Free The ETA From You to Me by L Zimmerman Page A

retelling the story and then hanging up to call the police. Elliot was pressed up against the wall, sniffing and shaking and trying to keep himself together. Grant kind of wanted to hug the guy, he looked like his entire world had just ended, but he really didn’t know if it was a good idea to get all touchy-feely right now.
     
    When Clayton hung up, he sighed through his nose and took a second to gather his thoughts. “The cops are out looking for your dad. John says you can go home, but I think it’s best if you went somewhere else. Do you have any friends you could stay with?”
     
    “No,” Elliot choked, shaking his head, “not really.”
     
    Another sigh left Clayton, mind wracking for ideas. Grant was on the verge of offering for Elliot to stay at his house when Clayton spoke first.
     
    “You can crash with me until the cops find your dad," he said it so easily that Grant couldn’t help but jerk his head up to stare at him, even though Clayton was busy watching Elliot for his response. He was so open with Elliot, so friendly that it made Grant worry that all the time he missed--the time Elliot spent hanging out with Clayton in the garage--meant that he really had no chance at all against someone else. Elliot was quiet, like Clayton, but kind and softspoken. He mumbled a lot, took a while on tire changes and things like that, but Grant could see how it would be endearing.
     
    Much more endearing than someone who talked too much and didn’t know when to stop.
     
    “Okay,” Elliot said quietly, digging the heel of his palm into his eye and rubbing. “Okay…”
     
    “Go ahead and get in your truck, I’ll be out in a minute.”
     
    Elliot shuffled out of the room, leaving Clayton alone with Grant.
     
    “I want to go after him,” Clayton announced the instant the door was shut. Grant glanced up from his paperwork, eyebrows rising. “I want him to get more than just an assault charge. He’s fucked that kid up, and he nee-”
     
    “I know,” Grant interrupted quietly, clicking his pen a few times, “I do too. We can all testify, dude. Every one of us has seen him hit Elliot. My dad is a cop, anyway, so y’know, I’m pretty sure I might be able to get Mike thrown in jail for a while.”
     
    For a long moment, Clayton just stared at Grant, as if he was observing some new species of animal. Grant felt nervous and jittery under his scrutiny, and he had to break eye contact to shrug and look away.
     
    “I‘ll hold you to that,” Clayton said. Grant gave him a crooked grin, saluting with two fingers.
     
    “Scout‘s honor,” he said seriously, tapping his fingers to his forehead.
     
    Snorting, Clayton back to the door and snorted, “you? In boy scouts? Bullshit,” he scoffed, shaking his head and muttering under his breath before heading out the door.
     
    Grant stared down at his paperwork, counting the number of runs and deciding it would be better to wait until the other drivers were needed before calling them. It lowered the risk of people verbally abusing him over the phone.
     
    Fuck. They were down three drivers for the next hour or so, and after that, they’d still be down two. Grant only had Billy until Clayton got back. He reached for the phone to try and call Jeff--just to be on the safe side--when the phone rang.
     
    Grant answered it quickly, stiffening at the sound of their manager on the other line.
     
    “Geo-notty! I watched the damn tape. You mind telling’ me what the hell you were thinking, talking back like that?” The sound of smacking gum was loud through the ear piece, and Grant winced internally.
     
    “Uh, sir, I was very upset. Slandering anyone is against company policy.”
     
    “Huh…”  A longer silence, more gum being chewed, and then a snort. “Guy was a shitheel anyway; knew I hired you for a reason, Geo. Keep up the good work--don’t give Clayton any reward sex in the office. Keep that shit in the bedroom.”
     
    Grant literally choked on air,