Chapter Two #2
Draping a well-worn shawl over her shoulders as though it were a symbol of protection, and settling onto the bench beside her, the woman handed her a to-go cup.
Sharon had been so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed the woman held two of them.
“You’re a long way from anywhere you should be,” she observed kindly.
“What brings you to Shiloh Springs, Sugar?”
In that moment, Sharon’s mind spun with a mixture of gratitude and terror.
The envelope—her only tangible piece of the future she desperately hoped to reclaim—burned a hole in her hand.
Instead of answering immediately, she took a sip of the warm drink the woman handed her—hot cocoa.
On this chilly morning, so close to the holidays, it was the perfect touch to make her feel melancholy.
In a hushed tone, she replied, “I…” Somehow, she couldn’t force her mouth to form the usual lies she spouted to strangers.
There was something about this woman, a warmth that was more than simple kindness to a stranger.
She wasn’t sure how she knew this woman was important in a way she didn’t understand, but the thought crystallized in her mind with a certainty as strong as any she’d ever had.
She’d hoped, even if only for a fleeting moment, to find refuge—a momentary escape from the relentless pursuit of a man who had turned her life into a labyrinth of betrayal.
Now, in the space of a short time, she’d found kindness in not one but two strangers.
For a long second, silence hung between them—a pregnant pause filled with the unspoken understanding that every friendly face in Shiloh Springs carried secrets of their own.
Yet, the deputy’s recent kindness, the vivid impression of his sincere concern and quiet strength, lingered in her heart like a fragile promise.
It was a promise that perhaps, even in her darkest hour, there existed a chance for redemption—and even for love.
Sharon’s internal battle raged on. Every tremor in her hand was a reminder of the dangerous truth she held.
The evidence in Chicago condemned her, both in the eyes of the press and in the eyes of the law.
As her gaze darted around, half-expecting to see the unmistakable silhouette of Cooper’s enforcers in the distance, her thoughts invariably returned to Dusty Warner.
His unwavering support and the subtle kindness in every word had lit an ember of hope in her that she couldn’t easily extinguish.
How had that happened? She didn’t trust anybody; that was a lesson that had been hammered home with Cooper’s betrayal, and her family’s unwavering defense of him, turning their backs on her without allowing her any actual defense.
Was it possible to find solace and trust again when every shadow whispered betrayal?
The woman seated beside her patted her arm gently, her soft voice pulled her out of her reverie.
“Sometimes the hardest roads lead us to the people who were meant to walk beside us—no matter how battered we feel.” Her eyes glistened with tenderness and empathy, as if she too had once trod on dangerously thin ice.
“Besides, it’s almost Christmas, and nobody deserves to be sad at the holidays.
My name’s Patricia Boudreau, but everybody ’round these parts calls me Ms. Patti. ”
Something niggled at the back of Sharon’s thoughts at the mention of her name, but it flittered away as quickly as it appeared.
The arrival of Ms. Boudreau was the latest ripple in a day already filled with turbulent emotions, and the day had barely started.
Sharon nodded slightly, her heart beginning to reconcile the need to escape with an overwhelming desire for protection and human connection.
Even as the envelope burned between her fingers, she felt a subtle shift inside.
Imminent danger loomed large, yet in that precarious balance she found an unexpected spark: an echo of hope illuminated by the memory of Deputy Warner’s eyes and the tender strength in his smile.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Boudreau. I’m…Sharon.” She nearly winced when she heard the hesitation before her name. It was a stupid move, making it sound like Sharon wasn’t her real name. It was.
“I’m not trying to be nosy—okay, I am, but only because I want to help.
Is there anything I can do for you, Sharon?
I promise, I’m excellent at keeping secrets.
” Ms. Patti chuckled, before adding, “I’ve had to be, with eleven sons and one daughter.
I learned to be a mother, a counselor, and a confidant rolled into one. ”
“You have twelve kids? Wow.” She couldn’t picture the petite woman seated beside her being able to handle that many rambunctious children.
Then again, she couldn’t imagine growing up in a big family.
She’d had one sister, Elizabeth, who Sharon adored.
A wave of sadness threatened to engulf her, thinking about how Elizabeth had turned her back on Sharon too, just like everybody else.
No one believed her when she’d declared her innocence.
Cooper’s influence over her friends and family had been complete.
“And I adore every one of them. I’m sure you’ll meet all of them, if you’re staying in Shiloh Springs.
” She could hear the unspoken question in Ms. Patti’s voice, wanting to know if Sharon would be sticking around.
Was this what it was like living in a small town?
People always wanting to know your business, sticking their noses into every aspect of what you were doing?
Not a good idea when you’re running for your life.
“I’m…considering my options.”
“I see.” Ms. Patti hesitated for a moment and Sharon could almost read her thoughts, watched the pity flicker across her face before it was quickly disguised, but Sharon recognized the expression.
She’d seen it on numerous faces since she’d fled Chicago: on the face of the bus station ticket seller who’d recommended Sharon head south, because people were kinder down here.
She’d seen it on the face of the woman at the homeless shelter, where she’d found herself after she’d been robbed of almost everything she owned.
Everything except the precious evidence that might prove her innocence. She thanked God every day that she’d had the foresight to hide the file and the flash drive. If she hadn’t, she would be as good as dead.
“I don’t mean to pry—”
“Then please don’t,” Sharon interrupted, not wanting to hear the pity she’d seen in Ms. Patti’s face moments earlier.
The chuckle that escaped the other woman surprised her.
“You’ve got a backbone. That’s good, because I’ve got the feeling you’re going to need it.
” Ms. Patti’s gaze met hers directly, no wavering or faltering, and Sharon couldn’t read any deceit or insincerity in it.
“I want to help you, Sugar, so you tell me the truth, okay?”
She was so tired. Tired of always being afraid. Tired of running. Tired of looking over her shoulder, terrified that Cooper’s people had found her. After a long moment, Sharon nodded her head slowly. “Okay.”
“Do you have a place to stay?” Lips pressed tightly together, Sharon shook her head. For some inexplicable reason, she couldn’t bring herself to lie to Ms. Patti. “Alright. I’ve got an idea, if you’re willing to listen. It might be an option that’s beneficial for us both.”
“I don’t see how I could be of any help to you, ma’am.”
Ms. Patti’s smile was the purest thing Sharon had seen in forever.
There was a wholesomeness about the woman that engendered instant trust, and she really wanted to believe her.
Let somebody else make the decisions for a while, because it seemed every one she’d made in the last few months created the havoc she currently dealt with.
“It’s freezing out here, and your drink must be stone cold by now. Let’s head into the diner, get something warm to drink, and talk about your options. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
“I wouldn’t mind something hot to drink, but I already ate. Dusty…Deputy Warner bought me breakfast at the bakery down the street.” Sharon gestured toward How Sweet It Is, remembering the delicious cinnamon roll she’d eaten.
“Jill’s bakery. That woman is a wonder with flour and sugar. Puts everything I bake to shame.” Ms. Patti grinned. “Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I’m going to be her mother-in-law in a couple of months.” Grabbing the briefcase she’d placed by her feet, she stood and held out her hand to Sharon.
Staring at it for several seconds, she took a deep breath and grabbed it, accepting it for the lifeline it appeared to be.
She didn’t have a clue how this day was going to go, but for the moment she would at least consider the offer of help.
She’d listen to Ms. Patti’s idea about a place to stay, and see if maybe she could stop running, at least for a day or two.
The thought of putting her head down, being able to sleep without keeping one eye open, was enticing.
In the quiet lull of the Shiloh Springs morning, as people started wandering down the sidewalks along Main Street, and voices murmured of new beginnings and hope for the holidays, Sharon realized that though the path ahead seemed murky, it shimmered with the promise of hope, and perhaps, a chance for a reprieve, a few days of not running, not looking over her shoulder for Cooper’s men.