Descending (The Rising Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

.”
    “Listen, Gretchen , I understand how upset you are. I’m feeling quite angry at the justice system myself. But we have no choice. The judge has made his decision, and we have to respect that. Whatever happens is on his conscience now. I’ve done all I can.”
    “Whatever happens, Jami will have to live with it—if she survives,” Gretchen answered.
    “Get your filthy hands off my daughter.” Gretchen looked back to Kyle. Jami’s father was yelling as he wrestled his kicking, screaming daughter from the assistant’s grip. Mr. Tollman yanked Jami free and pulled her to his chest. She seemed to give up the fight as she held still.
    “Don’t worry, baby,” he said. “Daddy won’t ever let you go again.”
    Gretchen strode forward, not stopping until her nose was just inches from Mr. Tollman’s. He jerked back, surprised at her for a moment, before he sneered. Anger burned Gretchen so hot that she felt as if she might spontaneously combust. “Mr. Tollman,” she whispered, “you may have won this, but if you hurt your daughter again, you will regret it. You might as well take a gun and put a bullet in your head.”
    “Gretchen!” Mrs. Gardner clamped down on her arm and pulled her back. “What in the world are you doing?”
    Mr. Tollman stumbled back into the wall—his daughter hanging loosely in his arms, his eyes locked on Gretchen’s.
    “Nothing,” Gretchen answered. “I’m not doing a thing.”
    Gretchen turned away and strode purposely toward the exit.

    Gretchen c rushed the corner of the red, tasseled throw pillow in her fist. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking actually. Someday, I hope to be able to practice law. I can’t be threatening people. I especially can’t be telling them they should put a bullet in their head.”
    Dr. Yauney’s demeanor remained calm, as always. Gretchen had never seen him surprised, upset, or unhinged. The seasoned therapist was as steady as a rock. “Yes, that may have been a bit over the top. What was going through your mind at the time?”
    Gretchen swallowed the lump in her throat. “I kept seeing pictures of the girl’s battered, little body. They played through my mind, over and over again. He did that. He hurt her. He could have killed her, and he the one person in the world who should have protected her. How can a person do that to a child? How can they do that to their own daughter?”
    “Are we still talking about your client’s father, or are we talking about your birth mother?” Dr. Yauney asked.
    Gretchen wanted to scowl at him, wanted to be angry. But she couldn’t. She didn’t have the energy. Her face crumpled. “I don’t think I’m going into the right profession. I can’t be objective. I have too much emotion tied up into dealing with victims—especially children.”
    “What would it take to change your emphasis?” Dr. Yauney glanced down at his notebook.
    “I’m pretty far into my internship,” Gretchen said. “Still, it might be best to change it now. It’ll only be harder when I’m already a practicing attorney.”
    “Gretchen, I’m going to tell you something I think you need to hear.” He put his papers down , linked his fingers together, and peered at her over his wire-rimmed glasses. “I don’t think you should make this decision at right now. There is obviously something upsetting you.”
    “Well, yeah. I threatened a man in a court building. I have been off my game lately.” She gave a weak smile.
    “I think you were struggling before the courthouse incident. Why did you decide a month ago to resume meeting with me? You seemed to have moved beyond the issues of your past. You’d been so happy, so carefree. But the woman I see before me is troubled and unsure. I would just like you to tell me what happened to change things.”
    “Nothing happened. I have a boyfr iend who loves me, I have a wonderful internship with one of the best attorneys in Honolulu, and I have