Breaking the Habit - The Devereaux Case Files, Book 7

Chapter 1

Three weeks later and everyone was back in New York, trying to settle down into a normal routine again. The schools the kids were supposed to have attended for the last three weeks had been closed for a month due to the discovery of below standard materials having been used in their construction. Some politician, more intent on votes than people's safety had underbid on the project, used substandard materials and recently been convicted of fraud. He had lost all his power and been given a criminal sentence, but during the investigation, the danger to the school children had become evident.

But, as usual, New York didn't do anything by halves. They had promised the kids a months vacation from school and that by the time they returned, they would have a safe building fit for use. And that was exactly what Reed found when he dropped Caleb, Mason, Magnus and Elyse off at their new school building. It wasn't the most beautiful building he had ever seen, but all he cared about was that his kids were safe. So he left them all with a smile, taking a moment to catch up with Anita as she dropped off her daughter Evaine, before heading home.

The last three weeks had been hectic. They had returned Fleur to her parents the very next morning after Dicken had stopped her from running away and enjoyed a long catch up with her parents, Gino and Dakota. Their move to New York wasn't just good news for Dicken, because he would get to see Fleur more often. It intrigued Reyes and Reed, who realized that the Area 12 office in New York was now going to be the main command center. It was probably more than likely that they were going to bump into old acquaintances more than ever and neither one really knew how to feel about that.

Clare's punishment ended the day they returned home. Ayah gave her the mobile phone back, as soon as Reyes had stopped it from being used against her. Clare had instantly gone round to Kem's house and the pair had started officially dating. Dicken and Fleur also spent a lot of time together, but it seemed that Reyes, and he had no doubts Ayah as well, were the only ones who knew that the romance between them was already quite serious. Reyes didn't mind that Dicken hadn't announced to anyone that he was dating Fleur or that when asked by Clare, he claimed they were just friends. Gino being the head of Area 12 and Fleur's dad was intimidating enough. But when Reyes knew him as well as he did, he figured it was just a whole lot of reasons for Dicken to be nervous about admitting to a relationship with Gino's daughter. Sadly, it wasn't bound to stay secret for long.

Olivia's hard work, however, had paid off in dividends. Her homework was of the top most quality as always, despite her holiday. And Dicken had decided that he wasn't cut out for college. That was one more decision made and one less complication to deal with on their return home.

Gideon and Anita only lived a block away, and so Dicken took it upon himself to escort the younger kids, on their bikes, to the house to hang out with Evaine. He wasn't at school any more and he figured he might as well be useful until he either got a job or joined the agency, whichever one he finally decided on. What Reed didn't approve of so much, as what he witnessed between Caleb and Evaine, two ten years old, as he left them in the playground that morning, on their first day back at school. After the initial hugs and hellos, Caleb wrapped his arm around Evaine's neck and started whispering in her ear.

Reed was utterly shocked at the behavior of the ten year old children, and he was beginning to worry that the oldest twin was growing up far too quickly when Evaine pushed Caleb away playfully and ran off. He chased her around the playground, leaving Mason standing there laughing. "And what's so funny?" He asked, rethinking his decision to leave the boys until he had investigated such a strange occurrence. He only hoped that Clare's bad influence hadn't affected them and made them think they should grow up far too soon. But Mason, the most innocent of all his children just smiled up at him, still laughing. Reed wasn't sure he found it funny.