Read Online Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lis Wiehl
Tags: Fiction, General, LEGAL, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, Crime, Christian, Murder, Investigation, Female friendship, Women lawyers, Radio talk show hosts
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used to each other." Turning Estella back around, she still held her close, thinking that the girl might be able to feel her heart beating against her shoulder blades. Maybe she could think like a mother after all.
"Do you think she's hungry?" Marshall asked. Then he turned his gaze to Estella, careful not to come any closer. "Comida?" He looked at Allison. "I think that's it, anyway. I don't remember the word for hungry, but I think comida means food. Comida, Estella?"
Estella licked her lips.
At the sight of her little pink tongue, Allison said,"I think you got her interest." Then a bit of panic set in. "What do we have in the house to feed a child, Marshall?"
They both liked to cook, with the result that their refrigerator was stocked with items like capers, kalamata olives, and roasted red peppers. And what was Estella used to eating? Did they have any tortillas in the house? Or refried beans? And what if all she really wanted was something like a Pop-Tart?
Allison's earlier feeling of confidence was evaporating. Weren't there rules about what you fed toddlers, like no grapes or hot dogs or hard candies, so they didn't choke? And what about allergies?
"We'd better not give her peanut butter," she said. "Or any kind of nuts. What about milk? Do you think milk would be okay?" She looked at Estella. "Leche?" she hazarded.
Estella looked interested. So, a glass of milk. Allison wondered if they had any plastic cups.
"I think we've got one of those blue boxes of mac and cheese," Marshall said. "Don't all kids like mac and cheese?"
They all ended up eating the mac and cheese, although Marshall couldn't resist grating half a block of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar into the pan.
Before they took their first bite, he said grace. "God, thank You that You kept us all safe today. Thank You for bringing Estella and Allison together, and help us to get Estella back to her family. And help this city to get back to normal--and for this crime to be solved. Loving God, watch over us."
"Amen," Allison said, and then ladled pasta onto everyone's plate.
In lieu of a booster seat, Estella was perched on the yellow pages. She had only consented to leave Allison's lap when their two chairs were placed side-by-side.
"Nicole and I were supposed to meet with Jim Fate tomorrow. He was getting death threats."
"Guess they were more than threats," Marshall said. "Did he say who they were from?"
"He didn't say much at all." Allison sighed. "And now it's too late to ask."
"Do you think it's terrorism?"
She raised her shoulders. "Who knows? Jim Fate has made a career out of making enemies. It could be personal, it could be political, or it could be anything in-between."
Estella ate well, but was still unnaturally quiet, jumping at any unexpected noise. Eventually, the child's head began to droop. Her eyes were at half-mast. It wasn't yet seven o'clock, but Estella was clearly ready for bed.
Allison tried calling Child Protective Services again. She was surprised when she actually got a dial tone and then again when th e p hone began to ring. And ring and ring. She was about to hang up when an obviously harried woman answered.
Allison quickly explained what had happened. She could hear the caseworker's sigh through the line.
"I can't get hold of most of my staff. Even if I could, I'm not sure I could find a foster home for this girl right now. The Red Cross is working on a Web site to reconnect missing relatives, but it's not up yet." As she spoke, more phones rang in the background. "Look, I need to put you on hold for a second."
When the woman came back on the line a full five minutes later, Allison said,"Why don't you take the information I have about Estella. Things should be better by tomorrow, and we can keep her for tonight. And you could always call us if you hear from her family."
"Sounds great," the caseworker said, and from her tone Allison could tell she was already moving on to the next set of problems.
After Allison hung up,
"Do you think she's hungry?" Marshall asked. Then he turned his gaze to Estella, careful not to come any closer. "Comida?" He looked at Allison. "I think that's it, anyway. I don't remember the word for hungry, but I think comida means food. Comida, Estella?"
Estella licked her lips.
At the sight of her little pink tongue, Allison said,"I think you got her interest." Then a bit of panic set in. "What do we have in the house to feed a child, Marshall?"
They both liked to cook, with the result that their refrigerator was stocked with items like capers, kalamata olives, and roasted red peppers. And what was Estella used to eating? Did they have any tortillas in the house? Or refried beans? And what if all she really wanted was something like a Pop-Tart?
Allison's earlier feeling of confidence was evaporating. Weren't there rules about what you fed toddlers, like no grapes or hot dogs or hard candies, so they didn't choke? And what about allergies?
"We'd better not give her peanut butter," she said. "Or any kind of nuts. What about milk? Do you think milk would be okay?" She looked at Estella. "Leche?" she hazarded.
Estella looked interested. So, a glass of milk. Allison wondered if they had any plastic cups.
"I think we've got one of those blue boxes of mac and cheese," Marshall said. "Don't all kids like mac and cheese?"
They all ended up eating the mac and cheese, although Marshall couldn't resist grating half a block of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar into the pan.
Before they took their first bite, he said grace. "God, thank You that You kept us all safe today. Thank You for bringing Estella and Allison together, and help us to get Estella back to her family. And help this city to get back to normal--and for this crime to be solved. Loving God, watch over us."
"Amen," Allison said, and then ladled pasta onto everyone's plate.
In lieu of a booster seat, Estella was perched on the yellow pages. She had only consented to leave Allison's lap when their two chairs were placed side-by-side.
"Nicole and I were supposed to meet with Jim Fate tomorrow. He was getting death threats."
"Guess they were more than threats," Marshall said. "Did he say who they were from?"
"He didn't say much at all." Allison sighed. "And now it's too late to ask."
"Do you think it's terrorism?"
She raised her shoulders. "Who knows? Jim Fate has made a career out of making enemies. It could be personal, it could be political, or it could be anything in-between."
Estella ate well, but was still unnaturally quiet, jumping at any unexpected noise. Eventually, the child's head began to droop. Her eyes were at half-mast. It wasn't yet seven o'clock, but Estella was clearly ready for bed.
Allison tried calling Child Protective Services again. She was surprised when she actually got a dial tone and then again when th e p hone began to ring. And ring and ring. She was about to hang up when an obviously harried woman answered.
Allison quickly explained what had happened. She could hear the caseworker's sigh through the line.
"I can't get hold of most of my staff. Even if I could, I'm not sure I could find a foster home for this girl right now. The Red Cross is working on a Web site to reconnect missing relatives, but it's not up yet." As she spoke, more phones rang in the background. "Look, I need to put you on hold for a second."
When the woman came back on the line a full five minutes later, Allison said,"Why don't you take the information I have about Estella. Things should be better by tomorrow, and we can keep her for tonight. And you could always call us if you hear from her family."
"Sounds great," the caseworker said, and from her tone Allison could tell she was already moving on to the next set of problems.
After Allison hung up,
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