Bea stood just outside the kitchen door and let her eyes roam over the rooms there. Deputy Mark had brought her to Noell’s last night, after dark. Nighttime. Bedtime. She’d been scared, even though she knew Noell. But she’d barely spent any time at her house, so at that time of night, it was scary.
Though she’d been scared, it had taken no time to fall asleep. Sleeping in Noell’s bed right beside Noell. Snuggled her. Bea had hardly been snuggled through her whole life. She’d probably needed it many, many times before now. She’d wanted to ask more questions and she’d asked Noell and Deputy Mark many before she finally fell asleep. The warmth of another human being close beside her, in the same bed, comforted her into a deep sleep until she felt Noell get up in the morning.
Bea rubbed her
