Free Second Chances: A PAVAD Duet by Calle J. Brookes

game.
Give you all a chance to catch up.” Dan had forgotten the younger
men where even there.
    Emma smiled first at Josh,
then much wider at the gawking J.T. “We didn’t mean to ruin your
plans. Please stay! It’s just that I’m sure mommy-dearest has
called out the bloodhounds, by now. So we kind of have to stay
right here for a little while.”
    “ Excuse me?” Dan asked as
J.T. and Josh excused themselves to the back porch where the grill
sat. Dan appreciated their not hurting Emma’s feelings by refusing.
“Bloodhounds?”
    “ Well, there’s the matter
of the restraining order she has against me. Kept me from getting
within four hundred feet of Gracie.” Emma snickered.
    “ OK, why?” Dan was
beginning to understand how Alice had felt in the rabbit hole. His
daughters were back, in his house, but one might be wanted by the
cops? He needed some clarification, fast.

Chapter 22
    Ally knew exactly how Dan
felt. Emma was a complete tornado; to keep up with her made a
person slightly dizzy. Even though her clothes were more muted, she
was just so much louder than Kelly that it was almost hard to
believe they were sisters. And Gracie was like neither of the older
two.
    Dr. Compton and his blond
friend―who reminded Ally of Marianna’s son Ted, complete with
cowlicks and thick glasses―were barely visible through the patio
windows. Ally knew how they felt, too. They were human buffers,
acting as protection against what had to be one of the most
difficult things the Reynolds’ had ever experienced.
    Dan asked the question that
had to be burning a hole in his mind. “Why does your mother have a
restraining order against you?”
    “ Because Mother and I will
never get along. And I refused to let her blackmail me into doing
what she wants.” Emma shrugged. Ally had never seen anyone with
such total disregard for her own mother before. What the girls must
have gone through for Emma to feel that way… “Mother keeps Kelly in
line by threatening to keep Gracie away from her. I refuse to play
Mother’s game.”
    “ And how did you get your
sister here?” Dan asked, from where he stood next to Ally. He had
to be hurting, the hand he clutched the stone mantle with shone
white around the knuckles. He stood so tense.
    “ Borrowed some of Kel’s
clothes. Walked right in and signed her out of the school.” Guilt
flashed across the girl’s face as she pulled an ID badge from the
purse at her feet.
    Ally took it, recognizing
it as the security badge Kelly had lost months ago. “Emma...your
sister got into serious trouble for losing this.”
    “ I know. But I needed it.
I’ll apologize.” Emma smiled, an attempt at innocence. “But it was
for the greater good. Kel will understand.”
    “ And what do you plan to do
now?” Dan asked. “I take it you’re officially on the
lam?”
    “ Not anymore,” Gracie said
from her perch on the couch’s arm. “Em’s finally got the stuff we
need, so that I never have to go back to Mother ever.”
    “ Ok, girls, explain.” Dan
finally sat. Ally sat beside him, the loveseat just big enough for
the two of them. She had a feeling the other parent in the room
needed the support.
    Emma sighed. “It’s really a
long story. Too long to get into right now. I’m sure she’s called
back and browbeaten Kelly into confessing by now,
anyway.”
    “ Go on,” Dan said. His
shoulder brushed Ally’s briefly.
    “ Gracie?” Emma looked at
the younger girl, who quickly pulled a thick manila envelope from
her backpack. She handed it to her father. Emma waited until he
opened it before continuing. “That’s everything you need to ensure
Mother never gets near Gracie again. It took me eight months of
planning, research, and calling in favors to get it. But it’s
done.”
    Dan skimmed the envelope’s
contents, face going first white then the red of anger.
    Ally recognized the papers
for what they were. She’d seen enough in her career. She waited for
him to say something. He