Read Online Love on the Buchanan Ranch (A Romance Story) by Elizabeth Nelson - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Nelson
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but Stacey wanted just a little more time with her girl before she left. She wasn’t sure how long it would be before either would have time for a visit again.
She helped them load their bags and hugged Emma three times before she let her get on the train. Emma had tears in her eyes as she looked out the window and waved good-bye. Stacey said a silent prayer for God to keep her happy and safe before walking away.
That evening, Stacey finally had a few minutes alone with Victoria. “Vicki,” she said, “I don’t want to be intrusive, but I can tell that something is really bothering you today. Would you like to talk about it?”
Victoria sighed. She looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening, and then taking Stacey by the hands she led her to a nearby booth and they sat down. “I’m scared, Stacey,” the girl said, her eyes filling with tears.
“Scared of what, sweetie?” Stacey asked, reaching across the table to touch Vicki’s hand.
Vicki sighed again. “I got a letter, a few weeks back. I was a little freaked out by it, but I eventually just put it aside and went on with things. Then, last night at Edith’s house, I got a phone call…on her house line! I’ve never given anyone that number. I don’t know how they got it. How do they even know I’m staying there?”
“Okay, honey, slow down,” Stacey told her. The girl was getting worked up and not making any sense. “First let’s start with the letter. What did it say? Who was it from?”
“It only said it was from an ‘associate’ of Edward’s. It said that he owed someone a lot of money, and that he being dead wasn’t the end of it. The letter insinuated that Edward had some hidden money, and that I knew where it was. I swear, Stacey, I don’t know anything about that. That’s the biggest reason I just forgot about it. I thought they would just realize that they had made a mistake.”
“Did they threaten you in any way?”
“Not in the letter. It was just more of a strong suggestion that I should turn over the money to Edward’s lawyer, and he would know what to do with it. Like I said, though, I don’t know anything about any money.”
“So tell me about the phone call,” Stacey told her, trying to keep her voice calm.
“I got a call last night, like I said, on Edith’s home line. It was a man, and he said he wanted to talk to me about handing over the money. He wouldn’t give me his name, and he laughed when I told him I didn’t know anything about no money. He said that he had called me at home so that I would know I wasn’t able to hide from them, and that if I didn’t turn over the money to Grunwald soon, they would be ‘coming to collect’.”
Stacey could feel the line deepening between her eyebrows as her head also began to pound. Would they never be free of Edward’s bad behavior?
“Okay, honey. I’ll help you figure this out, all right? Meanwhile, are you afraid for you and Edith at the house? Do you feel safe there?”
“I think it’ll be okay. Edith has an alarm. I’ll make sure to keep it set. She has a shotgun too,” Vicki said with a smile, “and I know how to use it.”
“Please call or text me as soon as you are both home and inside safe, okay, because I’m going to worry. Let me sleep on this and we’ll talk about it again tomorrow, okay?”
Victoria seemed to feel a little better, just from the unburdening. She nodded, “I will, I promise. Thank you, Stacey. I’m still surprised that you are so nice to me.”
Stacey smiled at her, “It’s going to be okay,” Stacey told her, feeling a sudden protective surge towards Vicki and her unborn child.
CHAPTER 5
Stacey saw Vicki and Edith off after they had closed the diner up, and said good night to Manuel and Noel who were still cleaning up. She drove to the cottage, but didn’t feel like going inside just yet. She needed to think, and walking
She helped them load their bags and hugged Emma three times before she let her get on the train. Emma had tears in her eyes as she looked out the window and waved good-bye. Stacey said a silent prayer for God to keep her happy and safe before walking away.
That evening, Stacey finally had a few minutes alone with Victoria. “Vicki,” she said, “I don’t want to be intrusive, but I can tell that something is really bothering you today. Would you like to talk about it?”
Victoria sighed. She looked around as if to make sure no one else was listening, and then taking Stacey by the hands she led her to a nearby booth and they sat down. “I’m scared, Stacey,” the girl said, her eyes filling with tears.
“Scared of what, sweetie?” Stacey asked, reaching across the table to touch Vicki’s hand.
Vicki sighed again. “I got a letter, a few weeks back. I was a little freaked out by it, but I eventually just put it aside and went on with things. Then, last night at Edith’s house, I got a phone call…on her house line! I’ve never given anyone that number. I don’t know how they got it. How do they even know I’m staying there?”
“Okay, honey, slow down,” Stacey told her. The girl was getting worked up and not making any sense. “First let’s start with the letter. What did it say? Who was it from?”
“It only said it was from an ‘associate’ of Edward’s. It said that he owed someone a lot of money, and that he being dead wasn’t the end of it. The letter insinuated that Edward had some hidden money, and that I knew where it was. I swear, Stacey, I don’t know anything about that. That’s the biggest reason I just forgot about it. I thought they would just realize that they had made a mistake.”
“Did they threaten you in any way?”
“Not in the letter. It was just more of a strong suggestion that I should turn over the money to Edward’s lawyer, and he would know what to do with it. Like I said, though, I don’t know anything about any money.”
“So tell me about the phone call,” Stacey told her, trying to keep her voice calm.
“I got a call last night, like I said, on Edith’s home line. It was a man, and he said he wanted to talk to me about handing over the money. He wouldn’t give me his name, and he laughed when I told him I didn’t know anything about no money. He said that he had called me at home so that I would know I wasn’t able to hide from them, and that if I didn’t turn over the money to Grunwald soon, they would be ‘coming to collect’.”
Stacey could feel the line deepening between her eyebrows as her head also began to pound. Would they never be free of Edward’s bad behavior?
“Okay, honey. I’ll help you figure this out, all right? Meanwhile, are you afraid for you and Edith at the house? Do you feel safe there?”
“I think it’ll be okay. Edith has an alarm. I’ll make sure to keep it set. She has a shotgun too,” Vicki said with a smile, “and I know how to use it.”
“Please call or text me as soon as you are both home and inside safe, okay, because I’m going to worry. Let me sleep on this and we’ll talk about it again tomorrow, okay?”
Victoria seemed to feel a little better, just from the unburdening. She nodded, “I will, I promise. Thank you, Stacey. I’m still surprised that you are so nice to me.”
Stacey smiled at her, “It’s going to be okay,” Stacey told her, feeling a sudden protective surge towards Vicki and her unborn child.
CHAPTER 5
Stacey saw Vicki and Edith off after they had closed the diner up, and said good night to Manuel and Noel who were still cleaning up. She drove to the cottage, but didn’t feel like going inside just yet. She needed to think, and walking
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