Wicked Brew by Amanda M. Lee

toward her mother.
    Bay stilled her approach worriedly. “Your mommy is sore. Be gentle with her.”
    Annie nodded solemnly as she carefully gave Belinda a desperate hug.
    “I was so worried about you,” Belinda said, petting her daughter’s head. “I woke up in the car and you were gone. I couldn’t get out.”
    “She found us,” I explained. “I’m sorry it took us so long to find you.”
    “Don’t be sorry,” Belinda said, her eyes swimming with tears. “You saved my baby.” She glanced up, her gaze landing on Denham for the first time. “What is he doing here?”
    “He’s being taken into custody,” Chief Terry said. “We’re going to need to talk to you, too. I need to know what you remember about the accident.”
    “I don’t know what I can tell you,” Belinda said. “I just know that a black car was heading right at us and I tried to swerve to avoid it. I blacked out, and when I woke up, Annie was missing. I tried to get out of the car, but I kept passing out.”
    “Yes, well, it just so happens that Mr. Denham rented a black car when he arrived in the area almost a week ago,” Chief Terry said. “He’s being taken into custody on attempted murder charges. Do you know why he would try to kill you?”
    “I was going after child support,” Belinda said. “I left him off the birth certificate because I didn’t want anything to do with him, but he kept showing up. I figured, if he was going to keep hounding us, I should get the money he owed us.
    “When I filed the paperwork, he started threatening me,” she continued. “I realized what I’d done, and I decided to run. He was being … scary.”
    Chief Terry nodded. “Did he threaten you?”
    “Yes. He kept saying he was going to kill me and take Annie.”
    “Did you know he was in the area?” Landon asked.
    “No,” Belinda said. “I thought we were safe. I had no idea he’d come here. I don’t even know how he found me.”
    “That will be a question he has to answer down at the station,” Chief Terry said, pulling his handcuffs from his belt.
    “Mom!” Denham was panicked.
    “You’re such a stupid moron,” Arlene grumbled. “I have no idea how I raised such an idiot.”
    “It must be karma,” Aunt Tillie said.
    Arlene wasn’t done yet. “That woman is not fit enough to take care of a child,” she said. “It’s going to be weeks before she’s recovered. How is she going to take care of Annie?”
    “She won’t be alone,” Winnie said, appearing from the other side of the nurse’s station. I hadn’t even realized she was over there and listening to everything. “She’ll be staying at The Overlook while she convalesces. That will allow her to rest, and have plenty of free childcare.”
    Annie looked excited at the prospect. “Does that mean I can help Aunt Tillie in her garden?”
    “No,” Landon said.
    Annie frowned. “But I want to learn more about the oregano.”
    Landon wagged his finger in Annie’s face. “No, you don’t. You can help Thistle in the store, though.”
    “And you can come with me to the stables,” Marcus said.
    “Can I ride a horse?” Annie asked, excited.
    “You can ride ten of them,” Marcus said.
    “But what about the oregano? It needs to be cut back so it won’t be all seeds.”
    Landon scowled.
    “Don’t worry,” Aunt Tillie said. “We still have our wine business.”
    “No, you don’t,” Landon said.
    “You’re starting to test the limits of my endurance,” Aunt Tillie said.
    “Wait a second. You can’t just hand my granddaughter over to these people,” Arlene said. “I brought a lawyer.”
    “Yeah, well we brought a judge,” Marnie said as she joined the crowd. I couldn’t help but notice that a tired looking Judge Crawford was with her. He still had pie crumbs on his face.
    “I’ve been made aware of the situation,” he said. “Since the mother is on her way to recovery, and the Winchesters have graciously opened up their home to her, I see no