Page 276 of Property of Whiskey

His posture changes immediately, father disappearing beneath sheriff for half a second. “Near the house?”

“Close enough.”

I slide the old card back toward him. “What happened to the girl?”

Daddy sits again. “That night, I took her to county.”

“Hospital?”

“Hospital first. They wanted to transfer her.”

“To where?”

“Lexington.”

“But?”

“Before transport happened, a woman showed up.”

“What woman?”

“Claimed she was the girl’s aunt.”

“Name?”

“Ruthanne Peck.”

Whiskey’s attention snaps toward Daddy.

I catch it.

Daddy does too.

“You know her?”

“Know the name,” Whiskey says.

“How?”

“Club business.”

Daddy’s mouth tightens.

I put up one hand. “Not now.”

He looks at me.

I nod toward him. “Finish.”

He doesn’t like it, but he does.

“Peck had paperwork.”

“What kind?”

“Guardianship. Medical release. Enough to make the hospital nervous.”

“Did you believe it?”