Page 238 of Broken Daddy

“Freddy?” Devi guessed.

“Freddy. Unfortunately, the cops can’t find him. They’re all in an uproar over this, don’t think the Chief will keep his job. He’s condescending and a know-it-all anyway.” Gwen grinned, then did a victory dance. “We did it!”

Devi jumped up and hugged her tight with her good arm. “No, you did it, Gwen. You’re amazing. Does Rohan know?”

“I’m going to tell him now. Unfortunately, it’s not visiting hours so I can’t bring you with me.”

“Do you think he’ll be out in time for the exhibition?” she asked. It was still four days away. How long would it take for this to all get taken care of?

“I’ll try my hardest.”

50

“Can you believe this?” she asked Hayes a few days later.

They were standing in the parking lot outside the jail where her brother had spent months of his life, waiting for him to be released.

She squeezed his hand and did a dance, nearly tripping over a rock. Who put that stupid rock there, anyway?

“Easy, baby. Be careful. You don’t want to hurt yourself before he’s free.”

“I just can’t believe he’s finally free. And that this is all due to me writing threatening notes to Stein.”

“How do you figure that, little girl?”

“Um, because if I hadn’t written those notes, Stein wouldn’t have hired bodyguards, then I wouldn’t have met you, I wouldn’t have met Gwen and she wouldn’t have freed my brother.”

He shook his head. “The logic is crazy and yet it makes sense.”

She grinned at him and then she saw him walking toward them.

“Rohan!” she yelled, waving her hand at him. She tried to let go of Hayes’ hand to run to him, but he kept her back.

“No running.”

“Daddy!” she grumbled.

But when Rohan was closer, he let her go and she moved to her brother who picked her up gently and spun her before hugging her tight.

She could feel his heart racing against her ear. Could feel the way his arms shook.

“I thought this would never happen,” she sobbed. “I thought you were going to be stuck in there for years.”

“Shh, Dee-dee. I’m here. I’m safe. I’m here.”

She couldn’t stop crying, though.

“Here, you can hand her to me,” Hayes said.

“I have her. You’re Hayes, I’m guessing.”

Shoot. She should really stop crying and introduce them properly.

“R-Rohan, H-Hayes. H-Hayes, R-Rohan.”

“We have it, baby,” Hayes said. “Don’t worry.”

“I feel like I should interrogate you and tell you not to hurt my little sister. But the truth is that Gwen has been singing your praises and it sounds like you’re the best thing that could have happened to her. And I trust Gwen. That woman saved my life.”