My hands stopped moving.
“I can’t stand having her here,” Denise continued. “All she does is cry for my sister. I’m sick of it.”
My stomach tightened.
Then Howard answered.
“Just hold on a little longer, dear.”
His voice was calm.
Almost amused.
“Think about all the money we’ll get. Once it’s ours, we’ll never have to work another day.”
I stared at the bicycle tire.
My hands were trembling.
For a few seconds, I couldn’t even think.
Then I forced myself to finish repairing the bike.
I waited several minutes.
Then I knocked on the door as though I hadn’t heard anything.
Denise opened it with a smile.
I smiled back.
I said nothing.
Because I had learned something important.
Denise wasn’t simply trying to take care of Vicky.
