Caroline stood and hugged Janice tightly. “You will never be so far away that my prayers won’t go with you. Be assured that anytime you’re in distress, I’ve talked to God about you that day.”
During her dysfunctional childhood, Janice had become hardened to saying goodbye, so once she left VOH, she didn’t look back. She drove to the home of Brooke’s foster parents to pick up her sister.
The Smiths had given Brooke security and love. They’d grown fond of Brooke, and losing her was heartbreaking for them. Now that the couple was in their mid-sixties, they’d decided to turn their responsibilities over to younger people. Brooke was the last resident they would invite into their home. Brooke cried and clung to the Smiths when they said goodbye. She was still sobbing when they drove into downtown Willow Creek.
“I have all of my dishes and pans packed,” Janice said. “Let’s stop for Chinese food and take it to the apartment to eat.”
“That’s okay,” Brooke said, smothering a sob. “I feel sad because I don’t have a home anymore. You’re giving up your apartment, I’m leaving the Smith home, and that house in Stanton is terrible. Where are we gonna live?”
Was it a mistake to take Brooke away from the only security she’d ever had? Janice hadn’t slept the night before, wondering if she’d made the right choice. She drove into the White Dragon lot, went inside with Brooke and placed their order.
While she waited for the food, Janice said, “I don’t know where we’ll live, little sister, but trust me. If you’re unhappy in Stanton, we’ll come back to Willow Creek. I feel this move is the right one, so let’s put the past behind us. Think about the new school you’ll attend and your new friend, Taylor. And don’t forget I’m planning to turn Mountjoy into a nice home for us.”
“Okay. I’ll try.”
By the time they reached the apartment and started eating sweet and sour chicken, vegetables, rice and fruit, Brooke’s sunny nature had resurfaced. Janice surveyed the efficiency apartment that had been her home for three years. Having lived four years at VOH, where she had no privacy at all, Janice had enjoyed the quietness of the apartment. She’d rented a furnished apartment because she’d had nothing when she’d moved in except two boxes of clothes. Stripped of the knickknacks and pictures Janice had bought at garage sales and the bargain shelves at SuperMart, the apartment looked as vacant now as it had the first week she’d lived there.
All of the possessions she’d accumulated were packed in medium-sized cartons, the contents listed on each box with a permanent black marker. The boxes were stacked near the door ready to be packed in the trailer.
Knowing that tomorrow would be a long, traumatic day, soon after nine o’clock, Janice encouraged Brooke to take a shower in the pint-sized bathroom and get ready for bed. While Janice waited her turn for a shower, she hummed a song she used to sing with Madison, her best friend.
Madison, who liked to be called Maddie, was a sophomore at West Virginia University. They hadn’t see each other often after Maddie had left VOH, but they talked by phone several times each month. She hadn’t heard from Maddie for several days, and when her cell phone rang, Janice figured Maddie was calling.
She was totally surprised when she answered the phone.
“Miss Reid, this is Lance Gordon. We received Brooke’s papers today. Everything was in order. Her grades are excellent.”
“Yes, I’m proud of her,” Janice said. “She’s always been a good student.”
“Are you about ready to leave?”
“Bright and early tomorrow morning. The manager of the apartment building is going to help us load our things. My car is small and it won’t have much speed crossing the mountains, pulling a trailer. But I intend to arrive in Stanton by midafternoon.”
“I took the liberty of checking the Montrose Apartments, and they have a vacancy.”
The warmth and concern in his voice surprised and pleased Janice.
“Thanks for telling me. That will save me the trouble of looking for an apartment if I need one. I’ve made reservations at the motel for a couple of nights. I don’t want to rent an apartment if Mountjoy is livable at all.”
“I’m afraid it would be primitive living.”
“Believe me, Mr. Gordon, I’ve lived in primitive conditions.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help you settle in, let me know.”
“I sure will. Thanks for calling.”
A smile had spread across Janice’s face while they talked, and it refused to leave. She smiled so rarely that she marvelled at the soft creases in her normally sober face visible in the mirror. Was Lance Gordon interested in her as more than a student’s guardian?
Janice didn’t know much about the opposite sex. Her father certainly hadn’t been a role model, and at VOH, the girls had outnumbered boys. Besides, Miss Caroline had discouraged anything beyond casual friendship between the girls and boys at the facility, urging schoolwork over dating.
After Janice had started working, she hadn’t had time to date anyone. She was so desperate to make money that she worked forty hours each week, and all the overtime she was allowed to have. Although Lance Gordon seemed like the answer to any woman’s dream, Janice couldn’t allow herself to consider dating him, even if he was interested in her. She had a house to renovate, a sister to care for and a mystery to solve. Would that leave her any time for romance?
Chapter Three
Lance sat with his hand on the phone, staring into space, unaware of the beautiful bed of dahlias blooming outside his bedroom window. He had many female friends, but he hadn’t dated a woman since college. His profession and his church commitments filled all of his time. What had prompted him to telephone Janice? He was happy as a bachelor, and he had no desire to change that status, yet Janice had hardly been out of his mind since he’d met her. What was there about Janice Reid that had stirred his imagination as no other woman ever had?
Perhaps it was her rigid back and purposeful posture that had first alerted him to the fact that, despite her young age, she was a woman with a strong personality. Her facial features had impressed him so much that, if he were an artist, he believed he could paint her portrait from memory.
Janice possessed a small delicate nose and long-lashed green eyes set in a smooth ivory skin with a hint of roses in her cheeks. Her chestnut-brown hair was short and straight. She was of average height, about five feet, six inches tall, and she had a well-proportioned body. She could be considered a beauty, except for her stubborn chin and a grim expression that spoiled the loveliness of her full, curved mouth.
As soon as Lance had dialed her number, he’d suddenly hoped that Janice wouldn’t answer, or that she’d tell him she wasn’t coming to Stanton. Still, his heart had lurched with excitement when, in her husky voice, she’d said she would arrive in Stanton tomorrow. Why did it matter to him?
Was it because he was worried about Janice’s reception in Stanton? The Reids in the area were known as shiftless and dishonest, usually staying a few steps ahead of law. Would the local residents welcome two more Reids? He prayed that people wouldn’t condemn Janice and Brooke because of their relatives.
The
