Page 161 of Broken Daddy

“That was blunt?” Liam asked. “I thought I was just telling the truth.”

“It’s all right, baby. Don’t cry,” Hayes whispered.

“I’m going to go to jail!” she wailed. “I think I’m entitled to cry.”

There was silence other than her small sobs, which she gradually got under control. The tension in the room was weird. Leaning back, she stared up at Hayes, then over to Liam and Kent. She expected them to look angry or disgusted. Instead, Liam appeared blank, Kent seemed sympathetic, and Hayes looked shocked.

“What is it?” she asked as Kent walked over and grabbed some tissues holding them out to her.

Hayes shifted her weight to one arm so he could grab them. Then he wiped her face and held them to her nose. “Blow.”

Liam watched in interest. Which was slightly strange, although she didn’t get any weird vibes from him.

“Blow?” she repeated.

“Yes, blow.”

She stared at the tissue in shock. What was happening right now?

“I believe he wants you to blow your nose on the tissue,” Liam told her. “Why he wouldn’t let you do it . . . well, it could be one of those Daddy things. Or maybe it’s a Hayes thing. I’m not certain. Kent, do you hold the tissue when Abby needs to blow her nose?”

Kent sighed. “Liam, that’s one of those things you probably shouldn’t ask about.”

“Hmm. Noted.”

“Blow,” Hayes commanded.

This time she blew her nose. Gross.

“Jail?” Hayes said after pulling the tissue away from her nose. “I can’t believe you think I would allow you to go to jail.”

What?

“I . . . I . . . isn’t that why you’re all here?”

“Why would we bring this to you if we wanted you to go to jail?” Liam asked. “We’d simply go to the police and have them arrest you. Although with how incompetent the local police force around here is, there’s only around a seventy-five percent chance that they would actually arrest you.”

She sifted through that information for the important parts. “I’m not going to jail?”

“Of course you’re not going to jail!” Hayes barked, making her jump.

“Hayes,” Kent said in a warning voice. “You’re scaring her.”

But he wasn’t. She’d much rather he just give it to her straight. She buried her face back into his chest and started to cry again. Silently, this time.

“So the letters were posted on Sunday,” Liam said. “That’s why they usually arrived on a Tuesday. We were right to think that they were related to one of Stein’s failed cases. He really did bungle your brother’s case. But then, you know that.”

A sob escaped.

“Um, oh, don’t worry though,” Liam added quickly. “Gwen is very good at her job. I’m sure she will get your brother out soon.”

Devi drew back and let Hayes wipe her nose and cheeks again.

“Thank you,” she said in a croaky voice.

“You don’t have to thank us, sweetheart,” Kent told her gently.

“But I do . . . you could go to the police and get me in a lot of trouble.”