at me for wanting her to pay the bills. Five fucking years I’ve played this game with her.”
Exhale desire to strangle an asshole. Inhale love and peace. “Listen to me, Ravi. Listen very carefully. You’re going to receive a wire transfer shortly. You’re going to smile and keep your freaking mouth shut.”
“About time she found a sugar daddy.”
I slammed the phone down three times on the desk, creasing the plastic, and nearly screamed when I picked it up. “If you ever say that again, I will show up at your front door, or maybe in your parking garage, or maybe I’ll be taking a nap on your couch when you get home. Do you know what I’m going to do?”
Heads turned to stare at me across the bank while I waited for an answer that wouldn’t come.
“Nothing. I’ll just wait, because lately it seems that wherever I go, dead things show up and start tearing chunks out of people. I won’t lay a finger on you, Ravi. But I won’t stop them, either. You keep your mouth shut. You keep the money. You leave Grace alone.”
I slammed the phone down again, this time in the cradle, and walked back to a very rattled branch manager. “They have poor customer service skills. Here’s the correct destination number. Pull the funds from my account.”
His hands trembled as he punched the numbers in.
“Is there any way she can tell where the money came from?”
He nodded. “If she noticed, your friend might ask the bank, and they’d refer her to us. We treat account information as confidential, but—”
“She’ll know. She’s way too smart for that. Don’t do it.”
“Too late.” He printed out a paper and handed it to me. “That’s your confirmation code. It’s done. Why do you care if she knows?”
“I don’t want her to think she owes me. She might get the wrong idea. It’s just money.” I shrugged. I knew what mattered in life, and it wasn’t green paper or bank account balances.
Telling a banker “it’s just money” is a great way to give them heartburn. He sputtered and shifted his eyes until I shook his hand and left the office.
The bank president, Wilbur, waited for me at the door. “I want to thank you for banking with us. Are you all set up?”
“I am. I’ve got to get back to County. I have a friend there.” I drove back, terrified of explaining this to Grace.
GRACE
I spent two hours in a state of perpetual panic. What if Brynner didn’t get the transfer done? What if they wouldn’t accept it? I’d called in every favor just to get my daughter in, and worked any and every job available to keep her that way.
When Brynner walked back in the door, he must have read the worry on my face. “It’s done. Here’s the confirmation code.”
I took the receipt from him, clenching it in my fingers. Safe for another month.
He sat down in the chair. “You look better now. How’s the throat?”
Awful. Like I swallowed a box of razor blades. “Much better. I can’t thank you enough. I mean it.”
He looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of basic gratitude. “There was a problem with your routing number.”
My stomach did a 360, flopping like an angry alligator.
“Don’t worry. I called the confirmation number and got the right one.” He patted my hand, his tone confirming my worst nightmare.
“Who did you talk to?” Please, don’t let it be Ravi.
He grimaced, giving me my answer before he spoke. “An asshole. Listen, Grace. About the money—”
I shook my head. “The motel is a business expense, and your aunt feeds me better than anything I could buy. You can live on ramen for months. I’ve done it.”
Brynner looked like he’d swallowed a chili pepper, but he let it drop.
“Hand me that bag, please.” I pointed to a shopping bag beside the bed, and he handed it to me. I drew out a leatherbound journal. “Your aunt brought these in for me while you were gone.”
The confusion on his face made me sorry for him. He sagged into a chair, shaking his head. “My aunt said those weren’t ever to leave the house. Ever.”
“She said I might get bored watching soap operas on TV.” I offered him the book. “Do you want them back? I’m sure they’re safer with you than me.”
He shook his head. “This hospital is a fortress. Aunt Emelia was going to practice here, so Dad took time off to make a few adjustments to the