From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Chapter 12

Daniel narrowed his eyes, a hint of suspicion cooling his previously heated demeanor. “Sherman, don’t you think she might be drawing your attention? I mean, how could a young woman like that have such incredible gambling skills? And Anthea’s nothing but a trust fund princess with no real accomplishments to her name.”

Daniel had never been fond of Anthea, and his current thinking wasn’t unusual, given his low opinion of her.

“Everything that happened tonight at the Morris Mansion is a setup.” Daniel continued, “Everyone in Cloudcrest knows what Anthea’s really like! But tonight, she’s acting like a different person. Wherever we go, there she is. It must be her setup.

“Let’s head back,” said Sherman, idly twirling his rosary beads, his expression unreadable.

Daniel quickly fell into step behind him.

Sherman Christensen’s family hailed from Cloudcrest twenty–five years ago.

Twenty–five years ago, the Christensen family moved from Cloudcrest to Capital City.

up the mantle. He had stirred up a storm in the Capital City with his remarkable

most respected figures in the Capital City would tip their hats

of power, at the very top of the

a reclusive character with eccentric habits, Sherman seldom showed interest in women and often

that her son might forsake worldly life for the church thing and threatened to take her own life. The act brought the family back to Cloudcrest to honor a marriage, arrangement with the

since childhood, but with the Christensen family residing in Capital City for many years, the two families had lost

had been discreet, with no

the gambling continued

asked, and his term of endearment for Anthea had changed without him even

“My niece

it a night. It’s time to go home,” Anthea declared. There was a

11:18

Chapter 12

no place to push one’s luck