replied, but even as the words left her mouth, she knew Teri wouldn’t hear them.
Teri got to her feet. “I thought you could help me. I’d heard you were a fair-minded person and that you cared about kids.”
“I do,” Cara said, coming to Teri. She touched her gently on the shoulder. “I really do care, Teri. That’s why I don’twant you to try to take on Bob Kerns by yourself. Jamie needs you—your devotion, your love. Why don’t you let me help you. I could get you into a protective shelter and see to it that you have a place to sleep and plenty of food to eat. Then maybe . . .”
“No!” Teri replied. “He’d find me at those places. Look, I’ll do this my way. I just wanted you to know what kind of man he is. A nice lady like you shouldn’t be working with him.”
“I agree. But, like you, I found myself in a rather delicate situation. I’m working to figure a way out of my problem, but my problem doesn’t involve a helpless baby.” Unless you count Brianna, Cara thought grimly. Suddenly the answers seemed far from easy. Teri was probably right. If she went to a shelter, Bob would only hunt her down.
“I’m going to make him pay,” Teri finally said. “I’ll have my revenge and Bob Kerns won’t be hurting any more kids.”
“Please, at least let me help you find a place to stay.”
“I’m still living off the five grand. I rented a place using a fake ID. Don’t worry about us, Mrs. Kessler. I can take care of everything.”
Cara felt a great sense of regret watching Teri leave with Jamie. She felt so sorry for the woman whose childhood had been cut short by the death of her parents and the viciousness of a manipulative man.
“Who was that?” Joe questioned, coming out of his office.
“A very messed-up kid,” Cara replied. “Unfortunately, she’s probably only one in a line of many.”
Fifteen
“I’m really not sure I should leave her,” Cara said to her next-door neighbor. Brianna was suffering the effects of a summer head cold, and Mrs. Pritchard had graciously volunteered to keep her while Cara went to Melissa’s for supper. “I mean, the dinner is in Lawrence and after all—”
“Nonsense. The child isn’t dying. She just has the sniffles. A good dose of hot chocolate and a board game or two and she’ll be just fine. You go on to your dinner and enjoy yourself. After all, once you move next week, I won’t have an opportunity to offer this again.”
Cara smiled at the older woman. Mrs. Pritchard had been an angel on more than one occasion. “Thank you, I think I need it.”
“Of course you do. You’re a busy lady, especially with the campaign and all. You have a good time and we’ll do likewise.”
“Is that okay with you, Bri?” Cara asked her daughter. After a sneeze and a cough, Brianna nodded her approval.
****
Cara still wasn’t convinced she’d done the right thing even when she stood at Melissa’s door. Her mind was filled with images of Brianna growing gravely ill and needing her. Then, too, there were visions of another girl, not so very much older. Teri Davis and her baby still haunted Cara. Where would the girl go and what would she do with her life? Five thousand dollars wasn’t going to go very far in this day and age. And what about her threats of revenge?
“Well, come on in,” Melissa said, opening the door to Cara. “You look great!”
Cara looked down at her pastel print blouse tucked intobeige slacks. “I was hoping you hadn’t planned a formal affair,” she smiled.
“No way, not this gal,” Melissa laughed. She had chosen to wear jeans and a sporty top, so Cara felt quite at ease. “Come on in and let me get you something to drink. I have iced tea, cola, and fruit juice for Brianna. Say, where is Bri?”
“She has a cold, so I left her at home with a neighbor. I thought it might be easier to talk. I’m more anxious than ever to resolve this—”
“Well, hello again,” a man interrupted from the
Teri got to her feet. “I thought you could help me. I’d heard you were a fair-minded person and that you cared about kids.”
“I do,” Cara said, coming to Teri. She touched her gently on the shoulder. “I really do care, Teri. That’s why I don’twant you to try to take on Bob Kerns by yourself. Jamie needs you—your devotion, your love. Why don’t you let me help you. I could get you into a protective shelter and see to it that you have a place to sleep and plenty of food to eat. Then maybe . . .”
“No!” Teri replied. “He’d find me at those places. Look, I’ll do this my way. I just wanted you to know what kind of man he is. A nice lady like you shouldn’t be working with him.”
“I agree. But, like you, I found myself in a rather delicate situation. I’m working to figure a way out of my problem, but my problem doesn’t involve a helpless baby.” Unless you count Brianna, Cara thought grimly. Suddenly the answers seemed far from easy. Teri was probably right. If she went to a shelter, Bob would only hunt her down.
“I’m going to make him pay,” Teri finally said. “I’ll have my revenge and Bob Kerns won’t be hurting any more kids.”
“Please, at least let me help you find a place to stay.”
“I’m still living off the five grand. I rented a place using a fake ID. Don’t worry about us, Mrs. Kessler. I can take care of everything.”
Cara felt a great sense of regret watching Teri leave with Jamie. She felt so sorry for the woman whose childhood had been cut short by the death of her parents and the viciousness of a manipulative man.
“Who was that?” Joe questioned, coming out of his office.
“A very messed-up kid,” Cara replied. “Unfortunately, she’s probably only one in a line of many.”
Fifteen
“I’m really not sure I should leave her,” Cara said to her next-door neighbor. Brianna was suffering the effects of a summer head cold, and Mrs. Pritchard had graciously volunteered to keep her while Cara went to Melissa’s for supper. “I mean, the dinner is in Lawrence and after all—”
“Nonsense. The child isn’t dying. She just has the sniffles. A good dose of hot chocolate and a board game or two and she’ll be just fine. You go on to your dinner and enjoy yourself. After all, once you move next week, I won’t have an opportunity to offer this again.”
Cara smiled at the older woman. Mrs. Pritchard had been an angel on more than one occasion. “Thank you, I think I need it.”
“Of course you do. You’re a busy lady, especially with the campaign and all. You have a good time and we’ll do likewise.”
“Is that okay with you, Bri?” Cara asked her daughter. After a sneeze and a cough, Brianna nodded her approval.
****
Cara still wasn’t convinced she’d done the right thing even when she stood at Melissa’s door. Her mind was filled with images of Brianna growing gravely ill and needing her. Then, too, there were visions of another girl, not so very much older. Teri Davis and her baby still haunted Cara. Where would the girl go and what would she do with her life? Five thousand dollars wasn’t going to go very far in this day and age. And what about her threats of revenge?
“Well, come on in,” Melissa said, opening the door to Cara. “You look great!”
Cara looked down at her pastel print blouse tucked intobeige slacks. “I was hoping you hadn’t planned a formal affair,” she smiled.
“No way, not this gal,” Melissa laughed. She had chosen to wear jeans and a sporty top, so Cara felt quite at ease. “Come on in and let me get you something to drink. I have iced tea, cola, and fruit juice for Brianna. Say, where is Bri?”
“She has a cold, so I left her at home with a neighbor. I thought it might be easier to talk. I’m more anxious than ever to resolve this—”
“Well, hello again,” a man interrupted from the
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