Page 70 of The Dravenhearst Brides
“Splendid. Merrick, love? Help them load the hooch. You may sort out the sordid matter of payment amongst yourselves.”
She stood by, continuing to press the gun to her jaw, while the men scampered. When it was time to go, she walked backward to the roadster, keeping an eye on the mobsters. Her arm ached from holding the gun so tightly.
“Just to reiterate. This is aone-time payment. I am not a bank from which you can make unlimited withdrawals. You’ve done good business with my husband, but Prohibition will be repealed before the new year.” She parroted Merrick’s words with feigned confidence, hoping they were true. “You’ve no more use for us.”
“Agreed,” Toni replied, swiping the tommy gun from the hood. “Pleasure doing business, Mrs. Dravenhearst.”
Margot’s answering smile was more grim than pleased. She yanked open the door and collapsed into the roadster. Lowering her voice so only Merrick could hear, she gave the directive. “Drive.”
The engine turned over as he stepped on the gas. Only once they were on the main road and Margot was confident the Duesenberg was headed the opposite direction did she drop the revolver. Her fingers trembled violently.
“Jesus fucking Christ!” Merrick swiped the gun from her lap. “You cocked the blasted thing, be careful.” He pointed the gun over the door and fired a round into the dark to release the hammer.
Margot jumped in her seat.
“You startle awful easy, given the show you just put on.”
If she hadn’t been looking at him to see the mixture of awe and jest in his eyes, she might’ve thought him angry.
She let out a nervous laugh. She couldn’t believe she’d done that.Her!It was the boldest thing she’d ever done in her life. “I’m not certain what got into me. Burst of gumption, I suppose.”
She was rather proud of herself.
“That took more than gumption, Margot,” Merrick said, shaking his head. “That was insanity. You’re utterly mad.”
She’d heard the word so many times, in so many ways. Heard and thought it so often, she almost believed herself numb to it. But this time, coming from Merrick with appreciation and not condemnation, she considered it. Deeply.
You’re mad.
For most of her life, she’d thought it an insult. Something marking her as “other.” She wished to be rid of it, her quirks and follies. The strange way her brain sometimes worked, jumping to conclusions and making oddball connections. Riling herself into a panic, driving her to drastic ends. Seeing things that may or may not be there…
But who would she be without it? Truly?
Perhaps madness was in the eye of the beholder. A gift or a curse, depending on how it was used. Perhaps if she accepted it, she could learn to wield this part of herself. Like a weapon, she could sharpen it into something valuable.
“I’m not mad…” she said slowly. “I’m just a creative thinker.”
“All the best people are. That was genius, love. I’m proud of you.”
Madness and genius…
Margot tipped her chin skyward and let the wind tear through her hair. It felt like freedom.
Amazing how easily those two overlap.
When the sun came up in the morning, bathing her bedroom in an orange glow, Margot made another utterly madcap decision.
She pulled out the stack of legal documents from her father, specifically the marital addendum in the inheritance paperwork.
There was a blank line, awaiting her signature. She considered it, thinking hard.
If she wanted him all in, she would give the same in return.
What’s mine shall be yours,she thought, meaning it.
Margot placed a pen to the paper and signed.
23
