With Vinnie occupied, Dana flew at the one called Rocky. Just as the remaining youth prepared to come to the assistance of the gang leaders, Jason tore down the alley and slammed the guy into the wall. The boy managed one glancing blow to Jason’s head that drew blood. Then Jason grabbed the boy’s arm and twisted it behind his back until he heard a satisfying grunt of pain.
“I think maybe you should plan on sitting this one out,” he said as he wound his tie around the youth’s wrists, then looped it around a drainpipe. Satisfied that this one was out of commission, Jason went to Dana’s assistance. He decked Rocky with a blow that the kid didn’t even see coming. The crunching shot gave him a mild sense of satisfaction.
Even before the thug crashed to the ground, and with barely a glance at Jason, Dana moved on to help Sammy. The two of them were all over Vinnie. They didn’t look as if they needed any help from him in winding things up. In fact, Dana actually looked as if she was enjoying her moment of revenge on the scum who’d threatened her. Jason had no intention of denying her the pleasure. He figured the punk had it coming.
With blood dripping from the gash above his eye, Jason settled on a garbage can to watch. He pressed a clean handkerchief to the scrape and admired the uppercut that Sammy delivered to Vinnie’s jaw, while Dana held his arms pinned behind him. Vinnie sank slowly facedown into a bank of gray slush. Apparently out of some misguided concern for the punk’s life, they rolled him over before walking over to Jason, whose temper was kicking in at full steam now that the danger was past.
“My heroes,” Dana declared, looking downright invigorated by the success of the brawl. She had a scrape down one cheek and scratches on her hands. Other than that she looked none the worse for wear. It took everything in Jason to keep from crushing her in an embrace.
Instead, he glared at her. “Heroes, hell. Sammy, what were you doing here in the alley with those guys when they went after your sister?” he demanded.
Dana looked shocked by Jason’s implication. “He wasn’t with them.”
“Oh, wasn’t he?” He leveled a look at Sammy, who had the good sense to look uneasy. “You were right in the thick of things until you realized it was Dana they’d dragged back here, weren’t you?”
“No. I saw ’em and followed,” he swore unconvincingly. His gaze never met Jason’s directly. “That’s all.”
“You don’t know these boys?” Jason pressed.
Dana regarded him oddly, her expression puzzled. “Sammy is not on trial here. He threw the first punch to protect me.”
“The police might think otherwise. Sammy, you haven’t answered my question. Do you know these guys or not?”
“I’ve seen ’em around.”
“Are they part of a gang?”
“I guess.”
“What about you?”
Sammy looked from his sister to Jason and back again. “I’m not in any gang.”
“But you want to be.”
“Dammit, Jason, leave him alone,” Dana said protectively. “I’m telling you he came to my rescue. You were here. You must have seen it.”
“In the end, yes, he did,” Jason admitted, then sighed. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“There is nothing to discuss,” Dana declared. “Sammy, go call 911 and get a policeman over here so I can file assault charges.”
Sammy’s expression went from hostile to scared in an instant. “Sis, can’t you forget about it?” he pleaded, confirming Jason’s belief that he’d been up to his skinny little neck in the activities of this gang of hoodlums.
“No, I cannot forget about it. If I don’t press charges, they could do this to someone else. Get the police now.”
Sammy ran off. As soon as he’d gone, Jason said mildly, “I seriously doubt that the police will show up here anytime soon.”
“Of course they will,” Dana said. “Why wouldn’t they?”
“Because Sammy won’t call them, not if he expects to hang out with his friends ever again. These guys don’t rat on each other.”
Fury flashed in Dana’s eyes. “And I’m telling you that you’re wrong about that. Just because a kid’s had it tough in life, doesn’t mean he automatically turns into some criminal. I thought you were his friend.”
“I’m trying to be. That doesn’t mean I turn a blind eye to his faults.”
“The way I do?” she asked resentfully.
“I didn’t say that, but yes, the way you do.”
Dana’s lower lip trembled. “I see his faults. I’ve told him…”
“Telling him isn’t enough.” He reached for her hand, but she stiffened. “Dammit, Dana,” he said impatiently. “There have to be consequences. Can’t you see that, even after this?”
“What kind of consequences did you have in mind? Jail? Beating him with a belt? What?”
Jason raked his fingers through his hair. “No,” he said wearily.
“What then?” She perched on the lid of the garbage can next to him. “Take tonight. He came to my rescue. Am I supposed to punish him for that?”
“No, but you’d better make darned sure you know who his friends are from now on.”
“And just how am I supposed to do that? I work two jobs at the moment. I can’t stick around all afternoon and do background checks on the kids he spends time with after school.”
Jason sighed. There was no denying the complexity of the problem. “You’re right,” he admitted. “I don’t know what the answer is. I just know that he’s headed for trouble.”
“I thought the time he was spending with you was helping.”
Jason grinned ruefully. “Sure. Didn’t you see those punches he threw? The kid’s a natural. On one hand, I’m damned proud of him.
