Secrets Never Die (Page 33)

And frightening, no doubt.

“I’m sorry this is happening to you,” Morgan said. “Does Rylee get into trouble at school?”

“No. Never. Her grades took a dive right after our parents died, but that’s understandable. She worked hard this semester to bring her grades back up.”

Trevor was at a distinct disadvantage if a social worker wanted to bully him. CPS would not tell him who made the report, and it was very difficult to prove one hadn’t done something wrong.

“When did this start?” Morgan asked.

“About a month ago.” Trevor leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “I feel like we’re being watched all the time.”

“Do you have an attorney to protect your interests?” Morgan asked.

“I can’t afford an attorney,” he said.

“Would you allow me to contact social services on your behalf? You have rights, which I doubt they’ve made clear. They also have a limited amount of time to complete their investigation and declare the claim vindicated or unfounded.”

Trevor shook his head. “I can’t pay you.”

“That’s all right,” Morgan said. “It will not take up much of my time.”

Trevor licked his lips. He seemed to be making a decision. “I don’t normally accept charity, but I’ll take your offer. I can’t let them take Rylee. I’m all she has.”

And Morgan suspected the emotional dependence went both ways. Rylee was all Trevor had as well.

He got up and paced the area between the coffee table and the TV console. “The county sheriff left a message for me last night and another this morning. I haven’t had the guts to call him back. I’m afraid of what he’ll say. And when Rylee came home from work last night, she said a deputy had come to the pizza parlor looking for her in the afternoon. She hadn’t started her shift yet. She was so scared, she hid in the bathroom, and the other workers told the deputy she wasn’t there.”

All of this explained why she had run from Morgan and Lance. No doubt, the sheriff had also tracked Rylee through Evan’s cell phone records.

“He probably wants to talk to Rylee about Evan,” Morgan said.

“It’s not my neighbor’s CPS complaint?”

“I don’t think so.” Morgan assumed Rylee had not mentioned their conversation in the pizza parlor parking lot but decided not to bring it up. She needed Trevor to trust her.

Trevor exhaled. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your offer to help us. It bugs the hell out of me because I know the sooner I finish school, the better I’ll be able to support my sister. If I continue as a full-time student, I’ll graduate before Rylee starts college. I’ll be able to help with her tuition. She’s not athletic. She’s smart and gets good grades but not the kind that are going to win her merit scholarships.” He shook his head. “I’m not criticizing my sister. I’m not a genius or an athlete either. We’re regular people. Our parents taught us that if we worked hard, we could get ahead, but I’m starting to feel like that’s not true.”

“I’ll call CPS and see what I can do.” Morgan suspected the report was unfounded, but she made no promises. The home appeared orderly and clean. Trevor seemed sincere, and Rylee had acted to protect her brother. But Morgan had learned many years ago that situations were not always as they seemed. There was a small chance that the neighbor was right, which was the reason CPS was required to investigate every claim. “But I’ll be honest with you. Even if the accusation of neglect is declared unfounded, reports remain on file for years. Until she’s eighteen, you’ll have to be very careful.”

Trevor dropped back into the chair. He pushed a hand through his short hair. “So I should call the sheriff?”

“Yes,” Morgan said. “It’s never good to ignore the sheriff. If I’m wrong, and the call is about the neglect complaint, tell the sheriff I’m your attorney, and we’ll schedule an interview when we’re all available.”

The screen door opened, and Rylee walked in. She wore a frayed denim miniskirt and a black T-shirt. Her gaze landed on Lance and Morgan. Her face drained of color, and she spun, her hand reaching for the door as if to run through it.

“Wait!” Trevor called. “Ms. Dane is a lawyer. She’s not with CPS. She’s going to help us.”

Rylee did a slow turn on the balls of her feet, her face still pale. She walked to her brother’s side. He took her hand and squeezed it.

She looked down at Trevor. “Really?”

He nodded.

“We’ll get to the bottom of the complaint,” Morgan assured them.

Now that she’d seen the siblings together, she wanted to protect them even more. Rylee showed no fear or hesitation with her bother. They had a strong bond, and she clearly trusted him. Maybe the neighbor had been convincing. The CPS worker could be trying to do her best.

Social workers were just like any other group of people—a mix of good, bad, and lazy. Some were dedicated to protecting children. Some were average and simply showed up, and a few abused their power. Unfortunately, one bully in a position of authority could do irreparable harm.

“Ms. Dane and Mr. Kruger want to ask you about a boy named Evan,” Trevor said to his sister.

She tried to move away, but he held on to her hand.

“Have you seen him?” he asked.

“No.” Rylee didn’t fidget or look away. Her posture had relaxed once she accepted that Morgan and Lance were on her side. A lock of short purple hair fell into her eyes, and she brushed it away.

“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” Trevor asked.

“He’s been arrested a few times.” Her eyes brightened with anger. “I knew you wouldn’t want me to see him.”

“That’s right!” Trevor’s voice rose. “I can’t have you dating a juvenile delinquent with all the CPS stuff going on.”

“See?” Rylee jerked her hand from his grip.

Trevor jumped to his feet. “Rylee, this kid is wanted by the police for murder.”

Her chin snapped up. “This is why I didn’t tell you about him. I knew you’d be mad.”

Trevor fought for control. “I’m not mad. I’m terrified.”

“Evan is innocent.” Rylee started to cry. “I’m sorry. I screw everything up.”

Trevor put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s OK. We’ll deal with it.”

She sobbed into his shirt.

“Rylee, I’m only trying to protect you.” Frustration underscored Trevor’s tone. “I’m trying to keep us together.”

Tears wet her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I just—” Her breath hitched. “Most of the kids around here have perfect lives. They don’t get what it’s like to have your whole life disintegrate. Evan has his own shit to deal with. He understands. Mostly, we just talk.”

“You can always talk to me.” Trevor looked hurt.

“It’s not the same.” Rylee’s purple hair swayed as she shook her head. “You act like a parent now.”

Trevor couldn’t win.

“It’s important that we find Evan,” Lance said. “He’s been hurt, and he’s in danger.”

“We want to help him,” Morgan added. “He’s in a situation he can’t manage by himself.”

“I haven’t seen him.” Rylee chewed on her lip. “But I wish I had. I’m worried about him too.” Her eyes turned angry. “The police are stupid. Evan would never have hurt Paul.”

“You sound sure,” Morgan said.

Rylee nodded. “I never met Paul, but I know that Evan liked him. His real father is a jerk. Evan knows the difference.”

“Do you have any idea where Evan might go if he wanted to hide?” Morgan asked.

“No.” Rylee shook her head.

Morgan’s years as a prosecutor had made her adept at spotting a liar, except for the occasional sociopath. Rylee seemed to be telling the truth. So no one had seen Evan. Morgan wished the kids were lying. At least that would be a lead she and Lance could follow. But now they had nothing.

They left the house and returned to the Jeep.

“Now what?” Morgan asked. “We seem to have hit a wall. Evan has to be somewhere.”

Lance’s phone beeped. He pulled it from his pocket and answered the call. “Hi, Mom. You’re on speaker. Morgan is here too.”

“Hi, Jenny,” Morgan said.

“Hello, Morgan dear,” Jenny began.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been over.” Lance set the phone on the console. “I didn’t want to give you the kids’ germs. And now we’re caught up in this case.”

“Honey, you’re doing exactly what you should be doing. I’m fine,” Jenny assured him. “Now, I have some good news and some bad news for you.”

“Tell us the bad news first,” Morgan said.

“Sam Jones, the man who filed the excessive force complaint against Deputy Springer, was a transient. One of the reasons the complaint was dismissed was because Sam disappeared. I spoke to his lawyer. He has no idea where Sam might be.”