the johns who paid for her services, the government programs that paid for their food and housing, and even her daughter.
‘What did your parents say when you told them you were going to Europe?’
Shannon’s question brought Mary back to the present. Her parents? Shannon meant the made-up, loving couple who gave their daughter everything she ever wanted, loved her dearly, and tragically died just before Mary Smith turned thirty. The parents who had the money Mary ‘inherited,’ the money she used to move to Rivershore and open a bookstore forty-four years ago.
She needed to be careful what she said. She not only had to make sure she didn’t say anything that didn’t match past stories, she alsoneeded to phrase her response in a way that didn’t give Shannon the wrong idea. Although she didn’t always agree with her son and daughter-in-law, in this case she thought Robby and Clare were right. Shannon should go to college after she graduated from high school. A trip to Europe and joining up with her boyfriend were not in her granddaughter’s best interest.
‘They were very upset,’ she said. ‘Begged me to reconsider. And now that I look back, I realize they were right. I should have gone to college first, and then traveled.’
‘But once you took off, were gone, they supported you, right?’
‘They …’ Mary wasn’t sure what to say. ‘They were very upset.’
‘How did you get over there? Fly? I’ve been checking. Every so often they have cheap tickets. How much money did you take with you?’
Mary thought of the private jet that took her on her first journey to Europe, the elegant clothes she was given to wear, and the fine hotel they booked her in. Her job was to seduce a man, get him alone, and allow her partner to eliminate him. She didn’t need money. Everything was taken care of for her. All she had to do was play her part.
‘I …’ Funny, no one, not even Harry, had ever asked her how much it cost her to go to Europe. ‘I don’t remember,’ she finally said.
‘I’ve been saving my babysitting money, along with what you gave me for my birthday.’ The doorbell rang again, and Shannon rose to her feet. ‘I have almost five hundred. I know it’s not enough, but by the time school’s out, I’ll have more.’
‘Shannon, I don’t think you should go, not until—’
The moment Shannon opened the door, the chatter of the children ended Mary’s advice. She knew she couldn’t be heard over the youngsters’ excitement. ‘Here you go, now,’ Shannon said. ‘No fighting. There’s enough for everyone. Hey, you guys better get home. It’s getting dark.’
Mary saw Shannon start to close the door, then hesitate. Her granddaughter was looking at something outside.
‘Grandma, do you know anyone who drives a black car?’
‘A black car?’ A frisson of fear brought Mary to her feet.
‘I keep seeing one go by, real slow. At least, I think it’s the same car.’
‘Let me see,’ Mary said and limped over to the doorway.
Clouds darkened the sky, and a chilling breeze brushed against her cheeks. Standing beside her granddaughter, Mary watched a black sedan drive slowly by, its tinted windows up so she couldn’t see who was in the car.
‘I guess it could be a parent,’ Shannon said and grabbed a piece of candy from the basket by the door for herself.
‘I suppose it could be,’ Mary agreed, but she closed the door and turned off the porch light. ‘I think that’s enough for tonight. The little ones should be heading home to bed, and the older ones shouldn’t be bothering an old lady. Right?’ She forced a smile and steered her granddaughter toward the kitchen. ‘How about a cup of hot chocolate?’
CHAPTER EIGHT
J ACK PASSED A group of teenagers walking along the side of his street. He couldn’t tell if the bandana tied around one boy’s head and the patch over his eye was supposed to be a costume or if the kid had been injured in a fight. One of the girls was
‘What did your parents say when you told them you were going to Europe?’
Shannon’s question brought Mary back to the present. Her parents? Shannon meant the made-up, loving couple who gave their daughter everything she ever wanted, loved her dearly, and tragically died just before Mary Smith turned thirty. The parents who had the money Mary ‘inherited,’ the money she used to move to Rivershore and open a bookstore forty-four years ago.
She needed to be careful what she said. She not only had to make sure she didn’t say anything that didn’t match past stories, she alsoneeded to phrase her response in a way that didn’t give Shannon the wrong idea. Although she didn’t always agree with her son and daughter-in-law, in this case she thought Robby and Clare were right. Shannon should go to college after she graduated from high school. A trip to Europe and joining up with her boyfriend were not in her granddaughter’s best interest.
‘They were very upset,’ she said. ‘Begged me to reconsider. And now that I look back, I realize they were right. I should have gone to college first, and then traveled.’
‘But once you took off, were gone, they supported you, right?’
‘They …’ Mary wasn’t sure what to say. ‘They were very upset.’
‘How did you get over there? Fly? I’ve been checking. Every so often they have cheap tickets. How much money did you take with you?’
Mary thought of the private jet that took her on her first journey to Europe, the elegant clothes she was given to wear, and the fine hotel they booked her in. Her job was to seduce a man, get him alone, and allow her partner to eliminate him. She didn’t need money. Everything was taken care of for her. All she had to do was play her part.
‘I …’ Funny, no one, not even Harry, had ever asked her how much it cost her to go to Europe. ‘I don’t remember,’ she finally said.
‘I’ve been saving my babysitting money, along with what you gave me for my birthday.’ The doorbell rang again, and Shannon rose to her feet. ‘I have almost five hundred. I know it’s not enough, but by the time school’s out, I’ll have more.’
‘Shannon, I don’t think you should go, not until—’
The moment Shannon opened the door, the chatter of the children ended Mary’s advice. She knew she couldn’t be heard over the youngsters’ excitement. ‘Here you go, now,’ Shannon said. ‘No fighting. There’s enough for everyone. Hey, you guys better get home. It’s getting dark.’
Mary saw Shannon start to close the door, then hesitate. Her granddaughter was looking at something outside.
‘Grandma, do you know anyone who drives a black car?’
‘A black car?’ A frisson of fear brought Mary to her feet.
‘I keep seeing one go by, real slow. At least, I think it’s the same car.’
‘Let me see,’ Mary said and limped over to the doorway.
Clouds darkened the sky, and a chilling breeze brushed against her cheeks. Standing beside her granddaughter, Mary watched a black sedan drive slowly by, its tinted windows up so she couldn’t see who was in the car.
‘I guess it could be a parent,’ Shannon said and grabbed a piece of candy from the basket by the door for herself.
‘I suppose it could be,’ Mary agreed, but she closed the door and turned off the porch light. ‘I think that’s enough for tonight. The little ones should be heading home to bed, and the older ones shouldn’t be bothering an old lady. Right?’ She forced a smile and steered her granddaughter toward the kitchen. ‘How about a cup of hot chocolate?’
CHAPTER EIGHT
J ACK PASSED A group of teenagers walking along the side of his street. He couldn’t tell if the bandana tied around one boy’s head and the patch over his eye was supposed to be a costume or if the kid had been injured in a fight. One of the girls was
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