Page 149 of Dead Man's List

Also made it so that his wife would never know how much he was paying Brooks Munro, Kit thought. So much for Aylene keeping a tight hand on the family purse strings. “How did you get away?”

“I applied to colleges outside of San Diego. I wanted to be far away from him, but I didn’t want to be too far from my sisters. They’re only eight.”

Kit regretted having eaten that entire Snickers bar. “Do you think he’d molest them, too?”

“You believe me?” Kennedy whispered.

“I do. That’s why I asked about your sisters. Are they safe?”

She shrugged again. “I FaceTime them every week. My roommate laughs at me for being homesick, but it’s not that.”

“You’re checking on them,” Kit said.

She nodded. “I’ve seen photos of me before and after. I was so happy before, but after…my eyes were just dead. Y’know?”

“Yes,” Kit said simply. “So you figured you’d be able to see the signs in your sisters’ eyes if he started abusing them?”

“I thought so, yes. That’s why I came in today. I couldn’t keep the secret anymore.” A sob rose in her throat and her voice broke. “My mom’s gone, but now that means he’ll be alone with the girls. I can’t allow that.”

“I understand. You’re brave, Kennedy.”

She shook her head. “If I’d been brave, I would have taken up for myself years ago.”

“You were a child. A child being abused and manipulated by her father. The person who should have been making sure the world never hurt you, yet he was hurting you in the worst possible way.”

Kennedy dropped her chin, her shoulders shaking as she cried. She seemed so alone. And Kit knew she had to do something. Even if it made her feel like she was wearing a coat two sizes too small.

“Do you want a hug?” Kit asked softly. “No worries if you don’t. But you look like you could use one.”

Not looking up, Kennedy sobbed harder. But she nodded. So Kit opened her arms and pulled the girl close. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered into Kennedy’s hair. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

“Will you make him pay?” Kennedy asked as she cried.

“I will do everything in my power to do exactly that.” She glanced up to see Navarro staring at her curiously, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

He patted Kit’s shoulder and went to his office. Kit just held on to Kennedy, figuring the young woman would pull away when she got tired of the hug.

Kit wasn’t sure exactly how hugs worked, but that made sense to her.

She looked up when Connor came through the double doors. He too stared at her like she was a stranger. Then he approached cautiously.

“You okay?” he asked quietly, and Kit became aware of how often he asked her that.

“I am. This is Kennedy Shoemaker, soon to be Kennedy Tindall. She’s just given us some very valuable information.”

Kennedy pulled away then, glancing up at Connor.

“This is my partner,” Kit said. “Detective Robinson. He’s a good guy.”

Kennedy nodded. “I need to go to my sisters. Do I need to sign anything for you?”

“If you could write out a simple statement and sign it, we’d appreciate it. Now, while everything is fresh in your mind.”

Kennedy scoffed. “Like it ever disappears.”

Hopefully it would someday. Or maybe just not be the first thing she thought of every morning when she woke.

“I already wrote out my statement on the plane,” Kennedy added. “I can email it to you now. You can print it and I’ll sign it.”

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