1931 Caleb's Err - Book Six (The 1929 Series 6) by M.L. Gardner

Author:M.L. Gardner [Gardner, M.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-03-23T04:00:00+00:00

Later, Ava tiptoed upstairs with a tray of food. She pushed the bedroom door open with her toe. Jonathan was sound asleep with Jean curled at his side, snoring lightly. The book had fallen to the floor. Amy slept in her crib and Ava debated whether or not to wake her for dinner. She was cranky when she got too hungry. She watched them all for a moment and smiled, deciding they would all have a late dinner together and quietly backed out of the room.

Downstairs she set the tray on the table and wondered for a moment what to do with herself. Work or read were her only options. Allowing herself to think wasn’t a good idea. She reached for a book as someone knocked softy on the front door. She opened it, expecting to see Edna.

It wasn’t.

“Hello, Ava.”

“Stanley, I thought you left.”

“No, I’m still around. I’ve had a hard time finding a job in this town.”

She stared at him and could care less. “Then maybe you should go back to New York.”

“I would, but I don’t have any money. Perhaps if you could help me out with train fare?” he asked, leading his question with a smile that made Ava’s skin crawl.

“I can’t help you.”

“I think you can. And you should. You don’t want your dirty little secret getting out, do you?”

“Are you blackmailing me?” she asked, both scared and furious.

“That’s a harsh word. Let’s call it insurance. It’s a fair deal. I need money, you need to keep your secret from your husband.”

He held out his hand, waiting. “I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”

Her mind refused to register the possibility of Jonathan finding out about her past. The only option was to pay him for his silence.

“You’ll go away? For good?”

“Yes,” he said, holding his hand up. “I’ll go and take your secrets with me.”

She eyed him for a moment. “Wait here,” she said and closed the door.

She was shaking but managed to keep tears at bay. After all, if he was good on his word and left town, she could forget all about this again. She peeked up the staircase as she passed, listening to hear if anyone had woken up.

Hearing nothing, she went to the kitchen and stretched tall to pull the can from the back of the cupboard. Their precious savings was a small wad of bills. She counted twenty-three dollars. Holding it with a sigh, thinking of how hard Jonathan worked to earn and save this over the last year, she swallowed hard.

She’d worry about how she’d explain it later. Right now she needed this problem gone so she could get back to her life.

She walked to the door with the cash tight in her hand. She opened it a crack and held it out.

“Go away, Stanley. Never come back.”

He smiled as he took the cash. “Take care of yourself, cousin,” he said. His icy stare lingered too long before he turned away. She watched him walk away. Watched until he was out of sight.

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