CHAPTER
20
RHODA’S PROBLEM
Rhoda allowed herself to be dissuaded, but not without misgiving. As she lunched with Penny at the Dolman Cafe, she painted a gloomy picture of what lay before her.
“You don’t understand how it is,” she said, slowly stirring a cup of hot chocolate. “I really haven’t a good reason for refusing to consent to the adoption. If I had one scrap of evidence against Mr. Coaten it would be different.”
“Can’t you write to Texas and inquire about him and his friend?”
“I did,” Rhoda admitted. “The answer came back that Mr. Coaten was unknown at the address he gave the Breens.”
“I should think that would be sufficient reason for distrusting him.”
“Oh, Mr. Coaten explained it by saying that his family just moved to a new house, and that he inadvertently had given me the wrong address.”
“Did you ask for the second one, Rhoda?”
“Yes, he gave it to me. So far I’ve not had time for a reply.”
“My advice is to stall for time,” Penny said. “If we have even a few days more we may dig up some information. However, I’ll confess I haven’t an idea at the moment.”