Three by McMan Ann;

Author:McMan, Ann;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bywater Books
Published: 2016-12-10T05:00:00+00:00

“Gillespie!”

The big iron door rolled back. I looked up from my seat on the low bunk. Late afternoon light was filtering in through a high, transom window at the end of the corridor. Something about this place was starting to feel downright homey. It exuded a calm that was mostly missing in the rest of my life. I knew that I’d be sorry to leave it—especially when I had to confront what I knew would be waiting for me outside in central processing.

I’d used my one phone call to reach out to my brother, Father Frank. Again.

I asked him to wear his collar this time.

This time. Jeez . . .

At the rate I was going, I should ask the City of Baltimore for a time-share on this joint.

But it did occur to me that maybe having a big, jovial priest bail me out would lend a holiday flavor to my misfortune. Why not add a little Bells of St. Mary’s flourish to lessen the sting of my most recent crime against humanity—especially since I knew that both of the dogs were safe and sound?

Which, by the way, was more than I could say for my unhappy prospects.

I couldn’t begin to imagine how I was going to explain this one to Clarissa. Somehow the words, “It wasn’t my fault,” rang hollow—even to me. And not just because I’d said them the last time I ended up here.

I followed along behind the matron as we headed for the discharge area.

“See ya on the flip side, Dorrie.” I waved at the big woman in the first cell who apparently was a fixture in this particular lockup.

“Later, doll face.” Dorrie gave me a two-fingered salute.

It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the fluorescent light in the discharge area. I didn’t see Frank. Just my luck he’d pick today to run a few errands on his way downtown to bail his baby sister out of the joint.

There were six or eight other people seated around the room on beat up wooden benches. Most of them looked tired and bored, and entirely used to being precisely where they were.

Then I saw her. My heart skipped a beat.

Uh oh . . .

Clarissa.

She did not look happy.

I opened my mouth to ask what she was doing there, but she raised a hand to stop me.

“Don’t. Say. Anything.”

I sighed and walked to the window to claim my belongings.

Clarissa was silent on the entire ride back to my house. I was dying to ask how she found out about what had happened, but I was afraid to do so. I knew she’d tell me when she was good and ready.

“Can you at least tell me where the dogs are?” I asked, timidly.

She glared at me. “Home where they belong.

I didn’t speak again and neither did she.

When we got home and entered the house, Clarissa tossed her coat and bag down on a chair and headed straight for the liquor cabinet.

That wasn’t good news. Clarissa rarely drank the hard stuff, and I’d never known her to indulge on weekdays—or during broad daylight.

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.