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“Eugene’s missing. We found the kids hiding up in the treehouse in the backyard. Tommy got them out of there as soon as the fighting started.”
“Good.” Mack ran his hand over his face, suddenly exhausted. “I’m on my way. Put an APB out for Eugene.”
“Yes sir.”
Mack ended the call and shared a look with Roe. “Being the sheriff really is about more than parking tickets.”
Roe nodded. “I heard what he said. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’ll be around town before the morning.” Mack sighed. “I need to get out there.”
“How many kids are there, and where will they go?” Roe asked. “I’m a certified foster parent in Georgia if that makes any difference.”
It took a moment for Mack to catch up to what Roe was saying. Then, it took him a longer moment to stop grinning. “You would do that?”
“If it’s alright,” Roe nodded. “I’ll move Benji in with Tris and my stuff in with Daphne. That will open one room for them. They’ll probably want to be together, won’t they? At least at first.”
Mack leaned forward and kissed him, unable to resist. The sweet man’s mouth opened beneath his, and the kiss deepened. Mack let himself get lost, enjoying the stirring passion, even as the feel of another person’s lips on his made him feel secure in a way that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He wasn’t alone, and Roe was the exact right person for him.
He reluctantly ended the kiss. “There are two of them. Tommy is sixteen, and Beth is twelve.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Roe said, stroking Mack’s cheek. “Go do what you need to do.”
Mack hurried out the door, leaving Roe to explain the situation to Wally and the kids. During the quick drive, Parker called him to let him know Layla had coded before they reached the hospital. It was officially a homicide.
The Scotts lived on a few acres outside of town. The white house with gray trim normally looked picture-perfect, but at night, with the police lights flashing, it was a macabre sight. The kitchen was a mess; chairs were turned over, dishes were broken, a large puddle of blood stood out against the white patterned tile. Dinner was a congealed mess in the middle of the table. One plate of food sat at the head of the table, and one bite was missing from the meatloaf. Three other places were set, but the plates were clean and empty.
Tommy stood right outside the kitchen entrance, arms wrapped around his younger sister. He was pale, eyes focused on the pool of blood.
Mack nodded to Parker and stood between the kids and the scene. “Hey, Tommy. Let’s go in the living room, okay?”
Tommy shook his head, eyes dazed. “We aren’t allowed in there. The carpet just got cleaned.”
Mack eyed the spotless living room across the hall from the kitchen. The white carpet gleamed in the low light. The room didn’t look lived in, just a model room out of a magazine.
“How about the steps?” he asked, guiding the two kids to the bottom of the stairway.
Tommy nodded and sat down with Beth beside him. The younger girl hadn’t looked up at all; her face stayed buried against her brother’s shoulder.
“Did Parker tell you about your mom?” Mack asked, hating the conversation already.
Tommy nodded again, swallowing hard.
“Child services are on their way,” Parker said, his voice soft. “Michelle is a friend of mine. She’s good people and will get you settled somewhere safe.”
Tommy ignored them and laid his head on top of Beth’s. “He killed her.”
Mack knelt down, keeping eye contact with the teen. “You want Beth here for this?”
“I saw it, too,” Beth whispered, peeking down at him. Her cheek was bruised, and one eye was already swollen.
Mack bit back a curse. “Parker, can you grab another EMT? Ms. Beth here needs to be checked out.”
Parker nodded, his eyes cold, and he turned around to chase someone down.
“Are you hurt, sweetie?” Mack asked, moving to sit on the bottom step of the stairway. “I see you have a bruise there and a big ol’ shiner coming up.”
“He hit me,” she whispered. “It hurt, and Tommy made him stop.”
