on plane.” Penny said. Then she lifted her eyes to Jack and gave him a warm, grateful smile.
Jack let himself out of the apartment and walked back to his pickup.
Leaning against his truck, Jack drew a deep breath. It had seemed like a good idea back when Krystal hired him to confirm things with her Uncle Andrew and Andrew had been grateful for Jack’s confidence. He’d felt a bit guilty at the time—technically it was a violation of Krystal’s confidence. But given the circumstances, he’d eased his own conscience by reassuring himself that it was in Krystal’s best interests to keep her uncle informed. Then too, the money Andrew paid him for duplicate copies of his reports hadn’t hurt any.
What the hell! It was a tough business and a man had to look out for himself if he wanted to stay independent. Jack gave himself a mental shake and climbed into his truck.
“I’ll give her a break and then wash my hands of it,” he muttered as he turned the key and started the truck.
By the time he’d pulled out onto Camp Bowie, his mind was fixed on his client in Arlington and Krystal’s problems were left behind.
Chapter Five
“I’m going to be just fine.” Krystal leaned across the seat and gave Penny a hug.
Unlocking the car door and pulling the handle, she turned back to Penny and gave her a last warning admonition. “Now I don’t want you to worry anymore. I’m going to talk to Uncle Andrew and he’ll take care of everything.”
“You will telephone?” Penny’s voice trembled.
“I’ll call as soon as I talk to Uncle Andrew. That’s a promise.”
Krystal hopped out of the car, crossed the narrow strip of pavement into the terminal and stepped through the automatic doors.
At the Southwest Airlines booth, she stepped up to the counter and smiled at the ticket agent.
“May I help you?” His voice was crisp and professional but his eyes brightened at the sight of the stunning blonde holding out her American Express card and his smile held real warmth.
“I have a reservation for the noon flight to Houston.” Krystal returned his smile with an automatic twist of her lips.
The formalities over, she soon boarded the plane and sighed with relief to find it almost empty. She couldn’t have handled a talkative seat companion. What she needed right now was some quiet time to get her thoughts in order.
The plane rolled onto the runway and after giving the standard spiel, a pert navy-clad redhead walked down the aisle checking seatbelts. The jets roared and in seconds they were airborne. Krystal leaned back in the seat and turned her face to the window. Memory rolled in with the passing clouds and took her back.
She was almost seven. Next Saturday was her birthday. Mommy had promised her a big party with clowns. She’d gone to sleep dreaming about the clowns. Then she’d head a loud bang. “Mommy!” She’d cried out but Mommy hadn’t come. Frightened, Krystal had buried her head under the covers and started to cry.
“Would you care for a soft drink?” A friendly voice brought Krystal back from the past. “Thank you, no.” She shook her head and the flight attendant crossed to the next seat across the aisle.
Turning back to the window, Krystal forced her thoughts away from the past. She needed to decide how to handle Uncle Andrew. The last time she’d been home, they’d had a fight over her mother.
“I’m going to be twenty-five in a couple of months,” Krystal had told him. “Don’t you think it’s time somebody told me the truth about my mother?”
“She wasn’t a fit woman to raise a child,” Andrew had snapped at Krystal and given her an angry look.
Refusing to be intimidated, she’d pressed on. “Can’t you at least tell me why my mother left?”
“No, as a matter of fact, I can’t. I have no idea what was in her mind. She had no interest in you when you were a child and there’s no reason to think that’s changed. You’ll only rake open old
Jack let himself out of the apartment and walked back to his pickup.
Leaning against his truck, Jack drew a deep breath. It had seemed like a good idea back when Krystal hired him to confirm things with her Uncle Andrew and Andrew had been grateful for Jack’s confidence. He’d felt a bit guilty at the time—technically it was a violation of Krystal’s confidence. But given the circumstances, he’d eased his own conscience by reassuring himself that it was in Krystal’s best interests to keep her uncle informed. Then too, the money Andrew paid him for duplicate copies of his reports hadn’t hurt any.
What the hell! It was a tough business and a man had to look out for himself if he wanted to stay independent. Jack gave himself a mental shake and climbed into his truck.
“I’ll give her a break and then wash my hands of it,” he muttered as he turned the key and started the truck.
By the time he’d pulled out onto Camp Bowie, his mind was fixed on his client in Arlington and Krystal’s problems were left behind.
Chapter Five
“I’m going to be just fine.” Krystal leaned across the seat and gave Penny a hug.
Unlocking the car door and pulling the handle, she turned back to Penny and gave her a last warning admonition. “Now I don’t want you to worry anymore. I’m going to talk to Uncle Andrew and he’ll take care of everything.”
“You will telephone?” Penny’s voice trembled.
“I’ll call as soon as I talk to Uncle Andrew. That’s a promise.”
Krystal hopped out of the car, crossed the narrow strip of pavement into the terminal and stepped through the automatic doors.
At the Southwest Airlines booth, she stepped up to the counter and smiled at the ticket agent.
“May I help you?” His voice was crisp and professional but his eyes brightened at the sight of the stunning blonde holding out her American Express card and his smile held real warmth.
“I have a reservation for the noon flight to Houston.” Krystal returned his smile with an automatic twist of her lips.
The formalities over, she soon boarded the plane and sighed with relief to find it almost empty. She couldn’t have handled a talkative seat companion. What she needed right now was some quiet time to get her thoughts in order.
The plane rolled onto the runway and after giving the standard spiel, a pert navy-clad redhead walked down the aisle checking seatbelts. The jets roared and in seconds they were airborne. Krystal leaned back in the seat and turned her face to the window. Memory rolled in with the passing clouds and took her back.
She was almost seven. Next Saturday was her birthday. Mommy had promised her a big party with clowns. She’d gone to sleep dreaming about the clowns. Then she’d head a loud bang. “Mommy!” She’d cried out but Mommy hadn’t come. Frightened, Krystal had buried her head under the covers and started to cry.
“Would you care for a soft drink?” A friendly voice brought Krystal back from the past. “Thank you, no.” She shook her head and the flight attendant crossed to the next seat across the aisle.
Turning back to the window, Krystal forced her thoughts away from the past. She needed to decide how to handle Uncle Andrew. The last time she’d been home, they’d had a fight over her mother.
“I’m going to be twenty-five in a couple of months,” Krystal had told him. “Don’t you think it’s time somebody told me the truth about my mother?”
“She wasn’t a fit woman to raise a child,” Andrew had snapped at Krystal and given her an angry look.
Refusing to be intimidated, she’d pressed on. “Can’t you at least tell me why my mother left?”
“No, as a matter of fact, I can’t. I have no idea what was in her mind. She had no interest in you when you were a child and there’s no reason to think that’s changed. You’ll only rake open old
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