Read Online Finding Elizabeth by Louise Forster - Free Book Online
Authors: Louise Forster
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me.” Katherine headed for the bench to remove her skates.
Arms out like a penguin, Jack teetered across the ice to join her. “The Lodge is on my list to visit, and probably one of the better places to ask questions.”
Silently Katherine groaned. There was no hope for her; she wasn’t that selfish a person not to offer, never mind the reluctance. “Seems silly not to offer you a lift.” Oh great, that sounded so mean-spirited. “I’ll try again. I’m going that way. Would you like a lift?”
“That would be great, thank you.”
Chapter 3
The Spruce Valley Lodge sprawled across an acre of garden. Jack chuckled at the plastic reindeer prancing across the roof, dragging a sleigh with a laughing Santa, and plastic sack full of imagination. He was right to have a chuckle—Santa looked more like Batman’s Joker with every passing year.
“I know,” Katherine said to Jack. “But where would the world be without plastic Santas and someone to take the trouble to decorate the place for Christmas?”
She crawled out of her car and waited for Jack, locked up and headed for the entry. The automatic glass doors slid open, and Katherine walked into a mini furnace. She yanked off her hat and gloves and shrugged out of her coat; Jack did the same. While waiting for Aileen the receptionist to finish her phone conversation, Katherine admired the fearless creativity of the person who had decorated the Christmas tree in silver and electric blue baubles.
“I’m sorry it’s inconvenient, Mr Greene, but you
did
specify you wanted to be kept informed, especially if there was a problem. And there is, Mr Greene. We’ve tried everything to console your mother. She won’t eat, or drink. She is utterly distraught and we are worried.”
Katherine was about to move further away when, without looking up, Aileen stuck her hand in the air traffic-cop style. Listening to Mr Greene made Aileen’s lips draw back in a thin line. Holding a pencil like a dagger, she stabbed the desk pad. “Very well, Mr Greene. We will wait for Peggy’s doctor.” She slammed the phone down and looked up at Katherine, murder blazing in her eyes. “Hi, Kate,” she said, teeth gnashing.
“Deep breaths, Aileen.” Katherine simulated the calming exercise. “Better?”
“Not until I get my hands around …” Aileen glanced at Jack, who was peering at the tree, then turned back to Katherine. “Are you together?”
“Um, yes.” She signalled for Jack to come to the counter. “I’d like you to meet Jack Riley. He’s looking for someone and he’s hoping you or some of the patients may be able to help.”
“Ah, Jack, you called early this morning. Nice to meet you,” Aileen extended her hand.
“Thanks for allowing me this opportunity,” Jack said, taking her hand.
“Okay, you two are set then. Before I go and orientate myself, what’s going on with Peggy? What happened?” Katherine asked, leaning forward on the counter.
Aileen looked around. Satisfied they were alone, she moved closer. “Peggy’s dickhead son is a shallow conniving lying bastard. He dumped Peggy’s dog at the Animal Rescue.”
Katherine gasped. “Not Bubbles! What a prick. No wonder Peggy is distraught. Is it all right if I go and see her?”
“Sure you can. Everyone’s tried to get Peggy to eat and drink. Go in and give it your best shot.” Aileen pulled out a box of tissues from under her desk. “You’ll need this.”
After leaving Jack with Aileen, Katherine headed down the long hall to Peggy’s suite, thinking how much she adored the senior citizens, and Peggy was just lovable. The few times Katherine managed to visit the lodge, Peggy always asked to see her.
She pressed her ear against the door, heard Peggy blow her nose and then knocked.
A feeble voice called out, “Go away!”
“Peggy, it’s Katherine. Can I come in?”
“I don’t care, I’m not eating,” Peggy said, determined.
“I wouldn’t make you. Please, Peggy.”
“Fine,
Arms out like a penguin, Jack teetered across the ice to join her. “The Lodge is on my list to visit, and probably one of the better places to ask questions.”
Silently Katherine groaned. There was no hope for her; she wasn’t that selfish a person not to offer, never mind the reluctance. “Seems silly not to offer you a lift.” Oh great, that sounded so mean-spirited. “I’ll try again. I’m going that way. Would you like a lift?”
“That would be great, thank you.”
Chapter 3
The Spruce Valley Lodge sprawled across an acre of garden. Jack chuckled at the plastic reindeer prancing across the roof, dragging a sleigh with a laughing Santa, and plastic sack full of imagination. He was right to have a chuckle—Santa looked more like Batman’s Joker with every passing year.
“I know,” Katherine said to Jack. “But where would the world be without plastic Santas and someone to take the trouble to decorate the place for Christmas?”
She crawled out of her car and waited for Jack, locked up and headed for the entry. The automatic glass doors slid open, and Katherine walked into a mini furnace. She yanked off her hat and gloves and shrugged out of her coat; Jack did the same. While waiting for Aileen the receptionist to finish her phone conversation, Katherine admired the fearless creativity of the person who had decorated the Christmas tree in silver and electric blue baubles.
“I’m sorry it’s inconvenient, Mr Greene, but you
did
specify you wanted to be kept informed, especially if there was a problem. And there is, Mr Greene. We’ve tried everything to console your mother. She won’t eat, or drink. She is utterly distraught and we are worried.”
Katherine was about to move further away when, without looking up, Aileen stuck her hand in the air traffic-cop style. Listening to Mr Greene made Aileen’s lips draw back in a thin line. Holding a pencil like a dagger, she stabbed the desk pad. “Very well, Mr Greene. We will wait for Peggy’s doctor.” She slammed the phone down and looked up at Katherine, murder blazing in her eyes. “Hi, Kate,” she said, teeth gnashing.
“Deep breaths, Aileen.” Katherine simulated the calming exercise. “Better?”
“Not until I get my hands around …” Aileen glanced at Jack, who was peering at the tree, then turned back to Katherine. “Are you together?”
“Um, yes.” She signalled for Jack to come to the counter. “I’d like you to meet Jack Riley. He’s looking for someone and he’s hoping you or some of the patients may be able to help.”
“Ah, Jack, you called early this morning. Nice to meet you,” Aileen extended her hand.
“Thanks for allowing me this opportunity,” Jack said, taking her hand.
“Okay, you two are set then. Before I go and orientate myself, what’s going on with Peggy? What happened?” Katherine asked, leaning forward on the counter.
Aileen looked around. Satisfied they were alone, she moved closer. “Peggy’s dickhead son is a shallow conniving lying bastard. He dumped Peggy’s dog at the Animal Rescue.”
Katherine gasped. “Not Bubbles! What a prick. No wonder Peggy is distraught. Is it all right if I go and see her?”
“Sure you can. Everyone’s tried to get Peggy to eat and drink. Go in and give it your best shot.” Aileen pulled out a box of tissues from under her desk. “You’ll need this.”
After leaving Jack with Aileen, Katherine headed down the long hall to Peggy’s suite, thinking how much she adored the senior citizens, and Peggy was just lovable. The few times Katherine managed to visit the lodge, Peggy always asked to see her.
She pressed her ear against the door, heard Peggy blow her nose and then knocked.
A feeble voice called out, “Go away!”
“Peggy, it’s Katherine. Can I come in?”
“I don’t care, I’m not eating,” Peggy said, determined.
“I wouldn’t make you. Please, Peggy.”
“Fine,
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