Page 99 of Holding on to Chaos
“So she left the inn, and she came straight here,” Donovan said.
“Yes. Evan called me and told me someone had broken in. And I called you, and here we are.”
“When you catch her,” Emma said, looking at Donovan. “I want ten minutes alone with her.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Donovan left the family in the kitchen to talk while he followed Layla through Eva’s house. Agnes hadn’t had much time inside, but she’d used it to do the maximum amount of damage.
Furniture was over turned, drawers were dumped, and papers were scattered everywhere. Eva’s laptop was missing from its habitual spot on the table, Donovan noted.
Satisfied there were no existing threats inside, he instructed Layla to take Eva through her house to start a list of missing items while he interviewed Evan.
He found the boy in the front parlor of the house. It was Gia’s space and generally off-limits to the kids. The wainscoting was a dark navy that complimented the fleur-de-lis wallpaper. Antique tables and contemporary, overstuffed couches were arranged around the fireplace. There were candles and color everywhere, reminding Donovan of the woman who had decorated the space.
Evan was sipping hot chocolate on one of the floor pillows in front of the fireplace. Diesel was snoring next to him, and Beckett was pacing the length of the room.
Donovan sat down on the couch closest to Evan.
“Some excitement today,” he commented.
The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Sure was.”
“How about we start with when you noticed something wasn’t right?” Donovan suggested, taking his notebook out.
“Well, I was in the kitchen because I wanted a snack, and Diesel started barking at the back door. I almost let him out, but I saw someone standing on Aunt Eva’s porch. Sometimes Diesel scares people when he runs up to them because he’s so enthusiastic. So I took a second look.”
“Can you describe who you saw for me?”
Evan smirked. “I can do better than that.” He held up his cell phone. The one he’d argued for for three months straight before Beckett and Gia had caved.
“Okay, here she is on the porch,” he said, opening his photos folder.
Donovan took the phone and scrolled through the pictures. The kid had captured the entire breaking and entering and even shot video of her coming out of Gia’s house with her haul of stolen goods. The video cut off abruptly when Agnes climbed the steps to Beckett’s back porch but not without catching a full-on of her face.
“Nice work, kid,” Donovan said. “I’m gonna need to borrow this, okay?”
Evan nodded. “Would she have hurt Aunt Eva?” he asked.
Beckett cleared his throat, but Donovan ignored him.
“What do you think?”
Evan shrugged. “I mean, she looked kinda frail and rickety. So Aunt Eva could have taken her down pretty easy if she wanted to. But…”
“But there’s other ways to hurt people,” Donovan finished for him.
“Yeah. How can a mom do that to her own kid?” Evan asked.
“Evan—” Beckett began.
“You guys think a kitchen door is like a cone of silence. I heard everything,” he admitted without shame, rolling his eyes.
“I think you already know the answer, right?” Donovan asked him.
“I guess blood doesn’t make family,” Evan said. “I mean, Gia’s not my biological mom, but she’s my real mom, right?”
Donovan nodded. “That’s right. And just because your mom and aunts’ mother wasn’t there for them doesn’t mean they don’t have a real mom.”
