AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Who?’
Lili saw a young female officer walk out of the house, an arm around Maisie’s shoulder. She said, ‘What about the little girl?’
‘Phone social services.’
Lili rushed forward before the officer standing in front of her could stop her. ‘I can take her!’ she shouted out.
Maisie, her cheeks wet with tears, looked up. ‘Lili!’
The female officer tried to grab Maisie’s hand.
‘Get off me!’ Maisie struggled free and ran over to Lili. She threw her arms around Lili’s waist. ‘Don’t let them take me away. I want to stay with you.’
Lili hugged her tight. ‘No one is taking you anywhere,’ she reassured her.
In the police car, Lili caught Nate’s eye. He looked up at the house and mouthed,William.
Lili glanced up at the house and understood; they hadn’t found William. He was hiding somewhere inside. Lili looked back at Nate and nodded. She saw him close his eyes in relief before the car sped away, whisking him and his mother to the police station. The vehicle taking Ray and Joseph followed. Two officers finished loading Joseph’s wheelchair into the van.
The young female officer walked up to Lili. ‘Are you a relative?’
‘No, but—’
‘In that case, I’m sorry, but we can’t leave her in your care.’
The wordcaresent shivers down her spine.
The officer reached for Maisie.
Lili turned around, moving Maisie out of her reach.
Her colleague, whom Lili had already spoken to, joined them. ‘If you don’t want to find yourself arrested too, I suggest you hand her over.’
Lili thought of the prison cell. She knew she couldn’t do anything for Maisie if they locked her up too. She had an idea. She prised Maisie’s hands away from her waist.
‘No!’ Maisie protested. ‘Don’t let them take me.’
Lili smiled. ‘I have no intention of that happening, but I need to get my mobile phone out of my pocket.’
The moment Maisie let go of Lili, the officer grabbed her hand.
‘Wait!’ Lili exclaimed. ‘Just wait.’
The two officers exchanged a glance.
Lili made a frantic call. ‘Connie, it’s Lili. I need your help!’ Lili didn’t waste any time telling her what was happening; she told her the police were going to phone social services and take her best friend’s child away.
‘I have a social worker on the phone for you.’ Lili handed her phone over to the officer.
Lili stared at Maisie, hoping Connie could persuade the officers to release Maisie into her care.
The policewoman kept glancing at Lili as she listened. Then she spoke to Connie. ‘I will need to check your credentials and I want it in writing, faxed to the police station, that social services have authorised this child to be temporarily placed in the foster care of Lili Skye.’
Maisie put her arms around Lili’s waist again, smiling up at her as though it was a done deal.
Lili knew it wasn’t – not until they’d seen the fax on official headed paper.
The officer nodded at her colleague. Lili heard him call dispatch on the car radio. Five minutes later, Lili almost cried when they handed her phone back and told her Maisie could stay.
