CHAPTER 5

Julie remembered when she'd turn twelve and asked Molly if she and her fifteen year old friend,Carlo Ramos, could use one of the rooms on the bordello side of the casino. She and Carlo had grown up side by side and we're the closest of friends.Her father had nearly become apoplectic until Molly had shushed him and asked her why they wanted to use one of the rooms.julie had responded that she saw Molly's girl's used them to visit their friends and talk private and that she and Carlo needed to do the same thing.

Molly had shot her father a look of warning as he had started to bluster and fuss and, taking Julie by the hand,had sat her down and explained a few things to her she had never known before.She was not shocked at what Molly told her but disappointed that she and Carlo would not be able to plan his sister's birthday party in private.

From that day on, Julie remembered,she had not been allowed to go on that side of the casino unless Molly was with her. She'd missed visiting with Molly's girl's and watching them try on their pretty clothes and fix their hair,but Molly's word was law.

Shortly after that her father had she should go back east to a boarding school as had Sara.It had days of tears and pleading to make him change his mind and allow her to finish her schooling in San Francisco with her friends.

Julie's mind barely registered Adam's pleased exclamation at hearing Sara had inherited all of Father's real estate holdings or Molly's soft gasp of surprise when she heard James had cancelled the notes of loan he'd held against her share of the casino.

Her mind began to drift off once more and she recalled the look of joy on her father's face the day she had finished school at the top of her class

Her thoughts drifted over the many years and memories,and she was content to ignore the tragic events of the present in favor of these happier times.

It was Adam's disconcerted explosion of astonishment that finally broke through the shell Julie had erected protectively about herself.

"You can't be serious! Are you certain you are reading that correctly,Mr Washburn?" Adam demanded as he glared at the poor lawyer.

Molly leaned forward,placed her hand gently on Julie's shoulder and whispered " listen Julie. It concerns you,dear."