“No.” As much as the episodes with J.D. freaked her out to remember, she didn’t want to unload them on her mother now. Not when she already seemed hell-bent on revenge. “I just...hate him for hurting Megan.”
J.D. had helped his father shove both Meg and Mrs. Finley into a van. They’d duct-taped Meg’s wrists and ankles. Gagged her. That was plenty of reason to want J.D. behind bars.
“Are you sure that’s all?” Her mother’s voice lowered to a whisper. She sounded scared. And scary.
Making Bailey feel really, really alone. Sure, she had aporch full of groceries. But now more than ever, she felt like her mom had checked out on her and left a flighty substitute behind. Maybe her mother had always been immature. Or maybe her affair had brought out the worst in her. But either way, she didn’t want to confide in this woman. Hazel might still love her, but Bailey wasn’t so sure.
“I’d just be happy to see justice done. There should be consequences for what he did to Megan. So if you know anything about him, or if you can help Sheriff Reyes in any way?—”
“I will.” Her mother straightened, and for a moment, with her expression certain and her voice calm, she seemed like Mom again. “I promise you, Bailey, I will speak to the sheriff about what I know, and I will find a time to speak to Kate Covington when she’s not in a mood to rip my head off. Because I guarantee she’s got the goods that can send Jeremy to jail.”
“Really?” That sounded okay. But Bailey knew darn well that Mrs. Covington wouldn’t do anything that would get J.D. in trouble.
Bailey might be the only one who could testify to what a brute J.D. could be, and that made her stomach hurt. She’d left school today before she could look for other girls he might have pushed around. Or worse.
But she’d start asking questions tomorrow. There had to be someone else.
“Really. Jeremy Covington crossed the wrong woman.” Her mother pressed a kiss to Bailey’s forehead. “You’ll see. I can’t fix everything, but I can do that much.”
She nodded, feeling chilled all of a sudden. “You’d better go before Dad gets home.”
“I know.” Her mom leaned down to hug Hazel. “Will you hold on to Hazel so she’s not as sad when I go?”
“Sure.” Bailey nodded even as the dog whimpered and stamped her paws anxiously.
“Things will get better.” Mom bit her lip. Hesitated. Then walked quickly toward the front of the house and her waiting car.
Bailey watched her leave, arms around Hazel’s neck, her face half-buried in the dog’s soft fur. Her eyes burned a little, and she reminded herself that her mother had lied to everyone, cheated on her father and hurt Bailey’s best friend—betraying Bailey deeply in the process. But in spite of everything, she couldn’t escape the unsettling fact that the dog wasn’t the only one sad to see her mom go.
“Come on, Hazel.” She tucked a hand under the setter’s collar, pulling her toward the porch.
Her tail wag slowed. Stopped. Started again as she turned hopeful dark eyes up to Bailey.
It was hard to watch.
“Come on.” She tried again to move Hazel. “I bet there are treats for you in those bags, too.”
A sudden creak of twigs and a rustle in the nearby woods startled her. Hazel pivoted, on high alert. The dog sniffed the wind and barked, her fur standing up on end along her back.
Panic jolted Bailey. Letting go of the dog, she hustled up the steps and into the screened porch.
“Who’s there?” The words came out even though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. Her voice sounded like someone else’s.
What if J.D. had come here to hurt her?
“Bailey?” a male voice called.
It didn’t sound like J.D.
She turned toward the voice even as she locked thescreen door behind her, leaving Hazel to deal with the intruder.
“Bailey, it’s me.” The guy sounded nervous. He didn’t come any closer with an animal growling at him. “Is your dog going to bite?”
Dawson.
Relief rained over her.
“Hazel, stay,” she commanded, reaching into a nearby grocery bag for dog biscuits. “I’ve got a treat for you, but you have to sit.”
