Vengeance Is Mine Read Online Free PDF

the story of “desperate love, bitter obsession, and heartbreaking delusion.” Margaret had taken it home with her on a whim and spent the entire night reading. Nothing in her life with Howard had prepared Margaret for the torrid scenes of passion between Desiree and her lovers. Either the world had changed since she was a bride or Howard hadn’t known much about women. Now Howard was dead, and she was too old to research the subject. Perhaps if she were just a bit younger . . .
    â€œHello, Mrs. Whitworth.” Elaine Krupmeier rushed out of Granite City Bridal, carrying a large box. “Wasn’t that terrible about poor Ray Perini? I always knew he’d get into trouble with some of his business deals. You’re coming to Mary Beth’s wedding, aren’t you?”
    â€œI’ll certainly try to make it, Elaine. Right now I’m completely tied up with the cancer drive. If I could find this year’s chairman I’d be free to come to the wedding. I don’t suppose you’d be interested, would you, dear?”
    Margaret came close to laughing out loud as Elaine fumbled for words. She was bright enough to know that it was a trade-off. If Elaine headed the cancer drive, Margaret would attend Mary Beth’s wedding.
    â€œOh. Well . . . I’d be delighted to do my part, of course. It’s an honor to be chairman of such an important drive. And we can count on you for the wedding?”
    Elaine looked anxious. She’d probably told all her relatives that Margaret was attending.
    â€œI’ll be there with bells on, Elaine.”
    Margaret was smiling as she hurried down the sidewalk. A favor for a favor was the way politics operated, and Margaret had learned to be a superb politician. A wedding for the cancer drive. Margaret was sure she’d gotten the best of the bargain. She could always sleep through the wedding, but Elaine would have two months of house-to-house canvassing to endure.
    There was a patch of ice on the corner of Seventh Avenue, and Margaret stepped over it cautiously. Waldo’s Pizza Joynt was just up the street, and Margaret’s mouth watered as she thought of a huge manager’s special with garlic, onions, and Italian sausage. Dr. Weston had been firm about avoiding highly spiced foods, but Margaret was convinced he was a closet sadist. Dr. Weston seemed to delight in curtailing the little pleasures that made her life worthwhile. The first thing to go had been her imported cigarettes. Next was the unblended Scotch she sipped in the evenings. Now he insisted that she eat nothing but bland, tasteless food. Margaret knew plenty of Italians who lived to ripe old ages. And they didn’t have to give up garlic and onions to do it.
    Three local lawyers dressed in traditional suits and topcoats were hurrying up the steps to the south entrance of the Stearns County Courthouse. The huge building had been built in 1922 out of native granite. It sat on Courthouse Square, one block north of the mall. The entrance was flanked by 36-foot-high granite pillars, and the dome rose 109 feet above street level. It was one of Margaret’s favorite places. There was a feeling of permanence in its polished rock floors and huge vaulted ceilings. Each side had its own entrance, and almost everyone who walked to work downtown ducked through the courthouse to warm up on cold winter mornings. Margaret liked to think they got a dose of history at the same time.
    Margaret glanced up at the clock under the huge yellow dome and checked the time against her watch. Les Hollenkamp’s drive to repair the clock had been successful. There was a public outcry when people woke up on September 10 and found the giant hands frozen at seventeen minutes past five. Les had formed a committee immediately. Everyone in town set his watch by the courthouse clock. Les called Margaret and asked her to donate airtime for his fund-raiser. Of course, Margaret had helped, but she’d