“Lucky me then, hopefully not starting a trend.” She smoothed her hand down Juni’s hair. The normally chatty, outgoing little girl had tucked herself up against Maren and was sucking her thumb.
She saved Juni’s room for last.
“Can I leave her with you?” Maren asked Brown. “And Officer Gebhardt and I can go through it?”
Officer Brown gave her a soft smile. “Your daughter would be able to tell us best if anything is missing.”
“Niece,” Maren corrected her. She sighed. “All right. Juni, you need to be brave now, all right? And remember that everything can be replaced.”
“Except Mr. Kibble.”
“Sometimes we have to make new friends, sweetie.”
They walked down the hall to the room at the end. The door was wide open and Maren could already see blankets on the floor and the mattress askew. The sight enraged her. The little shits could take whatever they wanted from her, but to tear up her baby’s room?
If I ever get my hands on the people who did this…
When they got to her room, Juni pulled her face away from Maren’s neck and looked around. She was surprisingly quiet and composed, a completely different little girl from the hangry one not even an hour ago.
Maren desperately wished to have that one back.
Juni’s room was absolutely destroyed. Seriously, did whoever did this think Maren kept cocaine in the toy box? Maybe that’s whattheydid—ew, horrible thought.
“Mr. Kibble!” Juni squirmed out of Maren’s arms and she set her down. Juni ran toward a pile of white cotton fluff and fuzzy brown cloth that had once been Juni’s favorite stuffie.
Maren clenched her fists. “I can fix him right up, good as new,” she said. It was a miracle she didn’t sound as deranged with rage as she felt. Officer Gebhardt silently took pictures beside her.
“What’s this?” Juni picked up a piece of cloth. It took Maren a second to remember the beanbag doll she’d just finished. Scattered beans, lentils, and barley confirmed that someone had ripped apart all her work.
“That was supposed to be a surprise,” Maren said quietly, sharp tears returning to her eyes.
Juni studied the painted fairy. “She’s from the book. She’s so pretty.” Then she looked up at Maren. “Thank you.”
That did it. Maren had to turn away to wipe her tears.
There wasno way they were spending the night in that house.
“Will you be staying with a friend?” Officer Brown asked. “We’ll need the address in case we need to contact you.”
Working as a medical records coder from home for the past three-plus years and raising a toddler on her own hadpretty much killed Maren’s social life and circle of friends. Her brothers, Reid and Beckett, were both on missions and she hadn’t heard from either of them in over a week.
“No, I think we’ll be finding a hotel room tonight.”
Brown nodded. “You have my card. When you figure out where you’re going, call or email me.” She gave Maren another smile and a pat on the arm. “I’m very sorry about your loss.”
God, if I never hear that phrase again, it’ll be too soon.
“Thank you.” She looked over at Juni, who had collected what was left of Mr. Kibble and the fairy beanbag doll after the officers were done photographing her room. She was standing clutching both, not wanting to sit down on anything. Maren sent up a silentsorryto Mira. Rationally, she knew this wasn’t her fault, but her heart still made her feel like a failure.
They gathered some clothing and toiletries, then headed back out to their car. Brown and Gebhardt were kind enough to stay until they were ready, saying they could do their reports at the kitchen table.
Then they were off, stopping only once along the way for dinner—Juni got her hamburger after all. Once they got to their room, they ate and then Maren made the call to her supervisor. She left a message, relieved that she didn’t have to talk to her right away. This day had been long enough already.
“Let me see Mr. Kibble,” she told Juni. “I brought my sewing kit, and I can have him stitched up before bed.”
“Do I have to go to school tomorrow?” Juni asked as she yawned.
“We’ll see, sweetie. Why don’t you lie down and I’ll turn on a nature show, okay?”
