Page 118 of Justice II

“What happened?”

“She admitted to killing Midnite.”

I stared at him. I knew she did it, but hearing that she finally confessed made me want to call everybody who had looked at me like I was crazy.

“She told you?”

“Yeah. Cookie, my in-laws’ dog, got sick after we left Pittsburgh. Turns out Storie gave her chocolate.”

“What?!” This little bitch was insane.

“She’s gonna be okay. But I remembered Storie buying that shit on the ride up. So when Dream called to tell me that the dog was sick because of chocolate poisoning I immediately knew it was because of Storie. I think she was retaliating because she figured out you and I were talking again,” he admitted.

I shook my head. That little girl couldn’t even go visit her grandparents without hurting something.

“You know we can’t be together if she’s like this. She will try to hurt me or this baby. She’ll hurt anyone she perceives is taking you away from her. She’s in love with you,” I said.

“Nah. No. She has issues but ew. It ain’t like that. She’s my daughter.” He was so disgusted that his nose scrunched up as if he had smelled something foul.

“Is she?”

“I’m waiting on the results. Either way, I’ve raised her like my own. She sees me as her father. She might have attachment issues but she doesn’t love me. She’s a kid and whatever that test says, I’ve been her father.” My baby was deep in denial but I let it go.

“What did she say about Monica?”

His eyes moved away from mine.

“She said she didn’t do it. Said she told you that to scare you.”

“And you believe her?”

“I want to. Killing a horse is one thing. Smothering your mother is another.”

“Well, I don’t believe her. She was sincere as fuck when she told me.”

He rubbed his jaw before looking at me again.

“I checked her into Shady Grove yesterday at the emergency psychiatric care.”

For a moment, I didn’t say anything. I hadn’t expected that.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I spoke to the doctor this morning. They’re keeping her for two weeks for a full evaluation and treatment. They need more time with her.”

“Did she tell them about the animals?”

“Yep.”

I sat on the arm of the sofa. Storie had finally admitted to something she couldn’t explain away. I wanted to be relieved, but I kept thinking about how easily she could turn those tears on.

I had done enough reading about antisocial personality disorder to know they didn’t diagnose it before eighteen. I still believed that was what we were dealing with. Storie could smile in somebody’s face while planning to ruin their life. I didn’t know what two weeks could do for a girl who enjoyed that shit.

I kept those thoughts to myself. Justice already looked worn down. I wasn’t going to stand there and tell him I thought he was wasting his time trying to help his daughter.

“What did the doctor say about her getting better?” I asked.

“It’s all a waiting game.”