Widow Neely's this afternoon; he was shaking his head and pretending to be upset about something. He knew that old biddy would kick that sweet girl out of her house. You got her somewhere she'll be safe?"
"Over at the Beckley's. They can sure use the money, and Jenny will be safe."
"I sure hope so. I'll help to keep an eye out, too," Clyde answered. "Let's get you in a different room, on the other side of the hotel. A man would have to be a fool to cross this roof and hang over the edge to get off a shot."
Alex grabbed his belongings and within minutes he was settled in another room on the other side of the hotel. Like the Sheriff said, a person would find it nearly impossible to get off a shot inside this room. He would have to come straight through the door.
* * *
Morning arrived, and it was such a beautiful day that Jennifer was singing as she dressed and pinned up her hair. Once she was dressed for work, she neatened her room, making sure it looked as nice as possible. Then she went to see if she could help Alma in the kitchen. Alma was worried about fixing dishes that her new boarder would like, and Jenny had to assure her that she wasn't picky, except that she wasn't that fond of scrambled eggs.
"Good morning!" Alma greeted her with a big smile. "Did you sleep well, Jenny?"
"Yes, I did. The bed is very comfortable, and I love it here, Alma. It's so nice to have someone closer to my own age to talk to. Now, what can I do to help with breakfast?" she offered.
"Could you slice bread and toast it, Jenny?" Alma asked.
"Sure," Jenny replied. Alma was stirring something on the stove and then she went to put dishes on the table. The coffee pot was on the stove, too, and it would be done soon. By the time their oatmeal was finished, the toast was all ready, too. Jenny buttered each piece as it came out of the oven and she put strawberry jam in a small bowl to serve on the table. Alma opened a jar of canned peaches, and Jenny was thrilled with the simple breakfast. "This looks great, Alma!"
"Are you sure it's enough? I don't want you to be hungry this morning at the store." Alma looked concerned.
"It is perfect, and you don't need to worry. I'm not a picky eater. If I want something special, I'll ask for it... okay?"
"Yes, as long as you do remember to ask," Alma said firmly.
Little Susie came out then, wearing her nightdress and rubbing her eyes. "You're really here, Miss Jenny!"
"Yes, I am," Jenny gave the little girl a hug. "May I help you get some breakfast?" she offered since Alma was fixing a tray for Peter and hoping she could get him to eat something.
"Yes, please," Susie answered, and Alma thanked her for remembering her manners without being reminded. Susie's cheeks flushed pink with pleasure as she climbed on her chair. It didn't take Jenny long to fix Susie a bowl of oatmeal, and since the child insisted she could spread her own jam, Jennifer fixed her own breakfast.
Once she was finished, she poured coffee for herself and Alma, who was returning from the bedroom she shared with her husband. "Peter had appetite this morning," she said with a happy smile. "But he wanted to go back to sleep after he ate."
"Is that usual?" Jennifer asked, sensing Alma needed to talk.
"The sleeping part, yes. He's so tired all the time. Half the time he takes a few bites of food, drinks his coffee, and is done. It was good to see him eat better today." She looked at Jenny and asked, "Did you get enough to eat? I can make more food...?"
"I had plenty, Alma, and it is a pure relief not to have someone trying to get me to eat enough for three people in the morning!" She giggled, trying to hide the sense of betrayal she felt. Mrs. Neely didn't even give her a chance to explain her side of things. And why on earth Jeffrey acted the way he did was a mystery to her. She knew that Alex didn't much care for Jeffrey, but the man was a minister!
Alma asked her another question and she answered, visiting with her while they each
"Over at the Beckley's. They can sure use the money, and Jenny will be safe."
"I sure hope so. I'll help to keep an eye out, too," Clyde answered. "Let's get you in a different room, on the other side of the hotel. A man would have to be a fool to cross this roof and hang over the edge to get off a shot."
Alex grabbed his belongings and within minutes he was settled in another room on the other side of the hotel. Like the Sheriff said, a person would find it nearly impossible to get off a shot inside this room. He would have to come straight through the door.
* * *
Morning arrived, and it was such a beautiful day that Jennifer was singing as she dressed and pinned up her hair. Once she was dressed for work, she neatened her room, making sure it looked as nice as possible. Then she went to see if she could help Alma in the kitchen. Alma was worried about fixing dishes that her new boarder would like, and Jenny had to assure her that she wasn't picky, except that she wasn't that fond of scrambled eggs.
"Good morning!" Alma greeted her with a big smile. "Did you sleep well, Jenny?"
"Yes, I did. The bed is very comfortable, and I love it here, Alma. It's so nice to have someone closer to my own age to talk to. Now, what can I do to help with breakfast?" she offered.
"Could you slice bread and toast it, Jenny?" Alma asked.
"Sure," Jenny replied. Alma was stirring something on the stove and then she went to put dishes on the table. The coffee pot was on the stove, too, and it would be done soon. By the time their oatmeal was finished, the toast was all ready, too. Jenny buttered each piece as it came out of the oven and she put strawberry jam in a small bowl to serve on the table. Alma opened a jar of canned peaches, and Jenny was thrilled with the simple breakfast. "This looks great, Alma!"
"Are you sure it's enough? I don't want you to be hungry this morning at the store." Alma looked concerned.
"It is perfect, and you don't need to worry. I'm not a picky eater. If I want something special, I'll ask for it... okay?"
"Yes, as long as you do remember to ask," Alma said firmly.
Little Susie came out then, wearing her nightdress and rubbing her eyes. "You're really here, Miss Jenny!"
"Yes, I am," Jenny gave the little girl a hug. "May I help you get some breakfast?" she offered since Alma was fixing a tray for Peter and hoping she could get him to eat something.
"Yes, please," Susie answered, and Alma thanked her for remembering her manners without being reminded. Susie's cheeks flushed pink with pleasure as she climbed on her chair. It didn't take Jenny long to fix Susie a bowl of oatmeal, and since the child insisted she could spread her own jam, Jennifer fixed her own breakfast.
Once she was finished, she poured coffee for herself and Alma, who was returning from the bedroom she shared with her husband. "Peter had appetite this morning," she said with a happy smile. "But he wanted to go back to sleep after he ate."
"Is that usual?" Jennifer asked, sensing Alma needed to talk.
"The sleeping part, yes. He's so tired all the time. Half the time he takes a few bites of food, drinks his coffee, and is done. It was good to see him eat better today." She looked at Jenny and asked, "Did you get enough to eat? I can make more food...?"
"I had plenty, Alma, and it is a pure relief not to have someone trying to get me to eat enough for three people in the morning!" She giggled, trying to hide the sense of betrayal she felt. Mrs. Neely didn't even give her a chance to explain her side of things. And why on earth Jeffrey acted the way he did was a mystery to her. She knew that Alex didn't much care for Jeffrey, but the man was a minister!
Alma asked her another question and she answered, visiting with her while they each
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