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What could she have done at their own home to cause the police to come after her?
Please, God. I need You now. It’s just You and me.
Why is this happening?
Maybe she really wasn’t cut out to be a mother because the evidence so far was that she had failed.
Since their move to Harte’s Peak, Lexi’s behavior had gone from bad to worse, with rolling eyes and loud sighs a new way of communication. Just last week her algebra teacher caught her cheating on a test. The two of them should be able to get through this difficult time.
Lexi was hurting and acting out. What could she have done at their own home to cause the police to come after her?
Please, God. I need You now. It’s just You and me.
Why is this happening?
Maybe she really wasn’t cut out to be a mother because the evidence so far was that she had failed.
Since their move to Harte’s Peak, Lexi’s behavior had gone from bad to worse, with rolling eyes and loud sighs a new way of communication. Just last week her algebra teacher caught her cheating on a test. The two of them should be able to get through this difficult time. Lexi was hurting and acting out. Maggie knew that, but she had no idea how to help her.
Lexi had pulled away from ‘those church kids,’ as she called them, as if she knew she didn’t belong. It was a constant struggle every Sunday to get her out the door and to church on time, and any attempt at affection toward Lexi left Maggie feeling like she’d hugged a cactus.
If only Matt were here. He’d know what to do. But Matt was never coming home again, and they’d both have to get used to that.
Chapter 2
According to his watch, Jack had waited five minutes, which his constricted chest made seem more like five hours, when a silver SUV peeled into the driveway and a petite woman emerged, panic etched on every angle of her porcelain-like face. Long, wild strawberry blonde hair fell in waves around her face, and her eyes were the color of the pine trees that covered the mountains of Harte’s Peak. He’d heard the kid tell her mother to come without giving her any directions, so this appeared to be a huge misunderstanding.
“What happened?” The woman asked and jarred him out of his daydream.
“Is this your daughter?” He pointed to the kid, who now sat on the porch with anger blazing in her eyes.
“Yes, this is my daughter Lexi. I’m Maggie Bradshaw. What on earth happened?” She was out of breath.
Jack had scared her for no good reason.
“Officer Jack Butler. There’s been a mistake. I saw your daughter climbing through the front window, and I assumed she was breaking and entering.”
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was almost as relieved as she was that it was all a big mistake.
“You know you’re supposed to meet me at the cafe after school.” Maggie glanced at her daughter.
“I’m tired of being treated like a baby. I want to come home and do my homework, not sit at the cafe so you can keep your eye on me. If you would leave me a key, this wouldn’t have happened.” The kid pouted.
“I’m so sorry, Officer. It won’t happen again,” Maggie said.
“I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions but…”
He felt like an idiot, but he was doing his job. He wasn’t a mind reader, and he hadn’t exactly been at the top of his game. No, not for some time.
“That’s right!” Lexi interrupted.
“Lexi, he was just trying to help.”
Maggie defended him, and his mind briefly flashed back to Virginia and the parent of another teen. If that parent had helped law enforcement, her kid would be fine today.
Stop it, Butler. It’s your fault. Don’t blame anyone else.
“Well, now will you leave me a key so I can stop looking like a criminal?” Lexi stood and put her hands on her hips.
