The Stone-Cold Heart of Valentine Briscoe

By: Marcia Lynn McClure

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Excerpt: Haven could feel her mind beginning to dizzy, felt her face was red from the strain of her body not being able to breathe. Her panicked gaze still held the fierce one of the stranger through the instruction room window, and she saw his dark brows pucker in a frown. “She’s chokin’!” Oscar hollered. “Miss Abernathy is chokin’ on a lemon drop!” “Is this one of our manners lessons, Miss Abernathy?” Nancy inquired. Again, Haven’s body attempted to gasp as, all at once, the door leading from the outside boardwalk to the instruction room burst open, splintering throughout the room—the stranger with the fierce and fiery stare stepping across the threshold. “She’s chokin’ on a lemon drop, mister!” Margie cried. The stranger said nothing—simply strode to Haven, reached out, and slapped her hard on the back. But the lemon drop did not dislodge from her throat. “She’s gonna choke to death right here with us watchin’!” Florence shrieked. Again the man pounded on Haven’s back. Nothing. She still couldn’t breathe! “Well, then…” she heard the man’s low, imposing voice rumble. Haven felt the man’s arms suddenly go around her waist—felt more dizzying effects as he flipped her upside down and began shaking her. “Cough it up, lady,” the man growled, “else you’re gonna commence yer dirt nap right here in front of these kids.” Holding Haven upside down with now just one arm around her waist, the man pounded on her back once more. At last, the lemon drop dislodged from Haven’s mouth and, seeming to have a will of its own, leapt out of her mouth and went bouncing across the wooden planks of the instruction room floor.