Read Online Tombstone Courage by J. A. Jance - Free Book Online Page B

sitting empty and in even worse decay. Into that economic slump came an unexpected sum of remodeling money that most likely had its source somewhere in Colombia’s drug cartel. Cocaine paid the bills for returning Casa Vieja to a single-family residence.
    Alleged drug money repaired the dry rot, renewed the plumbing, fixed the wiring, and cleaned up and replanted a few of the gardens. The job was only partially finished, however, when the feds moved in to take over. That was how Pauli Enders had picked the place up in the late eighties at a bargain-basement price.
    Paul Enders said he found Casa Vieja to be a homey place where he could work on a project and not have his creative bursts interrupted by unexpected visitors. He claimed that working in a room that overlooked that wild brown dump made him feel that he was perched somewhere just below the rim of the Grand Canyon. But what was good for Pauli was bad for Holly, although why it was bad for her she couldn’t quite fathom. What was it about the dump? Why did it call to her so? Why did its looming nearness keep her from sleeping or eating or thinking?
    â€œWell,” Isobel was saying, “are you coming or not?” She sounded impatient, as though she’d said much more than that, only Holly had heard none of it.
    â€œComing?” Holly repeated stupidly. “Coming where?”
    â€œDownstairs. To see your father. He’s waiting to see you.”
    â€œMy father? Here?” She quailed and pulled back into the chair, rocking desperately. “I don’t want to see him. I can’t.”
    â€œMrs. Baxter says you should come on down.”
    â€œNo. Tell her I won’t come.”
    â€œAll right,” Isobel said. She went out and closedthe door. Moments later the door opened, and Amy bounded in. “What do you mean you won’t come?”
    â€œI don’t want to see him. I can’t.”
    Amy came over to Holly’s rocker and knelt in front of it. “Yes, you can, Holly. You’ve got to. He wants to settle. He’s willing to make a deal, but you have to talk to him in person.”
    â€œNo. Please.”
    â€œCome on, Holly, after all this, don’t back down now.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause you’ve already come this far and done so damned much hard work to get here,” Amy insisted. “This is the one last thing you have to do to regain your self-respect and take control of your life. Now’s your chance to hold your father’s feet to the fire. He’s managed to get away with what he did to you all these years. Don’t let him do it again. He owes you. And you owe it to yourself.”
    â€œCan’t Rex talk to him?”
    â€œRex is in California today, remember? He’ll be back tonight, in time to be in court tomorrow if he has to. It’s up to you, Holly. I know you can do it. Take a deep breath now. Relax.”
    Holly nodded, then distractedly ran her fingers through her sweat-matted hair. “But I’m a mess,” she said. “I can’t see him like this. I’ve got to shower, wash my hair, put on makeup.”
    â€œOh, for heaven’s sake!”
    â€œPlease.”
    At last Amy relented. “All right,” she said witha smile. “Get in the shower. I’ll tell him to come back a little later.”
    â€œYou’re sure I can do it?”
    Amy came over to Holly’s rocker and knelt in front of it.
    â€œDo you remember what I told you when you first came to me for help? After we met at that screening?”
    Holly nodded. Her spoken answer was almost like a recited catechism. “That I’d have to trust you, but that the only way to learn to trust others was to trust myself.”
    â€œThink how far you’ve come since then, Holly. Think how much you’ve accomplished. Child molesters are basically cowards, and you’ve called his bluff. That’s why he’s come to offer you a