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“This is your mom, isn’t it?” Kimberly asked softly.
Single, sorrowful nod.
Flora studied the picture with fresh interest, her features darkening into an expression Kimberly knew well.
“Did the demon do this?” D.D. asked.
Nod. A slight pause, then Bonita lifted her hand, fingered the scar burrowing into her hairline.
“He did that, too?” D.D. was clearly surprised.
Another nod.
“It’s a gunshot wound,” Flora provided. “Look at the path. The bullet missed its mark, grazed her left temple instead.”
Causing lifelong damage.
D.D. squatted down till she was eye level with the girl. “How old were you?”
Shrug.
“Were you a baby?” Kimberly asked. Shake. “What about, were you this tall?” She placed her hand above the floor, around toddler height. Another shake. “This tall?” She moved up a foot.
Bonita contemplated the spacing for a bit. Single nod, as if that seemed about right.
D.D. and Kimberly exchanged a glance. So, older than a toddler, younger than preadolescent. Maybe five? Seven?
“And you’ve been with the Counsels ever since?”
Yes.
“I’m sorry,” Kimberly said. Because someone owed this girl an apology. Life had failed her early, and no one in the system had ever figured it out. First she’d watched her mother die, then she’d been shot, and then she’d gotten to spend the rest of her years as a servant.
Kimberly glanced over at Sheriff Smithers, who appeared angry beyond words. She didn’t need him to speak to know how he felt. All of this, in his own backyard.
“Don’t kill Howard before you get the password out of him,” she warned him.
“I’ll work on my restraint,” the sheriff promised roughly.
Kimberly inhaled deeply, took in their assorted group. Flora had her knife back, was tucking it into her boot.
“We all have our tasks.”
Nodding.
“It goes without saying, our missing killer is armed and dangerous, we have no idea who in this town we can trust, and clearly this criminal organization doesn’t plan on going down without a fight.”
More nods.
“Watch your backs. Be on alert. We’ve racked up at least three new bodies in as many days.” Kimberly took another deep breath. “Let’s make sure the next one isn’t one of us.”
