Guardian Of Justice. Carol Steward

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      She tried sitting in the cruiser again, but couldn’t shake the edginess. How long would it be before she’d forget the madman’s eyes staring her down? Kira got back out and leaned against the front fender, watching the house like an anxious puppy.

      To the left, two officers visited, pointing down the block. Did they see someone? Other than a few neighbors peering out their darkened windows to see what was happening, all appeared quiet again.

      Officer Williams kept his distance, but several times asked if she was doing okay. She jotted notes to be used in her study and glanced up, hoping Dallas would emerge. She was getting worried. She studied the house, wondering what was going on inside.

      Behind a round bush, a light appeared suddenly, as if it had risen out of the ground. Kira shrugged the blanket off and dropped it on the grass. She stepped closer, examining the foundation of the house for windows. Keeping her distance from any shadowed areas where someone could be lurking, she stepped past the corner of the house, but the light was gone. Were officers searching the basement? Why were the other windows not lit?

      Suddenly, Kira spotted a little girl’s face in the glow of the streetlight. A curly haired blonde was peering out of a basement window. Frightened eyes looked around suspiciously, then disappeared. Seconds later a tattered stuffed animal flew from the window well. Kira watched for a moment.

      Dallas obviously didn’t know the little girl was there, or she’d probably be in a bigger hurry to get out of the house. Officer Williams was busy searching the front yard for evidence. Even if the police did know she was in the house, Kira reasoned, if the child slipped out the small window, they might not be able to catch her. I’m doing him a favor.

      She hurried forward and offered her hand. “Hi there. I’m Kira Matthews. Do you need some help?”

      The little girl dropped back into the house as if she was on a park slide.

      How’d she do that? Kira couldn’t believe her eyes. The child had disappeared in an instant. Kira hesitantly stepped closer, then knelt down and peered into the dark basement. “It’s okay, honey, I can help you. I’m with Social Services. Are you okay?”

      “Un-huh,” a small voice answered, so quietly Kira could hardly hear her.

      She kicked back into her social worker role. “Are you hurt?” When there was no answer, she asked the girl’s name. Kira felt her chills return.

      She heard scuffling from inside the basement. After a long pause, the girl finally answered, “Betsy.”

      “That’s a really pretty name. How old are you, Betsy?” She heard soft sniffles. The little girl was frightened.

      “Betsy, can you come back up here so we can talk?” Kira asked. She wanted to get out of these shadows before the madman returned. With the light beaming out of the basement, she felt as if she had a spotlight trained on her.

      Nothing but whimpers broke the silence.

      “Can you tell me why you are sneaking out of the house, Betsy?”

      “Mama told me to,” she whimpered.

      Kira waited patiently. She studied the small window, wondering if there was any way she could get through it. Her better judgment warned her not to go into a house blind. Her brothers would never let her live it down if she did. She had no idea what or who would be waiting when and if she finally squeezed through the tiny opening. And by the time she made it, who knew where Betsy would be?

      “What happened?”

      “Mickey hurt me, so Cody…” She choked up and couldn’t talk.

      “What did Cody do?”

      “He got mad at Mickey, and—” The noise of a motorcycle roaring down the quiet street drowned out her words. “—bat and broke the window. And Mama told me to scat.”

      Kira recalled the time her brothers had run through the sliding door playing football, and how upset her mother had been. Hiding makes perfect sense to me, but… “Mamas get mad sometimes, don’t they? Did you say Cody was mad at Mickey?”

      “Yep. Mickey’s mean. He’s a bad dude.”

      Kira glanced around the yard, certain that Mickey was the crazy man who’d scared her. Kira leaned closer to the basement window and looked inside. She didn’t hear anyone else in the background, but saw a soft glow coming through a doorway—likely the source or the light? “Betsy, are you alone in the basement?”

      “Yep, I locked the secret door.”

      Secret door? Kira looked harder, getting as close as she could without sticking her head in the window well. She couldn’t see much, and felt for cobwebs. It felt clear.

      She eased even closer to the window well and finally ducked her head in, bracing herself against the brick house. There weren’t just lights in the other room, there were plants. Lots of them, from what she could tell. “Was Mickey coming after you?” She tried to keep her focus on the little girl and still per around inside. If it wasn’t so bright in the other room, I could see her better. “Betsy, I want to help you. Come on out.”

      “Mama be mad,” Betsy said with a catch in her voice.

      Kira didn’t miss things like that. “I’ll talk to your mama for you. I want to help you and Cody.”

      She was met with silence again.

      She waited several minutes before she went on. “Betsy, I know you’re scared. Together we’ll find a way to help you and Cody. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” She picked up the bear the child had thrown out. “What is your teddy bear’s name, Betsy?”

      Kira waited, and finally she heard movement. And then a little blond head again appeared in the opening. The child looked around before climbing out to Kira, hesitating as if she had second thoughts.

      “It’s okay, Betsy. I’m going to help you.” The little girl’s eyes reflected not only sadness, but fear and neglect. Kira’s heart ached. “Here you go, Betsy. Your teddy missed you.”

      The little girl snatched the bear from Kira’s grip. “Fuzzy.”

      FOUR

      “Miss Matthews?” Dallas paused. “Williams, where’s my ride-along? I told you to watch out for her.”

      Kira started to answer, but one look at the fear on Betsy’s face told her to wait. The child was Kira’s priority now. “Come here, Betsy. It’s okay. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

      “She was next to the car just a minute ago,” the other officer answered.

      Dallas didn’t sound happy, a fact she could hear in his voice even from the other side of the house. “Kira!”

      Betsy started to run, but Kira caught her.

      “We’re back here,” she said quickly, then glanced at Betsy. “It’s okay, honey. It’s not Mickey. This is a police officer. He won’t hurt you.”

      Dallas rushed around the СКАЧАТЬ