Page 7 of A Little Naughty

“It’s good that you’re getting here in January,” Piper continues. “Cass was able to get her enrolled at the elementary school. We guessed she’s in fourth grade?—?”

My brow furrows, and I think about it. Since I home-schooled myself, I have no idea what age goes with what grade. “I think so?”

“No worries. Ms. Edison is great with the boys, and Dr. Bayer will make sure she’s where she needs to be.”

Chewing my nail, I think about it. “I should go with her. I don’t even know if she’s ever been to school before. What if she’s scared?”

Piper’s eyes narrow, and she takes off her glasses. “That does it, Jemima. Who is this kid? Does she belong to a friend of yours? Is there a dad in the picture?”

Pressing my lips together, I swallow the anxiety in my chest. All my life I’ve been trying to get back here because I know this place is safe. I know the people, and I know they take care of each other.

The moment of truth has arrived, and anyway, I’m exhausted from lying and hiding. I need help, and I have to have faith I can trust my sister and her best friends.

With a heavy exhale, I confess. “I don’t know.”

Piper’s brow furrows more. “What do you mean?”

“I met her in a park in Branson, and she was with a man who clearly wasn’t her father. He hit her and took her to work in his sweatshop.”

“You followed him?”

“Sort of.” I’ll leave out the gross details about the prostitution offer. “He gave me his address, and when I got there, his home was being raided. So I rescued her.”

I say it like it’s a happy ending, but Piper doesn’t seem convinced. “That sounds pretty dangerous. You can’t just take a child like that.”

“Why not?” My heart beats faster, and defensiveness heats my blood. “He took her. I’ll at least make sure she’s safe and fed and loved.”

“But who is she? What about her family? Where are they?”

I scratch the side of my cheek, wincing. “I was hoping you could help me find them, and in the meantime, I’ll take care of her. Don’t tell on us, Piper.”

“Tell who?”

“Aiden, for starters. I’m not sure he’ll understand.”

“I’m not sureIunderstand.” Piper exhales heavily, pacing the small living room.

She’s quiet, thinking, and my heart is beating too fast in my chest. I’m praying I didn’t make a mistake trusting her. Piper is very careful and by-the-book, and she takes her job as editor and publisher of the EurekaGazettevery seriously. She’s a public figure, and she’s pregnant.

I’m forgetting I haven’t lived here all my life, and even though these people have known Cass since she was twelve, I’ve only been back since Halloween.

“I guess we can keep a lid on it for now.”

“Oh, thank you, Piper!” Relief drives me forward, hugging her again.

“I think Aiden probablywouldunderstand… But we can keep it quiet for now.” Her lips tighten. “It’s not like he tells us everything he should as the paper of record in this town. And I know for a fact he bends the rules when it suits his purposes.”

I’m so relieved, I can barely breathe. “You won’t be sorry. Nikki’s a great kid, and we’re going to find her mom. It’s all going to work out. I promise.”

“Do you have any idea where she might be?”

Now it’s my turn to exhale heavily. “No.”

“What does Nikki say happened?”

“She said there were explosions, and she came here with her mom to be safe and find a job. But there weren’t any jobs, so her mom told her to stay with her friend at Bill’s until she came back. Then she never came back… That was last summer.”

Piper scrubs her forehead. “So she’s a refugee?”

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