he had delivered the two glasses to the children, Mike began his questioning. He started with her name.
“Sarah Brownly.”
“Are you on vacation?” he asked Sarah.
She pressed her lips together. Then she said, “Sort of. I lost my job and—and we decided to move.”
“And those are your only bags? Your only belongings?”
She kept her gaze lowered. “Yes.”
“Are these your children?”
Again she hesitated. Only this time it seemed minutes had passed before she finally shook her head.
“Where are their parents?”
“Anna and Davy are my half siblings. Our mother died recently.”
Mike raised his brows. “I’m sorry,” he said in a gentler tone. “It must be hard for you. For all of you.”
Sitting across from her, Brad saw the tears form in her eyes. If she was lying, she was a damn good actress.
The little boy, who’d been quietly sitting, drinking his milk, slid from his chair and tugged on her sleeve. “I’m sleepy, Sarah.”
She took Davy into her lap. Anna scooted her chair close to Sarah and leaned against her, too.
Again Brad was struck by the tenderness that Sarah displayed toward the children. He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the kids. “Davy, my nephew is about your age. He has an extra bed in his room upstairs. Would you like to sleep in it?”
Davy looked up at Sarah for permission. When she nodded, he asked Brad, “Won’t he mind?”
“I doubt he’ll wake up before morning. Come on. I’ll show you.” Brad led the little boy to the bedroom.
At the open door, Davy hesitated. “I think I want to go back to Sarah.”
“Why don’t you just lie down for a little while? Sarah’s going to be fine.”
After a moment’s deliberation, the comfy bed won out. Davy climbed up into it and settled under the blanket. He glanced over at Robbie, still sound asleep in his own bed.
“Does he have a mommy?” Davy asked, pointing at the boy.
Brad nodded. “Uh-huh. My sister-in-law, Abby. She’s asleep in another room with her husband, Nick. He’s my older brother. He’s in charge of this ranch.”
The boy considered his reply. Then said, “My mommy’s in heaven. My daddy killed her. He’s in Denver.”
Though he spoke the words quietly, they struck Brad with the force of a warrior. He had to hold onto the bedpost to keep from reeling back. Scores of questions assailed him, but he knew now was not the time to voice them. If what he said was true, this little boy had been through enough. He deserved to sleep like an angel. Sarah could answer the questions.
When Brad came back to the kitchen, he heard Sarah pleading with Mike to let her and her half siblings go. She promised she wouldn’t camp out anymore.
Brad couldn’t wait. He cut her off and blurted, “Davy said his dad killed his mom.”
Sarah’s face drained of color and he thought she was going to faint. He stepped closer.
“Is that true, Sarah?” Mike asked, watching her carefully.
This time she couldn’t hold back the tears. Anna put her arms around Sarah, both of them hanging on to each other. “Yes,” Sarah whispered.
“Did you report the murder?” the sheriff asked.
“Yes.” After a moment, she continued, “The kids and I had gone to the grocery store. When I started bringing the groceries into the kitchen, I saw my stepfather choking my mother. I grabbed a chair and broke it over his head. I pulled him off Mom, but—but I couldn’t help her.” She choked back a sob, no doubt seeing the scene once again in her mind’s eye. “He was out…my stepfather. I got the kids back in the car and I threw some things into our suitcases and left. Then I called the police and told them that my stepfather had choked my mother to death.”
“Why did you run?”
“Because my stepfather is—he lies. I couldn’t leave without the kids. He’d kill any of us if he thought we knew what he’d done. He wasn’t a good father. I paid most of the bills and bought the groceries. He drank what little he earned. He had even started my mother drinking.” At that confession, Sarah cried again. “I tried to get her to not drink with him. He was a fighter when he drank and she…She was a different person.”
“I still don’t understand why you ran off. You’d already called the police.”
“Sheriff, have you come across people who do bad things but aren’t punished for them? Because no one can prove it? Or because he tells a sad story and is let off easy? I couldn’t risk hanging around to see what happened. He would claim he loved his children and the cops would believe him.”
Mike seemed to ponder that, then he nodded, as if he’d understood her as well as agreed with her. “Look, why don’t you and the children sleep here tonight? The Logans won’t mind, right, Brad?” He looked up at Brad, who nodded his agreement. “I need the names of your mother and stepfather.”
“Alice and Ellis Ashton.”
“Let me contact the police in—You never said where you lived.”
“I don’t think I should tell you.” She was trembling, but her chin was strong, as if determined to keep their former whereabouts a secret.
“I believe Davy said it was Denver,” Brad said softly.
Sarah jumped to her feet. “You had no right to question Davy!” she protested. “He’s just a little boy!”
“I wasn’t questioning him. He volunteered the information.”
Mike put up his hands to still the argument. “Sarah, we’re not trying to harm you or your siblings. We’re just trying to find out what happened. Believe it or not, we want to protect you.” Once Sarah settled down a bit, he continued. “Do you have papers giving you the right to remove your brother and sister from their home?”
“If he gets the kids, he won’t take care of them! He might—might even hurt them!”
At that, Anna began crying, and Brad questioned their judgment in speaking so candidly in front of the young girl.
Sarah picked her up and held her tightly. “Please, Sheriff! You can understand! I couldn’t help my mother anymore, but—but don’t let him take the kids!”
“Sarah, are you over twenty-one?” Mike asked.
“Yes, I’m twenty-four.” She wiped her cheeks, but the tears kept coming.
“If you have to go back to testify against your stepfather,
