Chapter 2

The day I was discharged, Chester Weiss didn't come to pick me up.

The head nurse looked at me with nothing but pity, pressed a couple of eggs poached in brown-sugar water into my hands, sighed, and said nothing.

I went back alone to that crumbling old walk-up tenement.

I had just reached the second-floor landing when I heard a few of the neighbor women huddled together, cracking sunflower seeds.

"Have you heard? The plant's new residential compound, the apartment they gave to Foreman Weiss, he's already handed the keys over to the Ramsey widow. She's hiring movers to move in today!"

"What a sin! Clarissa Swanson just lost the baby, she's still laid up in the hospital, and he's handing the new apartment to another woman? Has that Chester Weiss had his brains bewitched by some she-fox?"

"Don't I know it! I hear that apartment was specially approved for Clarissa Swanson by the plant director himself. Clarissa's been the plant's top engineering standout three years running!"

My steps froze, and my eyes went cold.

That apartment was mine. I'd earned it drawing blueprints in the workshop day and night, retooling machines, working overtime even while pregnant. On sheer merit, the plant director had signed it over to me himself.

What right did Chester Weiss have to quietly cross my name off the list and write in Darlene Ramsey's?

I turned around and went straight for the new compound behind the plant grounds.

The new compound was a fine place, red-brick low-rises, each unit with its own bathroom and kitchen.

The moment I reached the third floor, I saw the door of the new apartment standing wide open, Darlene Ramsey's laughter drifting out from inside.

"Careful with that rosewood couch, mister. Chester picked it out for me himself, went all the way to the downtown department store for it. You break it, you can't afford to pay it back."

I stood in the doorway, watching Darlene Ramsey order a couple of movers around.

She'd had her hair curled special for the occasion, and she was wearing a brand-new dress. Not a trace left of the timid, guilty face she'd worn at the hospital.

Just a small person drunk on getting her way.

"Darlene Ramsey, who gave you permission to set foot in my apartment?" My voice came out cold.

The laughter inside cut off at once.

Darlene Ramsey jumped, and when she turned and saw it was me, the color drained from her face.

But she steadied herself fast enough, and slipped right back into that pitiful act.

"Clarissa, you're out of the hospital? Chester said you'd just lost the baby, that the stairs at the tenement weren't safe for you, so he had me move in first and get the place cleaned up, and once you're feeling better—"

"Shut up."

I had no patience for her act. I walked straight up to the lead mover.

"This apartment is mine, mister. Do me a favor and throw all this junk out."

"Clarissa, don't do this!"

Darlene Ramsey panicked and rushed in front of me. "Chester already gave this apartment to me. My name's on the list the plant posted too. You can't just be this unreasonable!"

I brought my hand around and slapped her across the face.

The movers stared, dumbstruck.

"You— you dare hit me?!"

Darlene Ramsey clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief.

"You're exactly the kind of slut who's got it coming!"

I looked down at her. "You think just because Chester Weiss wrote your name on the application, this apartment is yours? The plant's housing papers say the award goes to 'senior technician Clarissa Swanson'!"

"Who does Chester Weiss think he is? What right does he have to hand off an apartment the plant assigned to me?"

I pulled the deed from my pocket and slapped it down on the coffee table.

"Open your eyes and look close. The property owner is me! Right now you're trespassing on private property! I'm giving you ten minutes. Get out this instant! Otherwise I'll go report you for stealing a senior technician's property!"

Darlene Ramsey knew she didn't have a leg to stand on. All she could do was yank the frightened, crying Barnaby up and run for the door, wailing:

"You're bullying me! I'm going to tell Chester, you just wait!"

"Sorry to trouble you, gentlemen. Haul everything that isn't mine out to the trash heap. I'll pay you double."

I took two big bills out of my pocket and handed them to the foreman of the crew.

The moment the workers saw there was money in it, they hustled every last one of Darlene Ramsey's things out the door.

Then I turned and went downstairs to find a locksmith and had the highest-grade security lock installed.