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Back The Ursulina Save as PDF
Chapters (45)
  1. I know you'll never forgive me...
  2. Part One - Your Father
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter Two
  5. Chapter Three
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Chapter Eleven
  14. Chapter Twelve
  15. Chapter Thirteen
  16. Chapter Fourteen
  17. Chapter Fifteen
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Part Two - Your Mother
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. About the Author

Ruby glanced over her shoulder at their house. Ajax was still inside. I could see her weighing whether to say anything, but I think she loved the idea of lording a secret over me. “I had a deposition with Norm at Brink’s house a few days ago. Norm was trying to get me to say the men were harassing Sandra and the others at the mine. He kept pushing hard for X-rated details.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I said the worst sexual harasser I ever saw at the mine was Sandra.”

“So what does that have to do with Norm and Gordon?”

“We took a break midway through,” Ruby explained. “I had to pee. I have to pee like every twenty minutes with this kid sitting on my bladder. When I was done, I passed the back door to the house on my way back. I saw Norm and Gordon out in the yard, and I could hear they were having an argument. It was really hot, like they might go after each other. Gordon was shouting at Norm.”

“Was it about the deposition?” I asked.

Ruby shook her head. “No. It didn’t have anything to do with the lawsuit. They were arguing about Gordon’s son. Jay.”

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Norm met us at the door before we even had a chance to knock.

I’d been in his house many times over the years, going back to when I was a girl. My father wasn’t as close to Norm as Darrell was, but any neighbor quickly becomes a friend around here. Our families had spent a lot of time around the firepit in Norm’s backyard, eating homemade Swedish potato sausage, playing Jarts and volleyball, and telling ghost stories. It was Norm who’d first told me the legend of the Ursulina when I was six years old.

“Ajax,” Norm welcomed him, with a smart twinkle in his blue eyes. “So Darrell pawned me off on you, hmm? What a smart man.”

Then he wrapped me up in a hug. “Hello, Rebecca. How are you doing? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m okay. Really.”

He whispered in my ear, “If you ever want help with anything, I’m here for you.”

News traveled fast around Black Wolf County. I was sure Norm had heard about the troubles between me and Ricky, and I understood the kind of help he was talking about. Among the DWIs, estate plans, and petty criminal cases that were his bread and butter, Norm also handled the occasional divorce.

“Well, come on back,” he told us. “Let’s chat.”