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"What a question I’m insulted"

"Are you? I don’t think so" She studied hi for the truth "How? No, wait That doesn’t matter Why? That’s the more important question Why would you take money from the town? Did you really think ere all so stupid that you wouldn’t get caught?"

"I didn’t do anything," he told her "But if I did, no one would find out"

"Is that what you think? That you’re sainst the doorframe "Sorry, Robert It turns out Bernie’s even s about?"

"She’s already called the chief Apparently she found your secret accounts and has everything she needs to put you away for a long ti to his feet and started for the door She stepped out of the way and watched him fly toward the stairs Seconds later he tripped on Bernie’s outstretched foot and went tu onto the marble floor He lay sprawled there on his belly Sheriff Burns climbed the stairs and calmly put her foot on the sot this call," the sheriff told hi happy "I don’t like it when anyone messes with my plans"

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"I FEEL SO USED," Marsha said the nextas she and Charity sat in the mayor’s office "I liked Robert I believed in hi her head "I felt bad that I didn’t like hi," Marsha told her "He had such excellent recommendations"

"Is this where we talk about what a nice, quiet man he was?"

News had spread quickly Not only had Robert stolen the town’sa false name Apparently the circumstances under which his elderlyin the city jail, waiting to be extradited back to Oregon for a possible e

"I have inherited lumly "Here’s one more example"

"Robert doesn’t count You barely went out with hi with hiainst ?"

"Fine No obvious sy sickness"

"Have you talked to Josh recently?"

"Since the original announcement? He came by and asked me what I want from him When I didn’t have an answer, he said ould work it out It was a thrilling ry"

"Because he couldn’t read yourto ad? Shouldn’t he be offering? This is as ht thing Are you waiting for him to propose?"

"No" She tried to put a little force behind the word "I want him to…" She wanted so much--it was difficult to pick just one direction "I want him to want to be withbecause he thinks he has to"

"Does he know you want to be with him?"

Charity didn’t want to answer that either

"You have a hard ti for what you want," Marsha said "Is it because your mother was never there for you?"

"Probably I don’t trust easily"

"What has Josh done to ," she adet back into racing He wants everything that goes with it"

"Or maybe he just wants to know he hasn’t failed"

An interesting point, Charity adure out what to say, Sheryl stuck her head in the door

"Charity, I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s Dr Daniels from the hospital committee He says it’s important"

"Thanks" Charity rose

"You can take it here," Marsha told her "I’ll go get some coffee"

"Thanks" Charity waited until she was alone in the mayor’s office, then picked up the phone "Hello, Dr Daniels"

"Ms Jones How are you?"

There was soood What’s going on?"

"You knoe really enjoyed your presentation and everyone on the coreat"

Here came the but

"But we have soreat town, it’s small and you already have one hospital We’re concerned on’t have enough of a workforce to support the new hospital and we didn’t see rew, but she forced herself to breathe deeply and calmly "Dr Daniels, we have a very well-educated workforce and a coer to embrace the new hospital"

"I’m sure you think that’s the case, Charity--"

"I don’t think it, I know it," she said, interrupting hiivepause "I’ll give you that because you’ve i However, I’ll warn you, we’ve already voted on the other site"

"Then I have my work cut out for me, don’t I?" she said, determined to sound positive when she felt crushed inside

"Friday," Dr Daniels said "Nine o’clock"

"I’ll be ready"

They hung up Charity staggered to the sofa and collapsed, then covered her face with her hands

Three days She had three days to find a miracle Three days to come up with a way to convince the hospital committee that yes, there was plenty of local support, not to mention a trained workforce She’d already provided plenty of statistics, shown the incentives What was left?

"Not good news?" Marsha asked when she returned to her office

Charity briefly outlined what had happened "I don’t knohat to do," she admitted "We were so close I know they liked our town better, so why are they balking?"

"Is the other city larger?"

"Yes It’s about twice the size, but it doesn’t have any of our charm The location isn’t close to this nice, they don’t have a better trained workforce and I knoe’re more enthusiastic than they are Why won’t they believeto have to show them"