Free Montana Skies (You, Me and the Kids) (Harlequin Superromance, No 1395) by Kay Stockham Page B

daughter was just beginning to develop, whereas Skylar Mathews had the body of a woman. Although covered by her black attire, the girl’s generous breasts heaved with the aftermath of the fight.
    He split his attention between the girls. “What happened?”
    â€œI didn’t do anything, Mr. Taggert.”
    â€œDad—”
    Mandy glared at his daughter, her chin lifted to a haughty angle. “Shut up, Car-ly .”
    Carly? Jonas looked at Caroline and found her blushing furiously, her gaze glued to the floor.
    â€œThis is between freak-queen and me,” Mandy continued bluntly.
    â€œWatch your mouth,” Rissa ordered Mandy. “Girls your age should know better than to call people names.”
    Jonas held up a hand for silence. “What were you going to say?” he asked Caroline.
    Instead of looking at him, his daughter glanced at Skylar, her eyes wide and questioning. Jonas almost missed the slight shake of Skylar’s head. Unfortunately, Caroline heeded the warning and didn’t speak.
    â€œGirls, do I need to take you to the station to get to the bottom of this?”
    â€œIt was just an argument,” Skylar muttered. “No big deal.”
    â€œShe already has two weeks detention for fighting,” Mandy volunteered.
    The Blake girl gazed up at him, pretending innocence despite the nail scrapes down Skylar’s arm and the bruises beginning to darken beneath the other girl’s light skin.
    â€œShe’s caused trouble since she got here. Just ask Principal Kline.”
    Jonas didn’t like Mandy’s attitude, but she was giving him needed information Skylar didn’t refute. Nor did Rissa. Shaking his head, he glanced at Rissa, but saw she still glowered in the general direction of her daughter. He looked to Caroline next, but knew in aninstant she wasn’t about to say another word in front of the two girls. What was it with females? Guys could beat each other senseless and get a beer right after, but females held a grudge for life.
    He scrubbed a hand over his face. “That doesn’t tell me what started this particular fight.”
    â€œShe did.” Mandy pointed a glossy, fake nail at Skylar. “She said nasty things about me and called me a bitch.”
    â€œSkylar, did you?”
    Jonas heard the pain in Rissa’s query and forced himself to ignore it. He’d known Mandy Blake since she was a kindergartner in the same class as Caroline, whereas Skylar—
    He glanced at Rissa again. What was the deal? The girl couldn’t drive, couldn’t work. She couldn’t have bought the makeup and weird clothes. Not without Rissa taking her to do so. Allowing it. How could Rissa look so normal and yet her daughter…
    â€œI won’t do it again, Mr. Taggert. All I want is for her to stay away from me and my friends. Right, Caroline?”
    His daughter’s face colored to yet a deeper shade of pink.
    â€œI—I—”
    The door to the library opened and Mandy’s mother hurried inside. “What’s going on? One of the girls called and said Mandy was attacked again.”
    Jonas prayed for the day to be over. “No one attacked anyone.”
    â€œYou.” Doreen pointed a finger at Skylar, and Jonas saw Rissa stiffen. If he didn’t discharge the situation soon, another fight would take place—between the mothers.
    â€œDoreen, nothing happened that I can’t handle,” he stated forcefully. “And before you pursue this further, Ishould warn you that if I have to, I’ll take both girls to the station in the back of my cruiser. Handcuffed. Mandy caused quite a few bruises of her own as you can see.”
    Just as he figured, Mandy hurriedly shook her head at her mom, visibly horrified at the thought of being so humiliated. “Mom, no. The freak knows to leave me alone now.”
    â€œThis is the third time she’s come after Mandy, Jonas. Do