Page 89 of The Women of Oak Ridge

“You’ve made a huge mistake, Mae. A mistake that will cost you.” His voice was calm. Too calm. “I’ve done some checking around, and I know all about your family. With my connections, it wasn’t hard to find out where they live. I don’t imagine it would take much for a coal mine shanty to go up in flames, do you? It would be particularly tragic if someone were trapped inside because the door was nailed shut. Tsk-tsk. What a terrible end that would be, especially for a boy who hasn’t made it to adolescence yet.”

I sucked in a breath. “No! You wouldn’t.” Yet my entire body shook with terror, because I knew he would.

Oh, what had my foolish bravado done?

He offered no response. He simply turned and opened the driver’s door. “Get in the car, Mae. I won’t tell you again.” He didn’t wait to see if I would comply. He got behind the steering wheel and closed the door.

Everything inside me told me to run. Run as fast as I could through the woods to K-25 and find Mr. Colby. He’d know what to do. I could send word to Mama and Pa and tell them to get someplace safe until Clive was captured. I’d quit my job, take the next bus home, and be done with burdensome secrets and Clive’s terrible crimes.

But my feet didn’t move.

Clive wouldn’t leave me alone now that I knew the awful truth about Sissy. I’d been a fool to reveal she hadn’t returned to Georgia,but it was too late to take it back. I’d put my family in danger with my own stupidity. Clive had set fire to his trailer to cover his tracks. He’d gotten rid of Sissy because she knew too much. My parents and little brother were next if I didn’t cooperate. Not even Mr. Colby could protect them.

The stone fell from my hand.

Defeat poured through me like a raging river, swallowing up every good thing in my life. If I walked away from truth and justice and ignored all that had happened up to this moment, there would be no turning back. No peace. No freedom.

No forgiveness.

But I didn’t have a choice.

I walked to the car, opened the door, and climbed inside.