The Life She Wants Read Online Free PDF Page A

and college kids. But she had trouble keeping up. She took home a paycheck for five days of shift work at about five hours a day in the amount of $91.75—they deducted FICA, Social Security, state and federal taxes, uniform costs. Her net pay was $3.67 per hour. Her feet and back were killing her.
    She wondered if she’d have to succumb to a disguise and create a new identity.
    * * *
    Emma answered her cell phone knowing it would be Lyle, but praying it would be someone with an offer of a better job. It was Lyle.
    â€œDo you know a man by the name of Aaron Justice?”
    She laughed. “Unforgettable. A friend of my father’s. An attorney. He must be a hundred years old by now.”
    â€œMore like seventy-five. Apparently one of your sisters said you could be reached through me and he’d love to hear from you. He said maybe you could meet for a coffee or something. He’s been concerned about you. He would like to see you, to assure himself you’re okay.”
    â€œNow, isn’t that sweet,” she said. “It’s not a trap, is it? He’s not representing someone Richard screwed, is he?”
    â€œDoes that actually happen?” Lyle asked.
    â€œIt hasn’t happened yet, but I’m ready for it.”
    â€œI have his number,” Lyle said. “Call him, ask him what he wants before you make a date to see him. But really, he’s just a little old man.”
    â€œOh, you have no idea,” she said with a laugh. “Aaron is only a little old man on the outside. I think in his day he was a very prominent attorney.”
    It took her a few minutes to work up her courage because it would simply break her heart if Aaron Justice were foe, not friend. Her father, a CPA with a small but busy business, was close to Aaron, and Emma had known him all her life. Not only had they seen him and his family socially, Aaron was the lawyer who took care of John Shay’s will and a few other legal matters, too.
    â€œI want only to see you, my dear girl,” Aaron said. “I’ve followed your ordeal in the news and have been concerned. Come and have a cup of coffee with me.”
    The very next afternoon that she didn’t have to work they met in a coffee shop in Santa Rosa, and when she saw him, it brought her to tears. He seemed to have gotten smaller, but his embrace was still strong and she might have held on too tight. He was a very dapper, classy gentleman and of course just seeing him again after eighteen years made her miss her father.
    They sat in a small booth, ordered coffee and held hands across the table as they caught up on the more personal news. His wife had passed away a few years earlier, his grandsons were teenagers and he’d taken them on a few exciting trips. He was relieved to see her looking so well, as beautiful as ever and he was glad she was back. Finally, after about twenty minutes, he asked her if she could talk about it.
    She tried to give him the bullet points; how shocked she was by the facts, stunned to learn she was married to a stranger, how the walls came tumbling down and Richard bailed out. “Once they were satisfied that I had nothing to do with the scheme, I was offered a settlement. My conscience wouldn’t let me take it, of course.”
    â€œYour father would have been proud of that,” Aaron said.
    â€œIf my father had witnessed that horrific takedown, he would have been mortified.”
    â€œHe was a staunch and conservative man,” Aaron said. “It sounds as if he would have approved of the way you chose to handle it. I hope your father’s trust helped out a bit.”
    She laughed. “What trust, Aaron? Rosemary said there wasn’t much.”
    â€œI seem to remember it being a tidy sum for his family.”
    â€œEighteen years ago, maybe,” Emma said.
    He frowned. “I realize you were only a girl and John hadn’t wanted the balances to be reported to