First day off in a while, and Shea Callahan sat on her front porch, coffee in hand, and her German Shepherd, Heidi, sitting alert next to her. The sun had risen an hour ago. After a good night’s sleep, Shea wanted nothing more than to do nothing all day.
With a push of her toe, she set the rocking chair in motion. “I really need to work harder at taking days off, girl.”
Heidi glanced at her, then back to the gravel driveway. Her ears perked up.
With a sigh, Shea stopped the chair from rocking. Her dog always heard approaching vehicles way before Shea did. Someone was coming to ruin the peaceful day, she felt it in her bones.
A dark sedan turned the corner, then crunched up the driveway. Shea stood and set her mug on the porch railing.
A woman in a black business suit climbed from the driver’s seat, then opened the back door. A second later, a small, dark-haired girl exited the car. The woman took the child’s hand, grabbed a briefcase from the backseat, then marched toward Shea’s cabin.
“Shea Callahan?” The woman asked.
The child ducked behind the woman and peered at Shea. The girl clutched a well-worn stuffed bunny.
“Yes. You?”
The woman squared her shoulders. “I’m an attorney. Rachel Madison. I’ve come regarding the will of Ava Bennett.”
Ava? Shea hadn’t spoken to or seen her cousin in seven years. “What about her?”
Heidi left the porch and went to sit next to the child. A flicker of a smile graced the girl’s face.
Rachel glanced around, then returned her gaze to Shea. “May we go inside?”
“Sure. I’ve coffee on if you’d like.” Shea opened the front door.
“Coffee sounds great. We’ve driven through the night to get here.” The woman glanced around again, then ushered the child inside.
Her nervousness piqued Shea’s curiosity, but she didn’t ask any more questions until she’d handed Rachel a cup of coffee and poured another one for herself. She motioned for the woman to have a seat at the kitchen table. “I’ve juice if the child would like some.”
“That would be wonderful.” Rachel sat and opened her briefcase.
Shea poured orange juice into a glass and set it in front of the child before taking a seat across from the attorney. “You mentioned Ava’s will. Does that mean she’s died?”
Rachel nodded. “Lily, why don’t you take the dog into the other room and let us adults talk.”
The child nodded.
“You can turn on the TV,” Shea called out. Seconds later, the sound of cartoons drifted from the front room. “She doesn’t talk much, does she?”
“You’ll understand why in a moment.” Rachel set a stack of papers in front of her, then took a deep breath. “Last week, your cousin was found brutally murdered in her home. Lily called 911 and hasn’t spoken since.”
“Murdered?”
“Stabbed ten times. It appears Lily hid in a coat closet.”
“She saw it happen.”
“We believe so, yes. Authorities found Ava’s will naming you beneficiary of her modest estate and guardian of her daughter.”
“I didn’t know she had a child.” Shea sat back in her chair. This couldn’t be happening. How could she care for a small child?
Rachel slid a paper across the table. “If you could sign here, I’ll fetch Lily’s few things and be out of your hair.”
“Wait.” Shea stared wide-eyed at the paper in front of her. “Isn’t there someone else who can take the child? I’m not equipped to care for a traumatized little girl.”
“You’re the sheriff. Who better to keep her safe?” Rachel stood. “There is no one else. If you refuse, then this little girl who has already been through far too much will have to go into foster care.”
Keep her safe? “You think whoever killed her mother is after her now?”
Rachel shrugged. “She is a witness to murder, Sheriff.”
“The child’s father?”
“Her name is Lily, and, according to neighbors, Ava never married. The father of her child died in a car accident three years ago.” Rachel marched from the house, returning a few minutes later with a single suitcase. “Child Protective Services gathered a few things, not much, but it will get you started. Have you signed the papers? I really need to get back to Little Rock.”
Shea heaved a sigh, then scrawled her signature on the papers.
“Good luck, Sheriff.” Rachel gave her a grim smile, then went to kneel in front of Lily. After saying a few words that Shea couldn’t hear, she left.
Shea immediately called Trevor. “I need help.”
- Publisher : Winged Publications
- Publication date : July 28, 2026
- Language : English
- Print length : 296 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1972624148
- ISBN-13 : 978-1972624142