Page 33 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge

Luca bounded into the room with a big smile on his face.“Yay.Truck,” he said.His face lit up every time the boy saw Owen with a toy.

“Did you have a good nap?”Ms.Bart asked.Luca ran over to her, and she gave him a big hug.It was clear Ms.Bart loved the children.Her disdain for Evie was probably born out of fear that she would mess up.The uptight older woman let go of Luca and then picked up her handbag, clutching it to her chest like she needed to hang onto something.

Evie grabbed the baby monitor from the kids’ room, walked back into the dining area, and set it on the table.To be clear, she wanted to hear everything that went on while distracting the children.

When she returned, she set the speaker down on the floor between her and Owen.Luca sat on a bouncy ball with a handle, jumping around the room.Good idea to get his energy out.

“Once the interview is over, we can head into town if you’re still up for it,” she said.Now that she realized Size Eleven was after her, she felt safer leaving the kids in the house with Ms.Bart.With the object of his obsession off property, there’d be no reason for him to attempt to enter the home.

Plus, it was daytime, and the sun was shining.

Olivia sat on her bottom, playing with one of those everything toys that was three feet high and had all kinds of bells and whistles on it, meant to educate and, Evie figured, distract children so their parents could get a break.Parenting was harder than Evie had ever imagined possible.

“Okay,” Owen said.The word came out in practically a grunt.

She folded her arms across her chest.“If you have something else to take care of, feel free to—”

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“What?”

“Trying to kick me out?”

The words struck like physical blows.“I wasn’t tr—”

“Don’t BS me, Evie.We both know you keep jumping to the conclusion that I have something better to do than to be here, helping you.What I can’t figure out is why you keep looping back to that.”

“You’re mad at me, for one.”

“Yes,” he said.At least he didn’t try to deny it.“We’ve been in fights before.”

“I’m just trying to give you an out.”

“Have I asked for one?”

“No,” she said.He’d done nothing but stick by her side, chase Size Eleven, and play with the kids.Oh, and feed her.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten or offered lunch.

“I’m in over my head here,” she said, then shrugged.“I have to stay.You don’t.”

“Not everyone runs at the first sign of trouble.”

Again, those words were barbs.

“If I promise to tell you everything once this is over, will you leave the subject alone until the…” she glanced over at the babies and decided not to give them a lesson in foul language, “Size Eleven is caught?”

Before he could answer, Travis asked Ms.Bart her full name.

“Naomi Jocelyn Bart, nee Smith.”

“Where do you live?”Travis asked.

She rattled off her address.

“How often did you babysit for Simone Ashworth?”

“Five days a week.Monday through Friday from ten o’clock in the morning until four, most days.”

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