Random Acts (21 page)

“It’s delicious.”

Ava popped the tomato into her mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. “Are you going to come back and visit us soon?”

Danielle felt a bittersweet tug at her heart. She quickly glanced around the table. Everyone seemed focused on their meals. Danielle forced a smile. “Ava, I’ll come back and visit.”

“You promise?” The little girl stared at her intently with those green eyes reminiscent of Patrick’s.

“I promise I will come back to visit more often.”

“As long as she doesn’t forget about us once she’s back at her fancy law firm.” Leaning on the picnic table, Jenny pushed herself to a standing position, a smile playing on her lips, and she winked. She pulled one leg, then the other, over the picnic bench. Over the past week, Danielle had seemed to mend the fence with her sister, and she was especially pleased when Jenny’d announced she and Jimmy were taking a break, at least until she figured out what she wanted from life. Jimmy had been persistent with his phone calls, but Jenny’d seemed more determined with each day. Danielle was proud of her.

Gram’s eyes slid to Patrick. “Oh, I think she’ll be coming around a little more.”

Jenny picked up her plate and glass. “I think it’s great Danielle’s going back to Atlanta. It seems to suit her.”

Despite all their heart-to-hearts this week, Jenny had been adamant that Danielle leave Mayport. She felt a twinge of disappointment. Why didn’t Jenny want her to stick around?

“Thanks for dinner,” Jenny said, pulling the collar up on her jacket. “Can I help carry anything in before I go?”

“Are you sure you won’t stay for dessert?” Bunny asked.

Jenny waved her hand. “No, thank you. I’m tired.”

Patrick stood and offered his arm. “Let me walk you home.”

A tired smile turned up the corners of Jenny’s lips. “No, I’m good. Please, sit down. Enjoy the company.” With rounded shoulders, Jenny turned and walked away.

Danielle forced a smile. Pivoting on the end of the bench, she rose to her feet. “Thank you for dinner. It was a lovely evening. I probably should be going too.” She reached over and picked up her plate. “I have to finish packing. Gram, are you ready to go?”

“I can walk Gram home in a little bit. We haven’t even had dessert.” Danielle didn’t miss the disappointment in Ava’s voice.

“Thanks, sweetheart. That would be wonderful.”

A shrill cry came from around the front of the house. The fine hairs on the back of Danielle’s neck stood at attention.
Jenny.
She dropped her plate and glass on the table and ran in the direction of her sister’s cry.

“Let me go,” Jenny cried, her fisted hands protected her scrunched-up face.

“You’re lying. You’re lying. You have to tell the truth. ” Debbie, Billy Farr’s girlfriend, had Jenny by the shoulders, shaking her, forcing her head to bob back and forth.

“Stop!” Patrick yelled as he ran past Danielle. He grabbed ahold of Debbie and pried her fingers from Jenny, who was clearly shaken. He pulled Debbie’s arms behind her back. The crazed look in her eyes sent a chill down Danielle’s spine.

“Billy did not hurt you. And he’s not a drug dealer. Someone set him up. Someone put those drugs in his trunk.” Debbie’s voice rose to a higher and higher decibel, piercing Danielle’s eardrums. A small child’s wailing floated up from the rusted-out car idling in the driveway. “He wouldn’t do drugs. We have a child. You have to tell the truth.”

Danielle drew Jenny into a protective embrace. Her sister’s lips trembled and what little color she had drained from her face. Shoulders trembling, Jenny bowed her head and hid her face in her hands.

“Debbie,” Patrick said, his voice compassionate, “you need to pull yourself together. For your daughter’s sake.”

A
whoop
,
whoop
of a siren sounded from the end of the drive. Chief Parker raced up the driveway, his vehicle chewing up gravel. He pushed open his door and strode toward them, his hand hovering over his gun. “What’s going on out here?” He gestured with his chin toward Jenny. “Is she hurt?”

Jenny lowered her hands and shook her head. “No, she didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.”

“Who called you, Chief?” Patrick asked.

Ava poked her head out the front door, phone in hand. The fear on Ava’s face made Danielle’s stomach drop. She had seen that look many times before on her little sister’s face when their mother yelled at them in a drunken rage. She shook the thought away. Her fried nerves couldn’t deal right now.

“I ran into the house.” Ava’d finally found her voice. “I heard Miss Debbie yelling. I was scared. You always told me to call 9-1-1 in an emergency.”

Patrick met his daughter on the front porch. Ava wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her head. He smoothed a hand down her curls. “You did the right thing. I’m proud of you. Go inside. I’ll be in shortly.” He gave her a kiss, then opened the front door. Bunny took her granddaughter’s hand.

Chief Parker unhooked the handcuffs from his utility belt. “What’s going on here?”

Debbie tilted her chin in Jenny’s direction. “She’s lying about Billy. Now the father of my baby is in prison. How am I supposed to keep a roof over our heads?”

Chief Parker approached Patrick. “What do you want to do here? I could take her in for trespassing.” He narrowed his gaze at Jenny. “Assault?”

Jenny pulled away from Danielle, crouched down and hugged her legs to her body. She buried her face in her knees. Rocking back and forth on her heels, her body shook with sobs. Danielle knelt beside Jenny and pulled her into an embrace. Jenny shrugged off Danielle’s arm.

“Are you okay, Jenny?” Patrick asked.

Jenny lifted her face, revealing wet cheeks. “Yes. Please just make her leave.” She hiccupped over a sob. “Let her go home with her baby.”

Chief Parker nodded. He took Debbie by the arm and led her to the car. He talked to her in a low voice before yanking open the car door for her. She grabbed the door frame, refusing to get in. Wrenching free from Chief Parker’s grasp, she opened the back door and unbuckled her child from the car seat.

The child’s wails subsided into muffled whimpering as she tucked her face into the crook of her mother’s neck. Debbie marched over to Jenny and hovered over her, her menacing expression softened by the child in her arms.

Debbie smoothed a hand down her daughter’s hair, a pleading look in her eyes. “Please do the right thing. For my little girl.” The hard anger on Debbie’s face crumbled into something completely different—fear, grief, a profound sadness.

Jenny pressed a hand to her mouth, but didn’t say anything.

“Debbie, please,” Danielle said, her heart breaking into a million pieces, “don’t do this. Billy is dangerous. Maybe it’s better this way. You won’t be raising a child in the same house as a—”

“Shut up,” Debbie said, the cords in her neck growing taut, “just shut up. Billy is my daughter’s father. He’d never do anything to hurt us.” The woman lifted her chin in a defiant gesture. “Your little sister ain’t so innocent either. Billy told me she was trying to buy drugs the other night. For all I know she planted those drugs. Set him up to save her butt.”

Patrick was at their sides in a heartbeat. “Debbie, it’s time you left. Take your little girl home. She needs you.”

He reached out to take her arm, but she jerked away. “I don’t need your help.” She swung around and glowered in Jenny’s direction. “I need
her
to tell the truth.”

Danielle wrapped her arm around Jenny’s trembling frame and drew her to a standing position. “Are you okay?”

Jenny bowed her head and took a deep breath.

“You have to stay strong,” Chief Parker said. “These people have a way of whining and manipulating things until they get their way. We found drugs in his possession. That’s what got her boyfriend locked up. Not you. Stay strong. Her baby will be better off out from under the same roof as that no-good drug dealer.”

“Where will they go?” Jenny asked, her voice shaking. “Where will they go if they can’t afford the house?”

Danielle pushed a strand of Jenny’s hair behind her ear. “Jenny, Chief Parker’s right. You’re doing the right thing. It’s not your fault Billy’s a dealer. They need to keep him off the street so he doesn’t hurt anyone else.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulders, trying to infuse her with strength, relieved her sister didn’t push her away.

“Listen to your sister here.” Chief Parker tipped his hat then turned to leave. The group seemed transfixed—shocked maybe—as they watched the police cruiser pull away.

When his taillights had disappeared down the street, Ava ran out the front door and across the yard. She clung to her father’s hand. “Did I do the right thing calling the police?”

“Of course, sweetheart. Sometimes even the police—” he pointed to his chest, “—need back up.” He smoothed a hand down her hair. “Why don’t you run inside and brush your teeth. Get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I’ll take Jenny and Gram home and get them some tea to calm their nerves,” Bunny said. The women seemed eager to get out of the chilly night air.

Ava started to go in, then turned back around. “Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked Danielle, a longing look in her eyes.

Danielle bent down in front of Ava, her heart breaking. “I have an early flight.”

“Oh.” Ava lowered her gaze and stuck out her lower lip.

“Miss Danielle has a job she needs to get home to.” Patrick playfully shook his daughter’s hand. Ava pulled from his grasp and wrapped her arms around Danielle’s neck. Danielle froze, not sure what to do.

Then instinct kicked in. She cupped Ava’s face between her hands. The little green eyes—just like her father’s—were very expressive. “I am very happy I got to know you. You’re a great girl.”

Ava flashed a huge smile. “Thank you.”

“If I don’t go back, they might fire me.” Danielle suddenly felt she had to justify leaving.

Ava shook her head. “No they wouldn’t. You’re too nice.”

“Being nice has nothing to do with it. You have to do a good job. Like when you’re in school. You have to study and work hard to get good grades.”

Ava nodded as if she understood. “But if you got fired, you could stay here.”

“I need to make money—” she lifted her hand to the house behind her, “—to pay for a place to live, food to eat…” She let her words trail off. How did she explain her lingering insecurity? When Danielle was ten, she never knew if they’d have to leave their apartment in the middle of the night because her mom was behind on the rent. She gently tugged a strand of Ava’s hair. “So I have to go.”

Ava’s eyes brightened. “Stay here with us. You wouldn’t need a job.”

Danielle spun around to find Patrick watching the exchange, a somber expression on his face. She arched her brows and drew her mouth into a hard line.
I need some help here, Patrick.

“She could, couldn’t she, Dad?” Ava ran over and tugged her father’s hand.

Patrick lifted Ava’s hand and gave it a kiss. “Sweetheart—” his eyes lingered on Danielle’s above his daughter’s head, “—Miss Danielle has an important job she has to get back to in Atlanta.”

On the surface, his words seemed sincere, but she sensed a tinge of derision, or maybe disappointment. Surely he didn’t expect her to give up her job. A battle of words waged in her head. She couldn’t give up her job just because her relationship with Patrick
might
develop into something more. She needed more than that.

Ava took Danielle’s outstretched hand. “I’ll visit soon.” She squeezed the little girl’s hand as she fought back tears.

“Promise?”

Danielle pressed her lips together and nodded. Leaning over, she kissed the crown of Ava’s head. She tapped her gently on the back. “Now listen to your dad. Go get ready for bed.”

Ava groaned but did as she was told. Patrick stood rooted in place. The silence stretched between them. “Well.” He was the first to speak. “I guess this is goodbye.”

Danielle hitched a shoulder as she fought to keep her lower lip from quivering.

“Did you mean what you said?” he asked, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

Danielle’s eyes narrowed.

“About coming back to visit more often,” Patrick said, ending her confusion.

“Oh.” Danielle shrugged. “Of course I’ll be back.” She glanced over her shoulder toward Gram’s house. “I think Gram and Jenny need some looking after. I don’t want this mess to derail my sister’s college dreams.”

Patrick let out a long breath. “Give her time. I’ll keep an eye on them.” He tipped his head toward their house. “I’m right here.”

She nodded. “That’s good to know.”

“Dani…” He let her name hang out there. She felt her breath hitch, the air charged with expectation. He stepped closer and tipped her chin to meet his gaze. His warm touch flowed through her entire body. “I hope someday you’ll stop living in the past.” He brushed his lips across hers and she craved more of his solid nearness. Without meaning to, she pressed against him. He deepened the kiss before pulling away suddenly, leaving her flushed and chilled at the same time. “Night, Danielle. Have a safe trip…home.”

Chapter Sixteen

Danielle found Jenny sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea. “Gram’s already in bed,” Jenny said, answering her sister’s unasked question. She cradled her mug between both hands and blew on the hot liquid. For the briefest of moments, Jenny was a ten-year-old girl drinking hot chocolate in a cold apartment their mother couldn’t afford to heat.