AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Really?” He pretended to look surprised. This was the perfect in, though. This is what he’d been hoping for. “That’s not good. How are they mean?”
“They throw the ball too hard.”
“Did they ever hurt you?”
“Sometimes. I don’t like playing dodge ball with them. They’re not supposed to aim for the head, but they always do, and then when the gym teacher yells at them, they just say, ‘Oh, it was an accident, I didn’t throw it right.’ But they’re lying.”
“Lying isn’t good. Had anyone else ever hurt you?”
She shrugged again. “I guess.”
“Like your mommy or daddy?”
“Not really. I don’t know.”
“Not really?” He didn’t want to press her too hard, but he needed to know she would be able to talk to the CPS guy and tell him the truth. “It’s okay to tell the truth. No one here is going to hurt you.”
“I know that.”
“But did your daddy ever hurt you?”
She was quiet for a long time, then said, “Hey, when did you get the gumdrop card? I don’t remember that. Are you cheating?”
“Me? No way! I would never do that.” He flipped his cards over to show her the one with the little gumdrop. Maybe she would eventually see that she could trust him. But would she trust this Nicholas guy when he came back?
Later that night, he lay in bed beside Vanessa, talking about it. “I’m just worried she’ll do the same thing with Nicholas and not talk.”
“Hopefully when he comes back, and we’ll be there, we can help her tell the truth. If I’m saying it’s okay, that might make a difference. She doesn’t know you, so you saying it’s okay to tell the truth isn’t going to be as meaningful.”
“Right. I hope that’s all it takes.” He reached over to pull her close and kiss her.
On Saturday morning, after they’d finished breakfast, there was a knock at the door. Vanessa looked to Hunter with wide, terrified eyes. He waited for her to put the plan into place. Get Opal out of the room so he could answer the door, just in case it was Jeremy or someone coming to take her.
Vanessa took her into the bedroom and Hunter pulled out his gun, then loaded a bullet in the chamber. He stood facing the door and shouted, “Who is it?”
“Nicholas Johnson, from Child Protective Services.”
Hunter reset the gun and put it back in his pocket, then unlocked the door. He stuck out his hand to shake Nicholas’s. “Hiya,” he said. “Let me get Vanessa and Opal.”
Hunter closed the door behind Nicholas and called out for Vanessa as he went to the bedroom. “He’s here,” he said to her when he entered the room.
“Okay.” Vanessa blew out a breath. “Opal, a man is here to talk to you, okay?”
Opal looked confused, but Vanessa took her hand and led her out to the living room.
“You must be Opal,” Nicholas said, crouching down.
She nodded and put her hands behind her back.
“My name is Nicholas. Is it okay if we sit down and talk for a few minutes?”
Opal looked to Vanessa. “Go ahead, honey. You can sit down, and Mr. Johnson will just talk to you for a few minutes.”
Nicholas smiled at Vanessa. “Thanks.” He sat beside the Opal on the sofa.
“Make sure you tell Mr. Johnson the truth, okay?” Vanessa said. “It’s okay to tell him everything.”
Opal nodded.
