A Mom for Callie by Laura Bradford Page A

writing every day. It’s the only way I’m ever going to be able to get back home where I belong.”
    In an instant the smile that had lit Kyle’s face was gone, in its place a dark cloud.
    â€œI’m back, Daddy.” Callie hopped up onto the porch and extended her left hand shyly in Betsy’s direction. “I brought you a daffodil, Miss Anderson. You can put it in the middle of your writing table.”
    Kyle’s hand closed down on his daughter’s shoulder,pulling her backward as his words bit through Betsy’s heart. “I think it’s high time we left Miss Anderson alone. Seems the hustle and bustle is calling.”

Chapter Five
    He slammed his locker shut, his fist repeating the sound with an even louder bang.
    â€œYo, dude, what’s your problem? You’ve been a real drag all morning.” Tom popped a handful of sunflower seeds into his mouth and leaned against the row of floor-to-ceiling lockers on the opposite wall. “One minute you’re surly and silent, the next you’re bitchin’ about everything from the new flashlights the chief just issued to the speed of the computer out in the hall.”
    â€œThere is no speed with that piece of garbage.”
    â€œLadies and gentleman of the jury, I present Exhibit A,” Tom said as he waved his hand with a flourish toward his partner.
    â€œExhibit A?”
    â€œYeah. Your bitchin’.”
    â€œShut the hell up, would you?” Kyle Brennan exhaled loudly as he raked a hand through his hair. “I’ve just got some stuff on my mind, that’s all.”
    â€œCallie sick?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œYour mom sick?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œHeard from Lila?”
    He stared at Tom.
    â€œI take that as a no?” Tom popped a few more seeds into his mouth. “Does this have something to do with Betsy Anderson?”
    His mouth grew dry. “Why would it?”
    â€œMan, I’m really starting to lose it, aren’t I?” Tom leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. “What was that…four? Used to get it on the first try every time. Then again, Lila was an easy guess back then.”
    Kyle banged the back of his head against the locker behind him.
    â€œWhoa, take it easy there, Ky.”
    â€œCan we just not do this right now?” Bending his leg at the knee, Kyle pushed off the row of lockers and strode toward the door that led from the department’s locker room to the hall beyond. “I put out some feelers today and I think we’re right on the money with our perp. Seems he and his fellow bank robber were working on building themselves a gang a few towns over. Like-minded thugs interested in scoring money for drugs and partying. They figured that if they could get away with the hardware store and the market…maybe they could score a third time with the bank.”
    Tom rose from his bench but didn’t fall into step with Kyle. Instead, he simply stood, feet spread wide, arms folded across his chest. “We squashed that thought, didn’t we?”
    â€œIf it’s just the two of them.”
    â€œYou seriously think there’s more?”
    â€œTwo people hardly make a gang.”
    â€œTrue. And it makes sense. But maybe we shut them down at their main artery,” Tom suggested in his usual positive way.
    Kyle bypassed the closed door and began pacing. “Maybe. Or maybe we pissed them off.”
    â€œIt’s kinda weird how that news footage took on different meaning the more we watched it yesterday. Did you tell Betsy we think she was right?”
    He spun around and walked in the other direction. “ Elizabeth Lynn Anderson is too busy for such small town nonsense.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Betsy isn’t like that…you know that.” Tom’s confusion was etched in his forehead. “Hell, you, yourself, were singing her praises all day yesterday. What