together,"
"Don't worry; we will," Emily promised... just not today.
She'd actually started to close the door when her mother added, "Just so you know, I mentioned that you're having some difficulty with Clint Austin's release."
Emily counted to ten. Don't react on impulse . Be calm . Be cool . Her mother was only trying to help.
With far more poise than Emily would have imagined she could master, she smiled. "I appreciate that. I'm sure they're as upset by the news as I am."
Her mother nodded, regret registering along with the concern. "We all understand that it's far harder for you, Em. I think sharing your feelings with your friends would help."
"You're probably right." Whatever she wanted to hear. "See you later."
Emily closed the door behind her. She stood really still, tried to breathe away the ache in her chest.
Megan, Cathy, Violet, Heather, and Emily. The rising seniors on the squad that summer. Emily and Heather had been selected as team captains, a decision that didn't sit so well with Violet and Cathy. Both had suffered with jealousy issues. Megan pretty much went with the flow, but not the others, especially Violet. Everything had to be about her.
Emily pushed the past away and headed for her car.
She now had a more immediate issue. Were her parents in financial trouble? Why else would they have dealings with a loan shark? They would never forgive her for eavesdropping if she mentioned it.
That left only one way to find out what was going on.
5:55 p.m.
Emily steeled herself as she rolled up to the gate of the property on 612 Red Bird Lane. She'd had to ask the clerk at the Sack&Go for Fairgate's address, which would no doubt prompt more rumors. After pressing the buzzer on the speaker box, Emily waited.
Not for long. "What do you want?"
"Hello." She cleared her throat. "My name is Emily Wallace and I'd like to speak to Mr. Fairgate."
Several seconds passed with no response.
"Hello?" she repeated.
The scrape of metal dragged her attention to the gate in front of her. When it had jerked and scooted out of the way, she drove through.
Her heart climbed into her throat and stuck there in one shuddering lump as she parked in front of the massive house. She didn't know what she'd expected, but it wasn't this. She could honestly say that she'd grown up in Pine Bluff and not once had she ever seen this place. Reminded her of Graceland. Big columns. No lions, though. Ah, but he did have dogs. Two fierce-looking Dobermans alternately marched and sniffed their way around her car before marking each wheel.
Thankfully a mountain of a man lumbered from the front entrance and summoned the animals. Gifting him with a grateful smile, she opened her door, glanced around just to make sure there was nothing else to worry about before
getting out. A long white limousine sat in the bend of the circular drive.
Tugging at her blouse, she closed her car door and summoned the nerve to head for the entrance. The towering door opened and another massive man gestured for her to enter. Emily walked past him and paused just inside the grand entry hall.
"Are you armed?"
She scowled at the man. "What? No."
"Lift your arms," he ordered.
Appalled but not inclined to learn the consequences of refusing, she raised her arms. He patted her down, just like in the movies. She gasped when he reached her thighs.
He glanced up. "Spread your legs."
Horrified but certain this was the only way to get past the man, she obeyed. When he'd finished, he stood. "Let's go."
Reeling at the violation, she followed him up an elegant staircase and then into a large office.
Sidney Fairgate sat behind a wide, gleaming desk. He was older than Emily by several years, but she'd seen him around at the trial. She recalled quite distinctly that he had a reputation for being as crude as he was unattractive.
"Do you need money?" he demanded, those beady eyes peering at her as if he hoped to see through her clothes.
She
"Don't worry; we will," Emily promised... just not today.
She'd actually started to close the door when her mother added, "Just so you know, I mentioned that you're having some difficulty with Clint Austin's release."
Emily counted to ten. Don't react on impulse . Be calm . Be cool . Her mother was only trying to help.
With far more poise than Emily would have imagined she could master, she smiled. "I appreciate that. I'm sure they're as upset by the news as I am."
Her mother nodded, regret registering along with the concern. "We all understand that it's far harder for you, Em. I think sharing your feelings with your friends would help."
"You're probably right." Whatever she wanted to hear. "See you later."
Emily closed the door behind her. She stood really still, tried to breathe away the ache in her chest.
Megan, Cathy, Violet, Heather, and Emily. The rising seniors on the squad that summer. Emily and Heather had been selected as team captains, a decision that didn't sit so well with Violet and Cathy. Both had suffered with jealousy issues. Megan pretty much went with the flow, but not the others, especially Violet. Everything had to be about her.
Emily pushed the past away and headed for her car.
She now had a more immediate issue. Were her parents in financial trouble? Why else would they have dealings with a loan shark? They would never forgive her for eavesdropping if she mentioned it.
That left only one way to find out what was going on.
5:55 p.m.
Emily steeled herself as she rolled up to the gate of the property on 612 Red Bird Lane. She'd had to ask the clerk at the Sack&Go for Fairgate's address, which would no doubt prompt more rumors. After pressing the buzzer on the speaker box, Emily waited.
Not for long. "What do you want?"
"Hello." She cleared her throat. "My name is Emily Wallace and I'd like to speak to Mr. Fairgate."
Several seconds passed with no response.
"Hello?" she repeated.
The scrape of metal dragged her attention to the gate in front of her. When it had jerked and scooted out of the way, she drove through.
Her heart climbed into her throat and stuck there in one shuddering lump as she parked in front of the massive house. She didn't know what she'd expected, but it wasn't this. She could honestly say that she'd grown up in Pine Bluff and not once had she ever seen this place. Reminded her of Graceland. Big columns. No lions, though. Ah, but he did have dogs. Two fierce-looking Dobermans alternately marched and sniffed their way around her car before marking each wheel.
Thankfully a mountain of a man lumbered from the front entrance and summoned the animals. Gifting him with a grateful smile, she opened her door, glanced around just to make sure there was nothing else to worry about before
getting out. A long white limousine sat in the bend of the circular drive.
Tugging at her blouse, she closed her car door and summoned the nerve to head for the entrance. The towering door opened and another massive man gestured for her to enter. Emily walked past him and paused just inside the grand entry hall.
"Are you armed?"
She scowled at the man. "What? No."
"Lift your arms," he ordered.
Appalled but not inclined to learn the consequences of refusing, she raised her arms. He patted her down, just like in the movies. She gasped when he reached her thighs.
He glanced up. "Spread your legs."
Horrified but certain this was the only way to get past the man, she obeyed. When he'd finished, he stood. "Let's go."
Reeling at the violation, she followed him up an elegant staircase and then into a large office.
Sidney Fairgate sat behind a wide, gleaming desk. He was older than Emily by several years, but she'd seen him around at the trial. She recalled quite distinctly that he had a reputation for being as crude as he was unattractive.
"Do you need money?" he demanded, those beady eyes peering at her as if he hoped to see through her clothes.
She
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