Free Cache a Predator by Michelle Weidenbenner Page B

her. Ali told me she was okay, that she was getting up.”
    Sarah didn’t say anything.
    He continued. “I asked if I could take Quinn to day care, but Ali said the day care center wouldn’t take Quinn because Ali was behind in her payments.”
    Sarah pressed him. “Why didn’t you pay for child care?”
    “I had. I’d given Ali the money in the monthly child support check. She was supposed to pay them.” He rubbed his eyes. “In hindsight I probably should have paid them directly.”
    He turned to Peggy who jotted notes on her clipboard. “And, for the record, I never laid a hand on Ali. Like I said, she’s a good liar.” Brett rubbed his hands on his slacks as if they were sweating.
    Sarah believed him and was shocked she did. What made him different from the other men she’d met? What made him so believable? Was it because he was the first one who seemed to genuinely care for his child? Maybe it was because he was the type of man she’d always wished her father could have been. Maybe she was seeing him through a child’s eyes.
    Brett said, “If I had called CPS to report what happened this morning, how quickly would you have been able to respond?”
    Peggy’s face lit up. “What are you implying?”
    “You can’t deny that you’re overworked.” Brett squirmed in his seat.
    Peggy exchanged a glance with Sarah. “Let’s continue.”
    Brett hugged himself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend anyone. It’s just that I’ve spent the last six months trying to work with a system that betrayed me.” He cleared his throat and locked his eyes on Sarah, wearing the most sincere expression, as if pleading for her to believe him. “The last thing I wanted was for Quinn’s safety to be in jeopardy, but it’s been marginal for a long time, and no one would listen to me.”
    Sarah could tell he was frustrated. In her years of practice, she’d seen it in women. Rarely had she seen it in a man.
    Peggy set her papers on a clipboard, clicked her pen, and stood, exchanging a quick glance with Sarah. “Well, maybe we can get to the bottom of all this, but as professionals we need to stay neutral and let the judge decide what’s best. Part of my job is to assess the home for safety.” She walked to the refrigerator and opened it, then pulled out corked wine bottles, seeming to count beer cans, and made notes. “I’ll need to do the same at your home if we’re to consider placing Quinn there.”
    “By all means. We can go there from here. I’ll take you right over.” Brett stood and followed Peggy.
    Sarah reached into her briefcase for her clipboard and followed them.
    Peggy opened cupboards, finding one with a bottle of vodka, then scribbled a note. Next, she went into the living room, Quinn’s bedroom, and Ali’s room. She opened the medicine chest in her bathroom, observing dozens of pill bottles and taking more notes.
    While Peggy documented findings, Brett turned to Sarah. “Can you tell me anything about what Quinn told you? I have no clue what happened here this morning.”
    Sarah bit her lip and answered, again feeling sorry for him. “I read her a story, and she played with dolls. We got acquainted.” She smiled. “She said only good things about you.”
    Brett’s eyes watered, and he took a deep breath, looking like he’d waited all day to hear those words. “Thank you.” He plopped down into a chair and exhaled again. He looked away, but Sarah noticed how the corners of his mouth turned down like he was fighting tears. He pressed his fingertips into his eyes. She sat in the chair across from him.
    Peggy, who approached them from Ali’s bedroom, said, “When do you think Ali will return?”
    He looked up at her. “I have no idea. She wouldn’t tell me where she was going, and she popped a pill before she left.”
    Sarah placed a strand of hair behind her ear. “You said Ali hasn’t been well. Is she struggling with anything else right now? Any other medical concerns that you