Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Following Jody’s directions, she drove into town without incident. The sheriff was already there with his squad car parked out front.
“Sophie.”
Shaking the hand he held out to her, she made a face at the apartment building. “I dread going inside,” she confessed.
“Don’t be. Baylin is in a holding cell until after you come to a decision.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. It’s been overwhelming to find out a neighbor could do this to me. At least you were able to get her to confess.”
“I had nothing to do with her confession. Jody figured it out and had a talk with her. Baylin probably confessed because it was safer to than getting on the bad side of the Coleman clan.”
Shocked at what the sheriff had said, it took a minute for her to respond. “Why would she be afraid of the Colemans? They’ve been very sweet to me.”
The way the sheriff stared at her, she didn’t think the Colemans and sweet had been used in the same sentence before.
“They aren’t nice?”
“Sweet? Nice? I wouldn’t use those terms to describe them. They stay to themselves, stay out of town, and don’t make trouble unless you go looking for it.”
“And if someone does?”
“Then I would advise them not to. There are two clans in this town who will shoot you dead if you hurt something that belongs to them. The Colemans is one.”
“Who’s the other?”
“The Porters.”
“Doesn’t Greer Porter work for you?”
The sheriff’s face twisted into a painful grimace. “Don’t remind me.”
“I’ve met him.” Sophie laughed. “I can’t say I blame you.”
“You ready to go inside?”
Sophie looked around. Jody wasn’t there yet. “Jody was supposed to meet me here.”
The sheriff nodded. “When I talked to him, he said he needed to drop some groceries off at the diner for Ginny and would come right over when he was finished.”
“All right, I guess we can go inside.”
Her breathing escalated as they started through the door.
“There’s Jody, parking.”
Looking to where the sheriff was pointing, she felt her breathing slow down. She put on her poker face as they waited for Jody and lowered her eyes when he came to stand with them at the elevator.
All three of them filed into the elevator when it opened. Jody and the sheriff discussed the weather as they rode upward. Then the sheriff walked ahead of them as they stepped off the elevator.
“Thank you for dropping the groceries off at the diner. I’m glad Ginny remembered they were in the refrigerator.”
“No problem.” Jody gave her a questioning glance as they neared her door. “Are you up for this?”
“I guess I have to be, don’t I?”
Jody pulled her to a stop. “No, you don’t. I can pack everything up that isn’t broken and take pictures of what is. The boys and I can clean up and have it ready for when your parents arrive.”
“I can’t ask you to do that for me.”
“You aren’t asking. I’m offering.”
“I can do this.” Sophie strengthened her resolve. “Besides, I have to get out of these jeans—they’re cutting me in two.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sophie stared at the vindictive rage that had taken place in her bedroom. Walking over a broken vase with fake flowers, she picked up the stuffed toy poodle that had been torn apart. She clutched the ragged remains in her arms and sank down onto the bed.
“Are you all right?” she heard Jody ask through the buzzing in her head.
“Sophie?”
“She killed Pixie.” She felt the tears sliding out of the corner of her eyes but couldn’t make her hands move away from Pixie. “It’s the only toy Marty ever gave me.”
“I’m sorry, baby.”
Numbly, she was aware of Jody sitting down on the bed next to her and pulling her into his arms.
“She could have destroyed anything, and I could have taken it, but not Pixie.” Crying into his shoulder, she couldn’t make herself stop no matter how hard she tried. “Marty wouldn’t let me have a dog. Mom said I wouldn’t shut up about wanting one. And she wouldn’t get me one because she was afraid he would hurt it when we had to leave them alone together. I know he only gave it to me to shut me up. Pixie was the only nice thing he ever did for me. When I was lonely or depressed, Pixie was always there for me, and I didn’t have to take him out.” She cried harder.
“I would get you another one, but I know it won’t make up for it.” Jody ran his hand through her hair, tilting her head back. “Pixie isn’t the only thing he’s ever given you,” he reminded her. “He left the diner to you.”
“You see how well that’s working out, don’t you?”
He lifted her to her feet. “You’re going to stop crying, and let’s find you something to change into. You’ll feel better when you’re not being sawed in two by Ginny’s jeans.”