Second Chances: A PAVAD Duet Read online

  “And what is it?” Edward Dennis asked just as Marianna approached Ally, her blue eyes on the cookies in Ally’s hands. For such a lean and toned woman, Marianna was obsessive about chocolate.

  “624 W Powell St.” The man said.

  Marianna gasped, her hands fumbling the cookies. “Oh my God!”

  “What is it?” Dennis’s attention snapped in the brunette’s direction. “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes! That’s my address!” The older woman’s eyes were wide, her mouth trembled. “Surely they wouldn’t...”

  Dennis’s eyes narrowed, his free hand wrapped around Marianna’s forearm. Her skin showed white where his fingers dug in. Neither seemed aware of how tightly he held her. Ally held her breath while she waited to see what happened. Dennis spoke. “Who?”

  “My children...my son, Teddy,” Marianna’s eyes darted to Ally for support. “Oh my God, sir, I am so sorry. I can guarantee it won’t happen again. If you’ll excuse me, I think I have something to take care of. I’ll be bringing the culprit to you shortly.”

  Marianna left Ally, the blond man, and Edward Dennis staring at her figure as she left through the doors Ally had just entered.

  “Dr. Brewster, care to explain?” Dennis asked.

  “Frankly, sir, the Glendower boys are just something you have to see for yourself.”

  Chapter 17

  His daughter held a doctorate in forensic sciences. His daughter, Dr. Kelly Reynolds―Dan liked the sound of that. She’d always been a bright girl, but that she’d chosen science--that surprised him. She’d told him a few things about her sisters, about herself. She wasn’t as talkative, as effusive as he remembered her being as a child.

  But things had changed a lot since then.

  They finished their coffee, before lingering on the walk back toward the big stone building where they both worked. Dan couldn’t get over the shock of it. His daughter, casually walking back into his life as if he’d never lost her. He couldn’t be a luckier man than he was today. “Kelly, I do want you to remember one thing―no matter what; I loved you girls and missed you every single day.”

  She nodded, didn’t say anything. Walked at his side. She was nearly as tall as he was; something that surprised him since her mother had been shorter. Of course, she did wear the same type of black boots that Paige favored, which probably gave her a two inch lift.

  He stopped her just outside the door. “Kid, I know fifteen years is a lot of years, and I won’t rush you. But I would like to get to know you again. And if you ever need anything―I’m right here.”

  He knew she most likely needed some time to process what had happened. He knew he did. It had been one hell of a first day back for him.

  “I got to go, my team meets on the third floor.” Dan wanted to hug her. To touch her, prove to himself that she wasn’t a part of his imagination, but was really truly breathing in front of him. He forewent the hug, settling instead on squeezing her elbow. “You look good, kiddo. Real good.”

  “Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.” She smiled, a tentative expression that told him how conflicted she was. “For a dead man.”

  Dan laughed. “Get to work, kid. We’ve got bad guys to catch.”

  He watched his purple-headed daughter turn left and head to the stairs. Dan headed back to the elevators. It was time to restart his day.

  And to think, he’d almost taken an extra day off. Because he’d wanted to search down a new lead on his daughters’ whereabouts. If he’d stayed home, how long would it have taken for him to realize his daughter was one of the basement nerds?

  Dan never ventured into the lab, he had no need to. Anything they needed was often forwarded through email. Or the team sent Josh down to retrieve it. It could have potentially taken him months to know his daughter was in the same building.

  Dan was still shaking his head when another favorite redhead caught him just inside the Complex Crimes Unit’s doors. Carrie wrapped long skinny arms around his neck―something she normally didn’t do, as she was reluctant to touch people―and hugged him tightly. “Are you ok? Ok?”

  Dan squeezed her back, this child of his heart. She was almost as precious to him as Kelly and her sisters. “Sure am, kiddo. Never been better.”

  “Good. Paige was worried, too.” Carrie nodded once, before sinking back into her chair. Her desk was the only one with multiple computer screens. She carried at least two with her at all times, just in case one went down. Computers were the girl’s gift and her obsession. She’d saved multiple lives with her skills, and Dan wondered if she truly knew how valuable she was. To those other than her husband, that was.

  “I’ll talk to her tonight,” Dan said. “I’m ok, kiddo. Honest, you and Paige don’t need to worry. This old guy can handle anything that comes his way.”

  She nodded. But it touched Dan that the two young women worried about him, had made him a part of their small family. He’d never forget how he’d felt a few months back learning that Carrie and Paige had grown up together on the streets of Nashville, orphaned foster kids who’d simply slipped out of the system. Made their own way through the world at the tender age of fifteen. How they’d hitched rides between Nashville and New Orleans, how they’d sang on street corners for money. How they’d narrowly escaped worse on multiple occasions.

  It was still hard for him to fathom. He knew had been hard for them, probably harder for Paige than the slightly younger Carrie. Carrie was autistic, a bit different, and Dan had seen Paige go to extremes to protect her.

  And Dan had seen the scars from much, much worse on the darker haired girl. Had seen the nightmares still in Paige’s eyes. Had heard little things slip from both her and Carrie, things that told him that Paige had fought hard to keep Carrie safe, sometimes at a great cost to herself. Now Carrie had Lorcan; Dan just wished Paige had someone, too. Other than Alessandra Brockman, her partner. Paige had seemed so alone since Carrie had married.

  Paige and Carrie―they were his girls, too. He wondered what Kelly would think of them, how the three would get along. They were of an age. Paige and Kelly both shared the same taste in clothes.

  It would be interesting to find out. In the meantime, Dan had work to do. It was good to be back.

  Chapter 18

  Ally didn’t see Dan Reynolds for the rest of that week. She’d heard through the rumor mill that his entire team had been called out for a serial arsonist case in Seattle, and occasionally hints of that case would hit the division. It sounded like a tough one and Ally would admit she felt the tiniest touch of worry. Strictly on Kelly’s behalf, of course. She wasn’t the only one worrying. Agent Lorcan prowled around the division with a dark expression in his strange green eyes. Ally would pass him and his team on her way in each morning. She’d heard it was the first assignment his wife had been on since they’d married. Apparently the other team leader wasn’t taking her absence well.

  Ally thought that was sweet, and a part of her envied the younger woman. To have someone love you like that was beautiful. A part of her wondered if Jack had ever loved her that way.

  Life in the lab was no different in St. Louis than it was in Indianapolis. The two teams from Indianapolis were joining the two remaining teams in St. Louis. Most of the St. Louis agents were accepting. Some were a bit hostile, especially the assistant lab director.

  Luckily his hostility seemed focused in Marianna’s direction―and Sam’s. Ally couldn’t quite put a finger on why Sam―the team’s computer and video analyst―rubbed the man the wrong way, but she did. Poor Sam, Ally knew the younger woman didn’t understand it, either. Ally could understand that he resented Marianna―after all, she was his new boss, and since he’d been acting lab director until Marianna transferred in, a bit of rancor was expected.

  But Sam―Sam was young, quiet, sweet, never did anything to anger anyone. Even Sam’s ex-husband Eric―another member of their teams―loved Sam. Barely a week in, and Sam was already walking on egg shells around Dr. Richison.
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  It was starting to concern Ally, and as Sam’s direct supervisor she’d have to find a way to resolve the problem, without jumping Aitcheson’s head and going straight to Marianna. That wouldn’t do anything to help the two groups get along.

  Ally’s sigh was long as she rounded the corner to her office just outside the main lab. Kelly and Merrick Cody were hard at work processing a car that the CCU had sent back. Apparently, their arsonist had torched it with a strange accelerant that the local police labs couldn’t―or didn’t have time to―identify. That fell to Kelly to analyze, after Cody took the car apart.

  The two women worked well together, and were good friends. Maybe Cody could get something out of Kelly. God knows, Ally had tried all week. Kelly hadn’t mentioned her father in the last seven days. Every time Ally mentioned him, or even tried to bring up the subject the younger girl would hide in Ally’s spare bedroom until Ryan or Aislin distracted her. Kelly was good, and Ally half suspected her friend was paying the children to keep Ally from asking too many questions.

  Kelly had called her sister Emma. And other than stating that Emma was ok with things, nothing else had been said.

  It was driving Ally insane. Kelly needed family―why else would she be so attached to Ally’s or Marianna’s? Or so attached to Cody, Sam, and Payton?

  The younger woman had made a surrogate family out of the people she worked with, becoming so entrenched in the peripheries of their lives that Ally was beginning to fear it wasn’t entirely healthy. Ally loved her; Kelly was like the little sister Ally had always wanted. But she also knew Kelly couldn’t bury her head forever.

  Something was going to have to be done―about Kelly and for Kelly. Ally paused just outside the door as she heard a childish voice and a man’s deeper timber. It was voices she recognized―Marianna’s middle son Ted walked with the director of the division, Edward Dennis.

  Ted was as dear to her as her own son, and had spent countless hours with Ryan. He was a good kid, a little rambunctious like all Marianna’s sons were, but he was bright and loveable. And apparently bonding with Dennis.

  The man’s hand rested on the boy’s shoulder as they walked, and Ted didn’t seem to mind. That surprised Ally―none of Marianna’s sons were too comfortable with men. But apparently Ted was ok with Dennis.

  As the pair drew nearer, headed toward Marianna’s office, Allison gasped. “Teddy, what in the world―“

  “Aunt Ally. It’s nothin’.” He mumbled the words, dropping his chin to his chest. It did little to prevent Ally from seeing the bruising forming around his right eye.

  “What happened, sweetie? And are you hurt anywhere else?” Doctor eyes combined with those of a mother scanned the child quickly.

  “Some jerks at school. And I’m ok.” He seemed uncomfortable with her fussing and she backed away. Ryan was going through the same stage. It made her a bit wistful. The two were growing up fast. “But I’m supposed to report directly to my mom when I get here each day.”

  Ally hid a smile, having heard Marianna worrying over just what exactly the director had intended for her wayward son. Ally had thought the punishment was ingenious. Ted loved his computers, and to have to know he’d not be able to touch them for five full weeks was an entirely appropriate punishment, both age appropriate and situation appropriate.

  Still, Marianna was a bit overprotective of her boys, and Ally understood that. Understood why.

  Edward Dennis was just as coldly powerful as Marianna’s ex. More. This man welded power like it was nothing, and made Harold Glendower look like a child. Still, Ally already knew that Dennis was cut from an entirely different cloth than Glendower. She just wondered if Marianna knew that.

  Ally watched the two walk down the hallway, thinking that maybe Ted’s hacking the FBI computer system would be a good thing for the boy. If a man like Edward Dennis was taking an interest in him, surely it would have good results. At least for Ted.

  Chapter 19

  Dan was exhausted. The Seattle case had knocked them all for a bit of a loop for a while there. Thank God they’d caught the bastard in the act. Managed to save two kids in the process. Their mother hadn’t been so lucky.

  Dan would never forget the expression on the father’s face as he handed him the four-year-old little girl. The man’s eyes had shown relief that his children were safe, and grief that their mother wasn’t. They’d been divorced for three years, but it was obvious the man had still loved his ex-wife.

  The little girl had been a strawberry blond, her curls so much like all three of his girls’ it had brought back memories for Dan. This time, though, he didn’t have the same pain. Always before he’d wonder, worry, dwell, on just where his children might be. But now he knew.

  He’d come up with a game plan over the last week or so. He’d definitely give Kelly her space, let her get used to him being around again. But not too much space. He was anxious to reconnect with Emma, as well. And baby Gracie. He’d often wondered what her smile looked like―she hadn’t even had teeth the last time he’d seen her.

  He couldn’t wait to have all his girls in one place, one place where he could see them. But he also knew that he’d have to respect the fact that they didn’t know him. Beth had robbed them all of that.

  Tonight, though, he just wanted to get home, relax, and soak in the jet tub that had come with the place. He hurt, nothing new at his age, but in the last twenty years he’d been shot with a total of eight bullets. That was bound to catch up with a man sooner or later.

  He was damned lucky to be alive and he knew it. And now he actually felt it.

  He was the last one of the team into the bullpen. Carrie had wasted no time finding that husband of hers―in fact, Lorcan must have heard they were returning because he met her at the lobby doors. She didn’t even get inside before he was rushing her away. Dan didn’t understand it, Carrie was a sweet kid―why was she with a guy like him? Lorcan was shady to Dan. The kind of guy he’d expect to find in a back alley―not in the middle of Carrie’s living room, petting the damned cat.

  Still, if he made the girl happy, Dan had no problems with him. He'd keep reminding himself of that until he actually believed it.

  Josh was a few steps ahead of Dan and he hurried up to catch the boy. “Josh!”

  Josh turned, pushed his glasses back up his nose. He was a good looking kid around the age of thirty, but the look in his eyes made him appear so much older. Dan sighed, remembering how the kid had been when he’d first joined the unit. He had a quick sense of humor, a fast mind, and a steady manner. Bright, too. But lately, he’d blended in to the background. All because two different bastards had gotten the jump on him―and came damned close to killing Carrie and Georgia. Josh hadn’t forgiven himself for his perceived failure yet―Dan knew it would take time.

  But the kid was too young to waste his life due to misplaced guilt. He’d barely let Carrie, Georgia, or K.D. out of his sight the entire Seattle investigation. And it was starting to interfere with all their job performance.

  Something would have to be done, and Dan knew it would have to be him to confront Josh. He was closer to the kid than Hellbrook, cared a good deal about the boy. And if he was honest, knew the kid looked up to him some.

  “Dan? What is it? I need to file my report.”

  “Don’t we all. I think you should give me a lift home. Stay for a cold beer, I’ll throw an extra steak on the grill.” Dan clapped a hand on the taller man’s shoulder. He was a strong boy, a fact often overlooked because of the degree of his intelligence. Kid had two doctorates, for Pete’s sake. “Been a while since we had a chance to talk.”

  “I don’t know. I really don’t think I’ll have time.”

  “Nonsense. Going to hurry home to write another paper on the abnormal psychosis involved in child fire starters? There’s plenty of time to do that later. I don’t need to tell you the ramifications of being a workaholic―or developing other obsessions.” Dan was firm, Josh had been in his funk long enough.<
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  He was too young, good looking, successful―more than outstanding as a victimologist, a future leader in his field―to be so alone. Dan knew what loneliness was. He’d been lonely for fifteen years. He’d hate to see the kid end up the same way. Dan valued family, and as far as he was concerned, Josh Compton was a part of his family, too.

  “Come on, I guarantee it’ll be a nice relaxing evening. We’ll watch the game, share a six pack and a couple of good steaks.”

  Josh nodded, though Dan sensed the reluctance.

  Still, the first step was taken.

  Chapter 20

  Ally was ready to call it a day. She’d had her hands full all afternoon, first refereeing an argument between Eric and Dr. Richison, and then assisting Kelly in the lab with the CCU’s samples. That was her role in life―assisting and refereeing, Ally had often thought that since joining the FBI. She often handled the biological samples, leaving chemical samples for others.

  Not exactly what she’d intended when first going to medical school. She’d had dreams of being a daring trauma doctor, saving lives with last minute answers. Being the heroine. Instead she was mom to her children and to the women she worked with. And she was ok with that. Ally had long known that life threw you curve balls, and Ryan and Aislin were the best curve balls she could have ever received. If she occasionally longed to be practicing medicine she suppressed it. At her age, she was really too old to try to switch careers even if she’d been of a mind to. She loved being able to get home to her children in time to fix them dinner and go over homework. She’d not trade that for anything in the world.

  She checked her watch; if she wanted to get home in time to start that dinner she had to leave within the next half hour. She’d finish this last report then go grab her current house-guest. Kelly was looking for an apartment that met her needs while still fitting into her budget. Ally knew Kelly’s secret―the younger woman was footing the bill for her sister Emma’s law school tuition while juggling her own student loans. Money was often very tight for Kelly. And Ally didn’t mind having another adult in the house with her anyway. Someone to talk to about something other than Dora or Pokémon.