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Half-Title Page
From Bags to Riches
Other Books by Sandra D. Bricker
Other Books by Sandra D. Bricker
The Jessie Stanton Series
On a Ring and a Prayer
Be My Valentino
From Bags to Riches
The Big Five-OH!
The Love Finds You Series
Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas
Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida
Love Finds You in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Another Emma Rae Creation Series
Always the Baker, Never the Bride
Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride
Always the Designer, Never the Bride
Always the Baker, Finally the Bride
The Quilts of Love Series
Raw Edges
The Contemporary Fairy Tales Series
If the Shoe Fits
Rise & Shine
Moments of Truth
Title Page
Copyright Page
Copyright Page
From Bags to Riches
Copyright © 2016 by Sandra D. Bricker
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission can be addressed to Permissions, The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN, 37228-0988 or e-mailed to [email protected].
The persons and events portrayed in this work of fiction are the creations of the author, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Macro Editor: Teri Wilhelms
Published in association with Books & Such Literary Agency.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bricker, Sandra D., 1958-
From bags to riches ; Sandra D. Bricker.
pages ; cm. — (A Jessie Stanton novel ; Book 3)
ISBN 978-1-4267-9323-3 (binding: soft back : alk. paper)
I. Title.
PS3602.R53F76 2016
813’.6—dc23
2015027703
Scripture quotations are taken from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglishBible.com.
Dedication
To Eva Marie Everson, without whom Danny might still be sitting on a beach somewhere, and the Lord only knows what might have become of poor Jessie. Thank you so much, Eva. Your contributions have been absolutely priceless.
And to Marian Miller, my constant cheerleader.
“Very good! Very good! Yaaaay!”
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Ramona and Teri, you’re the wind beneath my wings. If I actually had wings, of course. This series has been so much fun because of you both.
Prologue
Prologue
All rise,” the bailiff announced, sounding like an old town crier. “The Honorable Victor Preston presiding.”
Jessie managed to push to her feet and stand erect next to LaHayne as the stern-looking judge in the black robe took his place at the front of the room and rapped his gavel. “Be seated.”
The muffled sound of people returning to the rock-hard benches fell to silence.
“Good to see you, Mr. LaHayne,” Judge Preston said without looking up. “Is this your client, Jessie Hart, sitting next to you?”
He stood as if commanded to do so. “It is, Your Honor.”
“It seems like you’re in quite a pickle, Miss Hart.”
She gulped around the lump in her throat. “Yes, sir.”
“And we have Uncle Sam’s representatives here as well?”
She hadn’t noticed the familiar Twin Suits seated at the back edge of the courtroom until the male half stood. “Yes, Your Honor. Special Agent Dale Glenn, Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“Good. We’ll start with you, Agent Glenn. And then I see we have the corroborating witnesses you promised in the courtroom today as well, Mr. LaHayne.”
“We do, Your Honor.”
“I’ve studied the considerable amount of paperwork you presented to my bailiff, and I’m familiar with the basics of the situation, so let’s get started.”
The testimony of Male Suit—now known as Special Agent Dale Glenn—was direct and unfettered by emotion, opinion, or even an attempt to waylay the efforts to restore Jessie’s life. In fact, after two hours of give-and-take conversation that never once required Jessie to speak, it was Courtney who carried the most weight with the judge when she debuted her testimony with one of those charming and electric Courtney smiles.
“It wasn’t easy for me to be here, Your Honor. I’ve only recently adopted my first child and was spending some time with her at my family’s home in London. We weren’t due to return to the States for several more weeks.”
“London,” he exclaimed, and his entire expression softened. “My wife is from Leigh, Lancashire.”
“Oh,” she cooed. “It’s so beautiful there.”
“And yet you returned early. Can you explain to the court why you did that?”
“I had to come back if there was even a remote chance it could help Jessie sort out this mess. I mean, she didn’t cause it. And she’s done everything short of slinging hammer and nails to rebuild her life with hardly a thing outside of her sense of integrity. That’s got to count for something.” She smiled again. “Doesn’t it?”
The judge turned toward Jessie. “You have some very dedicated people in your corner, Miss Hart.”
Jessie’s heart squeezed slightly. “I can see that. And I’m grateful beyond words.”
“I’ll tell you what, people. Let’s adjourn while I give this some further consideration, and I’ll give you my judgment when we reconvene at four o’clock.”
Blessedly, after such a long time of struggling to breathe—or even imagine what her life might be like after that very day—at 4:05 p.m., Judge Victor Preston took out his giant sharp scissors and cut the cord appending Jessie’s life to Jack’s.
“And while we’re here, Judge,” LaHayne said, but Jessie could hardly hear him over the caterwauling celebration inside her head, “there’s the matter of Miss Hart’s name. Since she was never actually married to John Fitzgerald Stanton in the eyes of the law, we would like to have it stipulated here that she can return to her legal surname of Hart.”
Jessie Hart.
Not