Never In Another Life novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: In Her Own Words

The caseworker climbed the stairs over the laundromat at nine on Monday morning.

She was a small, brisk woman with a lanyard and a clipboard.

She looked at my two chairs.

Then she looked at the pot of cold water on the counter, with a black disc at the bottom.

"That's the tracker?" she said.

"Yes."

"I'll need to photograph it."

"Take it with you."

She photographed it, wrote something, and sat down across from me at the table.

Declan stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets.

He had driven up through the night, and he had not asked to stay.

"I've read the file," the caseworker said. "Both reports, the sheriff's packet and the video."

"All of it?"

"Twice." Her mouth tightened. "The old report was filed by Ms. Winslade, too. Two days after the fall."

I had known that.

It still landed.

"I'm closing both as unfounded," she said. "I'll note that the reporting party is in custody."

She turned a page.

"Mrs. Sayer's lawyer called my office at eight. She is withdrawing her guardianship petition."

I held very still.

"All of it?"

"All of it. He said she has resigned from the Foundation, effective this morning."

She did not smile.

"I'd like to speak with Sammy alone."

Sammy sat in the chair across from her with his rabbit in his lap and his feet not reaching the floor.

I stood at the sink with my back to the wall and my arms wrapped around myself.

I could hear everything.

"Sammy, do you know why I'm here?"

"Because of Aunt Margo."

"What do you want to tell me about Aunt Margo?"

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