Veiled Passages Read Online Free PDF Page B

family.  Is that okay with you?”
    Nodding slowly, Clarissa seemed to be mulling things over. “Will I still get to wear my dress?” she asked.
    Smiling, Mary nodded. “Of course.”
    “Will Maggie still match me?”
    “Yes, she will. You will be the prettiest flower girls in the whole world,” Mary responded.
    Pausing for a moment, Clarissa bent her head and whispered, “Will I be your little girl then too?”
    Mary wrapped her arms around Clarissa and held her tightly. “Oh, yes, you will be my little girl for forever,” she said, taking a deep breath to hold back her tears. “And we will have the most amazing time together.”
    Clarissa looked up and smiled at Bradley. “I like us getting married faster,” she said with a wide smile.
    Leaning over, he placed a kiss on her forehead. “Well, good,” he said. “I’m glad that both of the ladies in my life agree with me.”
    “That’s probably never going to happen again,” Ian said. “Enjoy it while you can.”
    Laughing, Mary gave Clarissa another quick hug and said, “Are you hungry for some cookies?”
    “Ian didn’t eat them all?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.
    “Oh, he tried,” she replied. “But I protected them for you.”
    Returning Mary’s embrace, Clarissa grinned, “Let’s hurry and eat them all up before he gets any more.”
    After settling Clarissa at the table with milk, cookies and homework, Mary carried a container of cookies over to Ashley. “So, any signs of anything?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
    Bradley joined them just as Ashley took the offered container and shook her head. “No, after I walked her to school, I kept an eye on the school all day,” she replied, matching Mary’s tone. “I didn’t see anyone that matched his description.”
    “So, do you like cookies, Officer Deutsch?” Mary asked, making sure her voice carried across the room.
    “I love them,” Ashley answered loudly, “Especially chocolate chip.”
    “How is Clarissa doing?” Bradley asked.
    Nodding, Ashley glanced at the little girl who was busily chewing on a cookie and explaining her math homework to Ian. “She’s doing great,” she said. “She knows I’m there to make sure the bad man stays away and she seems to have accepted it.  Of course, running from the bad man has been a part of her life for a long time.”
    Mary sighed softly. “I really wanted her life to be more normal,” she said. “Worry about the things little girls are supposed to worry about.”
    Smiling, Ashley nodded. “You mean like that boy in class who tried to kiss her?”
    “What?” Bradley exclaimed, his voice echoing in the room.
    “Calm down, Chief,” Ashley replied. “He only tried and it was on a dare.”
    “A dare?” Bradley asked, lowering his voice. “What the hell…”
    “Because she’s the police chief’s daughter,” Ashley said slowly and calmly. “The other boys told him that you would lock him up in jail if he tried to do it.”
    “Damn right,” Bradley growled.
    “The bottom line,” Mary interrupted, biting her inner cheek to stop her laughter, “is that in spite of the bad man, Clarissa is enjoying herself in school and is being accepted by her peers.”
    “Exactly,” Ashley agreed. “She has a lot of friends and is included at recess playtime. Really, she seems to be pretty much going with the flow.”
    Bradley turned to watch his daughter. She was teasing Ian by holding a cookie in front of his mouth and then pulling it away when he tried to bite it. Her laughter resonated throughout the house. “She is amazing,” he said softly.
    “Takes after her dad,” Mary whispered.
    “Yeah, well, this is getting way too mushy for me,” Ashley said. “I’m taking my cookies and hitting the road.  I’ll see you both tomorrow morning.”
    “Thanks, Ashley,” Bradley replied. “You’re doing a great job.”
    “Thanks for trusting me, Chief,” she replied.
     

Chapter Eight
    “So, what do I hear about you