Daddy’s Little Runaway by Lila Fox
Chapter Eleven
Emma clutched at Devon’s hand as they walked into the rehabilitation center where her aunt lived.
“Why are you so nervous, pet?”
“I’m more anxious. I haven’t seen Aunt Louise in weeks, and I miss her.”
He wrapped an arm around her. “I bet she’s excited to see you, too. You guys didn’t talk very long last night.”
“I could tell she was tired.”
Devon stopped to talk to a large man who stood inside the doors.
“Who’s that?”
“That’s the guard we put here to protect your aunt.”
“Oh.”
Devon walked them up to the desk inside the front door. “We’re here to see Louise Hammond.”
“She’ll be in room forty-eight.” The woman pointed down a hallway. “Just follow that hallway.”
“Thank you.”
Emma’s first look at her aunt made tears pool in her eyes. She walked toward her as her aunt sat in a wheelchair and looked out her window.
“Aunt Louise.”
The older woman turned, and a smile broke across her face. She raised the arm not affected by the stroke.
“Come here, Emma. I miss you so much.”
Emma raced to her and wrapped her arms around her. She looked really good and could move more than she had the last time Emma had seen her.
“Aunt Louise, I’d like you to meet a … friend, Devon.”
“Well, young man, I heard you were the one who found her and put a guard at the front of the building?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then I am forever in your debt.”
“No, I was just glad I got to her.”
“I’ve heard a bit about what happened from your man, but I want to hear it from you two.”
Devon pulled up two chairs, so they sat close to her aunt and Emma could hold her hand.
Emma talked about her mother showing up. She paused at the point when the man attacked her and looked at Devon.
“I think she needs to hear all of it, honey.”
Emma nodded and told her aunt about what the man did. She went on to talk about working for Lacey’s mother and what happened there. Emma was exhausted, and her aunt was pissed by the time she got done.
“Good Lord, child. I’m gone for a few months, and everything goes to hell.”
Emma giggled.
“We’re checking into some things, but I also want to ask you a few questions.”
“Anything,” Louise said.
“Did your mother leave a will?”
“Yes. I got half the house and everything in it, and Emma gets the other. Now that I’m staying here, I’ll sign over my half to her.”
“Wait…” Emma said.
“No, dear. Listen. I’ll be here for the rest of my life.”
“But there’s a chance you’ll get to come home.”
“No.”
“What if we had someone in to take care of you when I’m not there?”
Louise reached for Emma’s hand. “Sweetheart. This is as good as I’m going to get. I feel blessed to have a place like this to live. Besides, I’ve made so many friends here, and I would hate to leave them. There are so many things that keep me busy, and I’m never bored.”
“But you’re so young.”
“Remember, I’m twelve years older than your mother. She was born when your grandmother was in her forties.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot.”
The thought of living on her own scared her, but she was mostly just sad her aunt would never be able to come home again.
Devon cleared his throat. “Louise, was there anything in the will that pertains to your sister?”
She shook her head. “No, she was written out of the will when we found out she wanted to sell this beautiful child.”
“I don’t blame you for that,” he said.
“How are you going to get her out?”
“Several men and I are going to go and throw her out. If we find she’s stolen things, we’ll press charges.”
“Oh, I can guarantee she’s stolen quite a bit since she’s been there. The sooner you can get it done, the better.”
He nodded. “Then it will happen today as long as we have both of you ladies’ permission.”
They both nodded.
“I want to come,” Emma said.
Devon shook his head. “You’ll stay with Lacey. I don’t want you anywhere around her, honey. Your mother has done enough damage.”
Louise spoke up. “I agree with him, Emma. He looks like he knows what he’s doing.”
Devon chuckled. “I do. I worked with Homeland Security for twelve years before starting my own business.” He looked at Emma. “I’ll take you back there tomorrow so we can make a list of everything you see missing.”
“She’ll fight you,” Emma warned him.
“Good. We have a locksmith meeting us over there, and a few of our guys will be putting locks on the windows and doors that need reinforcement.”
“That would be all of them,” Louise told him.
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll make sure they bring enough.”
“How much is that going to cost?” Emma asked.
He squeezed her hand. “That’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“I can’t have you or anyone else pay for things for our house, and I need to get a job.”
“Emma, there’s money in the account that you can use for whatever you need,” Louise told her.
“I know, unless my mom got it.”
“That’s not possible, honey. The bank wouldn’t let her get her hands on an account that didn’t have her name on it,” she said.
“I still don’t want to buy a bunch of things if I can help it.”
Devon cupped her cheek. “Emma, listen to us. Please don’t worry about anything.”
“I can’t let you pay for my house.”
“I should warn you, she’s a bit stubborn.” Louise grinned.
Emma gasped. “I am not.”
Louise raised one brow and stayed quiet.
Emma’s shoulders drooped. “Maybe a little.”
Louise snorted.
“We should get going, Emma. Lacey is waiting for you.” Devon stood and moved the chairs back to where they had been while she hugged and kissed her aunt.
“I’ll come to see you tomorrow.”
Louise shook her head. “How about you just call? Until we know you’re really safe, I’d rather not have you out and about.”
Emma’s heart sank. It was too much to think that she was still in danger. She was tired of feeling scared.
They waved as they left.
Emma hoped it wouldn’t be long before she could come back again. She was the only family she had left.
