Page 6 of Resisting Fate
Father Munson appeared in the entryway. “What’s the problem?”
He was too old to chase Louis down. She kept running, shoving open the heavy front door Louis had just slammed back at her. By the time she got to the parking lot, he was driving away.
Bitter tears stung her eyes. He could not win. Those kids would not suffer because of him.
Father Munson appeared at her side. “What happened? Who was that man?”
She shook her head. “No one. Everything’s okay.”
“Sure?”
She pasted on a smile. “Yes. I thought he’d forgotten his gifts, but I was mistaken.”
Father Munson patted her shoulder. “I left a man in the confessional. I’d better get back.”
She nodded and headed for her car, shame bringing bile to her throat. She’d brought the devil to their door. She should’ve just written Louis a check and got rid of him. Instead she’d stubbornly clung to her emergency savings for fear of becoming homeless again, like when she was a teen runaway living on the streets. Fear had controlled her once more. Dammit.
She swallowed down the bile. Her savings wasn’t enough to repay the money he’d just stolen.
Everyone had worked so hard to make this event a success. Most of them had donated their profits entirely to the cause Missy had championed. She had to find a way to repay that money in time for Christmas.
Her fault. Her problem. No one had to know she’d ever been involved with such an awful man. Her ex would remain her shameful secret.
