The Lawman Returns. Lynette Eason

of town about two miles from here.”

      “You want to try to get in touch with their mom?”

      “Sure.” She pulled her phone out. Tony and Maria had been in and out of the system once already.

      There was no answer. She hung up and sighed. Then called her boss on her personal line.

      Rachel Keys answered. “Hello?”

      Sabrina filled her in on the situation and waited for Rachel’s direction. For a moment Rachel was silent. Then she said, “I’ll send someone out to the house. You get the kids to the hospital to get checked out, and I’ll get back to you.”

      “Okay, just text me the address where they’ll be staying. Thanks.” She hung up and turned to the children. “Looks like you guys are going with me for a little while tonight. Is that all right?”

      Maria smiled. Tony shrugged. It wasn’t the first time he’d spent the night in a strange place. And at least he knew and trusted her. As much as he trusted anybody.

      Clay shifted his attention to Tony. “Will you let me piggyback you out of here and get some ice cream?” Sabrina caught the subtle undercurrent of tension running through his words, but she didn’t think Tony noticed. Without waiting for his consent, Clay dropped to his knees on the filthy floor. “Hop on.”

      “What about Jordan? What if he comes back? He told us to sneak out. We were going to run home. How will he find us now?”

      Clay glanced at Sabrina. She touched the boy’s head. “He knows how to find me, honey. He’ll call me as soon as he can, I’m sure. I’ll tell him where you are.”

      “Okay, if you’re sure.”

      “I’m sure. I really am.”

      He stepped over to Clay. “Fine.” He wrapped his bony arms around Clay’s neck and crawled onto his back. Clay stood, and Sabrina felt relief sweep through her. The faster they got out, the better.

      Within seconds, they were outside the trailer. Sabrina pulled in a breath of fresh air and wondered if she’d ever get the smell of the trailer out of her nose.

      Other law enforcement continued their search for Stan Prescott. Sabrina hoped they found him soon. She stared at Clay as he talked to one of the other officers. Did he remember her? He was six years her senior and had graduated high school the year she turned twelve. He’d have no reason to remember her.

      Although as soon as he’d heard her name, he’d probably remembered the rumors, the gossip, the snickers that had run rampant about her mother and his uncle. It hadn’t mattered to Steven that her mother had left his uncle at the altar almost thirty years ago, but Sabrina knew some people had long memories. How long was Clay’s?

      Feeling Maria’s warm body next to hers just brought home the unfairness of it all. And reminded her why she did what she did, took the chances she took. Sabrina’s heart went out to these innocent children.

      She walked to her car and opened the back door. Never knowing when she would have to transport a child, she had three different car seats—two in her trunk and one for Maria’s age strapped into the seat. She untangled the child’s arms from around her neck and settled her in the seat. She handed her a stuffed teddy bear. “Would you like a new friend?”

      Maria hugged the bear while Tony slid into the seat next to her. Sabrina reached into the bag on the floor in front of Maria’s feet and pulled out another bear and a fire truck. “Tony, would you like a new friend or a toy?”

      Clay buckled the child in. Tony looked at the bear and the truck with equal longing. Sabrina moved the bear’s face up close and tapped Tony’s cheek with it as though offering a kiss. The boy smiled and ducked his head.

      One grimy hand snagged the bear and tucked him under his chin. Sabrina set the truck next to him and turned to find Clay standing much too close. She couldn’t back up and she didn’t want to look silly scuttling sideways to put some distance between them.

      She looked up, and her nose bumped his chin. She saw him swallow and was grateful when he stepped back a pace. “Are you taking them to the hospital?” he asked.

      “Yes. I don’t think there’s anything seriously wrong with them that a few good meals and some vitamins won’t fix, but I have to follow protocol.”

      Clay shook his head. “I’ll follow you to the hospital.” He ran a hand down his face in a weary gesture.

      “You don’t have to. We’ll be fine.”

      Something flickered in his eyes as his gaze darted between the children, then back to her. “I want to talk to you about Steven.”

      Sabrina didn’t know what he thought she could tell him but didn’t have the energy to argue. “I’m taking them to Wrangler’s General.” It was a smaller hospital located in the center of town, but the staff was efficient. If something turned up and the kids needed more intensive care than she thought, then they would be transferred to a larger hospital in Nashville about an hour away. But she didn’t think that was going to be necessary.

      “I’ll meet you there.”

      “Wait a minute, I need to show you something.”

      “What?” Clay frowned.

      “Tony, would you show Clay the wallet Jordan asked you to hold on to for safekeeping?”

      Tony narrowed his eyes, then shrugged and dug out the black wallet with the silver duct tape along the folded edge.

      Clay gasped. “What?” He moved in for a closer look, then stumbled back without touching the wallet. He snagged his phone and punched in a number. “Yeah, Ned. I need you to get over to the Prescott trailer. Steven’s wallet is here, and I can’t bag it as evidence because of conflict of interest and all that, and I don’t want anyone but you to do it.”

      Sabrina lifted a brow even as her heart hurt for him at the pain seeing the wallet brought him. When he hung up, he paced in front of the car while Sabrina explained to Tony that he would have to give the sheriff the wallet when he got here.

      Tony didn’t seem agreeable to that idea, but by the time the sheriff arrived ten minutes later, Tony had decided that Jordan would be okay with him giving it to the sheriff since no one could keep it more safe than he.

      “Where is it?” Ned asked.

      Sabrina nodded to Tony, who handed the wallet over to the sheriff. She gave the child’s shoulder an approving squeeze.

      She turned to Ned. “Steven’s bought me enough cups of coffee over the past year that I knew it the moment I saw it. I even joked about getting him a new wallet for Christmas this year.” Tears clogged her throat at the memories. “But he liked that one,” she whispered.

      “His wife gave it to him when they got married.” The raw grief in Clay’s voice sliced her heart. Steven had told her about his short marriage. He’d married his high school sweetheart the day after they’d graduated college. Two months later she’d been killed by a drunk driver while biking into town.

      Clay cleared his throat and blinked fast. “Stan’s got to know something about Steven’s murder, which means finding him just moved into the number one spot on my priority list.”

      Ned squatted in front of Tony. “Son, do you know where your brother got this wallet?”

      Tony’s lips tightened. “He found it in the bedroom when he was on the phone with Ms. Sabrina. He grabbed it and said it didn’t belong there and told me to hold it and make sure nothing happened to it.” Anxiety filled his face. “You won’t lose it, will you?”

      Ned patted his head. “No, son, I promise I won’t lose it.”

      “Jordan will be mad that I gave it to you.” He bit his lip, and his brows dropped to the bridge of his nose.

      Sabrina reached in and squeezed his hand.