Chapter 6 - The Sheriff's Investigator
Detective Vance arrived at St. Agnes at 11:15 a.m. He was a tall, thin man with a graying mustache and a worn leather portfolio tucked under his arm. He didn't go to the waiting room; he sat in the small consultation room next to Caleb's ward, where Tessa had set out three chairs and a box of tissues.
Caleb was sleeping again, his hand elevated on a foam wedge.
Aaron sat in the corner of the consultation room, his hands clasped between his knees, staring at the grain of the laminate table. Roland was not in the room—Detective Vance had politely asked him to wait in the cafeteria downstairs while the immediate family gave their initial statements.
"The doctor's report confirms second-degree frostbite on the right index and middle fingers," Vance said, clicking his ballpoint pen twice. "Recovery will take six to eight weeks of physical therapy to prevent tendon contracture. There's a risk of permanent sensitivity to cold."
Aaron closed his eyes, his head dropping forward until his forehead touched his knuckles. "I'm the one who gave him the key code," he murmured. "I'm the one who told Dad we could leave Caleb with him for the weekend while we finished the flooring job at the rental property."
"You didn't know, Aaron," I said, putting my hand on his forearm. His muscles felt like coiled steel under his shirt. "None of us knew what kind of man he becomes when he's angry."
Vance turned his attention to me, his expression neutral. "Mrs. Miller, you provided the router logs and the device export via email this morning. Our cyber unit ran a preliminary verification. The override command at 7:16 p.m. originated from a tablet registered to Roland Miller, using his personal biometric ID."
"Yes," I said.
"Mr. Miller Sr. is downstairs," Vance continued, flipping a page in his notebook. "When my deputy spoke to him in the cafeteria, he stated that it was a disciplinary measure that got out of hand due to poor weather forecasts, and that he attempted to bring the boy inside twice before the storm worsened."
"The porch camera footage shows otherwise," I said. "There was only one movement event after the initial lockout—when he opened the door to demand an apology, and then locked the deadbolt again before closing the shutter."
Vance nodded slowly. "Under state law, willful endangerment of a minor resulting in bodily harm is a felony charge, regardless of familial relation. Given the medical severity and the premeditation shown by the digital override, the prosecutor's office will likely move forward with an indictment."
Aaron raised his head, his face pale and drawn. "What does that mean for him?"
"It means he'll have a court date, an arraignment, and likely a recommendation for house arrest pending trial, given his age and lack of prior record," Vance said evenly. "However, the primary concern right now is the safety and well-being of the child. Does the child feel safe returning to a home in that neighborhood?"
May you like
"We're not going back to Roland's house," I said before Aaron could answer. "We're moving our things out of the guest cottage this afternoon, and Aaron and I are taking a leave of absence from our jobs until Caleb is out of his bandages."
Vance closed his portfolio with a dry snap. "I'll take Mr. Miller’s formal statement down in the lobby before I leave. You'll receive a copy of the incident report by tomorrow morning."
