The grin became wider. “None.”
“I go to an A. A. meeting every Thursday, sometimes more often. You can come with me or not as you choose. Okay?”
I thought I saw the beginning of tears.
“Hungry?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a couple of places still open. How about dinner?”
“Thank you.”
Then she hesitated. “What should I call you? Every time mother married somebody I had to call him ‘dad.’”
“How about Charley? Just about everybody calls me that.”
“Charley.” She said it as if testing the sound of it. “It’s okay with me, Charley, if it’s okay with you.”
“Good. Look, go out to the car, okay? It’s the only one down there, an old Ford. I have a chore to take care of. But I’ll be right there.”
“Sure.” I thought she looked happy.
I waited until she closed the door. I took out the secret door, fished out the bottle of brandy and the gun. I wrapped them in a cloth, weighted it down with a heavy stapler, and closed up. I skipped down the steps, picked my way to the river, and threw it in.
Swiftly, the dark waters closed over the small, weighted package. I stayed there for a moment.
It was a new beginning.
For a while, at least, someone needed me.
I was whistling as I got back to the old Ford.
And I was hungry. Really hungry.
If you enjoyed Shadow of A Doubt check out Endeavour Press’s other books here: Endeavour Press - the UK’s leading independent publisher of digital books.
For weekly updates on our free and discounted eBooks sign up to our newsletter.
Follow us on Twitter and Goodreads.
Shadow of A Doubt Page 43
