and to believe his lies."
"Sick bastard. I'd like to rip his head off," Brody angrily remarked, his clenched fists in his pockets.
"I think a lengthy prison sentence will make him suffer more. Jailed sexual predators of young girls are not popular with the other prisoners."
Deputy Gail Sawyer entered the conference room with a message for Brody. "Sir, your press conference is scheduled for eleven. That gives you sixty minutes to prepare."
"Thanks, Deputy," Brody said, turning to Carly.
"Have I told you that press conferences are not on the list of my favorite tasks?"
"I wouldn't miss it," said Carly.
Deputy Sawyer interrupted, "Oh, you're going to want to miss this one. You've got some guests waiting for you in the lobby."
<><><>
Chapter Five
Carly entered the lobby and decided that her second day in Shawnee County was going to be a good one. Standing in the middle of the lobby was her brother, Blake. In a baby carrier strapped to his broad chest was her cooing, four-month-old niece, Mylee. Blake Stone was six feet five inches tall and two hundred and thirty pounds of hard muscle, which made the baby girl look even tinier than she was.
Next to him, his wife, Jennifer, held the small hand of her five-year-old son, Shawn, who wore a green hoodie, jeans and a multicolored backpack.
He shyly pressed closer to his mother until Carly bent down and opened her arms to him. In an instant, Shawn flew across the room, into her arms, and said, "Good to see you, Aunt Carly."
Picking Shawn up and planting a big kiss on his cheek, Carly headed for her brother and sister-in-law and said, "This is the best surprise ever."
Blake said, "This is Shawn's spring break, and we wanted to spend some time with you before you got buried in your case. Is there a good place to have lunch around here?"
"Yes. Let's go to Mollie's Cafe. It's a short walk from here," she responded as Shawn wiggled free to stand on his own. "But before we go, there is one thing I have to do."
"What's that?" asked Jennifer.
"I have to hold my favorite niece."
Grinning, Blake said, "She's your only niece." With Jennifer's help, he pulled Mylee out of the carrier and handed her to his sister. Cooing and waving her arms, the baby smiled up at Carly.
Carly held her close, inhaling her sweet baby scent and kissing the top of her head. "Hi, Mylee. Do you remember your Aunt Carly?" In response, the baby squealed and grabbed at Carly's earring.
"That means she remembers you," said Shawn in a matter-of-fact tone.
At the restaurant, Mollie found the group a round table near the front window. Shawn insisted on sitting on the left side of Carly and Blake placed Mylee in a high chair on her right. Mollie then gave each adult a menu, and took their drink orders. A short time later, a young, pretty girl returned with their drinks.
"Hi, my name is Hailey, and I'll be your server today."
Carly looked at the young girl curiously. Hailey looked to be around fourteen years old, with rich, glowing auburn hair with a rebellious lock of purple near her face. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, and a perpetual smile revealed a line of silver braces. Carly asked, "Your last name wouldn't be Adams, would it?”
Hailey giggled and answered, "Yes. Mollie is my mom. Who else would make her only daughter work at her cafe during spring break?"
"Hi, Hailey, I'm Carly Stone. Glad to meet you."
"Hi. Your black hair rocks. It's so long and shiny. I wanted to do my hair the exact same color, but my mom wouldn't let me."
"Thanks, Hailey." Carly said. "I don't blame your mom, though. Your hair is a beautiful color. Maybe I should get a purple streak like yours," Carly teased.
Hailey's smile widened in approval. "That would look great. I'll be back after you've had some time to look at your menus."
As Blake and Jennifer studied their menus, Carly glanced at the little boy sitting next to her. In January, when Carly met Shawn for the first time, he was one of the skinniest little kids
"Sick bastard. I'd like to rip his head off," Brody angrily remarked, his clenched fists in his pockets.
"I think a lengthy prison sentence will make him suffer more. Jailed sexual predators of young girls are not popular with the other prisoners."
Deputy Gail Sawyer entered the conference room with a message for Brody. "Sir, your press conference is scheduled for eleven. That gives you sixty minutes to prepare."
"Thanks, Deputy," Brody said, turning to Carly.
"Have I told you that press conferences are not on the list of my favorite tasks?"
"I wouldn't miss it," said Carly.
Deputy Sawyer interrupted, "Oh, you're going to want to miss this one. You've got some guests waiting for you in the lobby."
<><><>
Chapter Five
Carly entered the lobby and decided that her second day in Shawnee County was going to be a good one. Standing in the middle of the lobby was her brother, Blake. In a baby carrier strapped to his broad chest was her cooing, four-month-old niece, Mylee. Blake Stone was six feet five inches tall and two hundred and thirty pounds of hard muscle, which made the baby girl look even tinier than she was.
Next to him, his wife, Jennifer, held the small hand of her five-year-old son, Shawn, who wore a green hoodie, jeans and a multicolored backpack.
He shyly pressed closer to his mother until Carly bent down and opened her arms to him. In an instant, Shawn flew across the room, into her arms, and said, "Good to see you, Aunt Carly."
Picking Shawn up and planting a big kiss on his cheek, Carly headed for her brother and sister-in-law and said, "This is the best surprise ever."
Blake said, "This is Shawn's spring break, and we wanted to spend some time with you before you got buried in your case. Is there a good place to have lunch around here?"
"Yes. Let's go to Mollie's Cafe. It's a short walk from here," she responded as Shawn wiggled free to stand on his own. "But before we go, there is one thing I have to do."
"What's that?" asked Jennifer.
"I have to hold my favorite niece."
Grinning, Blake said, "She's your only niece." With Jennifer's help, he pulled Mylee out of the carrier and handed her to his sister. Cooing and waving her arms, the baby smiled up at Carly.
Carly held her close, inhaling her sweet baby scent and kissing the top of her head. "Hi, Mylee. Do you remember your Aunt Carly?" In response, the baby squealed and grabbed at Carly's earring.
"That means she remembers you," said Shawn in a matter-of-fact tone.
At the restaurant, Mollie found the group a round table near the front window. Shawn insisted on sitting on the left side of Carly and Blake placed Mylee in a high chair on her right. Mollie then gave each adult a menu, and took their drink orders. A short time later, a young, pretty girl returned with their drinks.
"Hi, my name is Hailey, and I'll be your server today."
Carly looked at the young girl curiously. Hailey looked to be around fourteen years old, with rich, glowing auburn hair with a rebellious lock of purple near her face. Her eyes were a brilliant blue, and a perpetual smile revealed a line of silver braces. Carly asked, "Your last name wouldn't be Adams, would it?”
Hailey giggled and answered, "Yes. Mollie is my mom. Who else would make her only daughter work at her cafe during spring break?"
"Hi, Hailey, I'm Carly Stone. Glad to meet you."
"Hi. Your black hair rocks. It's so long and shiny. I wanted to do my hair the exact same color, but my mom wouldn't let me."
"Thanks, Hailey." Carly said. "I don't blame your mom, though. Your hair is a beautiful color. Maybe I should get a purple streak like yours," Carly teased.
Hailey's smile widened in approval. "That would look great. I'll be back after you've had some time to look at your menus."
As Blake and Jennifer studied their menus, Carly glanced at the little boy sitting next to her. In January, when Carly met Shawn for the first time, he was one of the skinniest little kids
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