148: I Won't Do It

KEIRA

I had been sitting on the couch in the living room, engrossed in a novel when I heard Papa's voice calling out to me from the hall. "Keira! We need to talk this instant!"

My heart sank. I knew what this was about, and I had been dreading this moment, but now it was here.

I stormed up the stairs to pack anything important that I would need when the shrill sound of a cell phone ringing broke the silence. “The police,” Papa’s assistant informed him, and I stopped dead in my tracks. Papa had taken the call and I strained my ears to listen in on the conversation.

“Alright, officer. Thanks a lot.” I heard him say and end the call.

“Keira,” Papa called out softly. “Come here, please.”

Reluctantly, I descended the steps and walked to the doorway where my father was waiting. He held a cell phone in his hand, and his face was grim.

"The police just called," he said. "They have caught Calvin."

I felt a rush of relief mixed with dread. On the one hand, I was glad that the man who had