Read Online Beverly Jenkins by Destiny's Surrender - Free Book Online
Authors: Destiny's Surrender
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you come back in a couple of days? The teeth will be in and he’ll be much calmer.”
She could tell Prince was conflicted. On the one hand he’d arrived with every intention of taking possession of the child, but on the other hand, he clearly wanted nothing to do with Tonio in his present howling state.
In the end, he surrendered, but with obvious displeasure. “I’ll be back on Friday. Have him ready. Drug him if you have to. I’ll not have him screaming all the way back to town. And don’t think about trying to flee. If you do, I’ll find you and kill you both.”
She nodded tersely.
He stormed out and a shaken but relieved Billie gave her son, whose cries had diminished to whimpers, a kiss on his cheek and a soft squeeze filled with her love.
“Got yourself a few more days, did you?”
She turned at Addy’s voice. The glint of humor in the aging eyes was something she’d never witnessed before. “Yes, I have.”
“Then let’s get you on your way tonight.”
Billie had planned on just that, but how had Addy known? “You knew I was leaving?”
“Why would you stay and hand him over to that monster?”
She didn’t know what to say.
“Get you something to eat. We’ll leave soon as it’s dark.”
Billie’s plan had involved getting her and the baby to the train station and making her way east to Sacramento, but as night fell and she, the baby and Addy walked to one of the waterfront saloons, it seemed Addy had an escape plan of her own design. A fisherman and his small craft were waiting. As Addy held the sleeping Tonio, he helped Billie into his boat and Addy handed over the baby.
“He’ll take you up to Stockton and you can catch the train there.”
Billie had no idea how much the man knew but her concern was great.
Once again, Addy seemed to read her mind. “He will not betray you. He owes me a lifetime of favors and his silence.”
“But what of Prince. What will you tell him?”
Addy waved her off. “Nothing. You go get that crown. May the Spirits be with you.”
And then they were pushing off. She wanted to tell Addy how much her care meant and how much she’d miss her, but Billie sensed she knew. She looked down at her son asleep in her arms and when she glanced up to try and make out Addy in the darkness, she saw only shadows.
The man said nothing during the initial part of the journey except to answer her question about what body of water they were traveling on. “San Joaquin River. You get some sleep. We’ll be in Stockton directly.”
Her mind awash with worries about Addy, Prince, and the uncertain path she’d chosen for Tonio’s immediate future, Billie doubted she’d ever sleep again, but she lay down on the tarps covering the deck of the boat and when her eyes opened again, it was morning.
A fter finishing up Friday’s morning deliveries, Addy returned home to find an angry Prince DuChance standing on her doorstep. His angry glare didn’t faze her, so she opened her gate and walked to where he stood.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
She didn’t bother feigning ignorance. “Gone.”
“Where!”
“Don’t know. Left here in the middle of the night. When I got up this morning she and the baby were gone.”
“Gone where! And don’t make me ask again.”
She shrugged, and met his eyes. “Ask me as many times as you want. Can’t tell you any more than that.”
“Or won’t?”
Addy supposed she should’ve felt threatened by him, but her death wouldn’t come by his hand, so she asked, “Pearl still dying?”
Startled eyes filled his face.
“She is, you know. Some things in this world are hard to understand, but we all understand death. Got my own lesson when my daughter washed up on the shore of the bay. You probably read about her in the papers. Name was Chassie.”
He turned to stone.
She waited.
“Uh, no,” he stammered.
“Thought not. Be nice if I could find the one who killed her. Figure I will eventually. Being from Louisiana you
She could tell Prince was conflicted. On the one hand he’d arrived with every intention of taking possession of the child, but on the other hand, he clearly wanted nothing to do with Tonio in his present howling state.
In the end, he surrendered, but with obvious displeasure. “I’ll be back on Friday. Have him ready. Drug him if you have to. I’ll not have him screaming all the way back to town. And don’t think about trying to flee. If you do, I’ll find you and kill you both.”
She nodded tersely.
He stormed out and a shaken but relieved Billie gave her son, whose cries had diminished to whimpers, a kiss on his cheek and a soft squeeze filled with her love.
“Got yourself a few more days, did you?”
She turned at Addy’s voice. The glint of humor in the aging eyes was something she’d never witnessed before. “Yes, I have.”
“Then let’s get you on your way tonight.”
Billie had planned on just that, but how had Addy known? “You knew I was leaving?”
“Why would you stay and hand him over to that monster?”
She didn’t know what to say.
“Get you something to eat. We’ll leave soon as it’s dark.”
Billie’s plan had involved getting her and the baby to the train station and making her way east to Sacramento, but as night fell and she, the baby and Addy walked to one of the waterfront saloons, it seemed Addy had an escape plan of her own design. A fisherman and his small craft were waiting. As Addy held the sleeping Tonio, he helped Billie into his boat and Addy handed over the baby.
“He’ll take you up to Stockton and you can catch the train there.”
Billie had no idea how much the man knew but her concern was great.
Once again, Addy seemed to read her mind. “He will not betray you. He owes me a lifetime of favors and his silence.”
“But what of Prince. What will you tell him?”
Addy waved her off. “Nothing. You go get that crown. May the Spirits be with you.”
And then they were pushing off. She wanted to tell Addy how much her care meant and how much she’d miss her, but Billie sensed she knew. She looked down at her son asleep in her arms and when she glanced up to try and make out Addy in the darkness, she saw only shadows.
The man said nothing during the initial part of the journey except to answer her question about what body of water they were traveling on. “San Joaquin River. You get some sleep. We’ll be in Stockton directly.”
Her mind awash with worries about Addy, Prince, and the uncertain path she’d chosen for Tonio’s immediate future, Billie doubted she’d ever sleep again, but she lay down on the tarps covering the deck of the boat and when her eyes opened again, it was morning.
A fter finishing up Friday’s morning deliveries, Addy returned home to find an angry Prince DuChance standing on her doorstep. His angry glare didn’t faze her, so she opened her gate and walked to where he stood.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
She didn’t bother feigning ignorance. “Gone.”
“Where!”
“Don’t know. Left here in the middle of the night. When I got up this morning she and the baby were gone.”
“Gone where! And don’t make me ask again.”
She shrugged, and met his eyes. “Ask me as many times as you want. Can’t tell you any more than that.”
“Or won’t?”
Addy supposed she should’ve felt threatened by him, but her death wouldn’t come by his hand, so she asked, “Pearl still dying?”
Startled eyes filled his face.
“She is, you know. Some things in this world are hard to understand, but we all understand death. Got my own lesson when my daughter washed up on the shore of the bay. You probably read about her in the papers. Name was Chassie.”
He turned to stone.
She waited.
“Uh, no,” he stammered.
“Thought not. Be nice if I could find the one who killed her. Figure I will eventually. Being from Louisiana you
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