The Thief's Heart by Kathleen Shoop

Author:Kathleen Shoop
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love, family saga, angel, fairy tale, first love, happy ending, american west, pioneer, strong female protagonist, saga epic
Publisher: Kathleen Shoop

Chapter 29

Tommy drifted back toward the shed. The drink dulled his anger, but a heavy sense of worry replaced it. He thought about what he’d experienced with his prayer business and seen at Miss Violet’s and how it impacted his ability to earn money. Miss Violet was intelligent and successful. His job making condoms was evidence she was independent, and so were her employees. But he also knew there were murmurs about what went on there, as Pearl had told him. Dreama’s impact on Des Moines had been far greater than he imagined. But until he lost his work selling prayers because of it, he hadn’t really considered her. Olivia.

Pretending to communicate with the dead. Miss Violet had neither confirmed nor denied that Olivia was a fraud. But if she wasn’t capable of communicating with the dead, she was good at convincing others she did. The soothing drink had to work hard to keep anger about that from taking over.

One article he’d read in the paper indicated not everyone was pleased with Dreama. She’d been lumped into the barrel of ne’er-do-wells by the purity pushers, judges, and leading citizens who were trying to clean up the community. Or pretending to do so. He thought of all the prominent men who’d been at Miss Violet’s—had they all sat with Dreama there?

He hoped Olivia would be safe with those men, inches away when she did her readings. If they decided to make an example of her like they did with Madame Smalley, he couldn’t imagine she’d do well in jail.

Perhaps he should focus on his own loss at Dreama’s hands rather than worry what might happen if her identity were discovered. Evidently Olivia was not in need of his worries. She was just fine.

He scooped up an armful of logs from the porch and hauled them into the shed. Fern greeted him, and Frank swooped onto his shoulder. He set the wood in the iron holder and petted Fern behind the ears. He let her out and noticed the kitten bundled up by the nearly extinguished fire.

Pearl. Thinking of her—her sweetness edged with roughness—made him wonder where she was. Tommy picked up the kitten and found his breath more shallow than in the morning. Katherine, with all her knowledge of herbs and cures, would be able to do something. He tucked the kitten into his pocket, put Fern back inside, and left for Mama’s, the effects of the drink fully taking hold of his mind, playing with his vision just a little, making him smile at the numbness that dulled the pain in every inch of him. He’d definitely have to get that recipe from his sister because he needed it, more than he could have thought.

**

Mama’s kitchen windows glowed with evening lantern light. She was at the table with her sewing, holding Yale and talking to Katherine. Tommy patted the kitten. Mama didn’t like animals, but this sick, harmless soul might turn her in another direction. Still, he’d have to be gentle with how he showed the kitten to her.

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