up Maybeth Harlan. I want you to know that the girl is no more pregnant than you are. I went to the diner and…talked to her. And that big guy you said was her daddy? He’s her husband all right. They came here about four years ago when the other town they’d pulled this shit in ran them out. I’m pretty sure that they’re not going to be welcome here much longer when Pete gets around to talking to them.”
“There’s no baby, for real?” Hunter shook his head, and Jamie dropped his head to the floor. He was crying when he lifted his head and looked at Addie. “I owe you. Everything. I mean, I will do whatever you want me to do for the rest of my…rest of my long and very smart life.”
Addie looked at him and he nodded. The kid had really dodged a bullet here and she wanted to help him. “You have a job working for Mr. Emerson here. But you’ll go to college and you’ll take care that your grades show that you are grateful for the gift you’ve been given today.”
“Mrs. Emerson, I would love to go to college, but my sister has a real talent and I’m saving my money so she can go; and I won’t touch that money for anything. It’s important to her. I want her to have the ability to be as great as I know she is.” Addie got down off the counter where she’d sat when Hunter yelled at her. She told Jamie to stand up.
“I’ll help you with your tuition. And put money in the bank for you to pay for books and things.” He was shaking his head, and she smacked him on the arm. “I don’t remember asking you for a damned thing. Listen up, buddy, I don’t make this sort of offer often. College and books. You’ll work, but only part time, and you’ll keep your grades up. Your mom will go and work for Mr. Cash Emerson. He’s opening an office up and will need her help. Do you know what will happen to you if you fuck this up?”
Jamie turned and looked at Jarrett, then at Hunter. His gaze lingered on Slone for a few seconds longer before he turned back and answered Addie. “First your husband will beat my ass, then the man over there. The woman…she’ll be the worst, I think, because I’ve heard about her. She’s scary.”
“You have no idea.” When Jamie left them, Jarrett leaned against the wall while Hunter checked out Slone. When she’d had enough of his fussing, she told him to take her home. When he and Addie were alone, he asked what had been on his mind.
“Do you really think that no one will care if you’re dead?” She looked at him strangely, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. “You said that to Jamie when he put the gun to your head. You don’t really believe that. Do you?”
He didn’t think she’d answer when she went into his office and sat at his desk. Jarrett knew what she was seeing there. Unpaid bills to this shop, invoices that he’d made up to order that wouldn’t get filled, and a list of things he needed to do before he’d ever be able to open the doors. When she picked up the phone, he moved into the room and sat in the chair across from her.
“Hello, Duncan. I need for you to contact…Compute This.” She paused. “Yes, I know I do. Tell them to fill the order for….” She looked at Jarrett.
“Emerson Computers.” She repeated the name of his shop and told Duncan the names of a few other companies to take care of. When she hung up, he stared at her for a few minutes before she spoke.
“I own a lot of companies.” He nodded. “These, as a matter of fact. And I will look into why they are holding up orders for you when you aren’t the previous owner. According to Duncan, the insurance companies paid us off when this one went belly up. It’s just another thing to add to my list of things to talk to him about.”
“Thank you, but you didn’t answer my question.”
She nodded and leaned back in the chair before speaking again.
“I hurt, Jarrett. Every day, every hour.” He started to go to her, but she told him to wait. “When
“There’s no baby, for real?” Hunter shook his head, and Jamie dropped his head to the floor. He was crying when he lifted his head and looked at Addie. “I owe you. Everything. I mean, I will do whatever you want me to do for the rest of my…rest of my long and very smart life.”
Addie looked at him and he nodded. The kid had really dodged a bullet here and she wanted to help him. “You have a job working for Mr. Emerson here. But you’ll go to college and you’ll take care that your grades show that you are grateful for the gift you’ve been given today.”
“Mrs. Emerson, I would love to go to college, but my sister has a real talent and I’m saving my money so she can go; and I won’t touch that money for anything. It’s important to her. I want her to have the ability to be as great as I know she is.” Addie got down off the counter where she’d sat when Hunter yelled at her. She told Jamie to stand up.
“I’ll help you with your tuition. And put money in the bank for you to pay for books and things.” He was shaking his head, and she smacked him on the arm. “I don’t remember asking you for a damned thing. Listen up, buddy, I don’t make this sort of offer often. College and books. You’ll work, but only part time, and you’ll keep your grades up. Your mom will go and work for Mr. Cash Emerson. He’s opening an office up and will need her help. Do you know what will happen to you if you fuck this up?”
Jamie turned and looked at Jarrett, then at Hunter. His gaze lingered on Slone for a few seconds longer before he turned back and answered Addie. “First your husband will beat my ass, then the man over there. The woman…she’ll be the worst, I think, because I’ve heard about her. She’s scary.”
“You have no idea.” When Jamie left them, Jarrett leaned against the wall while Hunter checked out Slone. When she’d had enough of his fussing, she told him to take her home. When he and Addie were alone, he asked what had been on his mind.
“Do you really think that no one will care if you’re dead?” She looked at him strangely, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. “You said that to Jamie when he put the gun to your head. You don’t really believe that. Do you?”
He didn’t think she’d answer when she went into his office and sat at his desk. Jarrett knew what she was seeing there. Unpaid bills to this shop, invoices that he’d made up to order that wouldn’t get filled, and a list of things he needed to do before he’d ever be able to open the doors. When she picked up the phone, he moved into the room and sat in the chair across from her.
“Hello, Duncan. I need for you to contact…Compute This.” She paused. “Yes, I know I do. Tell them to fill the order for….” She looked at Jarrett.
“Emerson Computers.” She repeated the name of his shop and told Duncan the names of a few other companies to take care of. When she hung up, he stared at her for a few minutes before she spoke.
“I own a lot of companies.” He nodded. “These, as a matter of fact. And I will look into why they are holding up orders for you when you aren’t the previous owner. According to Duncan, the insurance companies paid us off when this one went belly up. It’s just another thing to add to my list of things to talk to him about.”
“Thank you, but you didn’t answer my question.”
She nodded and leaned back in the chair before speaking again.
“I hurt, Jarrett. Every day, every hour.” He started to go to her, but she told him to wait. “When
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