Free Vile by Debra Webb Page A

into her life?
    Sheesh. To be so small, kids came with seemingly endless requirements.
    She glanced back to the street and noted the BPD cruiser waiting patiently for her next move.
    “You were on the news again this morning.”
    Jess glanced at the detective standing next to her. “I’m thrilled.”
    Hayes chuckled. “According to the reporter, the station’s getting tons of mail in support of you. They’re calling you a city treasure.”
    A laugh burst from her lips. “If that’s the case, I am woefully under paid.”
    He grinned. “You aren’t the only one. The whole team should be getting hazard pay for protecting a city treasure.”
    “Need I remind you that this treasure is perfectly capable of—?”
    “Taking care of herself,” he finished for her.
    “Don’t you forget it either, Lieutenant.” Jess held her head high and her shoulders back. Being pregnant didn’t mean she wasn’t capable of doing exactly what she’d always done—for now anyway.
    The door opened and a woman with one kid on her hip and two more clinging to her legs filled the space. Growling, a big black Lab poked his head between her and the door.
    “Quiet, Samson!” the woman ordered. The big Lab dropped his head and backed away. The woman looked from Jess to Hayes and back, then smiled as if she were the happiest woman on earth.
    Jess couldn’t see how that was possible by any stretch of the imagination. She flashed her badge. “I’m Deputy Chief Harris.”
    “Karen Graham.” She backed up to open the door wider, the children and the dog moved in time with her as if the steps were a carefully choreographed routine. “We’ve been expecting you. Mrs. Wettermark sent me your photo.”
    Jess appreciated Wettermark’s quick work. She’d expected to have to wait outside until Mrs. Graham confirmed Jess was who she said she was.
    “Thank you.” Jess followed her inside. Hayes closed the door and caught up. The interior of the house was just as nice as the exterior. “You have a lovely home.”
    “Thank you. We bought the house for the kids.”
    Jess hoped she had erased the frown that had formed on her forehead before the woman noticed. “How many children do you have?”
    “Since we couldn’t have any of our own,” Karen smiled at the toddler in her arms, “we decided to buy a house big enough for all the ones who needed a family and didn’t have one.” She turned that smile toward Jess. “We take care of the children until a permanent home is found or they’re returned to their parents, so there’s always lots of coming and going around here.”
    “That’s an enormous sacrifice.” Jess glanced into the family room to her right where three more children played.
    “It is,” Karen agreed, “but we love it. Would you like to see her now?”
    Jess nodded. “I would.”
    Karen ushered the children tagging along with her into the family room with the others. Then she led the way to the dining room. “She doesn’t feel comfortable with the other children yet so I’m letting her draw at the table.”
    “Why don’t you wait here, Lieutenant?” No need to overwhelm the child with another stranger.
    “I’ll check in with Detective Wells. Give her our location.”
    Jess left him to it and followed Karen into the dining room. The enormous table seated twelve. Jess was fairly certain she’d never seen a table this large in anyone’s home. The Grahams had gone all out.
    The little girl sat in one of the big oak chairs, her attention on a length of drawing paper draped over the end of the table. A pile of crayons next to her, she continued to draw without even glancing up.
    Jess walked over to the table. When the little girl still didn’t look up, she said, “Remember me?”
    The little girl looked up then and, incredibly, she smiled. It wasn’t much of one but a smile nonetheless. Jess pulled up a chair next to her. “That’s a very pretty picture. Is that you?” She pointed to the smaller of the two