Random Acts Read online

  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 th
em. “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.

  Danielle slipped into the seat across from Jenny. “Bunny didn’t stay long.”

  “No. She just made sure we got in all right. Gram was tired—” she lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip, “—and I’m more than capable of making my own hot cocoa.”

  “Well, it was nice of her to walk you home.”

  Jenny lifted her brows but didn’t say anything.

  Her sister was still understandably rattled from the encounter with Billy Farr’s girlfriend. “Are you okay?”

  “Just dandy.” Jenny rolled her eyes.

  “Do you think Mom was an evil person?” The question seemed to come out of nowhere.

  Danielle closed her eyes briefly, trying to picture their mother’s face, her rare smile. “Evil?” She shook her head. “No, I think she was misguided. I think she made a lot of bad decisions. As life went on, she became more reliant on men for basic needs. She forgot what was truly important.” She reached across the table and touched her little sister’s trembling hands.

  “She forgot about us.” Jenny’s voice sounded soft, almost childlike. She lifted her eyes. “Sometimes I think I know how she felt.”

  Danielle narrowed her gaze. “What do you mean?” Her stomach tightened.

  “I understand what it means to get completely tied up in another person and losing yourself.”

  Squeezing her sister’s hand as if to punctuate her words, Danielle said, “You never have to rely on a man. I can help you until you get on your feet.” She studied the top of her sister’s bowed head. When Jenny didn’t respond, Danielle said, “Promise me you’ll come to me first if you need anything.”

  Jenny lifted her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I promise.” She wiped her tears on the edge of her sleeve. “Maybe—” she fluttered her hands, “—maybe this whole mess was a blessing in disguise. I was on the wrong path and now I have an opportunity to change.” The corners of her mouth curved into a small smile. “I’ve been doing a lot of praying about it.”

  Danielle smiled in return. She too had reached out in prayer for guidance but still felt lost. Perhaps her constant worry about her job hadn’t allowed room to let God in.

  Inwardly, she shook the thought away. “I’m leaving in the morning, but I’ll be back soon. And I’m only a phone call away.” A lump formed in her throat, making it difficult to speak. “I can’t thank you enough for taking care of Gram all these years. I’ve been selfish.”

  “Self-preservation.” Jenny lifted an eyebrow. “We all did what we had to do.”

  Self-preservation? Strange choice of words. Is that what Jenny was doing now?

  “Are you and Jimmy really over?” Danielle held her breath, waiting for the answer.

  Jenny shrugged. “I need to discover myself.”

  “You’ll go back to school, right?” Danielle tried to keep her eagerness in check.

  “I hope to.” Jenny pushed back her chair and rolled her shoulders. Under the bare light bulb, the flesh under her eyes seemed darker than normal. She planted her palms on the table and bent down to look into Danielle’s eyes. “I’m not Mom. And—” she pulled back into an upright position, “—and neither are you.”

  “I never…” Danielle let her words trail off, hating the shaky sound of her voice.

  “I know. I know.” Jenny’s words flowed out on a tired sigh. “I know you look at me and think I have so much to accomplish. And trust me, I do. But you’re so afraid of not having a good job and security that you’re missing out on everything else.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “You think you have it all, but you don’t.” Jenny put her mug in the sink, then crossed to Danielle and kissed her cheek. “I love you, big sister.”

  The tiny kitchen made Danielle feel claustrophobic. She pulled her jacket off the hook by the door and flipped on the light switch, illuminating the twinkling strands adorning the gazebo. The fragrant smell of autumn wafted to her nose as she kicked the dried leaves. She glanced toward the Kingsley’s home. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she and Ava had bonded over jumping in leaves. It all felt like a dream.

  She ran her hand along the wood of the gazebo, then dropped into Gram’s rocker. She tipped her head back and stared at the clouds as they floated past the moon. The stars were out in full force tonight. If she racked her brain, she could probably name a handful of constellations. Too tired, she let her thoughts drift. She’d miss this when she got back home. It never got dark enough in midtown Atlanta to enjoy the full display of God’s handiwork.

  God’s handiwork. She let her eyes drift closed, the soft breeze caressing her cheek, trying to memorize this day. This moment.

  From a distance, she heard leaves crunching, the sound of feet moving quickly across the yard. She straightened her back, every nerve ending buzzing. A small shadow appeared under the light by the back door.

  “Ava!” Danielle stood.

  The little girl glanced over her shoulder. A smile brightened her face when she saw Danielle standing by the gazebo. She took off in a full sprint and wrapped her arms around Danielle’s waist in a fierce hug and buried her face. “You can’t leave. I’ll miss you too much.”

  Danielle dragged her hand down the girl’s downy hair, tears burning the backs of her eyes. “You shouldn’t be out here. Your father will be worried.”

  Ava’s tiny frame racked with sobs.

  “Please don’t cry, sweetie. I’ll be back.” Her heart broke for the child.

  Ava looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. “I want you to live here.”

  Danielle ran a finger across Ava’s wet check. “You’re going to make me cry.” Her voice shook. “And not happy tears.” She tried to lighten the mood. “Let me walk you home before your dad sends out a search party.” She clasped Ava’s tiny hand and stepped off the gazebo.

  The sound of glass shattering made her stop. She drew Ava protectively behind her. Ice shot through her veins and her pulse quickened.

  “What was that noise?” Ava asked, her voice trembling.

  Danielle glanced toward the noise, toward the house. “I don’t—”

  A huge explosion sounded from the front of the house. An orange fireball lit the night. Danielle’s heart dropped. “Gram! Jenny!” She crouched down, her face inches from Ava’s. “Run home. Get your dad.”

  Ava f
roze. Danielle nudged her shoulder. “Run. Now.”

  The little girl took off toward her house. Danielle ran to the side door and yanked it open. A calloused hand came down hard over her mouth and lifted her off her feet. A crushing blow to the side of her head sent an explosion of pain shooting through her skull.

  Feeling woozy, she feared for Jenny’s safety. She reached back and clawed at the man’s head. He swore under his breath and punched her head again. Horrified, she couldn’t catch her breath.

  Darkness claimed her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Patrick shot out of bed, stuffing his arms into his flannel shirt as he bolted down the stairs. An explosion had sounded from somewhere close. Dani’s house. His pulse roared in his ears. He ran onto the front lawn and heard the panicked cries of his daughter. He crouched down and gripped Ava’s forearms. “What are you doing outside?”

  Ava trembled under his touch. “Miss Danielle…” She pointed toward the Carson’s house. Flames shot from the front window. Terror seized his heart.

  “Patrick?” Bunny stood in the doorway, clutching her robe at the collar.

  Patrick pointed frantically at her. “Take Ava inside. Call 9-1-1. Stay in the house. Away from the windows. Lock the doors.”

  “Patrick?” Bunny’s eyes shone with fear.

  “Now,” he demanded. “Do it now.”

  Bunny pressed her hand to her chest and scurried back into the house, clutching Ava’s hand. Assured his family was securely inside, he ran toward the fire. Squinting against the orange-and-red glow of flames, his mind filled with thoughts of Danielle. A thin sheen of sweat slicked his forehead as the panic and heat swarmed around him.

  From Danielle’s front yard, he saw the entryway engulfed in flames. He ran around the side of the house and found the door yawning open beyond the screen door. Hope bled through him. Maybe they’d already gotten out. He scanned the deep shadows of the darkened yard. “Danielle! Gram! Jenny!”