**CHAPTER NINE**
“The cops arrested Dad?”
Nicole looked up from sorting the pile of clothes on her bed. Brandon was standing in the doorway to her bedroom. He looked concerned.
“He violated his probation,” she said, tossing a shapeless yellow sweatshirt into a box marked Salvation Army. “Driving drunk. He failed a breathalyzer.”
“Whoa.” the youngster walked over and put his hand on his mother’s shoulder as if to offer support. “Bad luck for Dad. He just get pulled over or something?”
“Or something.” She casually reached back and patted the boy on his hip and continued with her task.
“You’re not real cut up about it.”
Nicole finally stopped what she was doing and turned to face her son. “I turned him in. ”
“What?”
“I called the police,” Nicole said calmly.. “He tore out of here in the Camaro half-blitzed this morning. He’s a danger to himself and others. It had to be done.”
“Damn it,” Brandon muttered They stood so close to one another that Nicole had to tilt her head in order to look up into his dark green eyes, but she could not read his expression.