Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (100 page)

“N—yes.
I
was
just
finishing
the
paragraph.”

Aggie
scanned
the
cover.
“I’m
pretty
sure
I
didn’t
have
Anne
of
the
Island
on
your
reading
list
for
this
week.”

“But
it’s
literature
isn’t
it?
I
mean,
it
was
written
ages
ago
and
people
are
still
reading
it.”

“That’s
not
exactly
a
good
criterion
for
good
literature,
but
it
doesn’t
matter
how
good
the
book
is,
your
assignment
was
to
finish
your
algebra.”

Something
behind
Aggie
changed
the
acquiescence
she’d
seen
on
Vannie’s
face
into
resistance.
“No.”
Vannie
grabbed
the
book
and
marched
to
the
door.
“I’m
not
going
to
spend
hours
trying
to
understand
those
stupid
problems.
I’m
tired.”

“Wha—”
she
began,
but
the
girl
was
gone.
As
she
turned,
Aggie
saw
Laird’s
sleeve
disappear
into
the
living
room.
Her
temper
flared
higher
than
it
had
in
ages
and
she
found
herself
singing
beneath
her
breath,
“—ching
as
to
war.
With
the
cross
of
Jesus,
going
on
before.
Christ
the
royal
Master…”

Her
hand
reached
for
her
phone,
but
she
hesitated.
If
Tina
was
right,
calling
in
reinforcements
had
only
weakened
her
position
the
last
time.
Children
spilled
from
the
basement,
some
racing
outdoors
and
Tavish
to
his
cubby.
Her
astonishment
couldn’t
have
been
greater.
One
pair
of
shoes
at
the
top
of
the
stairs
mocked
her
more
than
anything.
Somehow
Laird
was
behind
this.

Dozens
of
ideas
and
questions
tangled
themselves
in
her
mind
until
she
was
certain
she’d
never
extricate
herself.
Aggie’s
heart
pounded
in
her
chest
and
her
forehead
grew
moist
with
perspiration.
She
had
to
act
quickly.
Every
moment
she
delayed
was
a
moment
of
victory
in
their
eyes.
This
wasn’t
normal
behavior
for
Allie’s
children.
Cari,
sure.
Rarely
Kenzie
might
resist,
and
Ian
had
already
proven
that
he’d
be
a
nightmare
if
she
didn’t
watch
a
nd
train
closely,
but
otherwise,
with
the
exception
of
poor
attitudes
at
times
while
doing
it,
if
she
said
something,
they
obeyed.

Her
first
inclination
was
to
call
William
and
have
the
students
“arrested”
for
truancy.
With
her
luck,
they’d
simply
end
up
in
school
which,
at
the
moment,
sounded
like
a
reward
for
both
her
and
them.
Not
something
she
wanted
to
risk.
If
they
went
back,
and
now
it
seemed
as
though
they
must,
it woul
d
be
because
she
decided
it—not
the
kids.
The
last
thing
she
needed
was
them
to
get
the
idea
that
following
house
rules
was
optional.

Laird.
She
had
to
start
with
Lair
d.
They
were
all
following
him
in
this;
that
was
certain.
With
a
prayer
on
her
lips
and
dread
in
her
heart,
she
climbed
the
stairs
and
knocked
on
his
door.
A
lack
of
r
esponse
at
all
prompted
her
to
open
the
door.
She
found
him
at
his
desk,
assembling
a
Lego
set
as
though
he’d
heard
nothing.