Page 36 of Her Dying Secret (Detective Josie Quinn #20)

There’s no blood. I feel happy about that, but my heart feels weird and not right because when I touch her, she feels cold. There’s a big bruise across her forehead and her arms are all wrapped up like a mummy. I try to wake her up, but she doesn’t open her eyes.

“Leave her alone,” he says.

“No,” I say.

“Rosie, do what I say.”

“I won’t!”

He steps toward us and I throw myself over her. I am crying so hard that everything looks blurry. She still doesn’t move.

His voice gets nice again. He tries to touch my shoulder, but I slap his hand away.

“It’s going to be okay,” he lies.

“No, it’s not.” It will never be okay again. Not ever. “You killed Mom!”