Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Her gaze met mine with cold calculation. “Mr. Kingston, your presence is exactly part of the problem. You have no business forming attachments to vulnerable children or their mothers. The court order specifically mentions your growing influence over Ms. Jans and her daughter as a cause for concern.”
The words hit like a physical blow. She had been watching us, documenting every interaction, turning my attempts to help into evidence against Eliza. Worse, my presence in their lives was now being used as a weapon to separate them.
Hannah must have seen the realization on my face. She squeezed my arm in warning before turning back to Ms. Winters. “This is absurd. Cash has been nothing but protective and supportive.”
“Is that what you call his relationship with Ms. Jans?” Ms. Winters countered, her implication hanging in the air between us. My skin burned with anger and shame. How much did she know about last night? Or was she simply fishing? Could go either way.
“Enough,” Eliza said suddenly, her voice stronger than I expected. “My personal life is not relevant to my ability to care for my daughter, and Cash served his sentence.”
“I won’t ask again. This is happening right now. Step aside.”
Pippa held her ground for another moment, then looked at Knuckles. A silent communication passed between them before she reluctantly moved aside. I understood their calculation immediately. Physical resistance would only make things worse, provide more evidence of the “dangerous environment” Ms. Winters was so eager to document.
“I’m coming with you,” Eliza said firmly as Ms. Winters started down the hallway with Officer Martinez following. No one tried to stop her.
I moved to follow as well, but Hannah caught my arm. “Let her go alone first,” she whispered. “Don’t give Winters more ammunition about your influence.”
The wisdom of her advice didn’t make it any easier to stay behind. I watched Eliza walk down the corridor, her back straight despite the devastation I knew she felt. My chest ached with the need to protect her, to fix this somehow.
“Knuckles,” I said quietly, “can we do anything? We all made promises not to let this bitch take Lily.”
He released Ash, who slumped against the wall, the fight drained out of him. “Not right now,” Knuckles replied, his voice pitched low. “Not like this. We play by their rules for now, then we destroy them with their own system. We’re not letting them have Lily any longer than strictly necessary.”
“And if playing by the rules doesn’t work?” I asked.
His eyes met mine, cold and certain. “Then we try something not in their rule book.”
Several agonizing minutes passed before Eliza reappeared at the end of the hallway, her face ashen. She nodded once, a small, broken movement telling us everything we needed to know. Ms. Winters followed, her expression neutral despite the victory she had just secured. Officer Martinez came last, leading Lily by the hand.
My heart clenched at the sight of her. She clutched Mr. Flopsy against her chest, her eyes wide with confusion and fear. She wore a pink shirt with butterflies making her look even smaller, more vulnerable. When she spotted me, her face crumpled.
“Cash!” she cried, trying to pull away from Officer Martinez. “I don’t want to go!”
The officer maintained his gentle hold on her hand but didn’t force her forward. Instead, he knelt down to her level, his face filled with genuine compassion.
“Hey kiddo,” he said softly, “remember me? We need to take another little trip.”
Lily’s lower lip trembled, tears filling her eyes as she looked between her mother and me. “But I want to stay with Mommy. And Cash. I don’t want to go in the police car again.”
Officer Martinez glanced up at me, something like an apology in his expression. “Your buddy Cash will get everything worked out,” he told Lily quietly. “You’ll see.”
The promise made my throat tighten painfully. This cop was trying to comfort Lily by using her trust in me, reassuring her I’d fix a situation I felt powerless to change.
“Cash will come get me?” Lily asked, her voice small but hopeful.
Before I could answer, Ms. Winters interrupted. “Officer Martinez, we need to proceed. The placement family is expecting us.”
“Placement family?” Eliza stepped forward, alarm flaring in her eyes. “You said she would go to the children’s center, not to strangers.”
“A verified foster home is the appropriate placement for a child with Lily’s needs,” Ms. Winters replied coolly. “The family has been briefed on her medical situation.”
“You can’t just give her to people who know nothing about her condition,” Eliza protested, desperation creeping into her voice. “She needs specialized care until the medicine has time to start working and she gets stronger.”
“The foster parents are experienced with medically fragile children,” Ms. Winters assured her with professional detachment. “All of her needs will be addressed.”
Lily began to cry in earnest now, clutching Mr. Flopsy tighter. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I stepped forward, ignoring Hannah’s warning hand on my arm. “Lily,” I said gently, kneeling down to her level. “I need you to be brave for a little while longer, OK? Your mom, me, and everyone else here are going to fix this.”