Free Final Justice by Patricia Hagan Page B

she said wistfully. "Every hour of every day. No matter how rough things get, I know he's with me. I think it's the way we're supposed to feel about Jesus. I don't mean to sound sacrilegious. That's just how it is. And I know if folks found out, they'd think it was just for sex, but that's not so. That's just a part of it. The important thing is our heart love, not our body love."
    She was suddenly embarrassed to have become so carried away, especially over something so personal. "You asked me, and I told you, and I sincerely hope one day you'll understand what I'm talking about."
    Luke doubted that would ever happen. "Just be careful and don't get caught. If Tim ever found out, he'd divorce you and take the kids. And Dewey's marriage would be wrecked, too, if your daddy didn't kill him first."
    "We never take any chances, and look how many years we've been together. Besides, you've got enough to worry about without me. So scoot. Alma's seen us, and her eyes are shooting daggers."
    * * *
    Norma Breedlove turned to see what was making Alma look mad enough to bite a nail in two. "Hey, isn't that your old man getting out of Dewey Culver's truck with Sara Speight drivin'? What's he doing with her?"
    Without a word, Alma got up and started walking across the parking lot. She was not about to make any comment that would give Norma more fodder for gossip. Luke got out of the truck, and Sara wasted no time driving away.
    Alma couldn't help thinking that he was a fine-looking man, even if he did already have some lines around his eyes, and his nose was crooked from when he broke it playing football. He was tall and well-built, and she knew lots of women thought she'd made a real good catch when she married him. Of course, they didn't know the truth, that he didn't love her and never had. But he was hers, by golly, as long as he went on believing Tammy was his daughter.
    Alma thought of the promise she had made herself, how she was going to make things better because she didn't want to lose him, which is what might happen once Miss Orlena died. Luke would never come back and probably want a divorce, and if that happened, Alma knew at her age she'd probably never find another husband. So she was going to seduce him, and she smiled to think about it. When his leave was over, he'd be so crazy about her he'd want to get out of the army and settle down and be a real family man. Before, it hadn't mattered, because she knew as long as his mother was alive, things would stay the same. Only now, she was worried, and the first thing she was going to do was not to say anything snotty about him riding with Sara.
    Luke took a step backwards, stunned, as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.
    "Lordy, I'm glad you're home, but why didn't you let me know when you were coming? I'd have taken off work and met the bus."
    She was still clinging to him, and Luke wondered what the hell was going on. She never hugged him, never touched him, and he had expected her to blow up about Sara, anyway.
    He unwound her arms and mumbled he hadn't known exactly when he'd arrive. "I just need to get the car so I can go to the hospital. I'll be back to pick you up when you get off work."
    He watched as she dug into the pocket of her pedal pushers for the keys. She wasn't a bad looking woman, he thought, if she'd wear a little makeup and fix herself up. Back in high school she had been a knockout, in a trashy kind of way, and she still had a nice shape.
    She handed him the keys. "I went by the hospital on my way to work this morning, but she was asleep. I hate to say it, Luke, but I don't think she's going to live much longer. She's real bad off."
    He felt the guilt that washed over him every time he thought about how he should have come home more often. It was worse now, knowing his mother was going down for the count. But hell, there was no life for him here and never had been, and not for her, either. But whenever he would point that out to her, she'd argue