Chapter 75

He took it and disappeared down the hallway just as the front doorbell chimed.

Babe sighed. She should have waited until they got to the bus depot to buy Denny a sandwich.

***

AFTER LOOKING THROUGH the peephole to make sure she wasn’t letting herself in for even more trouble, Babe twisted the lock and opened the door.

The very pregnant woman who stood there was actually little more than a girl. The dowdy dress she wore barely covered her knees in front but dropped to mid-calf in back. Her mousy brown hair was bedraggled, clutched in the fist of the baby propped on her hip. Holding on to her skirt was a toddler whose face was smeared with tears and snot.

“Where is she?”

“Good evening. My name is Babe. And you are…?”

“Babe? That’s…” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m Mary Margaret Burdett.”

“Well, Mrs. Burdett…” At least, Babe hoped it was “Mrs.” “As I said, January Stephens isn’t here.”

“Then where is she?”

“I have no clue why you’d think I would know.”