Anybody's Daughter (Angela Evans Series No. 2) Read Online Free PDF

chair.
    “I’m a friend of Dre’s,” she said, her eyes on him. “He asked me to return your call.”
    Dre’s lips angled into a smug smile as he waited for her doubt to fade. But in seconds, Angela’s expression went from skeptical to distressed. Her eyebrows fused into a single line and when she pressed the palm of her free hand flat against her chest, Dre sprang forward.
    Knowing Donna, she might think it was funny to pretend that she was his woman, not his sister. If she did that, he’d never get Angela to trust him again.
    “Hold up. What’s she saying?”
    Angela raised her hand, quieting him.
    Dre waited a few more seconds, but couldn’t take it. As he reached across the table, ready to take the phone, Angela thrust it into his hand.
    “You better talk to your sister.” Angela’s voice echoed the same level of panic that now filled her eyes. “Brianna didn’t show up at school today and nobody can find her.”

Chapter 7
Day One: 8:45 p.m.
    A ngela spotted the patrol car halfway down the block the second Dre turned onto Magnolia Street. She glanced over at him, anxiety rumbling in her chest. Dre had an innate distrust of cops. But if something tragic had really happened to Brianna, they would need the help of law enforcement. Dre would need to keep his animosity in check.
    The Volkswagen Jetta screeched to a stop and the driver’s door swung open even before Dre had turned off the engine. Angela tumbled out of the car and had to jog to catch up with him.
    As she trailed behind, Angela wished she were meeting Dre’s family for the first time under better circumstances.
    A woman’s hysterical shriek pierced the air as they reached the front door.
    “What the hell do you mean we need to wait? Somebody took my baby! You need to do one of those Amber Alert things.”
    Dre opened the screen door and stepped inside. His sister was standing toe-to-toe with a red-faced officer who was shaped like a fireplug.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am, but there’s no evidence that your daughter’s been taken. We don’t have enough evidence to proceed with an Amber Alert.”
    “She hasn’t come home! Of course she’s been taken!”
    “Ma’am, I really need you to calm down. You don’t know for sure that your daughter didn’t run off. Does she have a boyfriend?”
    “No she does not! And my daughter wouldn’t run—” Donna spotted Dre and rocketed into his arms.
    A frenzy of words shot from her mouth as if they’d been fired from a machine gun.
    “Brianna was supposed to walk to school with Sydney, but she never came over and they didn’t really have a Math Club meeting and she doesn’t know where Brianna is and—”
    Dre’s fingers curved around Donna’s shoulders. “C’mon, sis, you gotta calm down. We’re gonna find her, okay? Bree’s gonna be fine.”
    “You don’t know that!” Donna wailed, her nose runny. “Somebody took my baby!”
    Dre led her over to the couch and forced her to sit, then gave an older woman sitting next to her a hug. “Hey, Mama.”
    Angela remained near the door, out of the way. Dre’s mother gave Angela a curious look, but didn’t speak.
    “I’m Andre Thomas.” Dre’s tone was suddenly formal. “Brianna’s my niece. There’s no way she’d run off. What’s being done to find her?”
    “We don’t really know that she’s missing yet.”
    Angela stepped forward. “She didn’t show up at school and it’s after eight o’clock and no one knows where she is. That means she’s missing. Don’t you have some kind of protocol to follow for missing children?”
    The officer grunted. “Yeah, but not for runaways. We—”
    “My child is not a runaway!” Donna yelled. “She has no reason to run away. She’s a good kid.” She turned to Angela. “And who are you?”
    Angela swallowed. “I’m—”
    “This is Angela,” Dre said. “A friend of mine. She’s also a lawyer.”
    Donna’s eyes registered recognition and Angela could practically see the news