“Get out of my house! Now Dan!”I grunt.

“Marlee we have a job, and we need you to do it! Please? It’s just one thing!” Dan begs. I don’t know what he’s thinking I did ‘a job only I could do’ and it got my husband killed.

“Dan, my kids are more important than money! They could get hurt!”

“Look I know your still worried after what happened with Wyatt but-” I slam my hands onto the table.

“What happened to Wyatt was no casualty!”

“You know that’s not what I meant, Marlee-”

“But it is! He’s just another bump in the road! Well my children will be home soon, and I’d rather keep my old life separate from my new! So leave.”

“But you have to do this one!” Dan turns back to begging. And my front door opens, Naomi and Isaac walk through slinging their bags onto the floor. My seven year old twins, same olive skin, brown eyes, black hair, just like their father. Except unlike his sister, Isaacs arms are more bruise than skin.

“Momma the teacher says we can’t go back for three whole days!” Naomi whines.

“What happened, baby?” I raise my eyebrows .

“Sawyer was making fun of Isaac and I-”

“She socked him mom! It was the coolest thing I ever saw!” Isaac smiles real big.

“Nomes…”

“You should’ve seen him! He was being a real big jerk! I’m sorry, I just, Isaacs my twin, him getting bullied is like me getting bullied!”

“Nomes your not in trouble! Thank you for standing up for him, but next time just tell an adult, ok?”

“For real?” Naomi’s fretted face shifts to a smile.

“For real.” I smile back. Then Dan clears his throat. “Oh this is Dan. He’s an old….friend.”

“Hello!” Dan smiles something in between a real and fake smile.

“Why don’t you guys go do any homework you have, no TV until we talk more about school ok?”

“Yes mam.” I watch as they scurry into the playroom, then Naomi runs back to get the bags. Once I’m sure they’re gone I turn to Dan.

“What makes you so sure only I could do it?”

“The subject is-” He’s cut off by my phone ringing. Ugh. The school.

“If you’ll excuse me, Hello this is Marlee Smith how may I help you?”

“I’m not sure if you’re aware but your children have been suspended for the next three days.”

“Why?”

“At recess a child was picking on Isaac and Naomi retaliated, socking the young man in the face.”

“And my son is suspended why?”

“Well the young man said that he was only picking on Isaac because he stamped on his foot.”

“And you believe him because?”

“Well, Sawyer I believe was his name, claimed that after breaking into tears because of the black eye your daughter gave him!” That’s my girl.

“Was Sawyer suspended?”

“No but-”

“Well, my son came home covered in bruises, caused by Sawyer and was suspended, and Sawyer went home without a single mark on his record. I agree my daughters actions were unjustified but so were Sawyer’s, she saw something wrong and stopped it unlike your lazy staff! Now I didn’t raise my daughter to back down when she saw something wrong, and your staff shouldn’t either! I’m very well aware that my children are not cool among their peers, but that does not grant favoritism from the staff! So either you clean up your system or we’ll leave it! Actually no matter how hard you try I don’t think you can fix your sorry excuse for a school. Goodbye. Don’t contact me again!” I huff.

“What the heck did I just witness?” Dans eyes are wide.

“Motherly instinct, now WHAT makes it so important that I do this? HUH?”

“We found the man who killed Wyatt.”

“What, what uh did you say?” I whisper, Niagara Falls building up in my eyes.

“Here’s the file, moneys already in there, evidence is as well should you want reassurance, do what you want with it.” Dan drops a file onto the table. “Good day.” I nod as he walks out, not sure what to say. But I know what to do. I pick up my phone dialing my late husbands old friend.

“Marlee? What can I do for you?”

“You still do detective work right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I have something for you.”