Nightwatch. Valerie Hansen

with a handshake and a smile, then introduced her to Mitch, purposely positioning herself to act as their go-between. It wasn’t a comfortable place to be. Mitch was fighting to control his temper, which was totally understandable considering how close he was to the Pearson family. Jill simply wanted to keep the social worker on their side, at least until a trusted, sensible CASA member could be appointed.

      “How soon before we can get a judge involved?” Jill asked Ms. Connors.

      “I’ve already requested an emergency hearing. I’m picking up the children this afternoon. I’ve informed Ms. Stevens she had no right to take them the way she did.”

      “Why did the hospital staff let her?”

      “Basically, she bullied them. A few of them knew she was the aunt so they assumed she had permission. Believe me, that kind of thing will not happen again.”

      She turned to Mitch, her eyes narrowing behind bifocals trimmed in silver. “Is there definitive proof that the parents are both deceased?”

      “Yes.”

      “Anything else you can tell me that might help?”

      Jill interrupted. “Mr. Andrews was very close to the children and their parents. This is hard for him.”

      “I’m sorry,” the social worker said. “But I need to know everything.”

      “Ask me whatever you like,” he said flatly. “Those kids come first.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. “Hang on a sec. I’ll check with my chief and see if the investigation has turned up anything new.”

      As Jill watched and listened, she saw his hazel eyes widen, then darken as he began to frown. Her gaze darted to Ms. Connors and she noticed that the other woman was also paying close attention.

      “I see,” Mitch said. “Is that public knowledge yet?”

      Jill found she was holding her breath.

      “How about telling the kids’ social worker? Can I do that without jeopardizing the case?” Mitch asked.

      He apparently got the okay because he quickly bid the chief goodbye and faced Ms. Connors. Jill saw the muscles in his jaw clenching, twitching. Whatever he’d just learned, it was not good.

      “The arson team from Little Rock found some chemical residue at the scene,” he announced.

      Jill assumed he meant plastic bits left over from the manufacture of the popular kitchen gadgets Pearson Products handled until he explained further.

      “They’re positive the office was bombed. That’s what started the fire.” Mitch’s fists clenched at his sides. “This was no accident. Rob and Ellen were murdered.”

      Jill gasped. “Murdered? In Serenity? Things like that don’t happen here. They just don’t.”

      The social worker shook her head and nervously adjusted the position of her wire-rimmed glasses by pressing a finger to the bridge of her nose. “Apparently, it did this time. This changes everything. I’m not waiting. I’m going to pick up the children immediately.”

      “We’ll come with you.”

      “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Andrews. If I have problems I’ll ask the sheriff for assistance.”

      “I wasn’t talking about what Natalie may do,” Mitch explained. “I was offering to help you calm the boys. They know me so well they even refer to me as their uncle most of the time. They’ve only seen you once and that was under terrible circumstances. You’re about to take them from their aunt and she’s liable to resist. Who do you think they’ll listen to if things get rough, you or me?”

      “All right.” Brenda eyed Jill. “Are you free to accompany us? I carry the necessary infant seats and restraints for older children in my car but I may need help with the baby. She was really upset when I picked her up last night and I wasn’t able to comfort her properly because I was driving.”

      “Of course. If you want, we can all go to my place to wait until you can get a temporary legal ruling.”

      “I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

      “Nonsense. You know I’m already a foster parent so there should be no reason why my home wouldn’t be okay, at least as long as you’re there, too.”

      “And me,” Mitch said firmly. “I’m not letting those kids out of my sight until I’m sure they’re safe and well cared for. Rob would want it that way.”

      Although Jill nodded, she was still uneasy regarding what they were about to do. “Have you heard how hysterical Natalie Stevens was last night?” she asked Ms. Connors. “I worry about how she may react when you try to take the kids.”

      “I can handle her.”

      “Okay, if you say so. I really don’t think they should spend time alone with her, at least not until she’s seen a doctor.”

      “I agree. I’ve interviewed some of the hospital staff. Their description of Ms. Stevens’s behavior this morning was not comforting. If she hadn’t sounded so calm and lucid when I phoned to tell her I was coming over later, I’d have called the police then and there.”

      “All right,” Mitch said. “Let’s stop standing around wasting time and get this show on the road. Jill and I’ll follow you in my truck. Do you know how to get to Natalie’s from here?”

      “I have GPS. I’ll find it. Just promise you’ll both keep your distance when we arrive and let me do all the talking. It’s what I’m trained for.”

      Jill heard Mitch mumbling to himself as he turned away. She couldn’t make out every word but she was pretty sure he was either commenting on the job he was trained for or lamenting the loss of his friends.

      She shuddered. Murder. Here. It was unbelievable. This was a nice, peaceful, little country town, not a big city where crime seemed to lurk in every alley and behind every locked door, and to ooze from the very cracks in the sidewalks.

      Beginning to climb into Mitch’s truck, she stopped in midmotion, one foot inside, one on the ground. An even more dire thought had just occurred to her. Whoever had placed that bomb and started the fatal fire was still out there somewhere. Loose. Dangerous. Perhaps planning another attack. And since there didn’t seem to be any motive for harming Rob and Ellen, that meant their next victim might be just as sweet and innocent and well liked as they were.

      “You all right?” Mitch asked, frowning and waiting for her to finish sliding into the passenger seat.

      “No.” Jill fastened her safety belt, then pulled the jacket of her dress closer and folded her arms to keep from shaking. “I can’t help wondering who’s going to be next.”

      “Don’t borrow trouble. The fire last night was probably an isolated incident.”

      She eyed him across the seat, waiting ‘til his gaze met hers before she asked, “Do you really believe that?”

      It didn’t surprise her one bit when he looked her in the eyes and answered bluntly, “No.”

      FOUR

      The modest, red brick house Natalie Stevens occupied sat by itself at the far end of a cul-de-sac. The blinds were drawn and a folded newspaper lay at the base of the asphalt driveway. A few scraggly daffodils nodded in a narrow flower bed in front of the small, covered porch. Other than that, the place showed little landscaping and even less TLC.

      Coming to a stop at the curb behind the social worker’s car, Mitch looked at Jill. “Maybe she’s not home.”

      “She has to be. Ms. Connors said she spoke with her. Remember?”

      “That doesn’t mean Natalie was here at the time. She could have been on a cell phone.”

      Growing more concerned