A Broken Bone (Widow's Island #6) - Melinda Leigh Page 0,18

ever punish you?”

He nodded again.

“Can you give me an example?” Tessa pressed.

Trevor closed his eyes. “He doesn’t like it if you don’t finish your chores. He makes us kneel in the basement. It’s not a big deal. I’ve had worse.” He spoke quickly, as if he just needed to get the words out. Of the three boys, Trevor seemed the most vulnerable, though Ian and Mark likely just had better skills in concealing their emotions.

“Did Frank punish Gavin that way?” Tessa asked.

“Yeah.” Trevor broke down in tears again.

Tessa’s eyes were dark as she dismissed Trevor. Her gaze followed him out of the room. When he was gone, she crossed the wood floor and shut the door. “Three kids. Three matching statements.”

Logan rubbed an ache in his chest. He hated to think of these kids coming from terrible situations and getting victimized again by Frank.

I’ve had worse. Trevor’s telling statement was going to echo in Logan’s head forever.

“I’d say maybe the kids are exaggerating, but I have a feeling they would do the opposite, especially Trevor and Mark. They’ve come from tough situations.”

Tessa leaned her back on the closed door. “I have to notify child protective services. The kids will probably be moved to a different home.” She pulled out her phone and pressed a button. After a ten-minute conversation, she lowered her phone. “They’re sending a social worker now. She’ll be here within the hour.”

“You had to do it.”

“I know. I’m not sure whether I feel worse for the kids having to move or because I didn’t find out about the abuse when I investigated Gavin’s disappearance.” Regret tightened her face.

“It isn’t your fault.” Logan crossed the room to stand in front of her.

“Isn’t it?” Anger sharpened her voice. “I was all too happy to pass off the case. I investigated for two whole days before I decided Gavin had gone to the mainland.”

“The evidence you found led you to that conclusion.” He took her hands in his.

She squeezed his fingers, like she needed to hold on to him. “It was wrong. I should have worked harder.”

Logan wanted to assure her that Gavin’s death wasn’t her fault, but he knew the only thing that would satisfy Tessa was the truth.

“Maybe Frank killed Gavin.” Tessa was blaming herself directly for the boy’s death.

“We can’t jump to conclusions. Gavin could have run away and gotten into some other trouble.”

Tessa acknowledged his point with a quick nod. “One thing bothers me. When we first arrived, Trevor clung to Nancy. Why would he do that if he was afraid?”

Logan pictured the boy moving closer to Nancy, as if seeking her protection. “Maybe he’s only afraid of Frank.”

“He seemed more afraid of us.” Tessa studied their joined hands. “But maybe he’s been conditioned to fear law enforcement. He might associate us with whoever put him in the foster system in the first place.”

“What do we do now?”

“We have to talk to Frank.” She released Logan’s hands, opened the door, and called Frank’s name. “Can we talk to you, please?”

Frank walked in with Nancy right behind him. Their eyes were red rimmed. Nancy was crying. Frank just looked miserable.

“Please close the door.” Tessa stepped back.

Frank and Nancy walked to the sofa and sat, their hands joined.

Tessa repeated what the boys had told her.

Frank’s mouth dropped open. “I would never do anything like that. We don’t punish kids. Ever. We reward good behavior instead. It’s much more effective, and these kids are already damaged. I would never . . .” Frank’s jaw sawed back and forth. “The worst disciplinary action we’ve ever taken was to take away TV time.”

Nancy opened her mouth, closed it, then said, “I don’t even know what to say.” She turned to Frank. “Why would they make up a story like that?”

Frank shook his head. “I don’t know. It was all three of them?”

Tessa nodded. “CPS is coming for them.”

Tears rolled down Nancy’s cheeks, and she pressed a hand to her mouth. Frank wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.

They didn’t look like people who would torture children, but Logan had been wrong about people before. Some people were very good liars.

“I need to interview you both separately,” Tessa said.

“I’ll go first,” Frank volunteered.

Nancy left the room.

Tessa perched on a chair. “Frank, tell me again about the day Gavin disappeared.”

“He didn’t come home from school,” Frank began.

“I thought he was homeschooled,” Logan said.

Frank nodded. “At first, he was, but after a while, he asked to go back. We thought