Chapter 3
Dale’s smile vanished.
For one second, he looked confused.
Then he laughed.
“Your children?”
Victor did not move.
That made Dale nervous.
Everyone in the diner could feel it.
Dale pointed at Eli.
“That boy lies. His mama filled his head with trash. She ran with bikers, waiters, truckers, God knows who else.”
Victor crossed the distance so fast Dale stumbled back.
“Say one more word about Annie.”
Dale swallowed.
His eyes moved to the bikers behind Victor.
Tank cracked his knuckles.
I stepped from behind the counter with the phone in my hand, recording.
Dale saw it.
“You filming me, Mara?”
“Yes.”
His face twisted.
“You always were nosy.”
“And you always were stupid when drunk.”
A few people gasped.
Dale glared at me, but Victor stepped closer.
“Look at me.”
Dale looked.
Not because he wanted to.
Because Victor’s voice left no room for anything else.
“Where are their papers?”
Dale scoffed.
“What papers?”
“The birth certificates. Annie’s letters. The benefit records.”
Dale’s eyes shifted.
There it was.
Guilt.
Victor saw it too.
Eli stepped out from behind him.
“He keeps them in the trailer. In the metal drawer under the TV.”
Dale lunged toward him.
“You little—”
Victor caught him by the front of his jacket and slammed him against the door.
The glass rattled.
Rosie screamed.
Victor froze immediately.
Not because of Dale.
Because of Rosie.
He turned his head slightly.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Rosie clutched Eli’s hand.
Dale tried to shove Victor away.
Bad mistake.
Victor pinned him with one hand.
“You do not move toward my son again.”
Dale spat on the floor.
“Your son? You got proof?”
Victor looked at the photo.
Then at Eli.
Then at me.
“Not yet.”
Dale grinned.
“Then I’m taking them home.”
“No,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
My voice shook, but I kept going.
“I’m a mandated reporter. I saw bruises. I heard disclosure of financial exploitation and abuse. Those children are not leaving with him.”
Dale laughed.
“You a lawyer now?”
“No,” I said. “But my sister is.”
That shut him up.
My sister, Dana, worked family court in Phoenix. She had helped more abused kids than anyone in town wanted to admit existed.
I dialed her with my thumb while keeping the camera pointed at Dale.
She answered on the second ring.
“Mara?”
“Dana, I need emergency help. Two minors. Possible abuse. Possible benefits theft. Local sheriff compromised.”
Her tone changed instantly.
“Put me on speaker.”
I did.
Dana’s voice filled the diner.
“Who is the adult attempting to remove the children?”
Dale shouted, “This is none of your business.”
Dana said, “Good. That answers that.”
Victor almost smiled.
Almost.
Dana continued, “Mara, keep the children in a public location. Do not allow removal. I’m contacting state child services directly and requesting state police support, not local.”
Dale’s face changed.
“You can’t do that.”
Dana’s voice sharpened.
“I already am.”
Dale shoved against Victor.
Victor held him there like he weighed nothing.
Outside, thunder rolled.
Inside, Eli was trembling so hard I thought his knees might give.
I went to him and Rosie.
“Come behind the counter with me.”
Eli hesitated.
Victor nodded.
“Go with Mara.”
The kids followed me.
I gave Rosie a dry towel from the dish rack and Eli one of my backup hoodies from the staff room.
It was too big.
He pulled it on like armor.
Through the counter window, I watched Dale whisper something to Victor.
I couldn’t hear it.
But I saw Victor’s face change.
The color drained from him.
He released Dale slowly.
Dale adjusted his jacket, smug again.
Victor’s voice was deadly calm.
“What did you say?”
Dale smiled.
“I said Annie should have kept her mouth shut.”
Victor stepped closer.
Dale lifted both hands.
“Careful. Cameras, remember?”
I moved closer with my phone.
“What did you mean, Dale?”
He looked at me with hatred.
Then at the kids.
Then smiled.
“Ask the boy why his mama really died.”
Eli went still.
Rosie whispered, “Eli?”
Dale turned toward the door.
Victor blocked him.
“You’re not leaving.”
Sirens sounded faintly in the distance.
Dale’s eyes widened.
Not local sirens.
State police sirens sounded different.
Dale looked toward the back hallway.
Tank moved to block it.
Another biker covered the kitchen exit.
For the first time, Dale looked afraid.
Victor leaned close.
“If Annie’s death wasn’t natural, you better start praying those troopers reach you before I learn the truth.”
The sirens grew louder.
Eli grabbed my sleeve.
His voice was barely a whisper.
“Mom didn’t just get sick.”
I looked down at him.
“What do you mean?”
May you like
His eyes filled with terror.
“She was getting better. Then Uncle Dale gave her medicine.”
