Page 12 of Hunting the Truth
“Let’s get your groceries and dinner inside,” Pops said, grabbing bags out of the front seat of Maya’s vehicle.
“Pops, I can get that.”
“No, no. I have it.”
Maya watched him limp as he went inside her front door toward the kitchen. Josh stepped down from the porch to help grab the rest of the bags and their dinner so Maya could get Juniper.
“What’s going on?” she asked him.
“I’ll let him tell you,” Josh said.
“Great,” Maya muttered. “Now what?”
She whistled and Juniper came running back over. Maya had built an outdoor dog run over the summer and thought that would be the best place for Juniper at the moment. She locked the gate and ignored Juniper’s sad face at being left behind. The dog would rather be with them, but first Maya wanted to hear what Pops had to say without any distractions.
She bounded up the steps as Juniper gave indignant whines and barks, then went through her front door. Her cozy cabin seemed cramped with both Pops and Josh inside of it.
“So, what’s going on?” she asked.
“Why don’t you sit down?” Pops asked, pointing toward the kitchen table and chairs.
“No, I just want to know now what’s going on.”
“Well, I’m going to sit down,” Pops said, ambling over to the table and sitting down in one of the wooden chairs.
Maya knew better than to argue with him. With a sigh, she strode over to the table, and plopped down in the seat next to him. Josh followed behind her. “Okay, we’re all sitting down. Pops, you’re scaring me. What’s going on? Are you sick? In trouble?”
Pops stared down at the table. Maya worked to give him time, and just when she thought she couldn’t handle it anymore, Pops spoke up. “You remember after Doug died, I mentioned I might be under investigation?”
Maya nodded, thinking about her conversation in confidence with Josh only a little bit ago. The investigation must be moving forward. Someone must have talked with Pops today.
“Well, I am,” Pops said. “Under investigation, that is.”
Maya looked back and forth between Pops and Josh and their somber expressions.
“What does that mean? What’s next?” she asked. She knew that it could mean Pops would be arrested, charged and could serve prison time if convicted. Maya pushed those thoughts aside and started to rub her necklace.
“I could lose my job. That would be the best-case scenario. I could also go to prison and serve time.”
Maya slumped back in her chair.Can this really be happening? I knew it was a possibility, but I was hoping that somehow Pops wouldn’t be prosecuted and that his case would be dismissed.
“Pops, you can’t go to prison. They wouldn’t do that, would they?” Maya looked back and forth between Josh and Pops. Josh stared at the table and Pops looked out the window.
She had seen her grandfather as so strong and indestructible growing up. He’d been the one who’d always saved her, including the night her mother died. Maya had stayed hidden in that closet, scared to death when dark smoke from a fire started wafting under the doorway. The smell reminded her a little bit of a campfire. Her eyes started to sting, and her lungs were burning, making it hard to breathe. She’d tried to stay quiet, but the smoke overwhelmed her, and she let out a few coughs.
Then, the door had opened and there was Pops. He’d grabbed her and carried her outside, telling her not to look at her mother. Flames were starting to engulf the house, but Maya knew in that moment she was safe with Pops. He’d do anything to protect her.
Maybe it was time for her to return the favor.
“Maya? You okay?” Pops asked.
“Yeah, I’m good. I just... I’ve started remembering things from the night Mom was murdered. I was thinking about how scared I was, and you were the one there to save me. You’ve always saved me, Pops. It’s time I helped you. What can I do?”
Pops took Maya’s hand in his. “Just stand by my side. You’re still my little girl in so many ways. I was devastated when I ran in the house that night and saw your mom. My only daughter, dead.”
He choked back some tears and then continued, “But I managed to find you and you were still okay. I was so grateful for that. You were like a second chance for me and Nana. You kept us going when we lost your mother and I’m so proud of you, Maya. Keep investigating their deaths. I don’t know how much I can help you right now, but keep going and find the person who took them from us.”
Maya wrapped her fingers around Pops’s hand. “Of course. I can do that.”
