The Nobody Girls (Kendra Dillon Cold Case Thriller Book 3), Rebecca Rane [best book club books of all time txt] 📗

as an adult. Her condo on the river included her and her cat, and she only got the cat part-time.

Kendra opened the door, and Big Don was ready to greet her.

“Good afternoon, daughter dear. I wasn’t expecting a visit from you today.” Big Don’s facial expression indicated that he knew he was stirring up something. There was an amused lift to the corner of his mouth. The world was his mixing bowl, and he controlled the switch to the mixer.

“You check yourself out of rehab early and don’t expect a visit? What’s that word you like? Oh yea, malarky.”

“You say rehab like I’ve got a drug problem.”

“You do. It’s sugar.”

“Psh.”

“Are you telling me that your blood work is under control?” Kendra said.

“Well, actually yes, but we can check it right now. Darleen!”

“Darleen, who is—” Before Kendra could get the question out, a woman dressed in pink floral nursing scrubs ran from the kitchen and into the sitting room.

“What can I get you? Are you hungry? Are there too many windows open in here? Should I call to see when the air conditioner man is coming?”

“Ah, Darleen, this is my betraying, evil, heartless daughter.”

“Isn’t that a bit dramatic?”

“Anyone who forces you into the rehab place with no cause, they are, hmm…well, maybe evil is too strong a word, but they’re on my list. That’s for sure.”

“Dad, you’re not well yet. We need the weight down and the blood sugar under control.”

“Darleen?”

Darleen nodded at Kendra and then scooted around her.

Big Don put his index finger in the air, keeping his eyes locked on Kendra’s, while Darleen produced a testing kit. She extracted the droplet. She smiled at Kendra and Big Don. “Be right back!”

Kendra put her hands on her hips.

“I’m not happy with you or your sister, but you’re the one who pulled the River Park stunt on me.”

“Dad, it wasn’t a stunt. I had to get you healthy. But I realize I can’t do that for you. You have to take your diet seriously to start with and regularly check your blood sugar.”

“Well, that’s why Darleen and I are a match made in rehab. She likes checking my blood, and I like being in my own house.”

Darleen returned with a bright clap. Kendra flinched.

“We’re on the right track. He’s only slightly elevated, at 175.”

“Thanks, love.” Big Don looked at Kendra as he said it.

“Well, that’s good then. I’m glad to hear that.” Maybe this was okay. Maybe her dad had been just scared enough to finally take his health more seriously.

“Oh, I thought you might want to know, Darleen and I are in love. And I’m going to be marrying her as soon as I’m able to.”

Darleen laughed. “Oh, my, I better get to the kitchen, I’ve got a casserole in the oven for later, and I don’t want it to burn! It was so sweet to meet you, Kendra.”

“You too, Darleen.”

Darleen scurried out of the room.

“Dad, what is going on here?”

“I just told you, I’ve fallen in love with the Heath Aid Darleen, and we’re to be wed as soon as possible.”

Kendra felt a dull headache begin behind her eyebrows. She used her fingers to apply opposing pressure.

It felt very much like her father was baiting her into an argument. He was laying down a gauntlet and had shown her that he would not be contained in a hospital or a rehab place. He’d found a way out, even if it required him to manipulate the sweet, docile, and likely unsuspecting, Darleen.

“Dad, you know that you’re not divorced, right? Are you having another episode?”

“Is there something else you needed here? Because Darleen and I have plans.”

“No, no, I’m good. I raced over here because I heard you jail broke yourself out of River Park.”

“Hardly, they saw that I have learned the wisdom of eating roughage and have fallen in love with a good woman. Keep up, Kendy. This also solves my Pam conundrum.”

“What?”

“She was in cahoots with you and helped me get committed.”

“Pam isn’t in cahoots, and you better not fire her.”

“I’m mulling that over, but you’re both on my list. And your sister too,” Big Don said.

“Whatever, fine. You’ve fully communicated that we’re on your list. That said, your numbers are not terrifying.”

“Exactly, thanks to Darleen’s skillful ministrations.” Kendra tried not to wince. Instead she focused on the fact that her dad was better. He wasn’t falling down or raving about things that might or might not be in the attic. Darleen, it appeared, was in charge of his care and feeding, for now. That was good, because Kendra was knee deep in work, something that everyone in her family could understand.

“I guess you’re okay then, for now. You see I’m in a bit of a rush, work stuff.”

“No problem, consider this our Tuesday dinner.”

“Fine. We’ll talk more about this, uh, marrying Darleen thing later.”

“With that bratty attitude, I’ll be hard-pressed to let you be a flower girl.”

“Psh.” Kendra was now beyond actual words at her father’s antics.

“Good day, dear daughter,” Big Don said.

Kendra put her hand on his shoulder and leaned down to kiss his head. She took a deep breath, and as she turned to walk out the door, she heard her dad bellowing for Darleen.

Big Don’s blood sugar was okay, there was an in-home caregiver watching over him, and he was, for now, coherent, if not reasonable.

Short of moving back home herself, she didn’t know what more she could do. Big Don had maneuvered himself out of River Park Rehab facility.

Well played, Big Don, well played.

He was as healthy as he could be and cared for. Kendra decided that for now, that was all she could manage.

Chapter 15

Kendra returned to the office. Her Dad’s ploy, while nuts, had helped her forget that she’d had a fruitless day in the field.

The podcast was essentially in a holding pattern. They had aired an episode about Linda Kay and had the one ready about Sincere, but then they’d hit a brick wall.

The brick wall was made of