The Candy Bar Complete - 4 book box set: Candy Bar Series by Patrice Wilton

Author:Patrice Wilton
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Publisher: Dreamscape Press
Published: 2014-09-07T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY

“Yes, of course you are.”

His eyes held mine. “You’re not going to try to talk me out of it?”

Melody looked from Brett to me, hoping for a reprieve, counting on me being able to persuade Brett into giving her a second chance.

I shook my head. “No, I understand you have to do what you have to do. Just as I do.”

I turned to Melody. “Don’t be frightened. I’ll come bail you out. Don’t worry. Everything will be all right.”

“No,” she started to back away, eyes wide with fright. “No…I can’t go to jail. I can’t go back there. I can’t.” Before either one of us could react, she took off at a run. Brett started after her, but Billy’s crutch seemed to come out of nowhere and tripped Brett up. He stumbled, fell into a chair, and took a bad landing.

I looked down at him, feeling both heartbroken and bone-weary. “Are you happy now? She’ll be back on the streets, and you can be proud for putting her there.” He didn’t look so proud, so I pounded it in. “I suppose you never did anything wrong in your youth? Being a cop’s son, you were too squeaky clean to get into any shit, right?”

“I didn’t say I was a poster boy for straight-edge kids.”

“No, well, you might as well have been.” I stormed off, leaving him on the floor staring after me. Billy had regained use of his crutch, and hobbled off to help his mother clean the place up.

Slowly, I returned to my car, trying to figure out my next move. I had to find Melody. Where would she go? I roamed the streets, checking out a couple of happy hour bars, thinking she might turn to a place where she could meet some guy and have a few drinks and a bed for the night. The thought that she might go home with a stranger was intolerable.

How did we let this happen? I failed her. We failed her. Whether she gave Billy some dope or not, tossing her back into the cesspool of life was not the answer. I had to find her.

It was still early for Miami. The restaurants were filling up, but the nightlife was not yet in full swing. I still had a few daylight hours left before she became desperate, and gave her body away for the price of a room.

She was my responsibility now, whether I damn well liked it or not. I called in recruits, every female I knew that wouldn’t let me down. I had Leanne out looking, Fran, Brett’s sister Caitlin, my friend Lydia, and Candy. The bar wouldn’t be open tonight, so she was eager to help my search and rescue mission. I had each woman assigned to a certain area.

There were only so many places a girl on foot could run to. She had very little money and fewer resources, but she was street smart and in her new duds—well, mine actually—quite a looker.

The six of us girls kept in touch by cell phone.

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