“Wh–who are you.” She fumbled over her words as she retreated. She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder toward the house.

“That’s not important.”

“I think it is,” she countered, keeping her voice low as if she were the intruder. “You’re creeping around my yard in the middle of the night, young man.”

If this weren’t such a high-risk situation, I would have laughed at her need to scold an intruder. “A few months ago, you saw a girl at the facility you work for.”

“I see many young girls. You’ll have to be more specific.”

“A resident was murdered that same day, and you’re going to testify against this girl in the murder case.”

The grave recognition in her eyes was telling. “Y—yes. I remember. I saw her there the day he was murdered. I’m only giving my recount.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You’re not going to testify.” Confusion twisted her expression that quickly turned to fear.

“Are you threatening me?”

“No.” I could tell by her deepening frown that I only added to her confusion.

“Are you here to kill me?”

“I won’t kill you.”

“Then I don’t understand.”

“I’m here to make you an offer.”

“And if I refuse?”

I was growing tired of this chain of questioning. “You won’t.”

“I’m sorry, but I won’t lie to the police for a perfect stranger.”

“What about for your life and that of your two little girls tucked inside? They aren’t safe.”

“Don’t touch my little girls.”

“I have no intention of hurting them or you, but can your husband say the same?”

“What do you mean?”

Instead of answering, I lifted her arm, ignoring her flinch, to push up her shirtsleeve and reveal the bruising on her arm. “He beats you, and you let him.”

“I don’t let him.”

“You haven’t left either.”

“It’s not that simple. He’s only like this because he lost his job and hasn’t been able to get another one. He used to be so kind and loving.”

“The day you get a clue might be the day it’s too late.”

“Young man, I won’t explain my life to a stranger.”

“So let the priest who barely knew you tell your story at your funeral.”

She gasped and shrunk back and suppressed the temptation to roll my eyes. “You’re very cruel for one so young.”

“You have no idea about cruelty. I do. Cruelty would be reporting you and your husband to Child Protective Services so they can find the bruises he leaves on them and take your daughters away for child endangerment.”

She grabbed onto my shirt. “Don’t. Please.”

“And just when you think your nightmare couldn’t go on, I’d kill your alcoholic, abusive husband in his sleep and leave you to find him in the morning when you return from the job that feeds his habit.”

Her pleas turned into deep sobs as she sunk to the ground. I wouldn’t kill her, and I meant it, but I would take everything from her to keep Lake. I helped the emotional woman to her feet and held her against my chest to keep her stable and waited until she calmed.

She hiccupped and looked up to meet my hard gaze. “What is your offer?”

I shrugged to mask unwanted sympathy and said, “A new life.”

“How can I escape his one?” Her frightened eyes shifted toward the house, and I felt my jaw harden. She was terrified of the man who victimized her instead of protected her. Maybe my anger was because when I looked at her, I didn’t see the abused wife and mother of two, but the scared, innocent I did everything I could to hurt.

“I’ll handle him.”

“I—I don’t want you to kill him,” she pleaded. I felt my lip curl with disgust at the thought of her protecting him.

“Does he hit your girls, too?” She blinked away tears and looked away. “Lie to me and this won’t end in your favor. Has. He. Hit. Them?”

She finally nodded once. It was so quick that if I blinked, I would have missed it. She then released a sound similar to that of a wonder animal. “H—he doesn’t beat them like he beats me, but he can be so rough with Maddie. She’s only four and doesn’t understand sometimes—”

She stopped short at the colorful words that escaped me into the night air. She shrunk back completely, allowing me to catch my reflection of rage in the car window behind her.