SNOWFIRES (19 page)

Holly took the stairs at a rush and threw
open her stepmother’s bedroom door. No surprise, Geneva was
dressing to go out.

“
How dare you barge in without
knocking.”

Holly advanced on her. “How dare you goad my
father into a heart attack and do nothing to help him. You are
evil.”

Geneva paled but soon regained her bravado.
“How was I to know he’d die. I only let him know he’d let his
family down for the last time. I was through with his failures.”
She lifted her chin. “The only reason I married him was because he
promised he’d take care of me and we’d have lots of good times.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Well, losing my house wasn’t a good
time. Losing all our money wasn’t taking care of me. He didn’t keep
our bargain.”

Holly took another step forward. “You have
two hours to pack your things and get out of this house.”

Geneva sank to her dressing stool. “You can’t
mean it. You promised Walter you’d take care of us.”

Holly shook her head. “I promised to take
care of Angie and Jenny. Not you. I’ll continue their allowance and
Grandpa will continue tuition as long as their grades stay up. How
or where you live is not my problem—as long as it’s not in this
house.”

Holly looked around her. She picked up an
antique hand mirror. Apparently Geneva had been using several
things without permission that belonged to Holly’s grandmother.
“And I’ll file a report with the police if you take anything other
than your personal possessions. Do I make myself clear?” Holly
whirled and left the room, taking the mirror with her.

Geneva called after her, “You bitch, I’ll get
even with you for this.”

***

Angie slipped into the study. She’d obviously
been crying as she sat in the chair near Holly’s desk. Holly
prepared herself for another battle.

Angie hiccuped back a sob. ”I heard what you
said to Mom.”

Holly hurried around the desk to her. “I’m
sorry, Angie. I didn’t mean for anyone else to hear.”

“
Is it true?” Angie twisted a tissue in
her hands.

“
Yes.” Holly sighed. She hated the
thought of Angie leaving, but she went with the package of her mom
and Jenny. “I suppose your mom will go live with her folks until
she finds somewhere else. You’ll be all right.”

“
Nooooo, I mean what you said about her
and Daddy. Did she cause his heart attack?” Angie’s jaw clenched as
she raised her gaze to Holly’s.

“
Maybe you should ask her.” How could
she tell her half-sister the girl’s mother was pure
evil?

“
I did. She said it was all lies, but
she admitted it to you. I heard her.” She sobbed into her hands.
“Sometimes I hate her! How could she do that to Daddy? I know he
made mistakes, but he was her husband. Our father.”

Holly put her arms around Angie. Forced to
defend a woman she hated to salve the pain of a half-sister she
loved, Holly said, “She probably only meant to make him come to his
senses about the gambling.”

Angie nodded, but didn’t speak. Suddenly she
stood and put her arms around Holly and sobbed into Holly’s
shoulder. “I wish she weren’t my mother. I wish you were. I know
you’re not old enough, but I used to pretend you were my mother and
Jenny was my cousin and Mom was my wicked aunt.”

At that moment Holly certainly felt old
enough to be anyone’s mother. “Oh, honey. I’ll always be here if
you need me. You can stay if you want when your mom leaves.”

Angie sniffed and wiped her eyes. “No, I need
to go with her. But, Holly, I’m not going to SMU. I want to go far
away. I don’t know if I’ll ever come back either, except maybe to
see you.”

Holly knew that feeling. “We’ll see when the
time comes, honey.” She ran her hands down her half-sister’s hair
and gave her shoulders a squeeze. “In the meantime, you can come
here anytime you want. Your room will stay the way it is.”

Forcing a smile, Angie sniffed again.
“Thanks. I was waiting to tell Mom, but I have a job in Stonebriar
Mall. She thinks I’ve been spending time with Melissa and Courtney,
but I’ve been working.”

“
Angie, that’s wonderful! When did you
start? And why didn’t you tell me?”

“
I wanted to, but I was waiting to show
you my first paycheck. You know, in case I got fired or messed up
with something embarrassing. But I like the job and the manager
said I’m good with customers and stuff. She said,”—Angie smiled
with pride—“she said I’m a good worker. And I get a twenty percent
discount on anything I buy.”

Angie pulled a crumpled envelope from her
pocket. “I started the second weekend in November. It was tricky
getting away from Mom and Grandma on Friday and Saturday after
Thanksgiving, but I did it. They went shopping, but not to the mall
where I work.” She held out the envelope. “There it is. My name on
a paycheck.”

Holly hugged her. “I’m so proud of you.” She
looked at Angie. “Of course, you’ll keep your grades up?”

“
Yes, because I want to get accepted
somewhere great, like Smith or Vassar.” Angie stuffed the pay
envelope back into her pocket.

“
You can do it, Angie. I know you can.”
Holly’s heart swelled with pride as Angie walked toward the
door.

“
Holly?” Angie stopped at the door and
turned back. “If I succeed, it’ll be because of you. You’re the one
who showed me how to do things, how to stick with it. And what
really matters in life.” She closed the door softly behind
her.

Holly never cried. Make that almost never.
Tears ran down her cheeks. She sniffed and brushed them away. Then,
she stiffened her spine and went back to juggling too many bills
against too little cash. Thank heavens in a couple of months she’d
receive her year’s profit from Marvel.

But how long would that continue? Her father
had said profit was down due to the economy. Trent said Marvel had
lost customers to more forward thinking companies. Which was
true?

***

On Monday, Holly searched her files. She knew
the only new hires had been to replace people who’d left. Like
Sara, Holly’s assistant, who’d been hired a few weeks ago when
Mildred Jones retired.

Checking back to see when the last new jobs
had been added, Holly learned it had been three years. Three years?
Why hadn’t she realized what that meant? And some people who left
weren’t replaced, like Holly’s deputy. Feeling like a fool for
believing her father’s pat line about the economy, she prepared to
march to the business office.

When she stepped from her office into the
Human Resources reception area, Sara spoke with a priest. A child
stood on either side of him.

Sara looked uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, sir. I
really can’t tell you anything about whether he works here or
not.”

Holly cleared her throat and relief flooded
Sara’s face. “Oh, Ho—Miss Tucker. This is Father Ignacio and he
wants to know if Trent Macleod works here. I explained I can’t give
out that information.”

Holly smiled at Sara for following the letter
of the rules if not the spirit. Then Holly stepped forward and
extended her hand to the padre. “It’s true we can’t give out
employee details, but Mr. Macleod’s office is down the hall. I’m on
my way to the business office so I’ll show you the way.” Let Lila
deal with whether or not Trent was in and wanted to see the
trio.

“
Thank you, thank you. We’ve come a
long way, you know. Jorge and Nuncio are brothers who needed
medical care to repair their hearts. We were sent to Children’s
Hospital in Dallas. Since Mr. Macleod has helped us so much, I
couldn't come this near and not stop by to thank him
again.”

Thank Trent? He’d helped them? “And what
church are you with, Father?”

He laughed. “Not just a church. The Newport
Children’s Home near Tyler. We take troubled youth and children in
peril.”

“
I see.” But she didn’t. Trent helped a
children’s home? The pirate as philanthropist?

The priest slanted her a look. “For many
years Mr. Macleod has been a faithful benefactor for the home. It
was his donation which made it possible for these boys to come here
for the treatment they needed. That and him talking the hospital
into accepting them as special cases.”

She wanted to ask questions, but there wasn’t
time. “Here’s his office, Father.” She opened the door and stood
aside for the priest and his two charges to enter. “Mrs. Brewster,
these gentlemen would like to see Mr. Macleod. Can you arrange
that?”

Holly had thought Lila Brewster was an
unflappable secretary, but for once she looked surprised. The
effect lasted only a second before Lila recovered and smiled. “Of
course. He’s just stepped down the hall for a few minutes. Why
don’t I get you boys a soft drink while you wait? Father, would you
prefer coffee?”

Unanswered questions whirled through her
mind. Holly left and turned toward her office before she remembered
her mission in the business office. She reversed her direction and
caught sight of Trent as he entered his office.

Darn, she wished she could eavesdrop and
learn what that was all about. She thought about Trent’s crummy
apartment with the garage sale furniture. He didn’t spend what he
had left on himself, but he helped two little boys whose hearts
needed medical repair. Would she ever figure out that man?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Holly
strode
into the comptroller’s office with renewed purpose. Vernon
Lippincott looked up from his desk when she was shown into his
office.

“
Vernon, I need some straight answers.”
She sat in the chair across from him.

He paled from his bald head to his second
chin. “Holly? Is something wrong?”

“
That’s what I want to know. Has Marvel
been going down the tubes?” She crossed her legs and waited for a
reply.

“
Oh, that’s what you wanted to know.
Well, how do you mean? 'Down the tubes’ as bankrupt or as sliding
downhill?”

She leaned forward. “You mean it’s true? Dad
had told me the poor economy caused profits to decline, but I want
to know the complete picture.”

“
Well, we lost those two big accounts
last year. And a couple the year before. Yes, you’d have to say
we’re in a decline, but it’s not from the economy. Our competitors
are doing well.” He smiled at her. “But don’t worry, Holly. Macleod
has his eye on the ball, so to speak. He and his team are lining up
new customers right and left and he has this Amberfield deal in the
works. He’ll save us.”

Her stomach lurched. “So, we have to be
saved? That’s what I was afraid of.”

Vernon nodded. “Yes, well, you just get ready
to hire a passel of new trainees. If Macleod pulls this off, we’ll
be increasing production by June.”

So Trent had told her the truth. Feeling as
if lead weighted her limbs, she rose. “Thanks, Vernon.” She turned
back. “Why did you look so nervous when I first came in?”

He shrugged. “Oh, I was afraid you’d come to
chew me out for ratting on your father to Joe Bob. That’s all. Glad
to know you’re not mad about that. You can understand I had to tell
Joe Bob when Walter tapped into the company’s cash reserves, can’t
you? Especially since it was, well, for personal use rather than
for the company.”

She froze. “Y—You mean Dad embezzled?”

Vernon turned beet red. “I thought you knew.”
He stood. “I’m sorry, Holly. I thought you knew and that’s why you
were here.” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “Everyone knew you
juggled his finances to keep him solvent so I figured you’d found
out.” Vernon gulped and sat down, muttering to himself.

She grabbed the arm of the chair and sat down
before her legs gave way. “No, that one got by me.” How had he done
it? Her own father embezzled.

“
That’s a relief. I mean it’s a relief
knowing you weren’t involved. I mean, I never thought you were
exactly, but I figured you’d discovered it. I’m sorry you learned
it from me.”

“
And Grandpa knows?” Why hadn’t he told
her?

He nodded. “You can see I had to tell him
since he’s the Chairman of the Board and one of the founders. The
company—“

She held up her hand. “I understand. It’s
your job to protect the company, its employees, and the other
family shareholders. You did the right thing.”

“
Say, are you all right? Should I get
you some water or something?” He rose and came around the
desk.

“
No, I’ll be fine.” She stood, hoping
she could make it to her own desk chair. “Thank you for your
time.”

Sleepwalking, Holly headed for her office.
Her father had embezzled. Everyone knew. They all thought she had
known and probably that she’d been a part of it. How could this
have happened? She made it into her private domain.

Sara followed. “Holly, what’s wrong? Did
someone die?”

She sank to her chair, grateful for the
familiar comfort. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Thank you,
Sara.”

“
You’re not fine, you’re pale as a
ghost. What’s happened?” Sara hovered across the desk.

“
Life. Doesn’t it always?” She smiled,
hoping she convinced her assistant.

Sara didn’t look persuaded. “I’ll be right
outside if you need anything. Anything at all.”

“
Thanks. I know I can count on you.”
Sara backed away.

Holly forced a smile and picked up the phone.
“Would you close the door in case anyone comes in? I’m going to
make a private phone call.”

As soon as the door clicked closed, Holly
dialed and her grandfather answered.