I broke off as Jayla and Zane came back into the room. The young girl was carrying an overnight bag and a stuffed animal. My heart broke for her. I knew what it was like to lose a mother. Granted, mine had died when I was a baby, but the hole was still there. Jayla was going to need all the love and care she could get from family and friends.
I met Zane’s arched eyebrow, and I knew he was dying to know what I’d asked Hunter while he was away. But I’d have to fill him in later. Right now, I wanted to know if Jayla had any idea who would want to hurt her mom.
“How are you holding up, Jayla?” I asked.
The girl shrugged, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry about your mom,” I said. “My mother died when I was just a little girl.”
A tear trailed down her cheek. “Really?”
I nodded. “Really.”
“I don’t understand what happened,” Jayla said. “Zane said someone hurt my mom, but I don’t understand why.”
Exactly the lead-in I was hoping for. “So your mom never said anything to you about someone being mad at her?”
The girl shook her head so emphatically, her hair whipped around her head. “No. People loved my mom. She was always volunteering at school, and she wrote books that made people happy. She told me so.”
“What grade are you in?” I asked.
“Seventh grade.”
I nodded. “And you were coming home from cheerleading practice?”
She gave me a small smile. “Yeah. I really like it. I had to beg Mom and Dad to let me try out, though. Like forweeksI had to beg.”
I glanced at Hunter, but he wouldn’t look at me.
“They didn’t want you to try out?” I mused.
Jayla giggled. “No. In fact, Mom wasreallyagainst it. She said when she was in school, only the snobby, popular girls went out—”
“Jayla,” Hunter said.
It was a tone the girl recognized because she instantly closed her mouth and looked upset.
“Do you have a place to stay, Hunter?” Zane asked when it became apparent neither Jayla nor Hunter were going to say anything else.
“Jayla and I will be staying at Supernatural Sport Resort for a few days until you can let us back in.”
Zane nodded. “Okay. If you’d like to get a few things, I’ll go with you while you pack.”
Again, Hunter looked like he wanted to protest, but one look at Zane’s face had Hunter sighing. “Fine. Jayla, you stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Jayla gave me a smile before she sat down on the couch and pulled out her phone. Between the sniffs, she texted.
“Let’s go, Jayla,” Hunter said as he strode into the living room a few minutes later.
Jayla got up from the couch, picked up her backpack, and slipped her phone into her coat pocket. “We have to leave Mommy here?”
“We’ll take care of her,” I said. “I promise you that.”
9
“How’s it going in here?” Zane asked as we strolled into the kitchen a few minutes later.
“I think I’m finished,” Doc Treestone said.
