Chapter 4
Naomi held her breath as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line. Sissy Sutton sounded frantic, her words tumbling over one another so fast Naomi could hardly understand what she was saying.
Everything had been a blur over the past two days.
Millie’s ex had been arrested. Millie had been brought on as staff. Madelyn had come just yesterday as their newest guest.
Life continued forward.
There was a hitching inhale on the other end of the line. Then another.
Then the rush of words continued, only slightly less chaotic. “They’re here. They’re here, Naomi. They won’t tell me where they’re taking her, and I told them she’s only two days old. They don’t care—”
“Who is they?” Naomi’s heart pounded harder as pieces tried to click into place.
“The feds,” Sissy whispered. “They showed up in my room a few hours ago and said they’re arresting me. They’re taking my baby, Naomi. Please, stop them. Don’t let them do this.”
The world narrowed until only this conversation existed.
“Okay.” Naomi forced calm into her voice, even as panic clawed up her spine. “Okay, Sissy. Listen to me. Where is your aunt? You said she was coming up from Atlanta to help you.”
There was a short, broken laugh. “She was. Until a few hours ago. She heard what was happening and said she couldn’t be involved. She said I made my choices, and now I need to reap the consequences. She won’t even answer my calls anymore.”
Naomi pressed her eyes closed. She understood how complicated family relationships could be. Things were rarely as simple as they seemed on the surface.
“Please,” Sissy whispered, the word cracking in half. “Please don’t let them put my baby in foster care. I was in foster care. I know what it’s like. She’s so innocent. She didn’t do anything wrong.”
Naomi’s hand tightened around the phone as what Sissy was asking hit her.
“I can’t let them take my baby.” Sissy’s voice climbed again. “But I don’t have anyone else to call. Only you. You said Refuge Cove helps women. How about little girls? Do they help little girls also?”
“Sissy,” Naomi said. “Listen to me. I need you to tell me exactly what they’re saying. Are the feds there now?”
“Yes,” Sissy sobbed. “They’re waiting. They said I have to decide who she goes to or they will.”
Naomi’s breath caught.
“Naomi,” Sissy whispered. “Please. Just take care of her until I can get this sorted out. Just until I can prove I’m innocent.
You can help me, right? You can keep her safe.
You always keep people safe. I know we’ve had our differences.
I know I did something horrible to you and your family. But I know I can trust you.”
Naomi stared at the familiar shape of the white and black farmhouse. At the place her sister had built.
Her sister. Sarah . . .
This baby’s father was the man who murdered Sarah.
Her chest tightened.
“Naomi?” Sissy’s voice squeaked. “Say something. Please, say something.”
Naomi swallowed hard, the weight of the question settling into her bones.
Could she really take responsibility for the child of the man who had destroyed their family?
Could she hold this baby, protect her, and love her—all while knowing whose blood ran through the child’s veins?
Naomi continued to stare at the farmhouse, at the shelter meant to stand between danger and the vulnerable.
Her heart pounded as the answer pressed in on her from all sides.
She didn’t know if she was strong enough for this.
But she knew one thing with terrifying clarity.
If she said no, the baby would be vulnerable and alone.
And Naomi wasn’t sure she could live with that idea.
Micah waited. He knew at least part of the conversation.
It was about the very subject he’d come here to talk to Naomi and Caleb about.
But there was something more also.
Naomi stood a few steps away from him near the garage, phone still in her hand and her posture locked tight—as if letting go would unravel something she was barely holding together.
He’d seen that look before.
He’d lived that look before.
The yellow lab paced at her feet, tail wagging uncertainly. Then the canine pressed his head against Naomi’s leg as if he knew his person needed anchoring.
“What’s happening?” Caleb muttered as he reappeared and placed a bowl of water near the lab. His dog, Hamilton, a husky mix, joined him.
The lab lapped the water until almost the entire bowl was empty.
Hamilton stared at the lab but didn’t move any closer.
Caleb stepped back, and his gaze caught the dented bumper of her SUV. “How did that happen?”
Micah thought about letting Naomi be the one to share the news. But she was going to have other priorities once she got off the phone. At least, that was his best educated guess.
“Travis Henderson hit her while she was driving—on purpose. He left when I got there.”
Caleb’s jaw hardened. “That man is nothing but trouble.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. But I was headed here anyway to talk to you, so I followed her home—just to be safe.”
Naomi lowered the phone and drew a shaky breath.
Then she turned toward Micah and Caleb. “That was Sissy.”
Caleb frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“The feds came. They’re arresting her and taking her baby.”
Caleb gaped. “They’re what?”
“They say she has federal charges pending against her.” Naomi’s words came faster now. “She was frantic and didn’t explain what those charges were.”
Caleb ran a hand over his face. “Why did she call you?”
“She wants me to take care of her baby while she sorts this out.”
Silence stretched around them.
Micah hadn’t seen that one coming.
He waited for her to continue, waited to hear her thoughts—her laugh of refusal.
“What are you going to do?” Caleb finally asked.
Naomi ran a hand over her face. “I . . . I don’t know. I can’t turn a baby away. I just—I can’t.”
Then she hesitated.
“But . . .” Her voice faltered, just slightly. “The baby is Richard’s.”
They all knew the baby was Richard’s. But Micah understood why Naomi had felt the need to say it aloud. She’d needed to drive home that point.
The weight of what she’d been asked to do pressed on Micah. He’d spent enough years around the Kings to understand exactly what that meant. He knew exactly the shadow Richard’s name still cast.
Naomi turned to him, her gaze sharp with questions. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
Micah shifted, but he didn’t look away. “Yes. That’s what I came to talk to you about.
I didn’t have confirmation until this afternoon.
There are federal charges against Sissy, which takes this situation out of my jurisdiction.
Once charges were pressed, child protective services automatically got involved. ”
Naomi’s jaw tightened. “So even though we decided not to press charges against Sissy as a way of extending grace, these charges are officially beyond my control.”
“To put it simply, yes. They are. This goes beyond what she did to you and your family.”
Naomi stepped back and raked a hand through her hair. “Sissy did something wrong. I know that. I’m not pretending she didn’t. But that baby needs her mother.”
“I don’t disagree,” Micah said. “But, like I said, her arrest has nothing to do with what happened at the shelter. This started long before she showed up here pretending to need help.”
Sissy had actually shown up to sabotage the place as a way of getting revenge for Richard and his perceived wrongs. Thankfully, she’d been caught before she could do too much damage.
What she’d done was despicable. Micah had thought Caleb and Naomi should press charges.
But then Naomi had said something about God teaching her a lot about grace lately. How could he argue with that?
“What exactly did Sissy do?” Naomi finally asked. “What are these charges against her?”
“Benefits fraud,” Micah said. “Multiple states. The feds are saying she filed claims under different names and lied about her situation to collect money she wasn’t entitled to. The feds believe she knew exactly what she was doing.”
At least they weren’t violent crimes, she reasoned. But still . . .
Naomi’s shoulders sagged just a fraction before she looked up and asked, “What am I going to do?”