Read Online Criminal Crumbs by Jessica Beck - Free Book Online Page B

suffering the same fate that he did, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s just as much a murder as though whoever had done that had shoved Hank over that cliff herself.”
    “I can’t believe how well Nicole is holding it together,” Grace said. “If I were in her position, I’d be hiding in the corner somewhere crying my eyes out.”
    “I doubt it. Knowing you, you’d arm yourself with something lethal and dare the killer to try again,” I said as I patted her shoulder.
    “I can’t stop thinking about poor Hank. He could be a real jerk sometimes, but at least he died saving someone else. I suppose in a way, that makes him a hero.”
    “What people say matters, but what they do matters even more,” I said in agreement.
    “What should we do about Nicole?” Grace asked me.
    “The only thing we can do. We need to keep an eye on her, and that includes all night tonight.”
    “Are you saying that we should stay awake and guard her around the clock?”
    “Yes, but not so overtly. Tell you what. If you can stay awake until one, I can handle the rest of the night. After all, I’m used to those hours anyway.”
    “Are you sure?” Grace asked me.
    “Positive. As soon as the others come back, I’m bedding down over there,” I said as I pointed to one of the couches away from the fire. I’d already put one of the sleeping bags on it.
    “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have one of the couches closer to the fire?” Grace asked me.
    “No, let everyone else fight over those spots. I’ll be fine over there.”
    Georgia and Janelle came back with pillows and blankets, while Nicole, Celia, and Dina brought bottled waters and a few snacks from the kitchen.
    Once everyone was settled in, I said, “If you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to get a little rest.”
    “How can you sleep after all that’s happened?” Georgia asked me.
    “It’s easy. I just close my eyes and count jumping donuts,” I said.
    It might have helped if everyone there had known that I was a donutmaker by trade, but I didn’t care enough to explain myself. Instead, I crawled into the sleeping bag I’d claimed earlier, keeping my clothes on to stay warm, and then I nodded off to sleep.

    The next thing I knew, Grace was shaking my shoulder. Had I overslept? No, my internal clock told me that I still had a few more minutes of rest. “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing. I need to pee, though,” she said. “I held it as long as I could, but I’ve really got to go.”
    “Would you like me to go with you?” I asked her groggily.
    “No thanks, I’ve been doing it by myself since kindergarten,” she said.
    “I meant to be safe,” I said as I stood and stretched. I’d slept surprisingly well, given the circumstances and the conditions.
    “What do I have to be afraid of?” She gestured around us. “Everyone else is fast asleep.”
    “Go on, then,” I said.
    I could see that it was true. The rest of our party was still soundly sleeping, and a few of the ladies were even snoring. It amused me when I saw that Georgia and Dina had taken the two couches closest to the fire. Did that make them the alpha females, or was Nicole stronger by giving up a comfy spot to one of the others? I wasn’t sure, but I knew that I’d have a little time to consider the possibilities while I was playing guard dog. I added another log to the fire and felt the heat on my hands and cheeks. I wasn’t sure what we would have done without the fireplace, and I was glad to have it. In a way, it reminded me of the cottage that I shared back in April Springs with my husband, and I wondered what Jake was doing at that very moment. Sound asleep, no doubt, unaware of the trouble his wife was currently in. If he’d had any idea, I knew without question that he’d be fighting his way up that mountain, no matter the danger or the cost, to get to me. But with the lack of a cellphone signal and no outside lines, there was no way that he’d know that I wasn’t up here