Page 132 of Hell Hath No Fury

As Eric carried the child out of the room, Matthias brought his focus back to Emma, who met his gaze and smiled the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.

He stuffed his sidearm into the back of his jeans. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

“Yes, please,” she said before crossing to him and stepping into his open arms. “What the hell took you so long?”

* * *

Police swarmed the Jones house, missing all the action, but, as Matthias pointed out, just in time to take care of the paperwork. An ambulance had taken Ashley away, accompanied by a pair of Pennsylvania State Troopers. Nell had given her a possible concussion, although once Ashley regained her senses, she alternated cussing out Nell and Emma with screaming for her daughter. Matthias was certain the histrionics did nothing to soothe the little girl’s state of mind.

Eric was doing his best to keep her entertained in her room. When Matthias looked in on them, Eric was reading books, using silly voices for the characters. Children and Youth Services was en route.

Matthias stood watch as Fergusson questioned Emma and then Nell. When it was his turn, Matthias told them about Emma’s phone call and what he overheard while rushing to get to them before Ashley could add to her roster of murder victims.

Fergusson shook his head. “If only she’d called 911 instead of Winslow, this would’ve ended so differently. With her history of abuse and his attack on the daughter, she’d very likely have gotten off. At worst, she might’ve served minimal time. Now, at best, she’ll be an old woman before she gets out.”

“She didn’t want Daphne going into the system, but that’s precisely what’s going to happen.”

“Sad, but true.”

An hour later, a woman from CYS arrived. Eric helped her and Daphne pack a bag before the woman escorted the little girl out of the house for probably the last time. Not a bad thing, Matthias thought. She’d witnessed her father abuse her mother, her mother stab her father, and tonight, her mother’s attempt to kill Emma. He suspected the child would suffer the emotional trauma for weeks, months, years ahead.

Matthias left Emma and Nell, arms draped around each other, on the sofa with Eric at their side. He found Fergusson with the crime scene techs in the kitchen. “Do you need us for anything else?”

“I don’t think so. I know how to find you if we have more questions.” Fergusson moved toward Matthias, shaking his head. “I was an idiot. I honestly believed Ashley Jones was the fragile, grieving widow.”

Matthias eyed him.

Fergusson met his gaze. “What?”

“If we ever work together again,” Matthias said in a whispered growl, “I don’t ever want to hear another word about what went down fifteen years ago.”

Fergusson stiffened. He thought about it for a few beats. “Agreed. I’ve been an ass.”

Matthias managed a tight smile. “Agreed,” he echoed.

ChapterForty-One

By the time they got back to Eric’s house, it was almost three in the morning. Emma didn’t want to leave Nell in the last few hours before she would check in at rehab. Matthias hadn’t argued, and she was glad he’d decided to crash on Eric’s couch rather than return to the already paid-for hotel room.

Emma and Nell shared the guest room, attempting and failing to get a few hours’ sleep. Instead, they talked in whispered tones, much like they had as kids, not wanting to wake their parents.

In the faint glow filtering through the curtains from a streetlight, Emma rolled to one side and looked at her sister. “Tell me something.”

“Something,” Nell replied with a snicker.

Emma ignored the quip. “What happened back there? At Ashley’s house. When you were in the kitchen. Did she hurt you?”

“No.” Nell folded her hands behind her head and gazed up at the ceiling. “She seemed to know what you were up to. More than I did, really. She picked up a knife and pointed it at me. Said if I made a peep she would kill you.”

“I’m pretty sure she intended to kill me anyway.”

“I know. That’s why I did my best to sneak up on her.” Nell reached down and thumped on her cast. “Hard to be stealthy while dragging this thing around.”

“You did good.”

“I think you had her pretty well in hand by the time I got my licks in.”

“I’m serious. You did great. You might’ve saved my life back there.”