Murder in the Boonies: A Sleuth Sisters Mystery (The Sleuth Sisters Book 3) by Maggie Pill

and that’s how you saw us. She isn’t as fast as me.”
    I gave Barb a sharp glance in case she intended to correct the poor kid’s grammar at this tragic point in time. She was silent.
    Iris turned to Sheriff Brill. “What’s going to happen to us now?”
    “You’re too young to live on your own,” Julie said gently.
    The sisters looked at each other. “If we can stay, I know we can keep the farm going.” Pansy turned to Retta. “We’ll pay the rent every month, honest!”
    “It’s not a question of the money, Pansy. You need someone to care for you.”
    “We don’t need anybody!” Her voice rose, and Iris put a hand on her arm again. “Well, we don’t!” Her tough persona failed, and she dissolved into tears.
    Brill nodded at Julie, and she rose from her chair. “Let’s go to the kitchen and see if Mrs. Burner has any sodas.”
    When they were gone, Retta said, “Sheriff, you can’t be considering charges.”
    Brill pulled at his earlobe, signaling an attempt to make a decision. “Well, they failed to report a death, but they are just children.”
    “Children who’ve suffered mental abuse at the very least,” Barb said. “They shouldn’t be forced to endure separation as well.”
    Retta seemed pleased that she and Barb were on the same side for once. “Why don’t I take the girls home with me? It will take a few days to sort this out. Barbara and Faye can look for Rose, and I’ll see if the girls know something that will help us locate her.”
    “Or her body.” Barb spoke the words I’d been thinking. “My guess is McAdams killed her, possibly by accident.”
    No one disagreed. Brill said, “I’ll get some search dogs out there first thing tomorrow.”
    “Poor Rose!” Retta was the only one in the room who’d known the living, breathing Rose Isley.
    Brill licked his lips. “I think the judge will be inclined to accept your proposal, Mrs. Stilson. Custody will be temporary, of course, but I agree it’s best for the girls right now to stay together, preferably with someone they know and trust.”
    “Someone at their church might take them in,” Barb said. Retta shot her a look, but Barb felt we might give the girls false expectations if we kept them with us. She’s said before that investigators can’t go around offering shelter to victims, no matter how much they’d like to. It isn’t professional.
    “What if that pervert Sharky is a member of the congregation?”
    That ended the argument. The last thing we wanted was for the girls to be handed over to some weirdo who believed females were put on earth only to serve men.
    “I’ll make some calls,” Brill said, “for now they can stay with you.”
    Retta had them ready to go in no time. Daisy was sad to leave Buddy but happy to go with Styx. I just hoped the big dog didn’t squash Daisy in his eagerness to welcome her to his home.
    Iris made a polite speech of thanks to Barb, Dale, and me. She looked pale, as if the stress of the past few weeks was taking a toll on her. Pansy seemed determined to avoid emotion, but I hugged her anyway. After a few seconds she returned the embrace, clasping my waist tightly.
    Barb told Pansy, “You girls did nothing wrong. The law and anyone with a jot of common sense knows that accidents happen.”
    Barb can use words like jot and get away with it.
    Pansy didn’t reply. Between my hug and Barb’s assurances, I hoped we’d eased the child’s mind.
    Watching them pile into the SUV, I decided a trip to Retta’s might be exactly what the girls needed. I doubted the Isleys knew what it was to be girly, but they were about to find out. The next time we saw them, I fully expected bright fingernails, complicated hairdos, and clothing not previously worn by someone else. The Isley girls were about to learn the art of conspicuous consumption.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
    Retta
    We spent a quiet afternoon at my house, getting used to each other. The girls were shy at first, but Styx was a big help.