The Rosaries (Crossroads Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Sandra Carrington-Smith
and he leaned closer across the counter. “Yes, exactly.”
Belinda Allen shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything like that at the moment, I’m sorry. I’ve had some in the store before, but I sold them already.”
“Would you know of any other antique dealers in the area that might possibly carry something like that?”
“There are several antique shops around, but I haven’t visited them in quite a while, so I wouldn’t know for sure.”
The stranger smiled and turned toward the door. He had broad shoulders and hair as black as the wings of a crow, and Belinda estimated his height at maybe six feet one or two. He was casually attired in a pair of corduroy slacks and a white collared shirt, and wore a thick gold chain around his neck. He hesitated before exiting and walked back to the counter. He wrote down a phone number on a small card with a golden pen he pulled out of his shirt pocket.
“Should you by any chance have a rosary coming in, would you please call me?”
Belinda Allen took the card and placed it inside her cash register, a little surprised at the stranger’s insistence. “I certainly will. Meanwhile, would you like to look around to see if you might see something else your mother would like?”
“No, it’s okay. My mother has a very selective taste. Thank you anyway.” With those last polite words, he was gone, the chime on the door announcing his departure.
Belinda took the card out of the register and looked at it. It only bore a first name – Chris - and a phone number, which appeared to be local. When her husband walked in, she placed the card back into the drawer and went through the familiar motions of closing up for a few minutes to enjoy mid-morning coffee, before stepping out together, hand in hand like newlyweds. And it was probably because of her interest in what her husband was telling her that Belinda didn’t notice the same man who had just visited her store hiding behind the corner, when they passed him by. He watched the couple walk away and smiled. He was sure she knew where the rosary was, and he was going to find it, one way or another.
Melody Bennet stood in front of Applebee’s and took another quick glance at her watch - two o’clock. Her husband’s delay was beginning to worry her. Mario was seldom late for a date, and was usually the one waiting; he rationalized once that his obsessive punctuality was likely the result of having a father who had no routines – in Mario’s mind, randomness was synonymous of instability.
She tried his cell phone but got no answer, so she called the house again, in the event he forgot something and went back home. No answer there either. Where could he be?
She was just beginning to dial his cell number again when she saw him walking across the parking lot toward her. He raised his hands in apology, and smiled that smile of his that could turn water into steam. After two years of marriage she was still in awe of his good looks. His tar black hair was cut very short and it emphasized the chiseled jaw line and deep-set chocolate brown eyes. Because of his constant training, his body was a masterpiece of muscles that would have made the statue of David green with envy. In her heart of hearts, although she was often told that she was a beautiful woman, Melody still couldn’t believe her good fortune. As far as she was concerned, her shiny brown hair, bright green eyes and petite figure paled in comparison to Mario’s raw beauty.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I’m late. But wait until I tell you where I was.”
Melody pretended to pout and tapped her right foot on the pavement.
“It’d better be good, Mister. I’m starving.”
Mario zipped his lips with his finger and smiled mischievously.
“No comment yet, but I promise it is worth the wait”.
So far into their relationship, Mario never let her down, so Melody giggled and reveled in the delicious feeling of the
Belinda Allen shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything like that at the moment, I’m sorry. I’ve had some in the store before, but I sold them already.”
“Would you know of any other antique dealers in the area that might possibly carry something like that?”
“There are several antique shops around, but I haven’t visited them in quite a while, so I wouldn’t know for sure.”
The stranger smiled and turned toward the door. He had broad shoulders and hair as black as the wings of a crow, and Belinda estimated his height at maybe six feet one or two. He was casually attired in a pair of corduroy slacks and a white collared shirt, and wore a thick gold chain around his neck. He hesitated before exiting and walked back to the counter. He wrote down a phone number on a small card with a golden pen he pulled out of his shirt pocket.
“Should you by any chance have a rosary coming in, would you please call me?”
Belinda Allen took the card and placed it inside her cash register, a little surprised at the stranger’s insistence. “I certainly will. Meanwhile, would you like to look around to see if you might see something else your mother would like?”
“No, it’s okay. My mother has a very selective taste. Thank you anyway.” With those last polite words, he was gone, the chime on the door announcing his departure.
Belinda took the card out of the register and looked at it. It only bore a first name – Chris - and a phone number, which appeared to be local. When her husband walked in, she placed the card back into the drawer and went through the familiar motions of closing up for a few minutes to enjoy mid-morning coffee, before stepping out together, hand in hand like newlyweds. And it was probably because of her interest in what her husband was telling her that Belinda didn’t notice the same man who had just visited her store hiding behind the corner, when they passed him by. He watched the couple walk away and smiled. He was sure she knew where the rosary was, and he was going to find it, one way or another.
Melody Bennet stood in front of Applebee’s and took another quick glance at her watch - two o’clock. Her husband’s delay was beginning to worry her. Mario was seldom late for a date, and was usually the one waiting; he rationalized once that his obsessive punctuality was likely the result of having a father who had no routines – in Mario’s mind, randomness was synonymous of instability.
She tried his cell phone but got no answer, so she called the house again, in the event he forgot something and went back home. No answer there either. Where could he be?
She was just beginning to dial his cell number again when she saw him walking across the parking lot toward her. He raised his hands in apology, and smiled that smile of his that could turn water into steam. After two years of marriage she was still in awe of his good looks. His tar black hair was cut very short and it emphasized the chiseled jaw line and deep-set chocolate brown eyes. Because of his constant training, his body was a masterpiece of muscles that would have made the statue of David green with envy. In her heart of hearts, although she was often told that she was a beautiful woman, Melody still couldn’t believe her good fortune. As far as she was concerned, her shiny brown hair, bright green eyes and petite figure paled in comparison to Mario’s raw beauty.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know I’m late. But wait until I tell you where I was.”
Melody pretended to pout and tapped her right foot on the pavement.
“It’d better be good, Mister. I’m starving.”
Mario zipped his lips with his finger and smiled mischievously.
“No comment yet, but I promise it is worth the wait”.
So far into their relationship, Mario never let her down, so Melody giggled and reveled in the delicious feeling of the