Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (120 page)

“They
do
it
routinely,
Aggie.
They’ll
question
you
too.
Get
your
alibi.
They’ll
do
it
because
most
kidnappings
involve
immediate
family
or
the
mom’s
boyfriend.
”

“Well,
this
doesn’t
involve
either.”
She
gripped
his
jacket,
leaning
her
forehead
on
his
chest.
“I
wish
it
did!
I
wish
it
was
just
the
GIL
being
her
usual
nasty
self.
I’d
kiss
her,
right
now.
I
swear
I
would.”

~*~*~*~

The
room
buzzed
with
conversation,
hushed
but
tense.
People
milled
in
and
out
of
the
room,
and
the
children
huddled
in
the
library,
as
if
using
it
like
a
barrier
from
the
reality
outside
the
door.
Aggie
sat
on
the
couch,
Luke
on
one
side
of
her,
Tina
on
the
other,
answering
question
after
question,
while
deputie
s
examined
every
inch
of
the
property
and
her
home.

“And
why
were
the
children
at
the
library
during
school
hours?”

The
weary
expression
on
Aggie’s
face
seemed
to
bring out the protective side of
Luke.
“As
she
has
said
several
times,
the
children
were
done
with
their
work
for
the
day,
so
they
went
to
the
library
to
get
the
next
books
on
their
reading
lists.”

“I
asked
Ms.
Milliken.”

Aggie’s
eyes
rose
to
meet
those
of
the
agent
questioning
her.
“What
was
my
answer
last
time?”

“Um,
ma’am,
I
need
you
to
answer
the
question.”

“Ellie
got
her
work
done
first
today.
She
even
finished
the
book
that
she
didn’t
have
to
finish
until
Friday
and
did
the
book
report
for
it.
My
lesson
plans
are
in
the
desk
in
the
library
,
along
with
her
turned
in
assignments
,
if
you’d
like
to
verify
that
statement.
She
isn’t
allowed
to
go
to
the
library
by
herself,
so
she
had
to
wait
until
Vannie
got
done.
Laird
finished
first
and
decided
to
go
too
.
At
one-thirty,
Vannie
finished
and
put
her
things
away.
They
got
their
books
and
started
to
go
outside,
but
Ellie
couldn’t
find
her
gloves.
They
looked
everywhere.
It’s
pretty
cold
out
there,
so
I
suggested
she
stay
home.
She
pleaded.”
Aggie
choked,
unable
to
continue.

“Oh,
Mibs.”
Luke’s
eyes
met
the
questioning
ones
of
Agent
Sheridan.
“Ellie
doesn’t
ask
for
much.
If
you
say
no,
it’s
no
and
she
moves
along.
She
really
wanted
to
go.”

Nodding,
Aggie
forced
herself
to
continue.
“
Tavish
offered
his,
but
Ellie
has
been
getting
careless
with
things
lately,
so
I
decided
not
to
let
her
borrow them
.
I
told
her
she’d
have
to
go
without
gloves.
I
knew
she’d
be
able
to
ride
one
handed
and
alternate
stuffing
one
hand
in
her
pocket.”
Her
hands
covered
her
face
as
she
wailed,
“Why
didn’t
I
just
let
her
take
the
stupid
gloves?
She’s
just
a
kid.
All
kids
lose
stuff!”