Calder Pride by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online Page B

Anderson, but this isn’t the first time your son has been arrested for driving under the influence,” Chase pointed out.
    “I know.” She released a convincing sigh of regret. “Liquor is a terrible thing that’s messed up many a man. I could name a dozen people right here in this county who have a problem with it. And that night, there must have been at least a half dozen others at Sally’s who drank too much. Any one of them could have caused that crash. But it was Rollie. He was the one at fault.” Shrewdly, Emma didn’t deny his guilt as she lifted her hands in silent appeal for understanding. “But it was an accident, Mr. Calder. My boy never meant for it to happen.”
    “But a man died just the same.” His expression was unchanged and unreadable.
    “I know.” Emma let her hands fall to her lap, her slim shoulders slumping. “‘An eye for an eye,’ it saysin Exodus. But I ask you, what good is it gonna do to send Rollie to prison? It isn’t going to bring that Taylor boy back.”
    An eyebrow came up, a coolness entering his gaze. “Surely you aren’t suggesting your son should go unpunished?”
    “No, I’m just saying there’s got to be some way to do that besides sending him to prison,” Emma replied.
    For the first time, his steady gaze shifted from her. He seemed to be looking inward, considering her words. At the same time, she caught the sound of footsteps approaching the den.
    Guessing it was that Audrey person bringing the coffee he had requested, Emma rushed to press her advantage. “Rollie’s just a plain, hardworking farm boy, a little foolish and wild sometimes, but he’s no criminal. And he’s needed at home. Neil and me, we’re too old to do all the farm work. Crippled with arthritis like he is, Neil can’t be bouncing around on a tractor ten and twelve hours a day. Why, he can’t even put the milkers on the cows.”
    “That’s enough, Emma.” Neil glowered, the redness of embarrassment creeping up his neck as Cat walked in carrying a coffee tray.
    Glancing at neither of the Andersons, she set the tray on a side table near the computer workstation. Cat had overheard much of the old woman’s previous speech, both the pleading defense of their son and the wheedling declaration of hardship. Privately she was outraged at the very idea of Repp’s drunken killer going unpunished.
    “You know it’s true, Neil.” The old woman’s voice was soft in its disagreement, a subtle air of meekness about her manner.
    Cat placed the two coffee cups with their respective saucers on the desk directly in front of theirchairs. When she turned to retrace her steps to the coffee tray, she encountered the old woman’s hostile glance. The visual contact lasted little longer than a wink. The effect of it stayed, giving Cat the distinct impression the woman wanted her gone from the room. It turned her stubborn and fueled the anger she already felt. Deliberately she dallied at the coffee tray, making long work out of the task of pouring her father’s coffee.
    A silence fell. For a moment Cat was afraid it would last until she left the room. Then Emma Anderson spoke again, in that same humble tone as before.
    “My husband is a proud man, Mr. Calder. He’s worked hard his whole life. It’s hard for him to admit he can’t do for himself anymore. But the simplest chore is a task for him now. Rollie’s had to do most all the work for the last two years. If Rollie goes to prison, I don’t know how we’ll keep the farm going. We can’t afford a hired—”
    Her husband broke in again, gruffly indignant, “That is none of his concern, Emma.” Abashed by her admission and struggling to conceal it, he threw a hesitant look at Chase. “Like I told you, this was that lawyer Barstow’s idea, or we wouldn’t have come here today.”
    “I understand that.” Chase nodded smoothly.
    “I guess it all comes down to the question that brought us here, then,” he spoke with a bluntness that revealed