Page 82 of Stay Baby Stay

“Please, Cal.” Her gaze darts to McKenzie, then back to me. She knows her best friend better than anyone. The things she fears. The things she needs.

“Y’all promise to stay by the truck unless explicitly told otherwise?” I ask.

Both girls nod.

I turn to Austin. “You’re gonna protect them like it’s your sole purpose on this fucking earth?”

“I won’t let ‘em out of my sight,” he says, patting his hip, implying he’ll be armed to protect them.

Turning back to the girls, I tell them, “If Harris says no, that’s the end of it. You hear me?”

The girls nod again.

I drag my phone from my pocket and fire off a call to my boss.

To my utter shock and disappointment, Lieutenant Harris approves the girls’ presence, so long as they agree to stay by the road until summoned.

“I know you’ve got some body armor around here,” I growl at Austin. Out in the field, I’m not gonna be in control of Holly’s safety, and I’m not taking any fucking chances.

Austin fits the girls with tactical vests. To say they fit all wrong is an understatement, but it’s better than nothing.

Holly and McKenzie ride with Austin to the station. I’m not surprised to find a few extra cars in the lot when we pull in. On our call, Harris mentioned that once the warrant was issued, he was able to secure the cooperation of the state police.

Austin waits outside with the girls while those of us with badges crowd into the conference room for a short briefing.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Abby whispers to me, hooking her thumb toward the three of them out the window.

“Not at all,” I say. “But McKenzie wants to help, and Harris seems to think it might.”

Briefed and eager to take this show on the road, we climb into Abby’s car and begin the trip north to the Davis family’s property.

I watch Austin’s truck in the side mirror, the shadowed outline of Holly in the passenger’s seat. I don’t like the idea of her being out here like a sitting duck, or the real possibility of retraumatizing McKenzie.

Pain leaves a scar, like a landmark on a map. I know firsthand how tempting it is to keep returning to the place that haunts you. It’s like picking a scab. Rather than avoid the woods behind my house after Vicki was murdered, I’d go back to the same spot where I found my sister’s body. Drawn to it like an iron filament to a strong magnet. In my opinion, the worst thing we can do is encourage McKenzie to marinate in her grief.

“I’m surprised Jonah didn’t want to come along,” Abby says. “Aren’t you guys staying at his place?”

“Not anymore.” I tow my gaze away from the side mirror. “Austin’s putting us up at his place.” I shoot her a sidelong glance. “I’d appreciate if you’d kept that detail to yourself.”

“Of course,” she says. “You still think Harris could be the leak?”

“He’s certainly a contender.”

As we get closer to the farm, I immediately notice something isn’t quite right about the sky. I squint at the single off-white cloud floating above the horizon in a sea of clear blue.

“The hell’s that?” I mutter.

“What?” Abby scans the sky. “Oh shit...”

My suspicions are confirmed the closer we get to the Davis family’s farm.

Firetrucks, an ambulance, and four state troopers line the driveway. Lieutenant Harris parks and practically vaults out of his vehicle. Abby pulls off to the side of the road behind Harris’ sedan, with state troopers and our forensic units following suit.

We move as a mass toward the mouth of the road leading to the graveyard of soaked blackened sticks. Firefighters mull around the barn’s carcass. The land around the structure is so wet and muddy, the ground squeaks upon approach.

A fair-haired man in a tailored suit sticks out like a sore thumb among the state troopers and firefighters. His strides are quick and long as he rushes over to meet us.

“Can I ask what y’all think you’re doing here?” he yells.

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