“Not at all. Where should I meet him?”
“Go to the side entrance. I’ll tell him you’ll be waiting.” She breathed in, finding a measure of peace. “Thank you.”
Sue rose to her feet. “I’ll step outside and call my boss while we wait for Tiffany. The sooner we get the ball rolling, the better for everyone.”
“I’ll see if the girls need anything.” Kami fled down the hall.
Rachel sat alone at her desk for a minute. “Dear Lord, I don’t know why this happened to Luna, and though I don’t know how, I have faith that you will work good from this evil act. Please be with her and the girls as they face the consequences of Manny’s actions. Thank you for opening Tiffany’s willingness to foster the girls until Luna is well, and please let all the plans be authorized. Amen.”
She pushed away from her desk and stood. Waves of exhaustion crashed over her. The clock on her wall told her she’d been at the shelter less than an hour, but it seemed much longer. She sauntered to the cafeteria.
As suspected, Aaron readily agreed to go ride out and pick up Tiffany. After he left, Carl pulled her aside. “Do you need me for anything else?”
“No. I appreciate all you did tonight. Had you not been here…” She trailed off, unable to say the unthinkable.
“I wish I could have stopped it sooner.” His jaw tightened, and he squeezed at his neck. “I’m going to stop by the hospital and check on Luna. She’ll be worried about the girls.”
She’d suspected an attraction between the two—Luna had opened up to him when she kept her guard around everyone else. Carl’s actions tonight confirmed those suspicions. “Be careful, Carl. For better or worse, she’s still a married woman.”
He flinched and clenched his fists. “She needs a friend. That’s all I plan to be.”
“Tell her we’re taking care of the girls and praying for her. I’ll stop in to see her once I’m done here.”
She watched him leave, all while praying. For Luna. For Skye and Mercy. For Carl. For her other residents once they found out. Peace for all involved. In her heart, she knew every protocol had been followed to protect Luna, but that didn’t stop guilt from weighing on her. She oversaw the shelter. It was her responsibility to ensure each person’s safety, and she’d failed.
With a heavy heart, she removed her glasses and scrubbed a hand over her face. Life went on, and she had a job to continue.
Officer Rodriquez stepped up to her and handed her a metal clipboard. “Would you mind signing off on the report for us?”
Taking the report, she read over it and signed her name. “Can I get a copy of this?”
“I’m about to give you one.” He took back the report and tore off the middle copy, folded it in half, and gave it to her.
The events of the night got to her, and her hands trembled when she grabbed the papers. “Thank you.”
“Domestic violence calls are never easy.” Officer Rodriquez let go of his stony expression. “And as horrible as tonight was, Luna’s going to be okay. In my fifteen years on the force, I’ve never seen such determination in a woman.”
“Determination means nothing if that monster’s allowed on the streets.”
“Don’t worry about that, Miss. The D.A. will throw every charge possible at him.” A hint of a smile surfaced. “Our county is known for its toughness in these areas. Manny won’t get off without a lengthy prison term.”
Sue returned to the cafeteria. “Great news. My boss approved keeping the girls here under Tiffany’s supervision.”
“That’s fantastic.” Relief pulsed through Rachel.
They all needed that good news. She shot Carl a text so he could pass the information on to Luna. She’d rest easier knowing her daughters were taken care of.
Chapter Sixteen
Tiffany hopped in the front seat of Aaron’s car. “Any news since I talked to Rachel?”
“Not that I know of.” He navigated around a crowd of teens entering the fairgrounds. “As soon as she asked me, I left.”
“I shouldn’t have left Luna alone at the shelter.” Tiffany frowned and clutched her purse.
“Don’t blame yourself. When evil wants to do evil, they’ll find a way.” The grim truth sat uneasy in his gut, and he had to remind himself of other, more encouraging truths. “Love wins though. God will overcome all the evil in this world.”
“I believe that, but it’s hard sometimes.” Tiffany leaned her head against the seat. “Has Rachel told you my story?”
