was always careful about keeping his cleaned out, and he never stored anything in there but cotton. The fertilizer storage shed was a quarter of a mile away. There had to be two separate fires to get it, too.”
“Any more meatloaf?” Sam held out his plate.
“If anything was going to catch fire from the gin, it would’ve been those woods you found Shana hiding in.” She refilled Sam’s plate and handed it back to him.
“I didn’t say that’s where I found her.”
“She did. And for the record, I wouldn’t have run into a blazing building either. Well, maybe if Daddy or Bradley…or I might panic and run the other way, too.”
“We’re only human. I want you to lock the basement door from the outside tonight.”
“Lock Shana in? That’s inhuman!”
“It’s for her own good.”
“Why? Do you think she had something to do with the fire last night? Is she a suspect in whatever was going on out there?”
“Just do it.” Sam carried his plate to the sink, rinsed it, and set it aside.
“Somebody trained you right,” Penelope said, realizing too late that the remark might sound sarcastic.
“Yeah, somebody did,” he said. “Go check on Shana. I’ll wait and walk you upstairs.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
(Wednesday)
Shana seemed brighter the next morning and said she’d slept well. Penelope found her asleep again when she carried the lunch tray down. Sam left at two. “I’ll be around,” he said just before he stepped through the back door. “But don’t call me—I’ll call you.”
Jerk! I don’t know how to call you, and you know it. She cleaned the front room before she went down to the basement to check on Shana, who was watching family sit-com reruns on the television from Jake’s room.
“Did Sam bring everything on your list?”
“Yes, he did.”
“I’m going to break a rule and go out for a bit. To church, actually. I can’t settle myself down, but some time at St. Hyacinth’s will help.” She took a deep breath. “Did you know I’m locking the basement door behind me?”
“I heard you this morning.”
“I don’t know why exactly. Sam said it’s for your own good.”
“It’s okay.”
“I won’t be long.”
Shana grimaced. “I’ll be here.”
The church—dim, cool, and empty—enveloped Penelope with a sense of peace. She lit a candle and knelt at the altar. I don’t understand all this, but I guess You do. The problem is, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, or if I’ve gotten myself into a mess. And I’m worried about Daddy. I’ve never not known where he was before. I don’t really trust Sam either. I mean, he questioned Shana like a pro, but he could be crooked as a dog’s hind leg for all I know. I can’t ask Bradley…oh, Lord, please take care of my son! It’s not his fault he didn’t have a good relationship with his father. Maybe it’s mine. Maybe I shouldn’t have left Travis. I guess it’s too late to think about that now.
Penelope leaned her face against the rail and tried to will away her fear.
****
Bradley was waiting by her car when she came out. “You shouldn’t be here, Mother.”
“I had to come.”
He nodded. “I’ll follow you home.”
“Bradley…”
He waved her away. “Don’t ask me any questions, Mother.”
“All right, I won’t. Just be careful.”
“As careful as I can be.”
She touched his cheek before she got into her car.
****
(Thursday – Saturday)
Somehow Penelope got through the next few days. Mary Lynn, busy with the Black Walnut Cake Festival, called a couple of times but didn’t come by. Penelope found it easier to lie to her friend by phone rather than to her face. Bradley checked in once a day and asked about his grandfather. It kills me to lie to him about Daddy. If something happens, and I’ve covered up a scam…Lord, I’m so scared!
Shana slept a lot and watched television when she wasn’t sleeping. Penelope thought she seemed lethargic,
“Any more meatloaf?” Sam held out his plate.
“If anything was going to catch fire from the gin, it would’ve been those woods you found Shana hiding in.” She refilled Sam’s plate and handed it back to him.
“I didn’t say that’s where I found her.”
“She did. And for the record, I wouldn’t have run into a blazing building either. Well, maybe if Daddy or Bradley…or I might panic and run the other way, too.”
“We’re only human. I want you to lock the basement door from the outside tonight.”
“Lock Shana in? That’s inhuman!”
“It’s for her own good.”
“Why? Do you think she had something to do with the fire last night? Is she a suspect in whatever was going on out there?”
“Just do it.” Sam carried his plate to the sink, rinsed it, and set it aside.
“Somebody trained you right,” Penelope said, realizing too late that the remark might sound sarcastic.
“Yeah, somebody did,” he said. “Go check on Shana. I’ll wait and walk you upstairs.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
(Wednesday)
Shana seemed brighter the next morning and said she’d slept well. Penelope found her asleep again when she carried the lunch tray down. Sam left at two. “I’ll be around,” he said just before he stepped through the back door. “But don’t call me—I’ll call you.”
Jerk! I don’t know how to call you, and you know it. She cleaned the front room before she went down to the basement to check on Shana, who was watching family sit-com reruns on the television from Jake’s room.
“Did Sam bring everything on your list?”
“Yes, he did.”
“I’m going to break a rule and go out for a bit. To church, actually. I can’t settle myself down, but some time at St. Hyacinth’s will help.” She took a deep breath. “Did you know I’m locking the basement door behind me?”
“I heard you this morning.”
“I don’t know why exactly. Sam said it’s for your own good.”
“It’s okay.”
“I won’t be long.”
Shana grimaced. “I’ll be here.”
The church—dim, cool, and empty—enveloped Penelope with a sense of peace. She lit a candle and knelt at the altar. I don’t understand all this, but I guess You do. The problem is, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, or if I’ve gotten myself into a mess. And I’m worried about Daddy. I’ve never not known where he was before. I don’t really trust Sam either. I mean, he questioned Shana like a pro, but he could be crooked as a dog’s hind leg for all I know. I can’t ask Bradley…oh, Lord, please take care of my son! It’s not his fault he didn’t have a good relationship with his father. Maybe it’s mine. Maybe I shouldn’t have left Travis. I guess it’s too late to think about that now.
Penelope leaned her face against the rail and tried to will away her fear.
****
Bradley was waiting by her car when she came out. “You shouldn’t be here, Mother.”
“I had to come.”
He nodded. “I’ll follow you home.”
“Bradley…”
He waved her away. “Don’t ask me any questions, Mother.”
“All right, I won’t. Just be careful.”
“As careful as I can be.”
She touched his cheek before she got into her car.
****
(Thursday – Saturday)
Somehow Penelope got through the next few days. Mary Lynn, busy with the Black Walnut Cake Festival, called a couple of times but didn’t come by. Penelope found it easier to lie to her friend by phone rather than to her face. Bradley checked in once a day and asked about his grandfather. It kills me to lie to him about Daddy. If something happens, and I’ve covered up a scam…Lord, I’m so scared!
Shana slept a lot and watched television when she wasn’t sleeping. Penelope thought she seemed lethargic,
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