The Killing Look by J.D. Rhoades

Author:J.D. Rhoades [Rhoades, J.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Polis Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Everyone sat in awkward silence for a moment, until Cade stood up. “Thank you for the opportunity, sir.” He left with what dignity he could muster, stifling the urge to cross the room and lay the stuff-shirted bastard on the floor with one punch. As he trudged up the stairs, the door to the library opened again. Cade heard the tumult of raised voices. It sounded like the Hamricks were at it again.

Bridget exited first, scurrying down the hallway toward the kitchen in the back.

Samuel followed, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, one hand on the rail. “Cade,” he called up softly.

Cade paused. He turned back down to look at Samuel. “Well, partner,” he said, “it was fun while it lasted.”

Samuel gave him a sad smile. “Odd kind of fun,” he said, “but yes.”

Cade resumed his climb. He encountered the little girl, Violet. She was seated on the floor in the hallway outside the nursery. Her feet were splayed out on the floor and she had one of her dolls seated between them, facing her. The little girl’s face was stern, as if she was giving the doll a lecture. She looked up as Cade mounted the stairs.

“Hey, Little Bit,” he greeted her.

She regarded him with the grave expression he’d gotten used to from her. “Hello.”

He paused before going on to his room. “I guess this is goodbye.”

Her expression didn’t change. “Why?”

“I’m…” He didn’t think the little girl needed to hear all the details. “I’m just moving on, is all.”

“Are you going back to herding cows?”

He had to smile at that. “Don’t rightly know. But I’ll find something. It was nice meeting you.”

“It was nice meeting you, too,” Violet said, and went back to her doll. She didn’t speak. It was as if she and the doll were having a stare down.

Strange little thing, Cade thought as he went on to his room. He pulled out his trunk and sighed as he began packing his few belongings. At least I got some decent meals. And a couple of fancy new suits. Not that I have any place to wear them. It occurred to him that Hamrick might demand the new clothing back. Well, he could ask. Cade might or might not comply. But he’d taken about all he was going to from John C. Hamrick.

“Mr. Cade,” a voice said from the door.

He turned.

Marjorie Hamrick was standing there, regarding him with a direct look that reminded him uncannily of her daughter’s. “May I come in?”

“It’s your house,” he said, then immediately regretted how ungracious that sounded. “Sorry. Come on in.”

He was surprised and more than a little unsettled when she closed the door behind her. “I’m sorry things have come to this,” she said.

He threw a pair of new socks into the trunk. “Thanks.” He stopped and turned to her. “I wanted to protect you. And your little girl. But Mr. Hamrick makes it hard.”

“Yes.” She looked at the trunk. “Where will you go?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know. Haven’t been paid yet for the work I did do.

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