Susannah's Garden (Blossom Street #3)(89)

“You want me to pay you?” Susannah couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“If you want me out of Chrissie’s life, I could make that happen for as little as five thousand dollars.”

Susannah’s mouth flew open. He was serious. Five thousand dollars. The same amount her father had paid Allan Presley.

“This is a one-time offer. It won’t be repeated and you have to decide now.”

“Or what?”

“Or like I said, I string her along for a while and introduce her to a few of my friends. I’m sure you get the picture.”

Susannah thought she was going to be sick. “You don’t care about her at all, do you?”

“Not really. She was a nice diversion for a while.” He grinned nastily. “Mom said you were a stuck-up prig in high school and it was fun getting a rise out of you.”

Susannah stared at him, unable to say a thing.

“Well? Are you game or not?”

Game. This entire episode was a game. He was playing with Chrissie’s heart and it meant nothing to him. Now it was up to Susannah to decide what to do.

“I don’t have that kind of money here.”

He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Then get it from your husband and do it fast.”

Susannah’s mind raced. Joe would never give in to blackmail. She knew without even asking that he’d flatly refuse. “He won’t agree to this.”

“Then the deal’s off.” Troy started to walk away.

“No,” she cried. She took him at his word—this was a one-time offer. “I’ll find a way to get the money.”

“What about your rich friend?” Troy suggested.

Susannah shook her head. “I’d never borrow money from Carolyn.”

He raised his eyebrows in a cynical expression. “Not even for your daughter?”

“I—”

“I’ll be waiting at the Roadside Inn tonight at seven. Either you’re there with the money or no deal.”

“But I might not have it by then,” she began. “I—”

“That,” he said, his voice as hard as steel, “is your problem.”

CHAPTER 39

Susannah paced the house, figuring out ways to come up with the money. She couldn’t go to an ATM—there was a thousand-dollar limit on withdrawals. She and Joe had a joint account, and she doubted she could take out that amount, anyway, without his permission. A credit card advance? She went over and over the possible solutions until Chrissie returned with the car. Her daughter, in high spirits, was full of chatter and good will.

“Grandma looked great,” Chrissie assured her. “She was almost like her old self, except…” She giggled. “She thought I was you. The nurse said that’s common and I shouldn’t worry about it. She’ll be herself in no time.”

“What did the doctor say?”

Chrissie stopped to think. “Not much, really, just that Grandma’s making progress.”

Susannah prayed her mother would make a full recovery. Otherwise, they’d be looking at a hip replacement. From various friends she’d learned how serious that could be with the elderly.

Chrissie studied her. “Don’t worry about Grandma, Mom. She’s doing really well.”

Nodding seemed to require a monumental effort.

“Is something else bothering you?” Chrissie asked with a frown.

“Not really…It’s just that I’ve got an errand to run and I have to wait for the home security people.” She’d decided to see Carolyn—to at least discuss this with her.

“Go,” she urged. “I’ll stay here.”

Her daughter’s willingness to help added a sense of urgency to Susannah’s mission. Without a hint of regret, Troy would destroy Chrissie’s life. Paying him off might solve the problem, but she wasn’t convinced Troy could be trusted. She didn’t dare give him all the money up front, or she’d have no insurance. But even half of $5000 was hard to produce on such short notice.

Carolyn was busy with a buyer when Susannah arrived. Waiting in the small reception area, she gazed out the window over the massive yard, stacked with row upon row of timber. The noon whistle blew, and the work crews broke for a thirty-minute lunch. The saws went silent.

Susannah watched as the men poured out from various places and congregated together. In the distance they looked alike, some short, some tall, but all dressed in the same style coveralls. These men were the fathers, husbands, brothers of many people in Colville, and Susannah was visibly reminded of the mill’s importance to the community.

The door to Carolyn’s office opened then, and Susannah heard her friend exchanging farewells with the buyer.

“Susannah?” Carolyn said behind her. “You wanted to see me?”

Tearing her gaze away from the window, she turned to her. “Do you have a few minutes to talk privately?”

“Of course.” Carolyn led the way back into her office; Susannah followed and closed the door.

Carolyn’s eyebrows went up as she rounded her desk and reclaimed her chair. “Is something wrong?”

Sitting down opposite her, Susannah nodded. “I had a visitor this morning.” She swallowed hard, then continued. “Troy Nance came to see me.”