UNEXPECTED TURNS

John wasn’t sure what to do about Ms. Lily. She’d made her phone call, but why hadn’t anyone reached out to arrange her bail? His plan had been to release her, as long as she promised to show up for her hearing on Wednesday, but so far, he hadn’t heard a word from her family.

And the day was slipping away. He needed to call Alice.

Before he could dial, his daughter burst into the room, Dolittle, her yellow Lab, trotting behind her. She was wearing her usual jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt, her short blonde hair sticking to her head like a little cap. She reminded him so much of Sarah, and the sight of her pulled at his heart, adding another layer of sadness. But her eyes—dark brown with flecks of green—were all his.

"Hey, Daddy, what’s taking so long?" she asked, leaning over his desk, her elbows resting there as she cupped her face. Her big eyes sparkled like rare jewels. He’d never imagined loving anyone as much as he loved her—so completely, so deeply. He loved her the same way he loved her mother. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He’d give his life for her in an instant. She was his world, and always would be, until the day he died.

He swallowed hard, trying to steady himself. "I've got a situation here at the jail." Looking outside, he spotted her bicycle. "Does Grandma know where you are?" His mother usually called when Alice was heading to his office.

Alice shrugged. "Grandma hardly ever knows where I am."

"Really?" He reclined in his chair.

"Shoot." Alice snapped her fingers. "Curtis always says I'm the sharpest knife in the drawer, but sometimes I end up cutting myself."

Everyone in town knew Alice, so she wasn’t in any real danger. Still, she wasn’t supposed to leave the house without permission. She spent far too much time at the local barbershop, Curtis and Hardy Stewart—two former cowboys who had traded long hours in the saddle for a quieter life in town. They ran the only barbershop around, and Alice loved listening to their stories, picking up their way of speaking.

Disciplining her was tough. She had him wrapped around her little finger, and he let her get away with almost everything. He kept telling himself he needed to be firmer, but it never stuck. Just last week, the school had called because Alice had punched a boy in her class—for telling her she was pretty. Apparently, that was all it took to set her off.

Alice was a tomboy through and through, refusing to acknowledge she was a girl. No matter how many times they talked about it, she stood firm—she was just Alice, nothing more, nothing less.

He sucked in the fatherhood department.

What worried him most was her loneliness. Alice didn’t have friends her own age—only adults. And that was something he needed to fix, sooner rather than later.

Dolittle trotted around the desk and nudged John’s leg. He reached down, scratching the dog’s head. “So, you left the house without telling Grandma?”

“Well, Daddy, here’s what happened,” her expression was so sweet he almost wanted to kiss her pixie-like face. “Grandma was in the middle of her Sunday poker game, and she was telling Sharon that she needed to get her cataracts removed because she couldn't see squat. You know how Sharon hates it when Grandma tells her what to do. They were having a loud argument about mind-your-own business types of things when I shouted that I was going to see what was keeping you so long."

“I see.” John sighed, realizing once again that he had no control over the women in his life. His mother played the organ at church on Sunday mornings, then spent the afternoons playing poker with her friends.

Gambling was illegal in Arizona, so he’d warned them they couldn’t play for money. Instead, the winner got a free bowling game on Tuesdays and a free lunch—at least, that’s what his mother claimed. Most of the time, he had no idea what they were really up to, and honestly, he preferred not to know. The last thing he needed was to end up having to lock up his own mother.

He pointed a finger at Alice, trying to look as stern as possible. “Next time, make sure Grandma actually hears you before you leave.”

At John’s tone, Dolittle stiffened, instantly on alert. They had raised him from a pup, quickly realizing he was about as lazy as a dog could get—hence the name. But when it came to Alice, he was fiercely protective. That dog would take on a bear for her if he had to. John stroked the dog's head to reassure him that Alice wasn't in danger.

“Sure. No problem,” Alice said breezily. “So, are you ready to go? Hardy says the catfish are biting today. He caught one ‘this’ big.” She stretched her arms as wide as they would go.

John smirked. “Hardy sure does love a good fish story.”

"Uh no, Daddy." Alice violently shook her head. "Hardy is not a liar."