kept thinking that maybe something happened.” She must have seen Taylor’s expression because she quickly added, “I get the feeling that you’re hiding, or just hiding behind the glasses. But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m just... projecting.”
A whistle from the pool tables drew Taylor’s attention and she glanced over at Callan who had her hand out, collecting dollar bills. It seemed she’d just won another game.
“I’m not hiding anything,” Taylor said after a moment. “Just trying to... look... older.”
“Why?”
Taylor shrugged. “I was told back in early December that I didn’t look mature enough. That I was too young. So I’m trying to dress more age appropriately.”
“Age appropriate for what? Too young for what? Take over Margaret’s job as head librarian?”
“No.” Taylor hesitated, her heart pounding a little too fast, making her suddenly queasy. She really didn’t like discussing Doug with others. Family dynamics were difficult enough without other people weighing in. “Take care of my brother.”
“You have a younger brother?”
“He’s not a child. He’s twenty-two. He’s... at Hogue Ranch.”
McKenna’s forehead creased. “That work ranch, halfway house place out in Paradise Valley?”
Taylor nodded again. “He’s been there since late August, and he had a chance to be released before Christmas. He was supposed to come live with me, but the judge didn’t think I was old enough, and mature enough, to manage my brother, so instead of letting Doug spend the six month probation period with me, he said Doug had to stay at Hogue.”
“What did your brother do?”
“He has a mood disorder.”
“I don’t understand. Did he hurt someone? Attack someone?”
“No. He was argumentative with a local sheriff who pulled him over for driving too fast. They booked him, and drug tested him and he tested positive for marijuana. He tried to explain that he was argumentative because the sheriff treated him like he was an idiot, and he’s not, and then they labeled him he as some loser, and he’s not. Doug said in court that he sometimes smokes to manage his depression but the judge said this isn’t Colorado or California. If he wants to be a drug addict, go there.” Taylor swallowed hard, and again. “Hogue isn’t a good place for him. It’s hard core. Most men there have been in and out of jail a couple of times, but Doug’s not a criminal. He has a mood disorder.”
“Is that what you told the judge?”
“I told the judge that Doug needed help. Counseling. Better depression medicine. Or a better dose of his medicine. But the judge dismissed everything I said, claiming that I was too young, and too immature, to know what was right for my brother.”
McKenna regarded her for a long moment. “You’re angry.”
“I am.” Taylor drew a slow breath and blinked, clearing her vision. “If I were a man, the judge wouldn’t have talked to me like I was little girl. If I’d been a local, I can guarantee that my brother wouldn’t be at Hogue right now. My brother would be living with me. Kara even said as much after it was all over.”
“Kara Jones? The district attorney?”
“She’s my roommate. Well, house mate. I rent a room from her, and have been living there since I arrived in Marietta last November.”
“And Kara couldn’t help you?”
“No. Conflict of interest.”
“You’d think the judge would see that as a plus on your side. You live with Marietta’s DA!”
“Kara wanted me to ask one of the local ranching families like the MacCreadies or Carrigans or Sheenans to hire Doug. She thought Brock Sheenan would be the perfect person to approach. She said everyone knows Brock, and Brock’s solid and no-nonsense, and went to school with the judge’s daughter, but I was afraid to approach him. Brock didn’t know me from Adam and it made me nervous to get strangers involved. It still does. Doug’s had a hard life. My parents treated him
A whistle from the pool tables drew Taylor’s attention and she glanced over at Callan who had her hand out, collecting dollar bills. It seemed she’d just won another game.
“I’m not hiding anything,” Taylor said after a moment. “Just trying to... look... older.”
“Why?”
Taylor shrugged. “I was told back in early December that I didn’t look mature enough. That I was too young. So I’m trying to dress more age appropriately.”
“Age appropriate for what? Too young for what? Take over Margaret’s job as head librarian?”
“No.” Taylor hesitated, her heart pounding a little too fast, making her suddenly queasy. She really didn’t like discussing Doug with others. Family dynamics were difficult enough without other people weighing in. “Take care of my brother.”
“You have a younger brother?”
“He’s not a child. He’s twenty-two. He’s... at Hogue Ranch.”
McKenna’s forehead creased. “That work ranch, halfway house place out in Paradise Valley?”
Taylor nodded again. “He’s been there since late August, and he had a chance to be released before Christmas. He was supposed to come live with me, but the judge didn’t think I was old enough, and mature enough, to manage my brother, so instead of letting Doug spend the six month probation period with me, he said Doug had to stay at Hogue.”
“What did your brother do?”
“He has a mood disorder.”
“I don’t understand. Did he hurt someone? Attack someone?”
“No. He was argumentative with a local sheriff who pulled him over for driving too fast. They booked him, and drug tested him and he tested positive for marijuana. He tried to explain that he was argumentative because the sheriff treated him like he was an idiot, and he’s not, and then they labeled him he as some loser, and he’s not. Doug said in court that he sometimes smokes to manage his depression but the judge said this isn’t Colorado or California. If he wants to be a drug addict, go there.” Taylor swallowed hard, and again. “Hogue isn’t a good place for him. It’s hard core. Most men there have been in and out of jail a couple of times, but Doug’s not a criminal. He has a mood disorder.”
“Is that what you told the judge?”
“I told the judge that Doug needed help. Counseling. Better depression medicine. Or a better dose of his medicine. But the judge dismissed everything I said, claiming that I was too young, and too immature, to know what was right for my brother.”
McKenna regarded her for a long moment. “You’re angry.”
“I am.” Taylor drew a slow breath and blinked, clearing her vision. “If I were a man, the judge wouldn’t have talked to me like I was little girl. If I’d been a local, I can guarantee that my brother wouldn’t be at Hogue right now. My brother would be living with me. Kara even said as much after it was all over.”
“Kara Jones? The district attorney?”
“She’s my roommate. Well, house mate. I rent a room from her, and have been living there since I arrived in Marietta last November.”
“And Kara couldn’t help you?”
“No. Conflict of interest.”
“You’d think the judge would see that as a plus on your side. You live with Marietta’s DA!”
“Kara wanted me to ask one of the local ranching families like the MacCreadies or Carrigans or Sheenans to hire Doug. She thought Brock Sheenan would be the perfect person to approach. She said everyone knows Brock, and Brock’s solid and no-nonsense, and went to school with the judge’s daughter, but I was afraid to approach him. Brock didn’t know me from Adam and it made me nervous to get strangers involved. It still does. Doug’s had a hard life. My parents treated him
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