Read Online Second Chances: A PAVAD Duet by Calle J. Brookes - Free Book Online

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.
    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.
    It took her less than two
minutes to find Kelly, the St. Louis layout very convenient. Ally’s
office in Indianapolis had been clear across the building from the
lab where most of the processing had been done. She’d never
understood that.
    Kelly was ready to go,
having passed her on-going analyses on to one of the lab techs.
He’d watch them for the overnight hours and Kelly would read the
results in the morning. They