Free The Good Daughter by Jean Brashear

for?”
    “Wanda, I can’t—” Chloe glanced at her watch. She had ten minutes before her first appointment. “I know you mean well. And I’ve tried to make them understand that I’m not ready—”
    “You’d be ready if the right man came along, I promise you that. How come a woman who can see into other people’s heads can’t see what she’s doing to herself? You’re more than they think, Chloe. You deserve better than some Ken doll.”
    The restlessness that had been boiling higher and higher within her for months rattled the lid she’d slammed on it. “I’m trying to be fair to all of them, Wanda. This will be a tough campaign, and I don’t wantto make things harder on Roger.” And I can’t upset my parents right now. “I have to make a call before this first appointment.”
    Wanda held up a hand. “All right. I’ve said my piece, chère. But I just want you to think about why you turn yourself inside out for everyone, trying to be two different people when you know you don’t like one of them.”
    “Thank you, Dr. Wanda,” Chloe said stiffly.
    With a cheerful grin, Wanda waved her on. “Don’t think you’re insulting me with that. Some folks don’t need a Ph.D. to see what’s right.”
    Chloe relented. “I thank you for caring. I just—”
    Wanda’s hand fluttered. “Go on and make your call. You’ll do what you’ll do—and I’ll be here, regardless.”
    Chloe found a smile. “And I’m glad for it—sometimes.” She closed the door as Wanda’s husky laughter filled the room.
     
    V INCE HAD LOST TRACK of how many times he’d paged Gloria in between answering stupid phone calls in the chief’s office. He already knew it was useless; she wasn’t going to answer.
    What he didn’t understand was why.
    Could Krueger have suspected him and used her to set him up? Had Gloria just lost her nerve about leaving Krueger and warned him? But the raid hadn’t had the feel of a setup; he’d developed a sixth sense for that long ago.
    And how had Barnes and Newcombe even foundGloria to obtain her denial? She’d have had to approach them because he’d never broadcast her name. Confidential informants came and went, but Gloria had been his CI for a long time. She had kept her head about drugs better than most prostitutes. She’d never touched the deadly addictive high of crack, though he was aware that she’d sold it. Within her was a woman who wanted badly to be a good mother to Jason—that desire had probably saved her.
    He’d tried to convince her to go straight, to return to school, to apply for assistance with her son. She’d only shaken her head sadly as though he were demented. Her mother had been on welfare—she knew the score. “You never get out of that system, Vince. I’m making the most money I can this way. Minimum wage won’t take care of my boy.”
    Vince shook off his sense of futility. He’d keep looking for Gloria, but at the moment he had to figure out what was going on by some other route. He’d have to dig up information fast. He couldn’t put himself at the mercy of IAD’s investigation, especially not with Newcombe on the case.
    He didn’t trouble himself with worry that he was going against the regs, that if he were found investigating on the sly, he’d be off the force in the blink of an eye. Department legend said he had the best nose for sniffing out undercurrents others couldn’t find. Well, now he’d use it on his own behalf. If he took the rap on this case, it wouldn’t matter—he’d lose his job anyway. He couldn’t just sit on his hands and wait.
    Then Vince remembered Gloria’s mentioning afriend of hers who’d left an abusive boyfriend a couple of weeks ago. Her friend was staying at the Women’s Shelter, Gloria had told him. Maybe he’d get lucky and find out where Gloria was. He needed some answers. Bad.
     
    C HLOE SAT VERY STILL , willing herself to be calm, to keep her mind clear. The woman in the chair across from her stared