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"I'm so happy for Jake, Sweetheart," said Izumi, joyfully hugging her daughter. "I'm glad it's over!"

"Me too," smiled Abby.

However relieved Abby was, she wasn't ready to start celebrating until Jake was back where he belonged. Abby had a very real concern that this recent event might have caused a setback in his recovery, and she was anxious to see how he had fared. When Abby came home to an empty house that night, she reminded herself that Jake would soon be back, and climbed into bed.

Early the next day, Abby raced to her parents' house across the way, and found everyone eating cold cereal, for Jake was the one who usually did the cooking.

"How soon can we leave?" asked Abby, for she was much too excited to eat breakfast. Today, she, her father, and Uncle Terry were going down to the detention center to bring Jake home.

"As soon as Agatha gets here, we can go," replied John, pouring himself a cup of hot coffee.

"I'm going to make sure that the car's ready," said Abby, refusing to wait around indoors.

Outside, Abby pulled her dark green jeep in front of her parents' house and checked the oil. It didn't need checking, but she had to get her mind off the nervous excitement she was feeling. Even a terrible bout of morning sickness could not dampen her determination to bring Jake home, for she knew that the sooner he returned, the better it would be for him.

"Good morning, Abby!" sounded a woman's warm greeting.

Abby poked her head out from under the jeep's hood and smiled at the middle aged woman standing at her parents' front door.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hopkins!" she called back. "Mom's in the bedroom!" Abby winced at the blatantly obvious remark she had just made, for that was where her mother was supposed to be. She was on bed rest, after all.

Mrs. Hopkins smiled and then entered the house, while Abby quickly tossed aside her rag and secured the hood of her jeep. After a few minutes, the men appeared and climbed into the vehicle.

"Let's go get him," smiled John.

That same morning, at his office in Chaumont, Sheriff Peterson was just receiving a call from the police station.

"Could you repeat that?" asked the Sheriff, not believing what his ears had just heard.

"Henry, I just found out that Jake Murphy's parole has been revoked," repeated the desk sergeant.

"On what grounds?!" shouted the Sheriff.

"I'm reading it right here," replied the sergeant. "It says he's being sent back because of a technical violation."

"What kind of a 'technical violation'? Does it say anything more explicit than that?" barked Henry.

Upon hearing the commotion, Deputy Casey stepped into the Sheriff's office.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Jake's being sent back on a technical violation of his parole!" replied the Sheriff, pounding his desk with a clenched fist.

"Henry," answered the desk sergeant, "it's because Jake was detained by the police. Evidently, that qualifies as a technical violation."

"But," reasoned Henry, "he was completely cleared of all charges!"

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