Read Online Blind Trust by Sandra Orchard - Free Book Online Page A

can you not?” His knuckles whitened, and he seemed to be straining to keep his voice even. “She’s not safe. I only want what’s best for her.”
    â€œI’m sure you do.” Kate backed up a step and shifted from one foot to the other. His concern seemed genuine, but that didn’t stop her insides from zigzagging up and down like a roller coaster. “I’m sorry. I don’t feel comfortable doing that. I’d feel like I was betraying our friendship.”
    â€œYou’ve only lived here a few weeks,” he argued.
    â€œExactly. So who am I to comment on her condition?” She wiped the ridiculous sweat from her palm on the side of her purse. “Couldn’t you hire someone to live in?”
    â€œI have. Lucetta agreed to stay with Mom until a room opens up at the home in town.”
    Kate swallowed her gasp, but not soon enough.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œUm . . . Nothing, except . . . It’s just . . . I was thinkingmore of someone trained as a caregiver.” Lucetta had already sold the tea set. Kate cringed to think what other ways she might take advantage of Verna’s generosity. “I’m sure they’ll get along okay.” Kate bit her lip. If Verna were her mother, she’d want to know what Lucetta had done, but “loose lips sink ships,” as her grandmother used to say, and between the birthday party and the excursion to the hardware store, she hadn’t gotten the chance to ask Tom if he’d questioned Lucetta yet. “She’ll stay at the house?”
    â€œYes, aside from trips to the store and such, she’ll be around all the time.” He motioned toward the hall. “She’s in making up the spare room for herself now.”
    Outside a car door slammed.
    Brian glanced out the screen door. “Isn’t that the police officer who was here yesterday? What’s he want?” Brian shoved open the door and stepped onto the porch, his monkey wrench still gripped in a stranglehold.
    Kate watched from inside the screen door. Tom acknowledged her with a stiff nod, clearly not happy to see her there.
    â€œAfternoon,” he said to Brian. “I need to ask you a few questions. May I come in?”
    â€œWhat’s this about?” Brian’s tone grew unmistakably defensive.
    Tom shot a pointed look at a curious neighbor watching the exchange from across the street. “Do you really want to talk out here?”
    Brian jerked open the screen door. “Come in.”
    A woman’s yelp, accompanied by the splash of water, broke the strained tension.
    Brian stormed down the hall in a rant. Judging from the colorful Spanish words countering Brian’s, Lucetta must’ve turned on a tap she shouldn’t have.
    Tom’s fingers circled Kate’s arm. “I need you to go home.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œThis is a police matter.”
    She closed her mouth, more hurt than shocked that he’d exclude her now.
    â€œYou have to live beside these people. I don’t want to risk your presence affecting their attitude toward you. Okay?”
    His genuine concern brought to mind his whispered promise at the birthday party— I wouldn’t let you fall —and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “You’re right, of course.”
    But Lucetta appeared in the entranceway before she had a chance to escape. “Mr. Nagy say to make yourselves comfortable in the living room with Mrs. Nagy. He be back in a minute.” She swiped at her damp pants with a hand towel as she turned away.
    â€œWait a minute.” Tom introduced himself as Detective Parker. “Actually, I’d like to ask you a few questions if you have a moment.”
    The woman’s gaze darted to the living room and back to them. “Me?”
    â€œExcuse me.” Kate moved past Lucetta and into the living room to give them some privacy. Well