Read Online Obsession by Kathi Mills-Macias - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathi Mills-Macias
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There wouldn't be any sense in looking inside now.”
Before leaving the lake, Toni had wrestled with the idea of going back to the store and asking Maude if either she or Simon had seen or talked to her dad the day of his heart attack, but by the time she worked up the courage to do so, the elderly proprietors had closed up shop and gone home for the day. “They tend to keep their own schedule,” she explained to Abe. “They're always here early in the morning during fishing season, but they go home when they feel like it. If youneed a quart of milk after that, you just have to drive down the road a few miles.” Abe had smiled, saying it sounded like a nice, simple way of life.
Then they had gotten back into the car and headed for home. Toni was emotionally drained and spent most of the return trip staring out the window at the breathtaking grandeur that so many Washingtonians take for granted. The majestic firs towered above them on either side of the road, topped by a sky so blue it seemed unreal, a canvas painted by a master artist. And so it is, she reminded herself. A world created by the Master himself, with so much beauty, and yet…
“Hungry?” Abe asked, interrupting her reverie.
She turned toward him as he glanced over at her and smiled. She shook her head. “Not really. Just tired.”
“Disappointed?” He was looking straight ahead now, but his jaw twitched as he awaited her answer.
“Yes. At least I think so.”
Abe nodded. “I understand. If you want me to leave this thing alone, I will, since we really don't have any evidence of a crime, but if you want me to continue, just say so.”
She paused, weighing her answer carefully. “I think I'd like you to continue, even though I'm not sure I want to know what you might find out. Does that make sense?”
“Sure it does. I'd feel the same way in your shoes.”
Toni turned back toward the window, surprised to find they were only a couple of miles from the River View turnoff. She found herself looking forward to getting home, even though she knew it meant that she would have to give Melissa some sort of explanation for her trip with Abe. How complete that explanation would be she had not yet decided.
As they pulled up in front of the house, Toni was shocked to see the silver Lexus parked in the driveway. What was Brad doing there? Had he forgotten that she and Melissa had plans for the day? Suddenly,explaining the afternoon's outing to Melissa didn't seem nearly as difficult as explaining it to Brad.
Abe had no sooner parked his car on the street in front of the house than the front door opened and out stepped Brad and Melissa. Melissa still wore the hurt, accusatory look that Toni had last seen on her face as she had assured her younger sister that she was not leaving to go on a date with Abe. But as well as Toni knew Brad, she couldn't be sure about his expression. He was wearing what she called his “courtroom face,” which could include angry, upset, confused, scared—but most of all, determined. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. Abe had already gotten out and come around to join her. Together they walked toward their welcoming committee.
Before Toni could open her mouth, Abe jumped in. “Brad,” he said, extending his right hand. “It seems we keep running into each other. How are you?”
Stiffly, Brad shook Abe's hand. “Fine. And you?”
Abe smiled. “I'm doing fine, thanks.” He turned to Melissa. “And how are you, Melissa? I haven't seen you in a while. How's your friend—Carrie, is it? You two must be glad to be out of school for the summer.”
Toni could tell Melissa was trying hard to be polite without showing any disloyalty to Brad. “We're… fine.”
As Toni wondered what to say or do next, Abe turned to her and said, “Well, I'd better get going. Thanks for coming along with me. I'll be talking to you.”
She nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
No one spoke as Abe walked to his car, climbed in,
Before leaving the lake, Toni had wrestled with the idea of going back to the store and asking Maude if either she or Simon had seen or talked to her dad the day of his heart attack, but by the time she worked up the courage to do so, the elderly proprietors had closed up shop and gone home for the day. “They tend to keep their own schedule,” she explained to Abe. “They're always here early in the morning during fishing season, but they go home when they feel like it. If youneed a quart of milk after that, you just have to drive down the road a few miles.” Abe had smiled, saying it sounded like a nice, simple way of life.
Then they had gotten back into the car and headed for home. Toni was emotionally drained and spent most of the return trip staring out the window at the breathtaking grandeur that so many Washingtonians take for granted. The majestic firs towered above them on either side of the road, topped by a sky so blue it seemed unreal, a canvas painted by a master artist. And so it is, she reminded herself. A world created by the Master himself, with so much beauty, and yet…
“Hungry?” Abe asked, interrupting her reverie.
She turned toward him as he glanced over at her and smiled. She shook her head. “Not really. Just tired.”
“Disappointed?” He was looking straight ahead now, but his jaw twitched as he awaited her answer.
“Yes. At least I think so.”
Abe nodded. “I understand. If you want me to leave this thing alone, I will, since we really don't have any evidence of a crime, but if you want me to continue, just say so.”
She paused, weighing her answer carefully. “I think I'd like you to continue, even though I'm not sure I want to know what you might find out. Does that make sense?”
“Sure it does. I'd feel the same way in your shoes.”
Toni turned back toward the window, surprised to find they were only a couple of miles from the River View turnoff. She found herself looking forward to getting home, even though she knew it meant that she would have to give Melissa some sort of explanation for her trip with Abe. How complete that explanation would be she had not yet decided.
As they pulled up in front of the house, Toni was shocked to see the silver Lexus parked in the driveway. What was Brad doing there? Had he forgotten that she and Melissa had plans for the day? Suddenly,explaining the afternoon's outing to Melissa didn't seem nearly as difficult as explaining it to Brad.
Abe had no sooner parked his car on the street in front of the house than the front door opened and out stepped Brad and Melissa. Melissa still wore the hurt, accusatory look that Toni had last seen on her face as she had assured her younger sister that she was not leaving to go on a date with Abe. But as well as Toni knew Brad, she couldn't be sure about his expression. He was wearing what she called his “courtroom face,” which could include angry, upset, confused, scared—but most of all, determined. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. Abe had already gotten out and come around to join her. Together they walked toward their welcoming committee.
Before Toni could open her mouth, Abe jumped in. “Brad,” he said, extending his right hand. “It seems we keep running into each other. How are you?”
Stiffly, Brad shook Abe's hand. “Fine. And you?”
Abe smiled. “I'm doing fine, thanks.” He turned to Melissa. “And how are you, Melissa? I haven't seen you in a while. How's your friend—Carrie, is it? You two must be glad to be out of school for the summer.”
Toni could tell Melissa was trying hard to be polite without showing any disloyalty to Brad. “We're… fine.”
As Toni wondered what to say or do next, Abe turned to her and said, “Well, I'd better get going. Thanks for coming along with me. I'll be talking to you.”
She nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
No one spoke as Abe walked to his car, climbed in,
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