Read Online Elaine Orr - Jolie Gentil 03 - When the Carny Comes to Town by Elaine Orr - Free Book Online Page B

mean nurse in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, had gone home.
    I had just walked into the kitchen when I heard a soft growl coming from the area near the kitchen sink.  Since I was pretty sure Aunt Madge and Harry had finally persuaded the two chipmunks Mr. Rogers had brought in to leave the house in March, it had to be Jazz.  I stooped and opened the cabinet under the sink and she streaked out.
    “How did you get in there?” I asked, turning to watch her path up the back stairway.
    Aunt Madge came out of her bedroom, her now auburn hair released from its soft French twist and flowing around her shoulders.  “I locked her in there.”
    Uh oh .  “I’m sorry,” I almost stammered.  “I forgot to tell you I couldn’t get her back in the bedroom, and I wanted to get back to the hospital.”
    “I guess I’ll forgive you.  She always wants in there, so I left it opened and she wandered in.” 
    I stooped down again to be sure Jazz had not peed under the sink.  Thank heavens for big favors. 
    Aunt Madge started to turn to go back into her room, but turned back and leaned on the arm of her sofa.  “Penny was pretty drunk when she got here.  I had to help her up the stairs, and I put her in the room next to yours.  I want her as far from any potential guests as possible.”
    She must have read my sullen look.  “And you aren’t a guest.”  She gently tugged Mr. Rogers from his goal to smell every inch of me.  “I want you to keep an eye on her.  I don’t want her wandering around much.  She used to have a reputation for being light fingered.”
    I shed my jacket and sank into a kitchen chair and put my head in my hands.  How could this be happening?   Scoobie still hurting and his drunk-ass mother sleeping in the room next to me.
    Aunt Madge put her hand on my shoulder as she sat next to me.  “When I said you aren’t a guest it wasn’t a comment about you being here, you know.”
    I sat up fully and kissed her cheek.  “Hadn’t crossed my mind,” I said, and forced a smile.  “I’m just tired and I hate the thought of that awful woman bothering Scoobie.”
    “You better hope she doesn’t vomit in the bathroom either,” she said.
     
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    AS FAR AS I KNOW Penny didn’t vomit anywhere.  I heard her fumbling around in the room about six-thirty Monday morning.  I could tell every time she bumped into anything because she cursed a blue streak.  Quietly I used the half-bath in the hall.  I was not about to share a bathroom with her and was glad I had moved my toiletries into my bedroom for the weekend.
    As I was coming back down the hall, the door of Penny’s room opened and she literally stuck her head out.  Her hair was combed, but looked as if it needed a wash. 
    I bet she doesn’t know how she got here.   “Good morning, Penny.  Hungry?”
    At this she stepped into the hallway.  “A bit, yeah.”
    She was wearing the same clothes that she had on yesterday, and they were much the worse for wear.  “I’ll put my bathrobe on and walk downstairs with you.  Aunt Madge is an early riser, so she probably already has a pot of coffee on.”  I opened the door to my room and Jazz ran into the hallway.
    Some people are suspicious about black cats.  They may tell you this or they may give a piercing scream.  Penny would be in the latter category.
    “It’s okay!”  I yelled as I heard Aunt Madge coming up the steps way too fast.  I walked toward Penny who was leaning against the door jamb with her hand over her heart.  “She’s a sweet cat,” I said.  “She won’t hurt you.”
    Aunt Madge got to the top of the steps and Penny had the good sense to look sheepish.  “I’m sorry, Madge.”
    “Don’t worry about it.”  Aunt Madge’s tone was formal, and I saw her visibly try to look friendly, which I don’t think I could have done.  “Come on, Penny.  Coffee’s on and I was about to scramble some eggs.”
    They started down the steps and