He pulled Aubrey into his arms and kissed her, with every intention of following up his inaugural performance with another, one that might last a bit longer. He was hard again so fast and above her, ready, when the voice froze him in place.
“Joshua David Hamilton! What in the name of God are you doing?”
Move. Move, Josh.
Aubrey’s arms fell away from his back, and he jumped up from the couch to see Daisy standing in the door to the living room, her face aghast.
“Oh, shit,” Aubrey said, and that did it. Daisy went ballistic. But she didn’t curse at Josh, or hit him, or any of the things he expected. Instead, she marched to the phone and dialed. She pointed a finger at Aubrey, who was trying to get into her bra. “I’m done with you, missy.”
“Mom, relax. We were just—”
“I know exactly what you were doing with that little slut. I saw my bedroom. Letting her try on my clothes? Having sex with her on my couch? You’re disgusting. Yes, police?”
“Mom—”
“Mrs. Hamilton—”
“Shut it, both of you. Yes, ma’am. I’ve just returned home to find that my house has been broken into. I have the girl who did it here in my living room. I insist you send a patrol car to arrest her immediately. She’s underage, and it looks like she brought alcohol in the house as well. Yes. Yes, I have her name. Aubrey Trenton.”
Daisy hung up the phone with a manic gleam in her eyes.
“You’ve got it coming,” she spit at Aubrey. “Josh, you are grounded, and I forbid you from seeing this girl ever again.”
“Mom, you’re overreacting.”
Daisy ignored him, went to guard the front door.
Aubrey was crying. Josh was torn. Calm his mother, get her to cancel her threats, call off the police—Jesus, she’d called the cops?—or comfort Aubrey. He chose Aubrey, tried to put his arms around her, but she stood, frozen, a statue in his living room. Heard a little gasp come from his mother, like she’d been cut with a knife, ignored it.
“It’s okay. I won’t let them in. I promise.”
Aubrey didn’t respond, just stood there crying, eyes downcast.
He decided to try reasoning with Daisy.
“Wait for me. I’ll fix this.”
Aubrey didn’t acknowledge him, so he caressed the top of her head and left her in the living room. His mother was stationed at the front door, arms crossed on her chest, face drawn. He could feel her fury from across the room; waves of negative energy spilled off her body.
“Mom. You can’t do this. You can’t call the police on her. I -invited her here. This is my fault.”
“I just did. Oh, and look. Here they are.” She flung open the door and waved to the officer who’d pulled into the drive.
Josh didn’t know what to do. My God, how had the night gotten so off track?
The policeman conferred with his mother. He put his hand on his gun belt and started into the house. Josh stepped in front of him, decision made. He wouldn’t let this happen.
“I’m sorry, sir, but my mother is mistaken. No one broke in here. I invited my girlfriend over for dinner. My mother”—he couldn’t help himself, the disdain came through loud and clear on the first note of her name—“caught us fooling around and has overreacted. She isn’t fond of my girlfriend, you see.”
“That’s not true. Josh wasn’t home when I arrived. It was just that girl, and she was in my jewelry box, trying to steal things. She has stolen one of my rings, it’s missing from the jewelry box, it has a pearl in it, and—”
“Mom!” Josh was shocked. He couldn’t believe she’d lie to the police.
“Now, son,” the man said, reasonable and kindly. “Move out of the way. I just want to talk to the girl.”
“Aubrey Trenton, that’s her name. She’s a little criminal. Lives with criminals, it’s not surprising she’s become one herself.” Daisy was screeching. Josh gritted his teeth and turned on her.
“You are lying, Mother. Stop this.”
She just pointed over his shoulder.
“See? Am I lying? Look. The back door’s been broken out.”
Josh and the policeman looked where she indicated. The door was broken. The only way to lock and unlock the door was with a key for the deadbolt. Daisy liked it for security; Tom always warned that it was a fire hazard. Josh saw the splintered wood and his stomach dropped. He turned and went to the living room, not surprised to find it empty.
An animal, when cornered, will do most anything to escape.
CHAPTER 32
Aubrey
Today
It was nearly six in the evening, the hospital buzzing with shift changes. In Daisy’s room, they were just getting ready to make the pass-off from Tom to Aubrey when the doctor came in, all kinds of jovial.
“Hi, Tom, Aubrey.” He turned to the bed. “Evening, Miss Daisy. Want to get that tube out of your throat?”
Daisy blinked rapidly, her sign for absolutely, yes.
Rasha joined the group, and the doctor shooed Aubrey and Tom out into the hall.