Free Tess's Tale (The Chanel Series Book 3) by Donna Joy Usher Page A

give me the kiss I wanted, a microphone screeched. I put my hands over my ears and winced. Someone tapped on it a few times and then Jolly Jim said, ‘Where are they? Where’s the happy couple.’
    I pulled a face at Harry but he took my hand and led me towards his father. Jim was standing on a small stage next to a five-tiered cake. A table full of gifts sat behind him. I wasn’t sure where we were going to put that many things.
    ‘There they are. Come on. Up you get.’ He held his hand out to me, helping me climb the small step onto the stage. The conversation in the room died down until it was totally quiet. Every eye was on the stage. ‘I’m not a big one for speeches,’ Jim said.
    A couple of men laughed and one yelled out, ‘Whatta ya talkin’ about? We can’t shut ya up.’
    He smiled and shushed them with one hand. It was eerie how his smile never made it to his eyes. ‘So I’m just going to say congratulations to the newlyweds.’ He turned to look at Harry and me. ‘I always wanted a daughter. And I couldn’t have asked for a more talented or beautiful one.’ He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a key ring, holding it up so that everybody could see the key dangling there. ‘Everyone knows that the first years of marriage are the hardest. I want to take as much of that pressure off you as I can.’
    The key swung hypnotically from side-to-side. What was it for? A car? A safety deposit box?
    ‘So here.’ He thrust the key at me. ‘I hope you’ll be very happy in your new home.’
    He laughed at the stunned look on my face and said, ‘You didn’t really think I’d buy you a punch set for your wedding present?’
    ‘It was a lovely punch set.’ I could feel the noose tightening around my neck. Things had been so wonderful. We had been free of this life. Free of these people. But bit-by-bit Jim was reeling us in. Bit-by-bit he was taking control of our lives. Before, the only thing I had to worry about was hitting the correct notes, now I had FBI agents palming me business cards and giving me knowing looks.
    I had an urge to sprint for the elevator.
    Harry must have seen the wild look in my eyes. He took the key from my hand. ‘A house? You’re giving us a house?’
    ‘It’s more of a three-story terrace than a house. But you’ve got your own courtyard.’
    There were words I should have been saying. I took a deep breath and moved my lips so that the appropriate reply fell out. ‘You’re far too generous.’
    ‘Nonsense. It’s the least I could do for my only son. Of course one day this will all be his.’ He held his arms out and I looked around. Did he mean the bar?
    And then it hit me. The Pink Flamingo. One day the Pink Flamingo would be Harry’s. And I guessed mine as well.
    Now I couldn’t breathe. Now I couldn’t draw in air. I could feel the world closing in around me as an insect took up residence in my ear, its high-pitched shriek blocking out all other noise.
    ‘Tess. Tess.’ Harry shook my shoulder and the insect stopped its whine. He peered down into my face. ‘You okay?’
    I clamped my lips together and nodded my head. My stomach had decided it wanted to go round three, and this was not the place for that to happen.
    ‘I think perhaps she needs to go to the ladies.’ It was Liss, climbing onto the stage to take my hand.
    I was not surprised it had been her and not my mother coming to my rescue. ‘I’m fine.’ My voice rasped out of my throat.
    Jim had climbed down from the stage and was talking to Sam the Suit. Harry held my other hand as I stepped down and the two of them led me to where Thor had taken up residence, his huge frame dwarfing anyone who came near.
    ‘Mom’s here,’ I said to Liss.
    ‘I saw her.’ Her eyes tightened and for a moment I wondered what had gone down between the two of them. They hadn’t spoken in years but Mom had known that Liss would take me in when she sent me to her.
    I opened my mouth to ask, but the microphone let