Page 59 of You're My Person - For Always

"No, it's too soon. We had a half hour." She banged on the Plexiglass. "Daddy."

Her dad stared into her eyes. Her heart raced. River held on to her arm, pulling her away from the barrier. It wasn't fear or anger coming from him, but regret.

The two guards returned, making quick work of unlocking the handcuffs from the table and lifting her dad to his feet.

As they dragged her dad away from the Plexiglass, he shouted, "I'm sorry."

That violent admission broke her heart. She grabbed River, shaking from deep in her soul. The visit was less than she expected and yet so much more. She couldn't grasp everything that was said. All she knew was that she'd seen her dad.

"He's alive," she whispered.

River sobbed. "He left us something."

They both clung desperately to the littlest things. All they'd wanted was to sit with their dad. To feel his love. To remember.

She looked away from the vacant side of the room when the door opened behind them. A guard motioned for them to exit. Pulling River with her, she couldn't get out of the prison fast enough.

Kingsley was outside, waiting for her. She needed to see him. Touch him. Talk to him.

Chapter Twenty Seven

Kingsley

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The grasshoppers chirped, only going silent when a motorcycle revved to life at he clubhouse at the top of the hill. Kingsley held on to Kenna, even though his legs had gone numb several minutes ago.

Sitting on the ground, his legs spread out so she could sit between them, he rubbed her bare arms to keep the night chill off her skin.

"I wish it was morning." She yawned.

After returning from the prison, the girls came home determined to hunt for some package their dad had left them. Because of the late hour, he'd insisted that they try and eat something and then relax. Today had taken its toll on them.

"Until we know where to start, there's no use running around wild and wasting time." He kissed the top of her head.

He and Zane knew where to start. But there was nothing they could do tonight. They needed to talk to their dad. Ridge Stafford was the link between Burt Shay and his daughters, and Kingsley had a feeling his dad knew where to find the mysterious package left to River and Kenna.

She yawned again and laid her head on the front of his chest. He held her tighter.

"We should go inside and go to bed," he whispered.

"I don't want to close my eyes."

"Why not?"

"Because I'll see my dad's face and I..." She shivered. "He looked so different."

Death Row would change anyone, but Kenna hadn't seen her dad in ten years. He'd gone through a lot—it aged a man. He'd seen the same thing happen to his dad.

"I'm not like River," she mumbled.

River had fallen asleep in Kenna's car on the way back to Gem Haven, which he'd driven down to southern Idaho for the visit so they could all go together. She'd cried until exhaustion hit. Zane had carried her into the house, fast asleep.

Kenna hadn't shed a tear. She'd jumped into trying to figure out the mystery behind the package, more determined to keep in contact with her dad in whatever way possible. All her talking had only added more stress to her life.

"I never asked him if he was guilty," she whispered.

He stilled, knowing she'd never voiced her thoughts on her father's crimes. She remained her dad's biggest supporter, believing in him when River so easily believed the story that Tom Pruitt aka Burt Shay was dead.

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