“Can the boys go outside and start on their chores?”
“Oh, always the perfect mama, aren’t you? No, everyone stays right here.”
Julia-Rose continued to scream. Lucy swung around to face the baby.
Angel jerked in the direction of the table and shouted, “No!”
Lucy looked at her with distain. “Don’t worry, Mama, I won’t hurt her. Nate wouldn’t like that.”
Everyone stood still as Julia-Rose continued to scream, “Mama, up now, please.”
“It’s okay, baby. Mama’s right here.” She reached out in the direction of the little girl.
“I said don’t move!” Lucy screamed so loud, the boys jumped. Luke and John clutched each other’s hands and cried.
Angel’s eyes shifted to see Mark at the back door. Lucy’s back faced him.
“Lucy, I really think you should put the gun down.” Angel spoke loudly, praying Mark would hear her. She watched through the glass as his eyes grew wide. Slowly he backed up, and ran down the stairs.
“I’ve tried every way I could, to get Nate to realize you’re not good enough for him. I guess the only way to be rid of you is the same way I got rid of that milquetoast he was married to before.” Lucy aimed the gun at Angel again.
A jolt hit Angel’s gut, and all the moisture left her mouth.
Lucy had killed Amy?
Tears flooded her eyes, but all she could think of right now was getting the children out of the house and away from this crazy woman.
“Please, Lucy.” Her voice trembled. “Let the children go in the backyard.”
“No. I don’t want anyone running off ‘til I say so. I’m giving the orders here, not you, Mrs. Hale.” Then with a high-pitched, hysterical laugh, she sat down abruptly, still pointing the gun at her. “Not for long will you be Mrs. Hale, though. You won’t be Mrs. anyone.”
Angel inched further away from the table, where the children still sat.
“Don’t move, I told you,” Lucy growled. “I hate you, Angel. And I hate your stupid stepmother.” She jumped up and walked around the kitchen like a caged animal. “You ruined my life!” she screamed. “Everything was fine until you came along. Nate should have married me. He was supposed to wait for me to come back from Europe. But no, he sent for a mail order bride. A mail order bride. My God!”
She dropped her head back, staring at the ceiling, then slowly lowered her head and looked directly at Angel again, aiming the gun at her chest.
Angel could feel the sweat trickling down between her breasts and back. She licked her dry lips and edged toward the corner of the room, as far away from the table as she could get.
“And then, if things weren’t bad enough, your whore of a stepmother, Mrs. Sylvia Hardwick, comes along and steals my papa!” Lucy’s face glowed beet red with anger.
“Lucy,” Angel said softly, “I know you’re upset about Nate, but this is not the way to settle things. Why don’t you hand me the gun and we’ll let the children leave?”
“That’s you, isn’t it? Miss Perfect. So wonderful. Everyone loves Angel. Always thinking about the brats first. When Nate and I are married, they’ll all be in boarding school.” She waved the gun in the direction of the children.
“No!” Angel screamed, starting toward the table.
“Get back,” Lucy said quietly, which scared Angel more. “Maybe I should shoot you all. Then I’ll have Nate to myself. No stupid wife, no brats always crying.” She turned her attention to Matt. “I told you to shut that little monster up!”
Angel’s attention shifted to the slight movement behind Lucy, as Nate quietly entered the kitchen. His face flushed, and taking deep gulps of air, he viewed the scene in stony silence.
Chapter 22
Nate hesitated as he considered his next move. Lucy had a gun pointed at Angel, and four of his five children sat at the table, the baby screaming and reaching for Angel, the boys with tears rolling down their faces.
Lucy wasn’t near the table where the children sat, but the way her body swayed left no doubt about her inebriation. That, plus a loaded gun, created a very dangerous situation.
He could rush her, but the gun might go off, hitting one or more of his family. There were too many people in the room.