Chapter 22 An Unlikely Deal

• Renee’s POV
• The next morning I wake up to the blaring sound of the smoke detector going off. I shoot upright in bed and scramble to my feet. Only after I become briefly oriented do I smell something like burnt pancakes.
• I relax a little as I head down the stairs, tugging my bathrobe tight against me. Debbie appears from her bedroom, looking groggy with a mess of bedhead. “Mommy, what is that?” she asks rubbing her sleepy eyes.