He only shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. What if someone recognizes you and tells your father?”
I hadn’t thought about that, which was strange, since it was usually all I thought about.
Pausing, I put my hand on his arm. “Will you go in and ask Thomas to come out?”
He pulled back, surprised. “You think I want people to seemeentering this place?”
“Please, Lewis.”
“You are the most incorrigible person I know, Caroline Baldwin.”
“Tenacity is a gift.”
He rolled his eyes. “Stay here. I’ll see what I can do.”
I waited at the corner while he walked to the second house and up the stairs to the front door. He looked right and left, clearly uncomfortable, especially in his police uniform. But if the department was as corrupt as he claimed, who was going to get upset at him?
The door opened, and Lewis entered the house.
Sunshine beat down on me, and my skin was slick with sweat. I found shade under a tree, but it felt like hours as I waited for Lewis to emerge.
People passed on Kellogg and Washington, some even walkinginto the brothel, but no one seemed to pay me any attention. When someone looked my way, I turned my face, hoping to hide under the brim of my large hat.
Finally, the door opened, and Lewis stepped out with Thomas. I was both relieved and disappointed. I had hoped that Lewis was wrong, and Thomas wasn’t at the brothel.
Anger radiated off my brother like heat waves as he approached. His face was red, whether from rage or embarrassment, I wasn’t sure, but it was frightening.
Perhaps I should have waited to talk to him at another time.
Without a word, he took me by the upper arm and almost dragged me back toward Kellogg Boulevard.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing?” he asked through clenched teeth. “Are you insane, Carrie?”
“You’re hurting me.”
“Good. Maybe it’ll knock some sense into you.”
“Let her go, Thomas,” Lewis said, coming up alongside me.
Thomas finally let me go but didn’t stop walking.
“I need to talk to you,” I said, trying to keep up with my brother.
He stopped abruptly. “Do you know—do you have any idea? What if someone saw you?”
“What if someone saw you?” I countered, my anger returning.
“It’s not the same thing and you know it.”
“It’s exactly the same. We represent Father, just like he said during his sermon the other day.”
“Don’t be so naïve, Carrie.”
I clenched my hands. “I’m so tired of people saying that to me. I’m not stupid, Thomas. I know what you’re doing is wrong, illegal, immoral, and just plain foolish! Whether you like it or not, we have a responsibility—”
“I’ve heard enough.” He ran his hand through his hair. “You got my attention, what do you want?”
Lewis stood nearby, but he tried to look inconspicuous as we talked.
