Page 59 of Heart of a Hero

“The police?” Roscoe asked, his bushy brows lifted. “I never thought about calling them… well, maybe when I’d hear yelling going on next door. But I didn’t think about it now.”

“It’s okay. You did the right thing by letting the kids stay here where they can be safe, warm, and fed.” She let out a long breath then said, “Okay, let’s go back out there. I don’t want to scare the kids, so let’s just act completely natural and then we’ll see what we need to do to protect them, okay?”

“Sounds good to me, Ms. Karen.”

She reached out and patted his arm. “It’s going to be okay now. I promise.”

He smiled and nodded, then followed her as they walked back into the living area. The kids were finishing their meal, and she squatted to their level. “Hey, guys. How was the sandwich?”

“Yummy!” Zannie declared, and she had a bit of grape jelly around her mouth to prove her point.

Karen grinned and reached for a paper towel to wipe her lips. Turning to Marty, she asked, “What about you?”

“I’m good, Miss Karen,” he said, his somber eyes searching hers.

It struck her once again how much the little boy had to take on while trying to take care of his sister. Her heart squeezed, and she wanted to wrap him in her arms. Instead, she just patted his hand. “I have a couple of friends who are going to come over.”

His eyes grew wary.

“Marty, you know how I take care of Mr. Roscoe, right?”

He nodded.

“And Mr. Roscoe trusts me, right?”

He nodded again.

“Well, I’d like to take care of you and Zannie the same way.”

He scrunched his face. “Take our temperature and stuff?”

She chuckled. “Maybe. But what I’d really like to do is have you talk to me and my friends and let us figure out how to help you. We want you in school and to have food to eat whenever you want it. And a nice bed to sleep in. When they get here, I’d like you to talk to them.”

“And you? You’ll be there, too?”

“Absolutely,” she promised. It ran through her mind that Mark and Brad might not want her there. Steeling her resolve, she smiled.They can stuff it. “Yes, I’ll be right with you.”

He looked over at Mr. Roscoe, then back at her. “Did I do okay, asking him to call you? He suggested it, but I told him that it was a good idea.”

Rubbing his hand, she nodded. “Yeah, honey, you did the right thing.” Just then, she heard the sound of tires on gravel and jumped up to peek out the door. A sigh of relief left her lungs at seeing Mark and Brad, as well as another sheriff’s vehicle. Amale and a female deputy walked behind, then stayed outside as she threw open the door to invite in the two detectives.

Mark did a head-to-toe scan of her, his hand barely brushing her arm as he stepped in. She offered a little smile to him and Brad, and then her gaze moved behind them to the two uniformed deputies.

“They’re here to make sure everything is okay,” Mark whispered.

She nodded her understanding. Brightening her smile, she turned and said, “Detectives Robbins and Stowe, I’d like to introduce you to some of my friends. This is Mr. Roscoe Jefferson.”

Roscoe stood with a little difficulty and walked over to shake the hands of both men. “Just call me Roscoe. Everybody does.”

“I’m Mark Robbins, and this is Brad Stowe.”

She then turned to the children, noting that Marty was also now standing. Marty mimicked the behaviors of the adults while Zannie bounced in her chair, popping another apple slice into her mouth and grinning while chewing.

“And I’d like to introduce you to some more friends of mine. This young man is Marty Perkins. This beautiful little lady is his sister, Suzanne, but everyone calls her Zannie.”

Mark walked over first and bent so that he was at Marty’s height and stuck out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Marty. I’m Detective Robbins, but if that’s too much of a mouthful, just call me Mr. Mark.”

Marty’s eyes were still serious, but he offered a slight grin. He shook Brad’s hand as he walked over.

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