P ip knew she was a coward. But that didn't matter in the moment. What mattered was that he was there and she was safe. For one moment she gave in to the fear, the weakness, and just let him hold her. Couldn't she just let him hold her for a little while ?
He felt so much stronger than her father. So much stronger than the world. She just wanted him to hold her for a few minutes longer. He seemed to understand that .
He was holding her just as tightly as she was holding him. He didn't pull away until the sheriff's SUV pulled in, lights blazing. Pip's brother-in-law stepped from the cab and rushed across the yard toward them .
"What the hell happened? What's going on? Pip, honey? Pan; girls talk to me." Pip stepped out of Matt's arms and looked at her brother-in-law. “When we got home, Pan and I noticed that the door was wide open. We called the dog then came inside and checked the house ."
"That ever happens again you are to get back in your car and drive straight to our place, no hesitation,” Joel ordered. “Anytime something happens, you understand ?"
Pip nodded. But this was their house. Not the Mastersons. It was her home, hers and her father's and Perci's and the boys; their home that had been violated. They had every right to go inside .
But they would discuss that later. Joel needed to know what they’d find inside. "We went inside and checked the house. Someone had been in there. He left the toilet seat up, and ate one of our cinnamon rolls. Perci’s room took the most damage. Someone dumped her dresser on the floor. He cut her bras and panties into pieces. They're all ruined. My room ..."
"What did they do in yours?" Matt asked. He was still next to her, his hand on her shoulder. He pulled her back so that she could rest against his chest while she faced his brother .
"My top drawer was open. My underwear is gone; it’s nowhere in the house. My entire top drawer was empty. We did laundry yesterday; everything but what I'm wearing now was in that drawer. And now it's gone. Perci's is destroyed. Why would he do that? Why did he do that ?"
Joel stepped closer, and put his hands on her cheeks. Her sister's husband kissed her lightly on the forehead. “I don't know, baby, but I'm going to find out. I can promise you that ."
"Tell them about the rest of it, Pip," Pan said from next to Levi .
"What else?” Matt asked from behind her .
"There was a stuffed horse on my pillow. Yellow, with black points and a pink hairbow. We didn't touch it. But I know it's not mine. We've never seen it before. And in the middle of Perci's bed was one of our kitchen knives. Jammed right into the center of where my sister sleeps ."