A Heart Full of Diamonds Read Online Free Page A

alleyway
between his home and the converted grey brick manor-type apartment building
next door. He told her he owned all three buildings. The alleyway they were
walking on was actually a driveway between the buildings, which ended in two
small parking places for the duplex.
    The ancient green-trimmed white duplex was tiny, but
appeared in good repair. It was perched on the edge of the hill, and Marilee
suspected the view across the canyon and out over the downtown area would be beautiful.
    The west half of the duplex, the side with the best view,
was the one for rent. Charming was the word popping into her mind to describe
this delightful little dwelling. He unlocked the door and ushered her through
the portal.
    The whole house looked and smelled clean. Mr. Brimblecom
said both sides of the duplex had been fumigated last month, so it should be
insect-free. He explained the student who’d been living there’d had a family
emergency, so it was immediately available.
    The small apartment, including the reasonable rent, offered
dishes and linens besides the furniture, and had been set up for college
students. Marilee decided to take it. She walked with Mr. Brimblecom back to
his home, where he stopped to get the rental agreement and she continued on to
the taxi, paying the driver and retrieving her bags.
    She carried them to her new landlord’s porch, where he was
now waiting for her, agreement in hand. Marilee traded a deposit and first
month’s rent for the key and fresh linens, and her thoughtful landlord carried
her bags around to the back and into her living room.
    According to Mr. B., she’d need to change the utilities into
her own name and set up her phone service on Monday. He told her where they
were located downtown, then left her to settle in, which she quickly
accomplished with so few belongings.
    Walking to the other half of the duplex, she knocked on the
door. It opened just a crack, and part of a freckled face peered out. Marilee
pasted on her best ‘I’m-a-good-guy’ smile and brightly said, “Hi! Is your Mom
home?”
    The door didn’t open any further, but the face swung from
side to side. “Huh-uh. No Mom. Just me and Dad.”
    “Oh. Sorry. Well, then, is your Dad home?”
    The kid’s face split into a grin. “Nope. He’s at work. What’cha
need?”
    Marilee’s smile widened into a grin at the boy’s answer. “Well,
what I need is to use your phone. I want to call a taxi so I can do some
shopping. I just moved in next door,” she finished with a gesture at her new
abode.
    The door opened only a little wider. The face belonged to a
boy ten or eleven years old, she guessed, with brown hair and eyes. Freckles
dusted his nose and cheeks and he was dressed in denims and a stripped pullover
shirt.
    “Well, I’m not supposed to let anybody in the house while
Dad’s gone, but I can bring the phone out on the porch for you to use. You need
the number, too?”
    “Yes, please.” Marilee thanked him and he brought the
long-corded phone to the door, a directory under one arm. She noticed his
tennis shoes were well worn, one lace shaggy at the end and sloppily tied. He
delivered the phone and book and then disappeared back into the house.
    She perched on the edge of the cold cement porch step while
she arranged for the cab. As soon as she hung up, the door opened once more. To
her surprise, the boy, who had donned his jacket, came out onto the porch and
sat next to her on the step. She handed him the phone and book, with a smile
and another thank you.
    He grinned. “No rules against sitting on the porch and
talking to the new neighbor,” he said, his eyes lighting with mischief. “My
name’s Derrek Gilman. What’s yours?”
    “Marilee Curtice.” Marilee gave her maiden name. A
transitory hope that Tony wouldn’t think of the name change flitted through her
mind. She cleared her throat and asked, “How old are you?”
    “Ten- and-half. I’m in the fifth grade. How old are you?”
    Marilee