Shadows from the Past by Terry Ambrose

Author:Terry Ambrose [Ambrose, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Satori
Published: 2019-05-29T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Roxy

ON THE WAY across the street, Skip explained his comment about Daniela Neri. I chuckled at the mental picture of her chasing off both Bruno and Mateo Carli with her broom. At that moment, I knew I liked this lady.

When Skip knocked, the porch light came on; a moment later the door opened. Sure enough, the bent old woman standing in the doorway held a broom in both hands.

Without waiting for either of us to say a word, she snapped, “What is it you want now?”

“Mrs. Neri, I saw your grandson leave. I’m hoping you can tell me where he went.”

“I told you to leave us alone.”

I stepped forward, inserting myself between Skip and the old woman. Despite the chill in the air, my face felt hot with emotion. For the first time in my life, I was pleading with someone I might call one of my peers. “Mrs. Neri, my name is Roxy Tanner. I’m Lily Jamison’s mother. Please, I need your help to save my daughter.”

Her gaze locked onto mine and a grimace crossed her lined features. I prayed my plea had resonated with her. Skip’s fingers squeezed my shoulder, and I instinctively laid my hand on his. His touch conveyed warmth and comfort.

“Mrs. Neri, I’m begging you—as one mother to another—please help me find my little girl—she’s only fourteen.”

“You do not look old enough to have a teenage daughter.”

“You’re right.” I sniffled and swiped at my cheek. My fingers came away hot and wet, but I didn’t care. “Her biological mother died. I took her in, and now I’m trying to adopt her. In the eyes of the law I’m not yet Lily’s mother.” I stopped, placed my hand over my chest, and continued. “But here, in my heart, I love her as though she were my own flesh-and-blood. I could never forgive myself if harm came to her because of something I did.”

I waited, counting the beats of my pulse, but not remembering the count from one beat to the next. When she didn’t answer, I said, “I don’t want to cause you pain, Mrs. Neri, but as a mother and a grandmother, you understand what I’m going through. Wouldn’t you do the same if someone kidnapped your child?”

The hard lines on the old woman’s face softened, and her gaze settled on mine. She pressed her thin lips together so hard they almost disappeared. When she spoke, her voice cracked. “I do not know how I can help you.”

“Please tell me where your grandson went, Mrs. Neri.”

“You are asking me to choose between a girl I have never met and helping my grandson. This is a terrible choice you offer.”

My legs were weak. In a con, I’d appeal to her sense of greed, but how did I appeal to an emotion I barely understood myself? All I knew was that if I ever wanted to sit around on a foggy morning sipping hot chocolate with Lily, I had to try. “I’m not asking you to choose between them.

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