Page 94 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
He nodded.
“Why didn’t she pack you a lunch?”
“Her boyfriend ate all our food. She said I would just have to wait until Friday when she could go to the store.”
“Did you have dinner last night?”
He shook his head. “She said I could just get the hot lunch,” he mumbled, “but she forgot to pay for my lunch ticket.”
Today was Wednesday. Was his aunt actually expecting a child to go days without food? My blood was boiling. I wasn’t a violent person but I wanted nothing more than to kick the hell out of his aunt.
“Next time just ask the teacher on duty to put it on my charge account, okay?” I said.
He nodded and went back to his chips.
Clamping my jaw shut, I closed my eyes and took in three calming breaths. They didn’t work, but at least I managed not to curse in front of my student.
“How do you get home after school?” I asked.
“I walk.”
“Okay.
This afternoon, I’ll give you a ride. Tomorrow, I will bring your meals to school for you.”
He slumped into his chair. “Are you going to get Aunt Kira in trouble? She said if I told anyone about her, the police would come and send me to jail with Mommy.”
That manipulative bitch had scared Mason into silence. My temper just kept on rising. How did the social worker miss all of this?
“Mason, do you remember a woman coming to your house and looking around?”
He nodded.
“Did she ask you some questions about how you liked living with your aunt?”
He nodded again.
“Did you tell her the truth?”
He shook his head and his eyes filled again with tears.
“It’s okay. You’re not in trouble, darling. Go ahead and finish eating. I need to make a phone call.”
Stepping into the hallway, I pulled out my phone to enlist reinforcements.
“Ms. Robertson?” I called, pounding my fist on her door.
Kira Robertson’s home was a run-down trailer on the edge of town with a rusted white Toyota parked on the lawn. I hadn’t been in this neighborhood before but it was reminiscent of my days spent volunteering in the rougher areas of Manhattan.
The trailer’s exterior paneling was dirty and coming off in a few places. When I had pulled on the screen door handle, it had nearly come off.
The knot in my stomach tightened as I continued knocking without an answer. But I wasn’t chickening out. Mason needed me.
He was currently safe at the Fan Mountain Inn with Maisy and Coby. When I’d called Maisy and given her an abbreviated summary of the situation, she had been more than happy to help, though she had been a bit concerned about my plan. She’d thought I should enlist Jess’s help instead of going to Mason’s house alone to confront “Aunt Kira.” I hadn’t called Jess but promised that a visit to the sheriff would be my second stop.
Kira hadn’t answered the door for any of Jess’s visits and it wasn’t like he could force himself inside. My chances of getting through her door would be much greater if I wasn’t with a cop.
“Ms. Robertson!”
