Southern Greed Read Online Free PDF Page A

weak.
    I went over and helped her and she eyed me the whole time.  When she was sitting up with many pillows behind her, she said, “So, you’re Kathy?”
    I nodded while trying to maintain eye contact but I had to look away under her intense stare.
    She didn’t say anything but just sat there studying me, “Do you remember me?” She asked.
    I decided to be truthful and that way, if I was ever caught maybe the judge would go easy on me.
    “Adam found me and said I look a lot like your granddaughter.  I don’t know for sure if I am, but I don’t remember my childhood before the age of seven.
    She chuckled, “I’ll bet you took one look at Adam and fell in love with him.  All the women do.  He could have talked you into to anything.
    “ Well, in my day he could have probably talked me into anything too.  He reminds me a lot of my own husban d, God rest his soul. it sure didn’t get rested while he was alive.
    “ Rachael tells me you two already got married.  If you are my granddaughter you’ve sure changed.  Kathy was smart and could have never been conned.  She saw through everyone.  Most kids do, though. ”
    I got tears in my eyes.  It hurt for her to think ill of me.  I don’t kno w why it should have mattered.
    I planned to end this farce and leave t here, get an annulment and go home where I belonged.  I did n’t know how I thought I cou ld do something like this.  It just wasn’t me.
    “I’m sorry,” I told her, “I should not have let Adam talk me into this.  I will leave here and go back to Rehobeth where I belong.
    “ Rehobeth ?   Did you say Rehobeth ?”
    When I nodded she started coughing.  I started for the door to get Rachael but she waved me back in.
    I went into the bathroom and found a glass and filled it with water and handed it to her.  I noticed that Ronnie had fallen asleep at the foot of her bed.  I had forgotten he was there.
    She took some water and got control of her breath.   “Adam found you there.  That’s where he looked.  He knew to look there.  I wonder how he knew? ”
    “What are you talking about?  You wonder how he knew what?’
    “Kathy’s parents, your parents if you are Kathy, died in a car fire near there.  I had never heard of the place before then.  They never found the child.  We advertised in every newspaper ar ound there as well as in Savannah .  No one ever came forward.
    “We hired private detectives, but she was never found.  Police went door to door right after it happened to no avail.”
    Once again, I started feeling dizzy and lost my balance.  I fell across the bed and heard the same thing I had heard before and saw the fire.  Now I knew what it meant and I knew I was the real Kathy, but didn’t understand how my parents ended up with me.
    My grandmother rang a bell she picked up from the bedside table and Rachael came hurrying in.
    I felt like I couldn’t breathe and Rachael said, “She’s having a panic attack.”
    She took both my hands in hers and said, “Slow the breathing down .   Come on, breath e with me.  In…out…in… out.”
    Before long I was all right.  I thanked her and she left.
    I looked at my grandmother and said, “I went exploring today and found a little girl’s room on the t hird floor.  While I was in there , I saw a fire and I had a panic attack but not as bad as what I just had.
    “Was that room mine, grandmother?”
    “Yes it was your room,” she said and she reached for me.  “At last, you have come home.  But please, if you’re pulling a con, don’t tell me.”
    “I was but now I know the truth.  I know I’m you granddaughter .”
    We both cried as she held me and I felt like I had come home.
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 11
    As I was coming out of my grandmother’s apartment, Susan was on her way out.
    “Hi,” she said.  “Do you want to go shopping?  Where have you been, by the way?”
    “I think I’ll pass on the shopping.  I’m kind of tired.  I explored the