Keeping Kenzie - Pepper North Page 0,29

there during the investigation. Even with his support, she had to survive the feeling of being trapped behind bars. Her clothes had been taken away. Privacy was impossible.

Dropping her forehead down to her hands folded in front of her, Kenzie tried to pull herself together. She needed to share the right information with the lawyer Osiris had found. Afraid, Kenzie hadn’t slept much last night. She’d sat on her bunk with her knees pulled into her chest, making herself a small target. Kenzie had crashed into sleep for short time periods only to wake up when someone walked by or spoke. She missed Osiris’ care and the dreadful bottom paci that seemed to work so well.

When the phone jangled, she jerked up. Wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth, she realized that she’d fallen asleep. Kenzie forced her brain to function, and she snatched the handset from the receiver. “Hi! This is Kenzie.”

“Hi, Kenzie. This is Carrie Covington. I’ve spoken to your Daddy. Are you okay with me representing you?”

“Oh, yes! Thank you so much for helping me. It’s awful in here,” she confided.

“We’re going to get you out of there. It may just take some time.”

Carrie’s voice was crisp and positive. She sounded completely professional and efficient. If she hadn’t called Osiris, Kenzie’s Daddy, Kenzie would have had a hard time believing that she was a Little. It was like a secret between them. A bond that reassured Kenzie that the lawyer really did have her best interests at heart.

“Tell me about your ex,” Carrie requested.

“He’s handsome and charming. We didn’t date for very long before he asked me to marry him. I was young and stupid. I should have listened to my family and friends, but I was sure I knew the real Dean,” Kenzie confessed.

“We got married right after I turned eighteen. I knew in a couple of days I’d made a big mistake. It took a few more weeks before I left. I don’t think he would have contested the divorce if I hadn’t stupidly shared that I had a bit of money coming from my grandmother when I turned nineteen.”

“Sounds like a good thing you wised up,” Carrie observed.

“Yes. Dean wouldn’t let me back in after I left. He had my possessions delivered to my new apartment. It wasn’t until after I left I found those papers. He’d hidden them in a box of my possessions. It seemed smart to hold on to them.”

“And you returned them to the court when asked?” Carrie probed.

“I did. We only made it to court before I was nineteen because I threatened to send them to the newspaper and police. Then, Dean was willing to give me a divorce. He seemed to have forgotten he’d hidden the information in my stuff.”

“I’ve requested the court documents that will show you returned these papers. Unfortunately, they’ll keep you in custody until they receive the proof. He knows you made a copy now?” Carrie asked.

“I think that’s why he’s pressed charges again. There would be no other reason.”

“Did he deliver your things to your current apartment? He knew where you lived?”

“Yes. Osiris pointed that out as well. Dean knew where I was. It wasn’t ever a problem before, but if the accident made him look through those papers…” Kenzie’s voice trailed off. “The fire at the apartment looked like it began at the entrance. What can I do to protect myself?”

“With your permission, I’m going to walk these papers into the district attorney’s office. I think she will want to see these. Your ex-husband and the firm that built that building could be liable for the deaths resulting from the collapse. If Dean set the fire to try to harm you or the papers, there would be arson charges. If he’s tried to harm you once, he won’t hesitate again.”

She shivered in reaction to the lawyer’s ominous words. “I don’t owe Dean anything. If he contributed to all those people getting hurt, he needs to go to jail.”

“Yes. Since I have your permission, I’ll move quickly to protect you. And get you out of confinement as well.”

“Thank you, Carrie.” Kenzie felt tears gathering in her eyes. She was so grateful for help. Without Osiris and his connections…

“Be strong, Kenzie. I’m going to have you back in your Daddy’s arms as quickly as possible,” Carrie assured her.

After their goodbyes, Kenzie hung up the phone and knocked on the door to be escorted back to her holding cell. More waiting and hoping.