“Ms. Brooks retains full legal and physical custody of her children.”
“The petition is denied, and the record of this hearing is referred to the district attorney this morning.”
She looked at Ashley for a long moment.
“Deputy Haynes,” she said.
“Please take Ms. Rourke and Ms. Dana Rourke into custody for questioning.”
The gavel came down once.
In the hallway, the deputy stopped Ashley beside a water fountain.
The cuffs were already on.
Her Birkin hung from Pike’s hand, and he looked at it as if he had never seen it before.
Emily walked up to her.
She was shorter than Ashley by half a head, and she had never in her life looked taller.
From her cardigan pocket she drew a folded twenty-dollar bill.
It was the one from the porch.
She tucked it into Ashley’s cuffed hand and folded Ashley’s fingers over it, one by one.
