Page 96 of The Clover Chapel (Jamison Valley 2)
And I was grateful that Jess could explain the ordeal to Nick. I didn’t think I could recount the story again.
“What’s next?” Nick asked Jess.
“Need to have Emmeline sign a few papers to officially press charges. We’ll add that to the possession and distribution counts and bring the boyfriend in. He’s fucked. With his existing record and this added on top, he’ll be sent down for a few years.”
Nick let me go and stood from his chair, pacing along the window and raking a hand through his hair.
“Fuck!” he yelled and I winced. “How the fuck did the social worker not see any of this, Brick?”
Jess shook his head. “After we got the boyfriend nailed dead to rights on the drug charges, I started digging into who he was. Moved here a couple years ago. Got family in town. Guess who his little sister works for?”
“Greenfield,” Nick said.
“Yeah. She’s one of the secretaries at town hall. Bryant brought her in a couple hours ago. He’s still got her in interrogation writing up her statement. Admitted to tipping off Kira when Greenfield was coming over. Said her brother was taking the state money the aunt was getting for Mason.”
“Who’s Greenfield?” I asked.
“The social worker,” Nick answered.
So that’s why Kira’s house was always clean and the boyfriend was never there. And probably why neither of them ever answered the door when Jess stopped by.
“What’s going to happen to the kid?” Nick asked.
“Called Jack and Annie Drummond. They’re on their way down. We’ll see how Mason does around them,” Jess said. “Hope to send him to their farm tonight.”
“Good place for him,” Nick said.
“Emmeline, if you could stick around and help that introduction go smoothly, I’d appreciate it,” Jess said.
“Sure,” I said. “Who are the Drummonds?” The name was familiar and normally I would have been able to place it. But less than an hour ago, a gun had been pressed against my forehead, so I was a bit off.
“I’ll let Nick fill you in,” Jess said. “Give me a few to get papers together for you to sign. That way when we’re done with Mason, you two can go home.”
When Jess left, I turned my attention to Nick. He was still standing at the room’s large glass window, staring into the station with his back to me. “Jack and Annie Drummond have a farm outside of town. Their son, Wes, was killed last year.”
Now I remembered. Wes Drummond was the drug dealer who had been murdered by the same people that had kidnapped Gigi and Maisy. Were his parents really the best people to take care of a little boy who was likely scared out of his mind?
“Is that the best choice of foster families?”
“They’re good people, Emmeline,” Nick snapped.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m not trying to be judgmental. I just want Mason in the best possible place he can be.”
He blew out a loud breath and turned to face me. “Jack and Annie were good parents, Emmy. Wes just chose a dark path. They did everything they could to pull Wes out of that life. He just didn’t want to let go. They’ve been through a lot but there’s not a lot of better places for Mason than on their farm.”
Not long after I’d signed my statement, the conference room filled with people.
Sam came i
n with a very freaked out Mason. Jess had called the social worker, Mrs. Greenfield, and she arrived to facilitate the meeting. She shook my hand but did it scowling. I guess she wasn’t too happy that I’d inserted myself into her case. Jack and Annie Drummond rushed in last, looking both nervous and excited.
Nick had finally stopped pacing and sat down next to me, but he had stayed quiet, not speaking to me or anyone else in the room. My attempts to visit with him while we’d waited had gone unreciprocated.
A horrible sick feeling had settled in my stomach. I hated that he was mad and I wanted nothing more than to hash it out but I reminded myself to be patient.
First we needed to deal with Mason’s living arrangements.
June Greenfield did her best to talk to Mason but he was firmly shutting her out. We all watched for thirty minutes while she spoke to him without a single word muttered in response.
