First Family

CHAPTER 33

QUARRY REMOVED the board from metal hooks driven deep into the wall, opened the door, and motioned Wohl inside.

"Where is she?"

He pointed to his left. "Over there."

Wohl spun around and stared at a small lump under the blanket on a cot against one wall. Quarry lifted off the blanket. Underneath Willa lay there, sleeping.

Wohl crept closer. "What if she wakes up?"

"I gave her something to knock her out. Good hour or so. She looks like you," said Quarry quietly. "In the nose, the chin. You can't see her eyes, but they're the same color as yours."

Wohl involuntarily nodded. She could see the resemblance too. "Willa Dutton. That's a pretty name."

"You didn't name her?"

"No. I knew I was giving her up so I didn't… I mean I couldn't."

Wohl stroked the girl's dark hair. She looked back at Quarry. "You're not going to hurt her."

"She's not the one at fault here. Neither are you, really."

"But you said before-"

"There are degrees of guilt."

"So who…"

"Did you want to give her up?"

"I said I didn't have a choice."

"And like I told you before, folks always have a choice."

"Can I hold her?"

"Go on."

Wohl put her arms around Willa's shoulders. She touched her face, nestled her cheek against the girl's, and finally gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"What do you remember about the adoption?"

"Not much. I was only twenty."

"And the daddy?"

"None of your business."

"So you just gave her up?"

"Yes." She gazed at him. "I had no money. I was still in college. I couldn't care for her."

"So they took her off your hands. And your life turned out okay," said Quarry. "You finished college, got a good job. Married, but then got divorced. Never had any more children."

"How do you know all this about me?"

"I'm not a real smart man. But I work hard. And I needed to know about you. So I did."

"And what are you doing all this for?"

"None of your business."

Wohl turned back to Willa when the girl started moaning a little bit.

"Is she waking up?" she asked fearfully.

"Just dreaming in her sleep. But let's head on back."

After returning to her room Wohl said, "How much longer will I be kept here?"

"If I had an answer to that I'd give it to you, but I don't."

"And Willa?"

"The same."

"You said Pam was her adopted mother's name?"

"That's right."

"She must be terribly worried."

"I don't think so," said Quarry.

"Why not?"

"Because she's dead."