Emily took a deep breath, her voice steadying as she nodded, "I know. It's on me too. I should've kept a closer eye on Kya." Estelle frowned, "At the Lamont's, everyone let their guard down!"

No one could have anticipated Susanna stooping so low.

Estelle, trying to lighten the mood, said to Kya, "I just made a hammock in the backyard. Wanna go play?"

Kya, still a child at heart, was easily cheered up. She broke into a smile and reached out for Estelle to hug her.

Emily spoke up, "I'll give Charlie a call. He's out looking for Kya too."

"Alright," Estelle replied, taking Kya to play on the hammock.

*1*

Emily didn't tell Charlie over the phone about Susanna's bullying, but when Charlie found Kya, the marks on her neck spoke volumes, darkening his mood instantly. "What happened to Kya's neck?"

Estelle filled him in about Susanna.

Charlie was livid, his face turning ice cold as he handed Kya back to Emily and turned to leave.

"Charlie!" Emily called out after him, worry lacing her voice.

"Charlie!"

a piece of my mind. If you go now, you'll just be adding a few

like me, so she took

probably got a reality check from Mr. Foster and

We'll see if Susanna can handle the consequences,

his phone, calling Susanna's

connected quickly, Hogan Murphy's cheerful voice coming through, "Mr. James? Happy New Year! Wishing

by Charlie's tone, stuttered, "What's

"Your daughter's mess!"

What did

see when you get here!" Charlie

painet

wrenching with

"Is

Wentent

work-related call during the holidays, replied

still testing? If you can't handle it, you're fired!" Charlie rarely lost his

team work overtime. We'll have it ready by

Charlie

with developing a satellite tracking chip accurate to the millimeter, with a user-friendly app for live location updates and photos. The chip needed to be as thin as a cicada's wing, invisibly adhering

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