No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(88)

Ms. Strauss seemed to realize how impractical the alternative would be. Despite the Reeds’ deaths, there were still living and breathing people who needed shelter. A house couldn’t be boarded up or burned down every time someone committed an act of violence inside its walls. “Some people are funny about those types of things—superstitious—is all,” she said.

“I’m not superstitious,” Sadie told her, but she had to admit, at least to herself, that the thought of sleeping in this room was a little discomfiting. She didn’t feel it was fair to put Angela here, however. And she knew how hard it would be for Dawson. So she’d insisted on being the one. Given that she wasn’t paying rent, it only seemed fair. “And just so you know, Dawson isn’t to blame for what happened, despite what you might’ve read about his case. He’s currently looking for the man he believes to be responsible.”

Ms. Strauss pushed her glasses higher on her nose. “That’s what he told you?”

Sadie couldn’t help bristling at the skepticism in her voice. “Yes. And I believe it’s true.”

She made no comment, merely clasped her clipboard to her chest. “So where is Angela’s room?”

“That’s where Jayden and I are staying at the moment. Right this way.”

Dawson stepped aside as Sadie led her back into the hall.

Ms. Strauss peered into Dawson’s room before taking a long look at Angela’s. “I’ve spoken to Angela,” she announced, rather abruptly.

“Did she tell you how badly she wants to come home?” Sadie shot a hopeful glance at Dawson. He’d rejoined them once they came out of his parents’ room, but he wasn’t doing a lot of talking. Sadie was trying to fill the long awkward silences, to make Ms. Strauss more sympathetic, if possible.

“She did.”

“She loves her brother. He’s always been good to her.”

“How long have you known Dawson?” she asked.

There was that skepticism again. Sadie barely managed to keep her smile in place. “Not long, which is why it’s so great that you don’t have to take my word for what a nice guy he is. The one person in town who’s known him the longest, since he was a freshman in high school, has said all along that he could never have perpetrated such a terrible crime. Feel free to talk to her, if you need a character reference.”

“I’ll do that,” she said, but Sadie got the impression she only agreed in order to be thorough. “Who should I contact?”

“Aiyana Turner. She’s the owner of New Horizons Boys Ranch.”

“Where he went to school.”

She’d done her homework. “Yes. Her sons also know Dawson and believe the same thing she does. His detractors, on the other hand, are virtual strangers. They’re judging him by what was presented in the media—which is, of course, what we both hope you won’t do. For Angela’s sake.”

When the older woman’s eyes narrowed beneath those thick glasses, Sadie feared she might’ve been a little too zealous in his defense. She didn’t want to reveal her romantic interest. That would only make Ms. Strauss question her credibility. “You told me that you started working here a week ago, correct?”

What Ms. Strauss really meant was, “How would you know?” Sadie could tell. “Yes.”

“Were you familiar with Dawson before that?”

“Not really, no.”

“Well, you certainly seem to be getting along so far.”

That would be a good thing for Angela, wouldn’t it? But Sadie wasn’t sure Ms. Strauss meant her statement in a positive way.

After that, she tried to keep her mouth shut. Dawson finished the tour, answered several more questions—about where Angela was when the murders occurred, how much she saw, what she understood.

Before Ms. Strauss left, however, she asked if Sadie would walk her out to her car—and made it clear that Dawson wasn’t to join them.

A rush of nervous energy flooded through Sadie as she agreed. “Sure.”

Sadie guessed Dawson was watching from the window while they crossed the porch and descended the stairs. Ms. Strauss didn’t speak immediately—didn’t say anything until they were well out of earshot of Dawson. Then she used her key fob to unlock the doors to a black sedan and turned. “You seem very supportive of Mr. Reed.”

“I am,” Sadie admitted. “I’ve spent a lot of hours with him over the past eight days and have seen nothing that would lead me to believe he would be anything other than a devoted brother. We’ve even been to visit Angela at Stanley DeWitt together. He wanted to take me along, so she could meet me.”

“Eight days isn’t a long time,” she said, refusing to be persuaded.

“Like I said, you can speak to Aiyana, Elijah or Gavin, if you’re looking for someone who has known him longer.”

“I’m not sure they could convince me.”

Ms. Strauss spoke with such resolution, Sadie felt her jaw drop. She was going to deny Dawson’s request for Angela to come home! “Because...”

“If we turn Angela over to him, and something happens to her, the blowback could be severe. The press will make a lot of the state releasing a mentally handicapped woman to a man we had reason to believe might be dangerous, and—”