Tin Lily Read Free Page B

the doorway. He smiles, nods once, leaves. He’s proud he found my aunt.
    “Are you okay, Lil?” she asks when she pulls back. Her eyes don’t leave mine. She’s trying to see where I’ve gone.
    “I’m okay,” I say.
    She brushes hair out of my face. Her fingers are rough and soft. “My brother did this? Hank, he did this?”
    I don’t answer. Her eyes are cornflower blue like Mom’s, but flecked with gold too. The cornflower sends a sharp ache where my heart used to be. My focus: the gold.
    “I’m so sorry,” she says. “Oh god.” Her voice hitches. I see the panic coming on and look at my lap, at the open magazine on my legs. I listen to the whir, whir, whir of the air conditioner, the buzzing florescent light overhead, the scrape and clang of the hallway.
    “What happens now?” I ask when she’s quiet again.
    Margie stares at me and her eyes are huge. The gold reflects, refracts, tells me what’s inside my aunt—fear.
    “I don’t know exactly. The police officer outside told me it’ll take them awhile to finish up their investigation.”
    To find Hank, she means, but doesn’t say.
    “Okay. Can you stay?”
    “Of course. And when everything’s finished, you’ll come to Seattle with me.”
    “Are you sure?” Margie’s never had a kid. I’m not a handful or anything, but it’s big going from no kids to one.
    “I promised your mother,” she says softly.
    I know my face is a question. I know Margie sees that.
    “Your mom asked me to take care of you if anything happened to her. It’s how I knew something had, sweetheart. Your mom and I check in every week and I couldn’t get a hold of her last night.”
    I decide not to think about Mom’s cell phone playing her favorite song in its tinny way, only her recorded voice left to answer who’s calling. I focus on Margie’s words. Your mom asked me to take care of you if… “Did she know Hank would do this?”
    “No, of course not,” Margie says. “No.” She shakes her head hard. She’s trying to convince us both. “She was talking about accidents, not this.”
    “Okay.” Margie and me, we watch each other, and finally, I ask the question that’s pushing to get out. “Could we stay here? Me and you?”
    “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but no.” She looks around the hospital room, out the window, back to me. Her face is pinched. “I can’t move back here and I think it’s better if we go.”
    I look out the window and don’t say anything.
    “Your dad and I haven’t spoken since we were kids.” Her voice turns to a whisper. “I tried, but he refused. Tried for years. He couldn’t forgive me.” I don’t know what Margie means by this, but there’s no curiosity in me to ask. “Anyway, he doesn’t know where I live, if you're worried about that.” She waits for me to say something. I keep quiet. “Officer Newbold doesn’t think you’re in any danger.” She tugs on my chin so I have to look at her. “He believes this because Hank left you alive. Lily, if your dad tried to hurt you, it’s important you say so.”
    “Because they’ll give us protection?”
    Margie shakes her head. “No. I guess Hank left so much evidence behind it’s doubtful he’ll have a decent defense if the case goes to trial. Officer Newbold said they don’t put people in witness protection who won’t be needed as a witness.”
    “Then why?”
    “Because there are other ways to protect you. The Langhorn couple—”
    “They kill sheep and cows there.”
    Margie nods slowly. “I know, but their farm is remote and Hank would have no idea how to find you.”
    “He didn’t try to hurt me, Aunt Margie. I promise. Please don’t make me go with the Langhorns.”
    Margie wraps her arms around me again. “No, Lilybeans. I won’t. I promise.”
    There are no words left in me to say how much I can’t go with Mack-Hank and Darcy. I think Margie, with her shaking and crying, understands. Not like Mom understood about the zoo, but close.
    I’m