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“He told her you sent him to babysit her because you were running late. He took her from the Community Center, said he was going to shoot her, and so she wrecked the truck. She banged up her elbow when she ran. Don’t think it’s broken, but x-rays will come back on that,” Caleb told him. Tildy’s version of events matched Garrett’s perfectly.
Hawk’s eyes closed, and, for the first time in nearly 24 hours, he allowed the tension that had been roiling inside him begin to recede. The important details of Caleb’s report weren’t what he said but what he didn’t say. It was Caleb’s way of telling him that Tildy hadn’t been raped.
“You sure she’s going to be okay?” Hawk asked, always the coward.
Is she telling the truth?
Caleb nodded. “The elbow’ll heal, broken or not. And she knows where he is now- in jail. He can’t do anything more to her.”
Hawk took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Caleb believed her.
“Her folks are in there now, but they can’t stay long. She’s exhausted.” Caleb waited a moment before he said, “Go see her before she falls asleep.”
Hawk hesitated.
“Just go see her,” Caleb insisted.
Hawk gave Tildy’s parents a few more minutes alone with her before he knocked softly on the room door. Her father answered and frowned at him. “What are you doing here? She’s sleeping now.”
Hawk stepped into the room. Truth be told, he was actually relieved that she was asleep. Not only did she need to rest, but he also had no idea what to say to her now. He was disappointed not to be able to see her though, since the curtain was pulled around Tildy’s bed. The other bed was empty and Tildy’s mother sat perched on the edge of a fake leather chair against the wall.
“I found her,” he told them. “Is she okay?” He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t disturb her.
“She’s fine,” Deirdre Fletcher insisted. “She’ll be fine.” She looked away from Hawk and back to the curtain. “I just can’t believe all this.”
Mrs. Fletcher sounded more irritated than concerned.
“All this trouble,” the woman continued. “And we didn’t know a thing.”
Hawk was irritated at her irritation. Didn’t she realize how close Tildy had come to dying in that canyon? If Hawk hadn’t realized the truth, hadn’t forced Garrett to confess, she’d be out there right now, dying of exposure.
“I’m sure she just didn’t want to worry you.”
“Listen,” Blake Fletcher said. “I don’t know you. And I don’t know how well you think you know my daughter-”
“We’re friends,” Hawk insisted. “I’m her friend.”
Deirdre stood up. “You are not the kind of friend we want for Matilda. Wouldn’t you agree that her association with you has brought us nothing but trouble?”
He couldn’t argue that point, much as he wanted to. Tildy didn’t belong in his world. He had always known that, but it was still hard to let her go.
“You’re right,” he admitted. “We’re just friends, but maybe we shouldn’t be.”
He reached into his front pocket and pulled out the medal. He held it out.
“You should give this to her when she wakes up,” he told them. He knew her parents hadn’t really given a shit about her up to this point, and he was certain they cared even less about a woman who’d only worked for them a short time, but given all Tildy had been through, surely they would finally put their problems aside and be real parents for a change.
Deirdre Fletcher eyed it as though it would bite her. Her husband only did more of the same.
“It’s Isabel’s,” Hawk told them.
“Isabel?” Deirdre repeated, looking to her husband for an explanation.
“I don’t know what you believe,” Hawk said, “But Tildy believes Isabel watches over her and keeps her safe. It’s really all she has to hold onto sometimes.”
Deirdre scoffed and shook her head. “Well, that’s ridiculous.”
Hawk tamped down on his rising impatience with these people. “Look, I said I don’t know what you believe, but Tildy absolutely believes it. And it may be the only reason she made it out of that canyon alive. Because she thought Isabel was watching over her. So for her sake-”
“That’s ridiculous,” Deirdre repeated. “It’s just more of Matilda’s nonsense. She’s gotten herself into so much trouble this year. It’s unbelievable. My daughter doesn’t need that,” she said, indicating the necklace. “Or you.”
Hawk’s fist closed around the chain. “I understand if you blame me,” he said quietly. Hell, he blamed himself more than anyone else could. “But Tildy needs to believe that Isabel-”
“She’s not even dead!” Deirdre finally snapped.
Hawk paused and stared at her.
“That’s why the whole thing is just utter tripe! Isabel isn’t dead. We fired her, and it’s high time my daughter-”
“I don’t understand,” Hawk interrupted, shaking his head. “She said Isabel died.”
Deirdre sighed heavily, and Hawk looked to Blake for an explanation. Blake’s expression was as dark and irritated as his wife’s. “Isabel was a bad influence on Matilda,” he explained. “My wife and I agreed that it was best to send her away. She-”
