to anyone in authority…
    The principal had called Justus. Asked if he had any room. Enrollment had already been at its peak, but Justus had made space on the roster for one more kid. He converted the storage closet at the end of the dorm into another bedroom. And he’d poured his heart and soul into Treyvon McAllister.
    He'd even thought he was reaching the troubled boy. Trey had quit complaining about morning devotions, he'd started doing his list of chores without constant reminders, and he had also started pitching in to help a couple other kids with their chore list from time to time. His grades had improved along with his attitude. So when graduation day rolled around, Justus hadn't even hesitated to give him a passing grade and send him home.
    Trey hadn't been home for even a week when Justus had been awakened in the middle of the night by frantic pounding on his door. Half asleep and still rubbing his eyes, he'd stumbled down to his entry and fumbled with the lock to find Trey's mother covered in blood, sobbing and trembling on his front stoop.
    “You havta come, Mista Teague! You havta come! My Trey he didn't mean it. I swear to you he never meant it.”
    A cold wash of horror swept through Justus as he took her in from head to toe. “Are you hurt Mrs. McAllister?”
    “No, no. Not me. You havta come! Come now, Mr. Teague.” She’d grabbed his arm and tugged.
    Justus came back to the present when Jalen sank into the chair beside him.
    He was trembling, he realized. He clasped his hands together and shoved them under the table, then tipped a nod toward the deck. “Everything okay?”
    Jalen stretched his feet out in front of him and leaned into the slats of his chair, folding his arms. “Not sure, to be honest. Something's been bothering Riley ever since we pulled into the parking lot out front. She's quiet normally, but tonight… Well, something more was going on. Dakota is out there talking to her now.”
    The waitress came by and set generous slices of cherry cheesecake before them. “Would you gentlemen care for a cup of coffee?” she asked.
    Justus turned his cup over and nodded his acquiescence. “Thanks.” He forked off a bite of the cheesecake and chewed without really tasting as Jalen did the same.
    His thoughts returned to the past.
    As Mrs. McAllister had run to her old Nissan still idling in the drive, he'd hastily dialed Jalen to let him know what was going on. Thankfully they were between terms and had no other boys on campus. He grabbed a jacket, and followed Mrs. McAllister back to her house all the while trying to assure himself that if it were a real emergency she would've called 911. But her hysteria bothered him. That and the fact that before they left his place he hadn't been able to get any more information out of her.
    Jalen cleared his throat. “Mind handing me the cream?”
    Justus worked his jaw from side to side to keep the words of frustration bottled up inside. Jalen didn’t take cream in his coffee, and well he knew it. He picked up his coffee cup only to