“Amen to that.” Molly managed a laugh and tried not to squirm beneath Robin’s touch. Unused to any kind of affection, she was still growing accustomed to the gestures that came so easily to the rest of the family. She didn’t want to insult them though or discourage their attempts to reach out to her. Besides, Robin’s caring was exactly what she’d needed when she’d arrived here. She’d left Hunter behind and it had helped to know she’d found something solid. Not that it replaced him or the place he could have had in her life.

“What’s with the duffel bag?” the commander asked, interrupting Molly’s thoughts.

“You’re leaving?” Robin asked, panic in her voice.

Molly shook her head. “I have to go see a friend about Dad.” Despite Jessie’s outburst, the word flowed easily off Molly’s tongue, due completely to how Frank had pulled her into his home and his family.

Robin’s shoulders relaxed. She leaned forward, her hands folded over each other on the desktop. “I worry about leaving you and Jess alone when I go back to school.”

Robin attended Yale on partial scholarship with her father assuming responsibility for the rest. General Addams believed it was a parent’s job to pay for his child’s education and Molly respected him for it. They’d had more than one discussion that ended in an argument because he wanted to take over Molly’s student loans.

As much as she appreciated the offer, she wouldn’t hear of it. She paid her own way. She’d never emulate her mother’s behavior of taking from others. Living in this house was as much of a handout as she was willing to accept. It was a compromise she made in order to have a real family.

Molly laughed. “Don’t worry. Your sister and I won’t kill each other while you’re gone. I still hold out hope we’ll make peace, eventually.”

Robin nodded. “Just don’t think anyone would hold it against you if you did strangle her.” She grinned, then her gaze shifted to the suitcase once more. “So what can this friend do about our father’s arrest?”

“Praise the Lord and load the ammunition,” the macaw said.

Molly chuckled.

“I swear, I’m buying that bird a muzzle,” Robin uttered the threat made by everyone in the house at one time or another against the noisy pet.

Edna shook her vibrant red head.

Molly wondered if her grandmother had changed her hair’s shade yet again. On meeting the commander for the first time, Molly had immediately discovered she’d inherited the other woman’s passion for bold, standout colors. Although, Molly had to admit, since moving here she’d packed away her most vibrant outfits. Fear of not fitting in had been too great. But Edna changed her hair color weekly depending on which color of Miss Clairol she picked up at the local CVS. Molly never knew what the other woman would look like from one day to the next and she looked forward to the adventure. Edna and Molly had hit it off immediately, Edna becoming the maternal influence Molly had never had. Another thing she didn’t want to lose.

“I don’t know what you expect from the poor bird. I told you I rescued him from two men in South America, one a preacher, the other a pharmaceutical salesman.”

“You mean a drug dealer?” Robin asked sweetly.

Edna ignored her.

“Me padre,” the bird said next.

Edna smiled. “You do your namesake proud, Ollie.”

Robin laughed. “I’m sure Oliver North would be thrilled to know you named a foulmouthed parrot after him.”

“Bite me,” Ollie replied.

“Right back at you,” Robin muttered.

Molly chuckled again. “Now children, no bickering,” she said before turning her attention back to their problem. “I have an old friend who might be able to help with Dad’s representation.”

“Thank God because Dad’s lawyer is a halfwit,” Robin said.

“He’s an imbecile,” Edna agreed, her words accentuated by a sweep of her emerald green sleeve. “In fact, I’d like to see his degree.”

Molly swallowed a laugh. Despite her words, nobody would ever accuse the commander of being ditsy or stupid. She was book smart, people smart and street smart, all knowledge born of firsthand experience. After her husband died, she’d traveled extensively, visiting different cultures and countries until she had returned home to help her son raise his children. With Jessie she’d had her hands full.

“I was hoping the police would realize their mistake and free Dad, but that’s not happening,” Molly said. Having collared their man, the Dentonville, Connecticut police weren’t looking any further. “So I’ll be back after I try to talk my friend into taking Dad’s case.”

Robin jumped up from her seat in excitement. “Who is he and how do you know him?” She perched on the corner of the big mahogany desk, ready to hear all.

“Most importantly, can you be sure he’ll help us?” Edna asked, walking closer, cane in hand.

They’d cornered her, and Molly swallowed hard. “His name is Daniel Hunter.” Her words sounded rusty, foreign after a year of thinking about him but never speaking his name.

“Oh my God!” Robin practically squealed. “The man who represented the governor’s son on a rape charge and got him off? I watched the trial on Court TV.” Her half sister’s blue eyes sparkled like their father’s, the resemblance between them unmistakable.

While Molly had inherited her mother’s brown eyes, she’d been pleased to discover her bone structure bore more than a passing resemblance to the general’s.

“Am I right? Is that him?” Robin asked.

“One and the same,” she told her family. “Like I said, he’s an old friend.” She chose her words wisely.

“He’s gorgeous,” Robin said. “The girls would get together to watch him in my dorm. The man is a genuine hunk.”

“Hubba hubba,” Ollie said, shaking his big green feathers and scattering pellets onto the rug beneath him.

Hunter was a hunk all right, Molly thought, and felt a heated flush settle in her cheeks.

“So he’ll do this for you, right?” Robin asked.

The hope in her voice tugged at Molly’s heart and she wished she could give her half sister the answer she desperately needed.

“I can’t say for sure. We didn’t actually part on the best of terms.” She held no illusions. Hunter would not be happy to hear from her at all.

Molly glanced down, recalling the hurt and devastation in his eyes when she’d rejected him. Her stomach twisted with regret but she couldn’t change the facts. Hunter had grown up in foster care. The little boy who was convinced nobody could love him had grown into a man who believed the same. And Molly had done nothing but prove him right. He’d put his heart in her hands and she’d squashed it.

“You were more than friends with Daniel Hunter, weren’t you?” Edna asked with all the gentle wisdom provided by her years.

Molly glanced up and met her grandmother’s warm gaze, wishing not for the first time that she’d had this kind of compassion and caring during the difficult years she’d spent growing up alone.

“Hunter and I, we were complicated.” But Hunter was nothing if not passionate about his work. She was counting on that passion to help persuade him. “If I can convince him to take the case, he’ll make sure justice is done regardless of his personal feelings. It just depends on whether he’s gotten over things enough to help me.”

“Oh great. It’s not enough that you turned our world upside down by showing up here but now Dad’s life depends on you and some guy you screwed?” Jessie reentered the room as dramatically as she’d left it.

The commander smacked her cane against the floor in response to her rude words.

The young girl flinched but didn’t miss a beat. “Screwed over. Dad’s life depends on some guy she screwed over,” she quickly added.

Robin groaned.

“Hey, it’s what I meant to say but as usual nobody gave me a chance to finish.”

Molly shut her eyes and silently counted to ten.

Then she rose and walked over to where her half sister stood leaning against the door frame. “You and I are going to have to come to a truce of some kind because I’m sick and tired of your bullshit,” Molly said, telling Jessie off for the first time since she’d walked into the house.

Her father had welcomed her into this home and nobody, especially not the youngest, most obnoxious member of the family was going to tell her differently.

The young girl’s eyes opened wide at Molly’s words. “What if I don’t want to?” she asked defiantly.

Beneath the bravado, Molly noticed the shakiness in her tone. That was Jessie’s tell. Her attitude couldn’t quite hide her insecurity and fear, not when her voice gave her away. “You may not want to but you’ll do it anyway. Would you like to know why?”

Edna and Robin remained quiet in the background, but Molly felt their silent support.

“Why?” Jessie lifted her chin a notch.

“For the same reasons you hate me. Frank’s my father, too, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Jessie glanced away, then predictably stomped out of the room.

And that, Molly thought, was that.

Robin applauded without making a sound, while Edna nodded her approval. The knot in Molly’s stomach eased slightly as she realized neither of them would turn their backs on her because she’d taken a stand.

“Good luck,” Edna said. “I’m going to the kitchen.” She made her way out of the room.

“I’ll be in my room studying.” Robin paused and glanced at Molly. “Good luck.” She winked and walked out.

Molly inclined her head. “I’ll need it.” Much more than anyone knew.

“Squawk!”

Molly walked over to Ollie’s cage and looked inside, making eye contact with the bird.

At least she thought she was making eye contact. “You could have a little more faith in me, you know. Hunter might be happy to hear from me.”

“Squawk!” Molly interpreted that to mean when hell freezes over. She scowled at the bird before picking up her bag and heading to her car.