A Heart Full of Diamonds Read Online Free

the long, shimmering mass. With full
determination and tears in the corners of her eyes, she opened a box of auburn
hair dye. Following the directions, she began.
    Hours later, her hair dyed and combed straight with one side
tucked behind her ear, she dressed quickly. She threw the evidence of her color
change in the trash can down the hall. Marilee absolutely didn’t want it traced
to her room.
     As part of her disguise last night when she’d checked in to
her room she’d had a floppy hat which had covered her wig, so even if she saw
the same people at the front desk, they wouldn’t notice she’d changed hair
color overnight.
    Straightening the room, she left and headed for the dining
room and breakfast. She took with her the street map and advertisement section
of the newspaper. As late morning as it was now, this was really brunch instead
of breakfast. A smile played at the corners of her mouth. She knew no one working
in the restaurant cared what she called the meal, as long as she paid for it
and left a generous tip.
    Eating, she scanned ads for reasonably priced, furnished
apartments close to downtown. Her funds would last awhile, but she’d need to be
careful until she got a job.
    Marilee was grateful she’d been able to clear out their
joint account without Tony finding out. It had been harrowing, to say the
least, with her nerves strung tight enough to break.
    Her meal over, she found phone booths just outside the
dining room. Armed with a pocketful of change, Marilee made several calls. She
spoke with owners, finding places with close proximity to bus routes, downtown,
and shopping.
    She set up appointments for the afternoon, then checked out
of the hotel, confident of finding something before day’s end. If that didn’t
happen, a different hotel would have to do. She hailed a taxi whose driver
stowed her bags in the trunk and Marilee gave him the first address on her
list.
    As the taxi drove off, the early afternoon sun bathed the
valley in light. High mountains towering behind office buildings provided a
breath-taking panorama like one would find on a picture post card. Marilee
noticed the lofty peaks nearly ringed the entire valley. Looking around, she
felt sort of protected, if that was the correct word, in this valley nestled in
the mountains. She took her first deep breath of peace in nearly two months.
     

Chapter Eight
    The taxi headed now for the third address on her list; a
duplex. Up a steep hill on the northern slope of the valley, they turned left,
continuing up a much gentler slope for a few short blocks. Another left brought
them onto a dead-end street, the taxi taking her to the last house on the
right.
    Marilee realized the duplex must be behind this large,
two-story red brick home. She liked the feeling of the extra privacy even
before she’d entered the place.
    Getting out of the taxi, Marilee surveyed the street and saw
it was narrow as well as short. The abrupt end of street’s pavement became
steep stairs leading down 75 feet to the mouth of a shallow canyon, then across
several streets towards the downtown area.
    Marilee looked out over the steps and her breath caught in
her chest. The view was fantastic. She could see across the city, now somewhat
below her, and to the shorter hills west of the city. The sun, still a little
above the horizon, was close enough to wash the low hills with a beautiful
golden light.
    Bringing her view closer once again, Marilee suspected those
stairs would cut substantial time from a trek into town. She’d need to consult her
map to make sure.
    Turning, she checked the address on her list with the red
brick house in front of her. They matched. She walked up the pathway and
stepped onto the large porch. Her knock on the heavy wooden door was answered
by a kindly-looking older man who introduced himself as Aaron Brimblecom, the
landlord. The duplex was located in the rear, as she’d hoped.
    Mr. Brimblecom escorted Marilee through the narrow