Defiant Heart by Steere Marty

Author:Steere, Marty [Steere, Marty]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: B-17, World War II, European bombing campaign, Midwest, small-town America, love story, WWII, historical love story, Flying Fortress, Curtiss Jenny, Curtiss JN-4, Women's Auxilliary Army Corps.
Publisher: Penfield Publications
Published: 2013-04-03T23:00:00+00:00

#

On Monday evening, Jon wheeled his bike around the house and mounted it. His grandmother had been a little under the weather, and he was on his way to pick up some cough medicine. He wanted to get to the pharmacy before it closed.

He and Mary couldn’t be together this evening. Mary had explained to him that she’d be attending a party at the Lodge. She didn’t really want to go, but Gwenda had begged her to come, and the thought of refusing had made Mary feel bad. It was just as well, Jon reflected. He’d stay home and care for his grandmother. He and Mary would have the rest of the week to spend together. They were planning another trip to Ridley, and he was looking forward to it.

As Jon turned his bike onto Main Street, he noticed a couple walking in his direction on the other side. In the light spilling out from the large front windows of the diner, the couple was illuminated for a moment, and he was surprised to see that it was Gwenda and Billy. He was even more surprised when they turned at the door to the diner and walked in. They took a seat at one of the front tables.

That struck Jon as odd. Mary had said the party would start at seven o’clock. It was now just a few minutes before seven. Maybe, he thought, they were meeting Mary, and they all planned to go together. That had to be it. Mary would almost certainly be along shortly.

He had a few minutes to spare before the pharmacy closed. Anxious, as always, to catch a glimpse of Mary, he decided he would wait until she arrived. He pedaled his bike to a spot just across the street from the diner, braked, and put a foot down to steady himself.

Through the front window, Jon could see Gwenda and Billy clearly. Betty Langdon stopped in front of their table, took out her order pad and started writing. Why, Jon asked himself, would they be ordering if they’re going to a party in just a few minutes? As soon as he’d asked the question, however, the answer came to him. They’re just ordering Cokes to sip while they wait. That made perfect sense.

A few minutes went by, and there was no sign of Mary. Jon realized he would have to get going or he’d miss the chance to pick up his grandmother’s medicine. Disappointed, he put a foot on one of the pedals, prepared to leave. Then he froze. Betty had appeared with two plates of food in her hands, and she set them down on the table in front of Gwenda and Billy. She returned a moment later with a pair of drinks and set those down as well. Billy picked up a hamburger and took a bite.

That made no sense. Jon watched them eat for a moment, a nagging disquiet beginning to gnaw at him. He ran through different scenarios in his mind, but nothing clicked.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.