Read Online Citizen Insane (A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #2) by Karen Cantwell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Cantwell
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up my three band-aided fingertips. “But they say I should be back to normal in no time—ready to get behind the wheel and mow down any innocent mother who gets in my way.” My voice cracked. The witty attempt to forget my problems backfired. The tears that had retreated earlier made a valiant comeback.
Another commotion erupted outside the ambulance. The burly cop had tried to stop a passerby from getting into the fray. Only it was no ordinary passerby. It was my mother.
“What do you mean I have to leave? I will do no such thing. Just who do you think you’re talking to? Where’s my daughter?”
True, the cop was round and sturdy, but he was no match for my mother who had a good three to four inches on him. Not to mention the venomous disposition of a cobra.
She pushed him out of her way and marched toward me. She frowned when she spied Howard.
“Howard,” she said, acknowledging his presence.
“Diane.”
“I was told you were nowhere to be found.”
“Evidently you were told wrong.”
“How are they treating my daughter?” she asked. Apparently, she wasn’t expecting an answer because she continued right on without a break for air. “How are they treating you dear? Did they take your blood pressure?” She looked at Juan. “What’s her blood pressure? Are her pupils dilated?” Back to me: “They should take you to the hospital for observation.” To Juan again: “Are you taking her to the hospital for observation?”
“Mom, calm down. I’m fine. They know what they’re doing.”
“How do you know? I’m registered in emergency care—these are the kinds of questions I always ask in situations like this.”
“You’re not an EMT.”
“I said I was registered in emergency care.”
“That was a CPR course.”
“I’m registered.”
“To do CPR.”
Juan chimed in. “How long ago did you do that course?”
“Three, four years ago.”
“Then your registration has expired. Step away from my vehicle.”
Howard jumped out of the ambulance and landed next to my stupefied mother.
“Diane, can you take the girls to your condo for the night? I need to stay here and wrap things up.”
“You can’t come with me to the hospital?” I whined.
“I’ll try. I want to stick around in case I’m needed for media control being that you’re an FBI agent’s wife. They eat that stuff up. I’ll get there when I can.”
“I can take the girls,” she said.
“Did you come in your car?” I asked her.
“Of course.”
“You can’t fit all three girls in that ridiculous toy of a car. Howard, that won’t work.”
“I’ll drive them to her place,” offered Colt, who had magically appeared next to Howard. “Hey Howie,” he said elbowing Howard playfully.
Howard stared Colt down.
“Sorry,” Colt corrected himself like a scolded teenager. “Agent Marr.”
“Thank you,” said Howard. “You help Diane get the girls and their things. Bring them out the back door so they see as little as possible. I’ll find Roz and see if she can ride to the hospital with Barb.”
“Yes, sir!” said Colt with a salute.
“Coltrane Amadeus Baron,” chided my mother, “Won’t you ever grow up?”
“Growing up is for sissies. It’s much more challenging to nurture the child within.”
With a harumpf, my mother marched off to the house. Colt gave me a shrug and a wink as he hollered after her. “Meetcha there in a minute with the car Diane!”
When they were gone, I pleaded with Howard. “I feel fine—I don’t need to go to the hospital. Tell them to let me stay here.”
“They know what they’re doing and they want to observe you for a few hours. I’ll get there when I can.”
“Howard?”
“Yeah?”
“Why couldn’t you come for dinner tonight?
“Didn’t Diane give you the message? I had to work.”
“Peggy saw you working with that sleazy tramp at Cappuccino Corner.”
He didn’t blink. He didn’t speak either.
“The same one I saw you with at Fiorenza’s
Another commotion erupted outside the ambulance. The burly cop had tried to stop a passerby from getting into the fray. Only it was no ordinary passerby. It was my mother.
“What do you mean I have to leave? I will do no such thing. Just who do you think you’re talking to? Where’s my daughter?”
True, the cop was round and sturdy, but he was no match for my mother who had a good three to four inches on him. Not to mention the venomous disposition of a cobra.
She pushed him out of her way and marched toward me. She frowned when she spied Howard.
“Howard,” she said, acknowledging his presence.
“Diane.”
“I was told you were nowhere to be found.”
“Evidently you were told wrong.”
“How are they treating my daughter?” she asked. Apparently, she wasn’t expecting an answer because she continued right on without a break for air. “How are they treating you dear? Did they take your blood pressure?” She looked at Juan. “What’s her blood pressure? Are her pupils dilated?” Back to me: “They should take you to the hospital for observation.” To Juan again: “Are you taking her to the hospital for observation?”
“Mom, calm down. I’m fine. They know what they’re doing.”
“How do you know? I’m registered in emergency care—these are the kinds of questions I always ask in situations like this.”
“You’re not an EMT.”
“I said I was registered in emergency care.”
“That was a CPR course.”
“I’m registered.”
“To do CPR.”
Juan chimed in. “How long ago did you do that course?”
“Three, four years ago.”
“Then your registration has expired. Step away from my vehicle.”
Howard jumped out of the ambulance and landed next to my stupefied mother.
“Diane, can you take the girls to your condo for the night? I need to stay here and wrap things up.”
“You can’t come with me to the hospital?” I whined.
“I’ll try. I want to stick around in case I’m needed for media control being that you’re an FBI agent’s wife. They eat that stuff up. I’ll get there when I can.”
“I can take the girls,” she said.
“Did you come in your car?” I asked her.
“Of course.”
“You can’t fit all three girls in that ridiculous toy of a car. Howard, that won’t work.”
“I’ll drive them to her place,” offered Colt, who had magically appeared next to Howard. “Hey Howie,” he said elbowing Howard playfully.
Howard stared Colt down.
“Sorry,” Colt corrected himself like a scolded teenager. “Agent Marr.”
“Thank you,” said Howard. “You help Diane get the girls and their things. Bring them out the back door so they see as little as possible. I’ll find Roz and see if she can ride to the hospital with Barb.”
“Yes, sir!” said Colt with a salute.
“Coltrane Amadeus Baron,” chided my mother, “Won’t you ever grow up?”
“Growing up is for sissies. It’s much more challenging to nurture the child within.”
With a harumpf, my mother marched off to the house. Colt gave me a shrug and a wink as he hollered after her. “Meetcha there in a minute with the car Diane!”
When they were gone, I pleaded with Howard. “I feel fine—I don’t need to go to the hospital. Tell them to let me stay here.”
“They know what they’re doing and they want to observe you for a few hours. I’ll get there when I can.”
“Howard?”
“Yeah?”
“Why couldn’t you come for dinner tonight?
“Didn’t Diane give you the message? I had to work.”
“Peggy saw you working with that sleazy tramp at Cappuccino Corner.”
He didn’t blink. He didn’t speak either.
“The same one I saw you with at Fiorenza’s
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