angry or throwing a tantrum, she’d gone right along with Bella and was feeding a criminal.
“She’s quite something,” Hank said, coming to Antony’s side.
Antony nodded. “She is.”
“And a bit less stubborn than her cousin,” Hank grumbled.
Antony chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I doubt it,” he said. “She just might be less...prone to waving it in people’s faces.”
Hank nodded reluctantly. That was probably truer than he wanted it to be. A woman who could become as good as Emory at baking had to have a backbone of steel. But he also had to reluctantly admit that it was Bella’s outspoken nature and witty banter that kept Hank coming back for more, despite her tendency toward rashness.
Grumbling under his breath, he headed into the kitchen to find the entire household of women standing around a very proud Jim Harmon as he stuffed his face full of food. They looked up at him as he entered and Hank had a sneaking suspicion he had just become the enemy.
Crud. This is not what I needed in my life.
Hank smiled to break the tension. “I think he eats better than I do,” he quipped, folding his arms over his chest.
All the women looked his way with varying degrees of surprise. “If you’d barely been eating enough to live on for the last four months, you might get a good meal and some sympathy too,” Bella sniffed. She ran a hand over the boy’s head, smiling at him. “Fill your belly and then we’ll get you all cleaned up, okay?”
“Now hold on,” Hank said, grabbing a chair and turning it backward so he could straddle it. He sat down across from the kid. “We need to have a chat,” he stated firmly, but not unkindly. Antony stepped up behind Hank and he was grateful for his support. At least someone sees sense here.
“Careful, Hank,” Bella said in a warning tone
“I have to do my job, Belle,” he said softly. “That’s what I’m here for.”
She sighed. “I know, but just...go easy on him, huh?”
Hank nodded his understanding. He didn’t want to hurt the boy, he just wanted answers. The next fifteen minutes were spent doing just that, but Hank came away with less than he had before. Jim had run away from a bad foster situation from a town down the road. He’d been hiding in the attic and sneaking food to survive, but had gotten caught today. The worst part had come when he’d admitted to seeing someone destroy the display room with a sledgehammer, but the man ran away before anyone else could see him.
Mrs. Harrison, who had joined in the conversation in the middle, took Jim and marched him over to the kitchen. She began to give him orders and seemed to be teaching him how to cook a meal.
“What the...” Bella had come up to stand by Emory. “I can’t believe it. There is a soft side to the drama queen.” She looked over and smiled. “No offense, Antony.”
“None taken,” he said from Emory’s side. “It’s fine. I know Mother has a passionate side. But she’s also a good mother. I mean, she raised seven children. She knows what she’s doing.”
“Seven?” Emory gasped. “You never told me that.”
“Let me guess...you’re the youngest,” Bella added.
Antony laughed. “Guilty as charged.”
“Speaking of guilty,” Hank said, standing up and joining in their little pow-wow. “I don’t know what to do with the kid.” He shook his head. “I’ll have to call the social worker in charge of him, but I’m not sure how to handle the stealing.”
“I don’t want to press charges,” Emory said quickly.
Hank raised an eyebrow. “None?” He nodded when Emory shook her head with conviction. Okay...no charges. But we’ve still got to get the kid back to where he belongs. And I have to do it without upsetting Bella.
CHAPTER 11
BELLA’S HEART WENT out to her cousin as Emory began to quietly cry. Everything she had worked so hard for was falling apart, and yet no one could bring themselves to do anything about it because it was a young boy who was in a bad situation.
Nobody is that heartless, she thought glumly. But what about Emory? She shouldn’t lose everything either. It’s not fair.
Antony was suggesting they rebuild and Bella perked up. It would be a massive undertaking, but it could be done.
“I should go get Enoch,” Hope said from behind them, then rushed from the room.
“No, don’t...” Emory deflated against Antony. “Rebuilding it would take all night. There’s no way