From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter 14: Truthful Lies- Louise's Pov

As I walk into Decker's Post with Ruby clutching my hand, my heart races. No matter how many times I told myself on the way there that Jacob would never fire and send Beatrice to a musky, cold prison, it felt rather slim to me. Then I think about the prison camp the Colonel Decker planned to run. The last time the colonel visited he mentioned that the camp arrested alienated Japanese, Italian and German people.

I'd understood the reason people feared those ethnicities but it didn't seem right to arrest them without real evidence. They could all be innocent immigrants yet people's fear of the war's conflict appears to be clouding our judgements. There's no proof that they're the enemies like their home country. Beatrice isn't an evil person nor a spy. Neither were Joseph and his family. They're good people.

If they were truly bad people, then how come they helped me out? I had thousands of questions buzzing in my head that I was dying to have answered. You need to calm yourself Louise, you're getting ahead of yourself.

"Kathleen?" I pull Ruby by the hand over to Kathleen who's pouring two cups of coffee into white mugs.

"Louise, how are you? I miss you dearly. It's not the same without you here." Kathleen grins kindly at me. "I miss you as well. Can I ask you a favor?" She nods.

"Can you watch my sister while I have a word with my father? It'll be very quick." With the accusations I'm about to lay on him, I suspect it won't.

"Of course. I just have to give Theo and your sweetheart their coffee." She smirks at me. "He's not my sweetheart." I frown glancing over at him unpleasantly. "Well he seems to have taken a real interest in you. He seems different. Though, it brings me a hint of gratitude since that man has always been a big flirt towards me. I always told him I'm a happily married woman with a baby. Crazy fool." She chuckles.

"The craziest!" I exaggerate holding back a gag. "Your father is up in his office with some men. I think I know where some Almond Joys are hidden. Let's go in search of some." Ruby follows her to go deliver coffee.
Ducking behind plants I rush up the stairs before Barry can notice I'm here. Fortunately I make it upstairs not having to suffer a ten minute conversation with Hairy Barry. A few workers look up at me surprised by my return as I pass them in the hallway. They look at me as if I'm not supposed to be here which I'm not but it's not like I'm breaking the law.

I pause at the cracked office door pondering on how I should word it to him. As I'm about to enter Jacob's office I spot two familiar faces. It was the dark and tall men at the Capurso's store.

"Where will she be sent?" Jacob asks. "From my knowledge your father is now running the internment camp in Montanna?" One of the men asks. I decide to take a seat in a chair outside the office just in case they walk out and find me eavesdropping.

"That he does. Is that where she's being sent?" There's silence. "A worker of mine Bartholomew Blackwell mentioned to me of the family who assisted my daughter two months ago. Said that the family were here illegally from Italy."

"The young boy came by my office not too long ago. I'm not sure what he was doing but he'd convinced my daughter to bring him up to my office. That little pig was sniffing for evidence to bring home to Italy. I just know it." Scoffs Jacob.

"He was manipulating my daughter and coming onto her so that maybe she'd tell him about my work. Not very smart that girl. My wife has done a poor job bringing her up." My face heats up at his words. The fact that he believes that I could be manipulated by any man. One man I've never been manipulated by is Jacob. I see right through his corrupt pigheadedness.

"Afraid my newspaper company was in jeopardy, I had my men do some digging." He continues.

"In their truthful findings, they found out that they already had claims on their name. Michael Jackels, has he paid his part yet? Has his plan to take their unknowable wealth back in Italy come through yet?" I can hear the firmness in Jacob's voice.