ESCAPE
Chapter Twenty-One
Two months had passed with Rose hardly
noticing. As she had suspected, finding a job for an inexperienced woman wasn’t
any easier in California than it had been in New York, especially now that she
had two kids to look after. It was only just recently that she had been hired
to work just a couple of hours each day at a local restaurant as a waitress.
The pay was good, but she could never seem to raise enough money to afford an
apartment to stay in.
The owners of the poorhouse told her that she
was welcome to stay with them for as long as she needed, but Rose knew what a
terrible strain her family would be the kind couple and refused their offer.
After a time she found shelter in a little
part of town. It was just a rundown, cracked street that led to the underside
of a small bridge. There was no water underneath; the bridge was to separate
the upper and lower part of the street. Under the bridge lived good, honest
people like Rose who just couldn’t seem to make ends meet.
At first, she was reluctant to leave her
family there, but she soon found that all the people were kind and looked after
one another. And now, after living in the open streets for so long, they were
all like family to her.
There was Mr. and Mrs. Mellows, a young
couple who had been disowned by both their families for having their little
girl, Beatrice, out of wedlock. Then there was Bob Robinson, a pleasant man who
had outlived all his relatives but been left with nothing in the end. And about
half a dozen others who each had their own tragic, heart-breaking story. But
among them all, no one could compare to Nana Bobo. She was an ancient Italian
widow who could speak perfect English, and Jayvelin and Jacob adored her. She
had once had unparalleled beauty, she was funny, and a kinder soul had never
walked the earth.
And it was she who was chosen to break the
bad news to Rose one early morning.
"Rose, dear?"
"Yes, Nana Bobo?"
"May I speak to you in private?"
They went out of earshot of the still-sleeping children. "I really don’t
know how to tell you this. You’ve kept your past such a mystery to all of us,
and now I wish that you’d said something, because I fear that you and your
children are in danger. Oh, how to break this to you? Here. Bob found this
blowing in the street the other day. You should just read it for
yourself."
Nana Bobo handed Rose a slightly dirty
newspaper; or a section of it, anyway. She scanned the article, tears brimming
in her eyes. The Pursuit Continues, by Ronald Harrison. Caledon Hockley, 35,
has recently made a breakthrough in his search for his wife, Rose Hockley, 22.
Charles Nafin, a hired investigator, was found to have aided her in getting
right here to Santa Monica, California. The news was found when his father
found a suspicious train ticket in his suitcase and the ticket master at the
Philadelphia train station was questioned. Mr. Hockley is scheduled to arrive
here in three days. The police department is scouring the streets for the
5’4" redhead with blue eyes. If you see her, along with her four- and
two-year-old children, report her immediately. She is a danger to herself and
others and must be returned to her family as quickly as possible.
"Sweetie, I have no doubt that most of
this is lies, but seeing your reaction, you know yourself the dangers of
staying in the streets. Just this morning I heard the gossip, and every inch of
the state will be thoroughly investigated for you. I can get you and your
family to Canada in..."
Rose silenced her. "Thank you, Nana
Bobo, but there’s actually someone that I know right here in California that
will keep me safe."