Page 38 of One Last Secret

“Hello? Is everything all right?”

Evelyn sounds harried when she speaks. I can hear screaming in the background and guess the reason. “Umm… there’s a social worker here to take Celeste.”

I blink. “Take Celeste? Take her where?”

“To her grandparents in Idaho.”

I stiffen. “What?”

“She says that since we’re not relatives, we can’t care for her. She has to go to the next of kin, and that’s her grandparents.”

“Her grandparents who she hasn’t spoken to in years? The ones who hate her father?”

“They agreed to take her, I guess.”

I hear more screaming and crashing over the phone. “I take it Celeste is not enthused by the idea.”

"She's tearing apart the house, trying not to go."

“Okay. I’m on my way. Don’t let her leave before I get there.”

I hang up and turn to Sean. “I’m sorry, but it’s an emergency. I need to take the car.”

Sean hands me the keys without fuss. He might not be happy with me right now, but he knows when to argue and when to let me win. “Go. I’ll take a cab to my hotel.”

I rush to the car and speed off toward Victor’s house, heart pounding.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I reach the house fifteen minutes later and pull to a halt behind a police vehicle. I half-expect to see Detective Reyes there, but instead it’s two uniformed officers I don’t recognize. They give me a warning look as I approach, and one of them says, “Be careful. It’s a madhouse in there.”

I return a scathing glare to him, then walk inside.

Rude or not, he’s right. The living room and kitchen are trashed. Coming straight from a similar environment gives me an odd sense of déjà vu as I look at the overturned furniture and strewn upholstery.

A woman in a business suit stands in the foyer, her hands lifted placatingly. Evelyn stands in front of her, one hand lifted toward the woman I assume is the social worker and the other lifted toward Celeste.

Celeste stands behind the coffee table, sniffling and glaring fiercely at the social worker. She holds a marble coaster in her hand, lifting it high over her head.

I quickly move toward her. “Celeste,” I say firmly. “Put that down.”

She shakes her head. “No. I’m going to throw it at the bitch if she tries to take me away.”

“Celeste,” the social worker calls. “We need to talk about this. This is for your own good.”

“You don’t even know me! Get out of my house!”

I step in between Celeste and Evelyn. I’m sure she won’t throw the coaster at me. I turn to the social worker and command, “Outside.”

She frowns. “Iwillbe taking Miss Celeste with me. The court has ordered—”

“Iwillbe smashing your head in if you touch me!” Celeste interrupts.

“Celeste, enough! You, what’s your name?”

“Jasmine. And I have—”

“Jasmine, read the room. Look at the situation and ask yourself if you’re handling it in a productive manner or an unproductive manner.”

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