The Warning Read Free Page A

was displayed the length and breadth of her scar. Molly was so quiet that this was often his only signal that she had been hit hard by something while he had been away. And right now it was blazing as if lit by an internal fire. “Anything wrong?”
    â€œNo, not wrong.” Paul had a glow of quiet satisfaction about him. He set his mug down. “Mom tells me the dreams are still bothering you.”
    â€œFrom time to time.” Buddy kissed his wife and studied her gaze. He saw a gentle joy in her eyes. He sighed silently with relief. Whatever had her so worked up was good. “But my health is sound, and that’s what matters.”
    Molly asked, “And your heart?”
    â€œFit as a fiddle, according to Jasmine.” He accepted a mug and seated himself across from his son.
    â€œThat’s good, Pop. Real good. We’ve been worried.”
    â€œNo need.” He took a sip and gave thanks for the umpteenth time for having been blessed with two quiet and well-behaved sons. He did not know how they would have coped with loud or rambunctious children. He and Molly were simply not made for confrontation and anger. In their twenty-nine years together, he did not think he had ever shouted at her. Not once. It was just not their way. “Dr. Hopper wants to have another look at me at the end of next week, but she thinks everything is all right.”
    â€œI’m glad you talked with her,” Molly said. “But I’m still worried about those nightmares.”
    He nodded, not wanting to go into that. He was glad his son was there; he was glad that something else in the air kept them from dwelling on what he still did not understand. “What brings you over today?”
    Paul and Molly exchanged a look that filled the room with shared anticipation. Paul turned back to him and announced, “We’ve decided to expand. We’re going to set up a second store in the new shopping mall.”
    This should have been the best possible news. Buddy had been after Paul for years to start a second shoe store. But his son was naturally cautious. Running one successful shop had been enough. Even when Buddy had walked him through the statistics and the calculations, shown him how he was being overcharged for his product, and pointed out to him how fragile his outlook was with just one source of revenue, his son had held back. Until now.
    Yet Buddy felt none of the pride and satisfaction that he would have expected. Instead he felt a sense of danger.
    Molly prompted Buddy with her words. “Son, that’s wonderful.”
    Paul fiddled self-consciously with his mug. “I’ll be coming in tomorrow to meet with you, Pop. I just wanted to let you know in advance that we’re going to do it like you said. Keep our savings in place and borrow what we need, so we can write off the interest.”
    The words wrapped around Buddy in a veil of dread. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
    Paul’s eyes widened in surprise. “But why, Daddy?”
    It was the first time Paul had called him Daddy in years. Why, indeed? Buddy could not explain it, even to himself. Yet the dread continued to build, like floodwater rising to surround him. “I’m not sure now is a good time to saddle yourself with more debt.”
    His words were met with absolute silence. Molly slipped into the chair beside her son. “You’ve been after him for years to start that second store.”
    â€œI know I have.” He rubbed his palms together, wiping away the dampness. He asked Paul, “Could you put off the decision for a while?”
    â€œI suppose so.” Paul was watching him strangely. They both were. “For how long?”
    Despite his strongest efforts to keep it at bay, the pressure continued to mount. Once more an unseen force seemed to push at him and to squeeze his mind and his heart so tightly he could scarcely draw breath. “Two months,”