Chapter 6 - The Knock at Her Door
Three days later, someone knocked rapidly on her front door.
Maribel opened it and froze.
Owen stood on the porch with his nanny several steps behind him.
Before Maribel could speak, he wrapped both arms around her waist.
“I told them you didn’t do it.”
Maribel closed her eyes.
“Owen, you shouldn’t be here without your dad knowing.”
“Dad knows.”
The nanny gave Maribel a nervous smile.
“Mr. Calloway said he could visit for twenty minutes.”
Owen reached into his backpack.
He pulled out a folded drawing.
It showed a small house with three stick figures.
One was Owen.
One was Everett.
The third wore a green dress.
Above it, Owen had written in uneven letters:
MY FAMILY.
Maribel covered her mouth.
“You’re not a thief,” Owen whispered. “Grandma is wrong.”
Maribel crouched so they were eye level.
“Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes when they’re scared or angry.”
Owen shook his head.
“Grandma wasn’t scared.”
Maribel paused.
Something about the way he said it stayed with her.
Before she could ask what he meant, the nanny reminded him it was time to leave.
Owen hugged Maribel again.
As he walked toward the car, he suddenly turned.
“I saw the green box again.”
Maribel frowned.
May you like
“What green box?”
But the nanny was already guiding him away.
