Finding Bones

By Dale Hollis

Fifteen-year-old Darius Rogers and his high-school sweetheart, Tisha Banks, live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are known for being two of the brightest students in their class, and also for being inseparable; to see one of them is to see both of them. That is, until Darius loses his father due to an itchy-fingered carjacker.

In a city that houses a multitude of small gangs, Darius is informed by some neighborhood thugs that they know who’s responsible for killing his father. That brings a glimmer of hope to Darius—his father’s killer could be brought to justice. But as with most things, that information comes with a price; Darius must join their gang before they will tell him the person’s name.

Darius feels that he has no choice but to join so that he and his family can have closure. But Darius is unaware that when he tries to close one door of sorrow and pain, another one opens.

Darius knows that his girlfriend, Tisha, doesn’t approve of him joining a gang, and if he joins, their relationship will surely end. But before Darius can commit to the gang, through no fault of his own, his relationship with Tisha could already be over.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dale Hollis
• Release date: Nov 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370364381

Dale Hollis

YOU BROKE MY PROMISE was Dale's debut novel and was released in July of 2015 and is the readers' favorite, followed by FINDING BONES. His third book, YOU CROSSED THE LINE, is now available as of Dec 1, 2020, and is sure to be the one horror-thriller that you'll want to add to your collection. Dale lives a single life with no animals (because he's allergic to cats and dogs) in Wisconsin and has revealed more about himself at DaleHollis.com.

Book preview

Kathryn, it’s almost time, the nurse said. The doctor is on his way, and we’ll get started as soon as he arrives.

No. We can’t start until my husband gets here.

Sorry, sweetie. The nurse smiled compassionately. It’s not up to us; it’s up to the baby.

Kathryn responded with a loud groan. Her blond hair was matted to her face from sweat as she struggled through the pain.

I’m here with you, Kath, Carla said. Just try to breathe, slowly. She held Kathryn’s hand.

Carla was Kathryn’s older sister by two years and her only sibling. They lived close to each other, so naturally, Carla had driven Kathryn to the hospital. Along the drive, Carla had called their parents to let them know that the baby was on its way. She asked if they could swing by the school and pick up Kathryn and Samuel’s fifteen-year-old son, Darius. Afterward she had called Samuel’s parents to let them know the good news.

Where the hell is Sam? Kathryn strained. He better make it here in time. She tensed, squeezing Carla’s hand along with the bed rail.

Don’t you worry, sweetie; he’ll be here. I called him at work, so he should be on his way.

About twenty minutes passed before their parents and Darius made it into the waiting room. A few minutes later, Samuel’s parents showed up.

Marilyn and Fiona welcomed each other with a hug while Randall and Denton shook hands. Samuel’s father, Denton, reached his arms out and gave Darius a handshake along with a one-arm hug.

After giving Darius a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Samuel’s mother, Fiona, peeked her head into Kathryn’s room to say hello. She noticed that Samuel wasn’t in there. Where’s Samuel?

The others overheard her, and their ears pricked up. Marilyn made her way past Fiona and into the birthing room.

Carla replied, I called him at work to let him know, so he should be on his way. He must’ve gotten caught up in traffic. I’ll call his cell to see how long before he gets here. Mom, would you please… Marilyn sat at the edge of the bed, holding her daughter Kathryn’s hand, while Carla walked out of the room.

Everyone but Darius piled into the birthing room to comfort Kathryn before the nurse came in and kicked them all out. Fiona reassured her, Everything is going to be OK.

Samuel will make it here on time, Kathryn, Marilyn added.

Darius chose to remain in the waiting room, because he didn’t want to see his mother in all that pain—even if it was for something as amazing as giving birth.

Samuel’s phone rang, but there was no answer; it went to voice mail. Carla tried him at his work number again. While waiting for the receptionist to contact Samuel, Carla sang along with the song I Will Remember You, by Sarah McLachlan, which was playing over the company’s music-on-hold.

After what seemed like forever, the receptionist came back on the line and informed Carla that Samuel had left approximately thirty minutes ago. Carla hung up and glanced up and down the hallway as she made her way back to Kathryn’s room.

Where is Samuel? Kathryn screamed as the pain became more frequent.

He’s on his way, sweetie, Carla said as she rushed back into the room. He should be here any second. His work said he left about thirty minutes ago.

The grandparents were getting anxious about Samuel not being there. The women hung out with Kathryn while the men paced the waiting-room floor. They made small talk on each round.

Denton, a tall, sharply dressed black man, talked about how badly his son, Samuel, would feel if he missed his own child’s birth. Randall, a shorter white man who dressed in a much more relaxed manner, agreed with him as he scanned the hospital hallway, hoping to see Samuel running in at any second.

Darius was sitting in a chair, watching as his granddads paced the floor while listening to his mom growl in pain. It didn’t take long before he was tired of just waiting for his dad to come barreling down the hallway. He announced that he was going to look for the vending machines to grab a snack and a drink.

Carla walked out to where Randall and Denton were wearing a path into the ceramic tile. She was concerned that her call to Samuel had gone to his voice mail. All three of them speculated about what might’ve happened. Maybe his car wouldn’t start, maybe he got a flat tire, or probably he’s stuck in traffic. All of which were valid hypotheses. But that still didn’t answer the question of why he wasn’t answering his phone.

A few minutes later, Darius came back eating a Snickers candy bar with one hand and holding a Coke in the other. Did Dad finally make it here? he asked, looking at the three of them.

Not yet. Your aunt Carla couldn’t reach him, but his work said that he left about thirty minutes ago, Randall said with a concerned look on his face.

I’m gonna go down by the entrance to see if I can spot him, Darius said and then took a drink of his Coke.

OK. Hurry back—with your father, that is, Denton said.

Darius took off at a fast pace toward the elevator. When he reached it, he pushed the down button, and the door opened right away. He stepped in and pushed the button for the lobby, and the door began to close. It unexpectedly stopped halfway. A young, very attractive nurse walked onto the elevator and pushed the lobby button even though it was already lit. She backed herself up slowly to the rear wall as she stared at a piece of paper attached to a clipboard. She held a scrunchie in her hand that she must’ve pulled from her hair just before entering the elevator.

Before the door completely closed, she looked over at Darius and smiled. He had been staring at her already but was startled when she looked up at him. He quickly smiled back and then turned his head straight forward. She turned her head back to her clipboard.

When the elevator reached the lobby, the door opened, and Darius let the nurse walked out of the elevator first. When he noticed that the door was closing, he quickly stopped it with his hand and then stepped out.

He walked over by the information desk and looked around but didn’t see his dad anywhere. He walked outside and looked from one end of the parking lot to the other. He saw a few people walking to and from the hospital’s main entrance, and then he watched as someone else was unloaded from the back of an ambulance at the emergency entrance.

He thought maybe his dad could’ve taken the stairs in a rush to get to the second floor. He dropped his soda can to the ground, crushed it down flat, and then picked it up and shot it like a basketball into the garbage can by the door. Two! he said. He put his hands to his mouth like a funnel to make the cheering sound of a crowd.

He walked back to the elevator and took it to the second floor. When he exited the elevator, he could see everyone except his aunt standing in the waiting room. I didn’t see Dad, he said as he walked toward them. Is he in the room?

No, sweetheart, his grandmother Fiona said as she grabbed him and pulled him in for a one-arm hug. No one has seen him, and your mother couldn’t wait any longer. The baby’s on its way. She kissed him on the forehead.

Aw, Dad’s gonna be upset.

Well, some things just can’t wait.

Darius didn’t hear any noise coming from his mother’s room, but then he saw a nurse come out of the room with the baby in her arms. Next, his aunt Carla came out. She caught tears from her eyes with a small piece of tissue. Everyone! she said. Alexus is here, and both mom and baby are doing OK.

Fiona grabbed Darius tight, since he was closest to her, and gave him a hug. Randall and Denton shook hands as they patted each other on the back. Carla’s mother, Marilyn, grabbed her and gave her a long hug.

Why did they take the baby away? Darius asked.

It’s just something they do, sweetie, Fiona said. They clean her up and get her ready to present to everyone. They’ll bring her back in a moment.

Can we go see Mom now?

Not yet. We need to wait until they tell us she’s ready for company, Marilyn said as she hugged Darius. How’s it feel to be a big brother?

Darius didn’t know how to answer that, so he said what came to mind. I’m excited.

Everyone waited in anticipation while the hospital crew finished with Kathryn. When the time came for letting visitors in, they all filed in one at a time and gathered around Kathryn as she lay tired and worn out. They each took turns giving her a hug and a kiss. She tried to get an answer from anyone about Samuel.

The room became quiet. No, honey, Marilyn said. No one has seen or heard from him. I’m sorry.

During all the chitchat while waiting for the baby to be brought back in, Kathryn’s doctor along with another from the ER stepped into the room. The room went silent as everyone waited for the doctor to say something. Could we please have everyone step out for a moment so we may speak to Kathryn in private?

Is there something wrong with my baby? Kathryn asked.

No, her doctor said. The baby seems perfectly healthy. The nurse will bring her back in momentarily. We just need to speak with you alone for one moment, please.

The smiling faces in the room changed to looks of concern. The family moved into the waiting room, all expecting bad news. They all stood close by the door and tried to hear what was being said, but the birthing rooms were mostly soundproof.

Just moments later they heard Kathryn scream very loudly. No, no, no!

Kathryn’s father barged through the door. What the hell is going on?

Sir? Please calm down. May I ask what relation you are to Kathryn? The doctor held his hands to Randall’s chest, forcing him to stay back.

I’m her father. I demand to know what’s going on.

OK. Is Kathryn’s mother here with you?

Yes, she’s right here. Randall held out his hand for his wife to grab it.

Denton stepped into the doorway and loudly stated that he and his wife were the grandparents of the baby and also demanded to know what was going on.

You’re Samuel’s parents? the doctor asked.

Yes, we are.

OK. You may come in. Everyone else, please stay in the waiting room.

Carla and Darius stood back. Once the door closed, they moved to the door to try to hear what was being said.

Inside the room, everyone was asking questions at the same time, trying to figure out what was going on. They demanded answers. The room became very noisy as Kathryn lay crying.

Kathryn’s doctor raised his hands to signal for everyone to be quiet so he could explain. Quiet, please.

The room went silent almost instantly. They all stared at the doctor, waiting for him to begin to speak.

OK. We have just informed Kathryn that a man has come into the ER with a gunshot wound. This man’s name is Samuel Rogers.

Fiona bellowed out a loud cry as she collapsed into Denton’s arms. His eyes watered as he caught her and sat her down in a nearby chair.

Marilyn screeched uncontrollably as she leaned over and hugged Kathryn. Randall grabbed Kathryn’s hand, which was wrapped around her mother’s back, and squeezed it gently as tears filled his eyes. Kathryn cried louder as she watched everyone react to the bad news.

How did this happen? Is he OK? Can we see him? Denton asked frantically.

The ER doctor waited until everyone calmed down before he explained what he knew.

From what the police said, it was a carjacking.

Again, the family groaned in disbelief. They all raised their voices, asking questions, trying to get answers.

Please, one at a time, the doctor said.

But is he OK? Can we see him? Denton asked again.

Did they catch the person? Randall asked.

We don’t know if they caught him. You’d need to contact the police. Now. The ER doctor paused as he looked directly at Denton to get his attention. The gunshot wound was fatal. It went through his neck and severed his carotid artery.

The women cried out very loud.

He bled out before anyone could get to him…I’m sorry.

The doctors gave the family their condolences and asked them to come identify the body when they were ready. They left the room and closed the door behind them.

Carla and Darius moved from the doorway and watched the doctors walk away. Carla opened the door and saw the family crying. She and Darius walked in slowly. What’s wrong? What happened? she asked.

Denton put his arm around Darius and walked with him over to a chair and sat him down. Denton had tears rolling down his face. Darius spoke in a soft whisper, Grandpa, what’s wrong? He stared into his grandfather’s eyes.

Darius, son. Denton wiped his tears away. It’s your father…he was on his way to the hospital… Denton gently brushed his hand over Darius’s hair and down to his right shoulder. There was an event that happened, and your father was shot.

Darius’s eyes opened wide, and his mouth dropped open. What? How… His eyes filled with tears. He cried silently as his grandfather pulled him in close and hugged him.

I’m sorry, son.

Darius stood from the chair and rushed to his mother. She was lying with her back toward everyone, but facing Darius. As he approached her, he could see that her pillow was soaked from tears. He leaned over to wrap his arm around her. She grabbed him tightly.

The door soon opened, and the nurse had Kathryn’s new daughter, Alexus, in her arms. Darius let go of his mom but stayed by her side. A path opened up toward the bed to let the nurse through. Everyone got excited as they looked at the little bundle of joy. It was very difficult for everyone to be excited and sad at the same time.

Here you go, Mom, the nurse said as she gently placed Alexus in Kathryn’s arms.

Thank you, Kathryn said, crying harder as she held Alexus.

She gently kissed Alexus’s forehead and whispered to her, I’m sorry, baby girl. I am so sorry.

Chapter 2

So, Darius, how ya doing? Tisha asked. I mean…I know it’s only been a few weeks, and I’ve asked, like, a million times, but…I only do it because I care about you.

Darius and Tisha had been dating since the end of middle school. There was no driving a wedge between the two of them. They were on their way to being the perfect high-school-sweetheart story.

They found themselves just lying on the floor in his bedroom, staring up at the ceiling. They were supposed to be studying for their biology test, but they found the ceiling to be more interesting than why a goldfish loses its orange color.

Not well, Darius said as he threw a pencil up at the ceiling and made it stick into the drywall. I guess by the natural order of things, I’m supposed to accept the fact that my dad was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I’m having a hard time getting over that fact that someone killed my dad for such a stupid reason.

Tisha rolled her head on the floor to face him but didn’t say a word. She combed his dark, curly hair on the side of his head with her fingers. She stared at him for a short time before turning her head back to engage in more investigation of the ceiling.

I just don’t understand what’s on the mind of someone who does something like that. Darius threw a baseball up in the air and then caught it on its way back down.

Do the police even know what gang might have done it?

"My mom told me that they don’t know anything, because no one saw anything."

No one ever sees anything when those losers commit a crime. What’s wrong with people? If I saw some gang doing something illegal, I wouldn’t hesitate to turn them in.

Yeah, and then you wind up dead with no one seeing a thing.

Well, there’s gotta be something someone can do to fix the problem, she said and reached over to catch the ball after Darius threw it up in the air.

That’s what the po-po are for. They should be doing more killing than A&R.

What’s that?

Arrest and release, Darius said, with his head slightly turned toward her.

Oh. Well, killing them just to kill them isn’t very civil.

You want the problem fixed, don’t ya? He reached over and caught the ball after she tossed it up in the air.

Maybe we should start something to end all the madness in this city.

Like what? A gang to fix the gang problem? He chuckled.

Yes, smartass. She reached up, grabbed the ball out of the air, and then jumped onto the bed. She lay on her back with her head hanging off the end of the bed. They tossed the ball up in the air, back and forth, to each other, even though they were on different levels.

I can tell you one thing, Darius said as he tossed the ball too hard, hitting the ceiling. It came down quickly toward Tisha’s head, almost hitting her.

Whoa, easy, Reggie; that was almost my head.

Sorry…I’m gonna find the person who killed my dad no matter what it takes. He got up on his knees, moved to the edge of the bed, and gave her a kiss on the lips.

Ever since Darius saw Tisha sitting in the front row in biology class, he’d been in love. She was really smart and had long, wavy black hair and big brown eyes with just a hint of makeup on the lids. Her cheeks had a touch of pink that covered her dark skin, and her fingernails were well manicured. It was all topped off with a medium-length sky-blue dress that ended at her knees. It was love at first sight for him.

Darius, on the other hand, sat in the back of the class. That was until the teacher decided to change the seating arrangement. Now he sat directly next to her in the middle of the room. They were both the smartest kids in the class, and the teacher, for reason unknown, sat them in the middle of everyone.

They both fell for each other—him