One Bad Turn by Emma Salisbury Page B

the day took a turn for the worse. Amy slammed the kitchen door practically off its hinges as she stormed in to confront him. ‘HOW COULD YOU?’ she yelled, her eyes brimming with tears she tried to blink away. ‘Amy, calm down,’ Lynn was already on her feet, moving towards her, ‘what is it?’ Amy brushed her away. ‘Has he told you what he’s done?’ she demanded, causing Lynn to look at Coupland sharply while his heart sank into his boots. He should have come clean, told her what he’d done the moment he got home. This was going to come out all wrong now he was on the back foot. ‘What’s going on?’
    Coupland felt his cheeks redden as Lynn eyed him suspiciously, and he’d thought the worst of the day was behind him. In a stalling tactic he blew out his cheeks. ‘I went to the college today,’ making it sound as though it was no big deal. Both Lynn and Amy stared at him. ‘Go on!’ Amy challenged, ‘Tell her what you did there!’
    ‘Kevin, out with it!’ Lynn said sharply, ‘you know I don’t like surprises, especially if they’re about to blow up, like this one by the sound of it.’ Coupland sighed, ‘I went to see the principal,’ he began, trying to second guess just how much Amy had been told, ‘I wanted to know if he was aware there was a convicted criminal working on the college grounds.’ Lynn gasped. Coupland could see a flash of anger but out of loyalty she was reining it in in front of Amy, though he’d feel the full force of it once they were on their own. ‘And what did the principal do?’ Amy pushed. Coupland lifted his chin as he answered, ‘He rang through to the personnel office, who confirmed Vincent had declared his conviction on his application-’
    ‘-Oh, there was more to it than that, Dad,’ Amy butted in, ‘not only does the college have full knowledge of his history; they recruited him from an offender employment programme. An assessor comes in each week to meet with his supervisor to check on his progress, so it was all above board.’
    ‘Oh, Kevin,’ Lynn groaned, there was an edge to her voice that made his toes curl. Pleased her words were having the desired effect Amy gathered pace, ‘His supervisor called him in to ask why the police might be looking into him and he explained you were my dad and it was all some alpha male hang up you had with anyone I dated.’ Coupland held up his hands, ‘OK, my bad,’ he retorted, ‘pardon me for looking out for my daughter.’
    ‘You just don’t get it do you?’ Amy shot back, ‘I can look out for myself Dad, I don’t need you for that now. When will you realise I’m not your little girl anymore?’ She slammed out of the house. ‘Oh yes you are,’ he called after her.

Chapter 5
    Here she comes, running late, apprehension pouring off her in waves. Maybe she’s having second thoughts about the dress she’s wearing. Maybe she’s right, given the size of her. In her hurry she doesn’t give the man she passes a second glance. Until he looks at her, causing her to miss a step. Is she so starved of male attention a simple smile will turn her head? ‘I was nearly a gonner there,’ she jokes, pausing to wave down below to the driver of a people carrier. The driver doesn’t bother waving back. Instead, he executes a rather poor three point turn, heading back in the direction he came. ‘Wait,’ a male voice behind her says, and she stands on the stairwell, a curious look on her face but the glimmer of a smile nonetheless. ‘I’ve got something for you,’ he says, before running at her at speed.
     
    Coupland was doing his utmost to avoid a domestic. He trailed after Lynn in the kitchen trying to second guess her every action, managing only to get under her feet. He was in the dog house, that was clear enough. Her answers to his questions were clipped, as though she were biting back the things she really wanted to say to him. Lynn had so far supported his concerns about Amy’s boyfriend but his stunt at