Chapter 45

JULIA

Evelyn smiled as well, serene, beautiful. "It's quite all right, Miss Williams. There's no ulterior motive involved."

"Go ahead, Cedric. Open it up," Shasta said.

Cedric rushed to the package and paper went flying everywhere. Inside was a toy firetruck Cedric could ride in. Operated electronically with just about any bell or whistle you could imagine. It had to cost a couple thousand dollars. Cedric was ecstatic.

"We can't accept it, Mr. Thornhill. It's too expensive."

"Momma," Cedric protested.

"Expensive to you, Mrs. Williams. A pittance to me, like buying a box of Cracker Jacks with the toy inside. I make enough money every day to buy this house and everything in it. Money that often goes to waste on things I don't even want or need. Putting a smile on your son's face was worth every penny to me. It's only money and I have tons of it. Let him have it."