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

walked through the lobby
together.
    “ Kelly! Kelly!” Female
voices rang out over the lobby and both Ally and Kelly paused. Two
redheaded girls waited next to the information counter. Ally
recognized the younger girl as Grace, Kelly’s sister. Emma was
probably the older one. Ally stayed one step behind Kelly as she
rushed to her sisters.
    “ Emma! You’re supposed to
be in school, and how did you get Gracie?” Kelly’s greeting wasn’t
welcoming, was more worried than Ally had ever heard her. “Does
Mother know?”
    “ No.” Gracie shrugged,
then readjusted the black backpack over her shoulder. She was at
least two inches taller than Ally, but still had the body of a
young girl. Her hair was a shade darker than Kelly’s―more red than
blond. Closer to the color of her father’s. She was dressed in
clothing typical of the average fifteen-year-old girl.
    Emma was a more feminine
copy of Kelly. No black and dark purple clothing for the middle
sister. Her hair hung nearly to her waist and it curled softly. She
wore a dress of flimsy white and lavender material, the cut
slightly risqué but still aware of her young age. She was
absolutely beautiful. Through the face she looked enough like Kelly
for them to be twins. The Reynolds sisters were flat out the most
beautiful trio of girls Ally had ever seen.
    Emma was drawing the
attention of several of the younger agents in the lobby, as well.
She didn’t even appear aware of the looks as she placed her hands
on her hips and looked up at her slightly taller sister. “I simply
told the school secretary that there was a family emergency and I
needed my sister.”
    “ She was new. Didn’t know
it was Emma and not you.” Gracie pushed her glasses up her nose and
grinned wickedly. “I’m sure by the time they realized Em wasn’t
allowed at my school we were already across the state
line.”
    “ Great. Making it a federal
kidnapping case,” Kelly said. She wrapped her hand around Emma’s
arm. “When Mother finds out she’ll never let either of us see
Gracie again. Did you think of that when you were hatching this
little scheme?”
    “ By the time the old crone
realizes I’ve taken Gracie, little sister will be safely instilled
in Daddy Dearest’s living room.” Emma shrugged. “Absolutely nothing
she can do about it.”
    “ Except charge both him and
you with kidnapping.” Kelly’s voice rose at the end.
    “ Not unless she wants to go
to jail.” Emma laughed wickedly. Several male agents stopped to
give her another glance. Ally was very glad she wasn’t responsible
for this girl. Emma Reynolds appeared to be one hell of an
instigator. No wonder Kelly was almost obsessive about keeping tabs
on her sisters.
    “ What do you mean?” Kelly
asked in a much lower tone.
    “ Simple. According to the
divorce decree I found, Mother doesn’t have custody―never had
custody. So since Gracie is under eighteen, as long as she’s in the
state of Missouri, Mother can’t make any decisions without his say
so.”
    Ally felt her eyes widen as
she caught on to what Emma had planned. She’d told Kelly what
Edward Dennis had told her. Apparently she’d not passed that
information on. Kelly looked completely overwhelmed, her eyes
worried and fearful. Ally wondered just what type of treatment the
mother had subjected Kelly to as a child to put that frightened
look in Kelly’s eyes.
    “ So...what you’re saying
is...” Kelly started, just as her cell rang. She flipped it open,
her entire body tense. A shrill voice was partially audible to Ally
and the others.
    Kelly paused a moment. “No,
Mother. I haven’t seen Emma. She took Gracie? Where?...yes, I’ll
get back to you as soon as I find out what’s going on.”
    Tense minutes passed as the
conversation continued, Kelly reiterating the lies she’d just told,
adding a bit about Emma having plans to visit Joe. She snapped the
phone shut and turned back to her sisters. “We are so
screwed.”
    “ So where does