Page 44 of Spiritwarrior

“I guess I have to be, don’t I?”

Jody pulled her to a stop. “No, you don’t. I can pack everything up that isn’t broken and take pictures of what is. Theboys and I can clean up and have it ready for when your parents arrive.”

“I can’t ask you to do that for me.”

“You aren’t asking. I’m offering.”

“I can do this.” Sophie strengthened her resolve. “Besides, I have to get out of these jeans—they’re cutting me in two.”

Chapter Eighteen

Sophie stared at the vindictive rage that had taken place in her bedroom. Walking over a broken vase with fake flowers, she picked up the stuffed toy poodle that had been torn apart. She clutched the ragged remains in her arms and sank down onto the bed.

“Are you all right?” she heard Jody ask through the buzzing in her head.

“Sophie?”

“She killed Pixie.” She felt the tears sliding out of the corner of her eyes but couldn’t make her hands move away from Pixie. “It’s the only toy Marty ever gave me.”

“I’m sorry, baby.”

Numbly, she was aware of Jody sitting down on the bed next to her and pulling her into his arms.

“She could have destroyed anything, and I could have taken it, but not Pixie.” Crying into his shoulder, she couldn’t make herself stop no matter how hard she tried. “Marty wouldn’t let me have a dog. Mom said I wouldn’t shut up about wanting one. And she wouldn’t get me one because she was afraid he would hurt it when we had to leave them alone together. I know heonly gave it to me to shut me up. Pixie was the only nice thing he ever did for me. When I was lonely or depressed, Pixie was always there for me, and I didn’t have to take him out.” She cried harder.

“I would get you another one, but I know it won’t make up for it.” Jody ran his hand through her hair, tilting her head back. “Pixie isn’t the only thing he’s ever given you,” he reminded her. “He left the diner to you.”

“You see how well that’s working out, don’t you?”

He lifted her to her feet. “You’re going to stop crying, and let’s find you something to change into. You’ll feel better when you’re not being sawed in two by Ginny’s jeans.”

Sophie opened the dresser drawer containing her pants. The smell coming from inside had her stepping back. “Why do they smell that way?”

Jody hadn’t moved away, pulling the drawer out further. “She smashed rotten eggs on them.”

She started gagging, and Jody hastily closed the drawer before going through the rest of her drawers. “Baylin went through all the drawers. Do you keep your clothes anywhere else?”

“I had a laundry basket with dirty clothes in the bathroom.”

“Stay here, and I’ll get them.”

Sophie didn’t argue.

Jody wasn’t gone long before he came back out, shutting the door behind him. “She got those, too.”

“How many rotten eggs did that woman have?”

“She didn’t use eggs on those.”

Sophie closed her eyes, not wanting to ask what she had used.

“Sophie.”

The sheriff calling her name from the doorway had her lifting her lids to stare at him.

“Seeing this, do you want to change your mind about pressing charges?”

“I don’t know. I never imagined it to be this bad. How do I know she won’t do the same thing when my parents move in here?”

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