Free Fire and Ice: A Paranormal Romance by Cindy Adkins Page A

time he was living and stashed it away.”
    “I thought that Charla was hurting for money when Eddie died,” said Billy.
    “No way!  That’s what she wanted you to think so that you would not quibble about the price of the boat,” insisted Harris.  “That’s when Jessie was calling all the shots in your life, so I wasn’t about to get mixed up in that deal or influence you one way or the other. 
    “But, as far as Charla is concerned,” his dad went on, “I’d say she was rollin’ in dough.  She just didn’t want anyone to know it so they’d feel sorry for her.  The land on the bayou that her trailer was sitting on was worth a fortune.  It was prime property and she sold it.  If she did get insurance money later, that would have only been icing on the cake because that woman was sitting pretty long before then—and Eddie was the one who earned every penny of it.”
    “Harris, do you know anyone that Charla was involved with?” asked Sarah.
    “Which Tom, Dick, or Harry wasn’t she involved with?” Harris retorted.
    “Harris, please is this necessary?” asked Alise.
    “This little Texan asked me a question and I’m just answering it,” Harris said to his wife.  “Now why would I lie to this young girl?”
    “What do you know about them?” asked Sarah.
    “She met men from all over the country.  She’d drive over to the casino in Mississippi to meet them,” he informed her.
    “How do you know?” she asked.
    “Because she was seen over there so many times,” replied Harris.
    “One guy was from Boston—a Mr. Shaunessy.  Eddie thought she was flying him down here on his money.  The nerve.”
    Billy looked at Sarah and put his arm around her.  Sarah started to cry.  “Excuse me a minute,” she said and walked into the house.
    “Now, see what you did,” said Alise to her husband.
    Billy followed Sarah through the French doors to the den.  “Where are you going?” he asked.
    “I don’t know.”  The tears were pouring down her face. 
    Sarah was sobbing as she walked toward the pale blue sofa.  He rushed to put his arms around her.  “I’m so sorry,” he said.
    Just then, Harris walked in from outside.  “Sarah, I apologize.”
    Billy tried to console her, but it was not working.
    Harris just stood there.  He did not know what to do.  What could he have said that upset her so greatly?  “Me and my big mouth,” he thought to himself.  He walked up to them.  “Sarah, please accept my apology.”
    “It’s okay, Daddy.  It’s not you,” Billy reassured him.  “She’s just got to cry this out.”
    Sarah had carried a heavy burden and it was not until then that Billy realized it.  He felt that he was to blame for pushing her so hard and asking so many questions.  He wondered why he had not considered her feelings more.  After all, she was not a robot. He felt as if he had been so selfish.  She had barely slept in a week because she was trying to help him.  Billy held her tighter.
    “Let me get her some water,” said Harris.
    Just then, Alise walked in from the terrace.  She saw what was going on.  “My dear Sarah,” she walked up to her.
    Sarah looked up and turned to Alise.  “Come, Dear.  Come with me right over to the sofa,” she took her by the hand and sat down with her.  Sarah cried in her arms.
    Harris got some water from the wet bar.  He turned to Billy.  “Son, I don’t know what to say.”
    “It’s not you, Daddy, believe me.  Sarah has just been through something traumatic,” Billy explained.
    Harris sat down next to Sarah and handed her a bottle of water.  “Billy, get some tissue,” he said.
    “I’m sorry for falling apart.  Nothing like this has ever happened to me, you have to believe me,” Sarah said through her tears.
    “We do,” said Alise.  Sarah started to calm down.  Just having Billy’s parents there seemed to make a difference to her.   
    Billy came back and set a box of tissue on the coffee table in