"You don't know." Cassie says. I shrug.
"Look, she leaves sometimes, okay? She'll be in some other part of the state then come back." I tell them.
"How long has she been gone this time?" Beau asks me.
"Three months." Cassie's jaw drops and Beau paces around the shop.
"Am I gonna have to close the shop?" I ask them as another customer comes in.
"Yes." They both say. Damn it damn it damn it.
________________|||_______________
At the station..
"Three months? Her mother has been gone three months and she didn't think to call a family friend? A babysitter? Anyone?" Jenny joins her friends/partners as they sit outside of their interrogation room, looking in at the young girl.
"Even worse, she's been running the supplies store at the edge of town all on her own. Looks like she's been doing the books, numbers, stocking, payout to vendors, everything. It's a lot for even an adult to handle. Guess that's why her mom leaves all the time?" Cassie looks at the information they got from checking the back of the store.
"I cant believe this." Beau sighs loudly, even more angry and exasperated.
"The nerve of a mother leaving her own child to fend for herself." He paces before turning back to the other two.
"Not just that, but to run a business?! Are you shitting me?! She's a child!" He yells.
"Calm it, Cowboy." Cormac says as he's escorted into the station by Pops. Cassie then realizes.
"You led us there." She says walking to him. Jenny and Beau follow.
"Was I right?" He asks. Beau throws his hands in the air.
"Her moms awol. She's running the business on her own, no one to look after her." He walks into the room Kyla is in.
"He just can't imagine someone doing this to their own child. He has a daughter too, I'm sure he's reflecting." Jenny assures Cormac, who looks stunned at the Sheriffs behavior.
"That might be a good thing, having the sheriff watch over her. She's clearly been on her own for a while, even when her mom is here." He shrugs.
"What makes you say that?" Cassie asks.
"Martha is her moms name right?" Cormac asks. She nods.
"I saw her phone open a few nights ago, she went the back to get me some tarp. Her texts with her mom were open, most of them were about how little her mom does for the shop. I thought I saw the date of one of the last texts being like two months ago, but you might have to check." He says.
Kyla
"So you've been on your own, running your mom's business for about 2 years now," Beaus starts.
"Am I in trouble?" I ask him.
"No. Your mom is though, once we find her. I think it's safe to assume you resent her at least a little for doing this to you." My shoulders deflate.
"I didn't ask for this to happen, no. Running a business isn't all it's chalked up to be." He nods in agreement.
"I gotta keep the shop open, Mr. Arlen." I lean forward in my seat.
"Beau, please. And I'm not sure if that's possible. If your mom comes back, she'll most definitely go to jail. May be you could sell that place, but, I think your time there is over. As the owner anyways." He says. I sigh.
"Do I have to go to a foster home?" I ask him. He sits down, rubbing his beard in thought. We stay silent.
"Do you want to? Is that what you'd rather do?" He asks.
"Is there another option?" I ask him. He sucks in his teeth like he doesn't want to say it.
"I might be able to find a way to make you my ward." He says finally. I furrow my brows in confusion.
"Like custody?" He gets up and gestures me to follow him. We walk out of the room and around the station.
"Kind of. Usually it goes to next of kin but since you have no other family I might be able to pull some strings. It means you would live with me and you'd be my responsibility. But since you're sixteen, it would have to be something you want." He explains, bringing me to his office.