Read Online Peggy Dulle - Liza Wilcox 04 - Saddle Up by Peggy Dulle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Peggy Dulle
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you want me to get you a room?” Justin offered.
“Sure, you still have my credit card information?”
“Yes. I think this place is going to make the Nordic Inn where you stayed in Long Beach before the cruise look like the Taj Mahal. Why don’t you stay in the next town? It can’t be much of a drive from there to Ridgedale.”
“No, I want to be in the town. It’s hard to absorb local color and feel if you spend your time commuting.”
“I’m not sure you want to absorb anything from that place, Teach.”
“Dead family, remember?”
“I’ve looked at the satellite photographs of this town. It has two trailer parks, a bunch of run-down houses, and not much more.”
“Where do you think the people in the town work?”
“If I had to make a guess, I’d say they’re either on state assistance or run a meth lab.”
“Justin, when did you get to be such a cynic?”
“Take a look at the place, Teach, and give me your impressions. I can send you the satellite link, too.”
“No, I want to see the real thing.”
“Take lots of disinfectant with you and maybe even an antibiotic,” Justin suggested.
“Oh, brother.” I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me. “Send the other link and I’ll check the newspaper articles out.”
“Okay. I’ll keep surfing to see if cyberspace can find anything else.”
“Thanks.”
As I replaced the phone, Shelby ran in and barked. Close on her heels was my dad. It’s amazing how I’ve gotten used to him just showing up. His attire of shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and Birkenstocks warmed my heart every time.
“Hi, Dad,” I said and got to my feet.
He gave me a big hug. “How are you doing?”
“Chugging along.”
“Like a train – slow and steady.”
“Yep. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the visit, but I just saw you two days ago. What’s up?”
“Can’t a father just visit his daughter? Does he have to have an ulterior motive or hidden agenda?”
I blew out an exasperated breath and repeated my earlier question, “What’s up?”
“Okay.” Dad put his hands on his hips.
I had seen this move before. Usually when he was going to say no to something I wanted.
“I’ve done some research on your little town. I don’t want you going there!”
“What? I’m a grown women – I can go anywhere I want!” I responded to his serious tone with the attitude I usually reserve for Tom when he was trying to control me.
Dad’s demeanor deflated and he pointed to the couch. “Sit down and let me tell you about Ridgedale.”
I moved to the living room and curled up on the couch, waiting to hear his complaints. Dad paced.
“I’m not sure where to start. That town is in serious trouble.”
“Start wherever you like, just get it out and sit down.”
Dad took the recliner and said, “Ridgedale is at first glance a little nothing of a town in the middle of nowhere, but it’s a hotbed of problems.”
“Environmental problems?”
“Oh yeah. First off, it’s a cancer cluster center. Many of the residents have died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
“I hadn’t heard about that.”
“It’s a small town, so if they lose people, nobody really cares except the families and friends. But look at the percentages, one percent of their population has been diagnosed with that specific disease and close to half of those have died in the last year.”
“That doesn’t sound like much. Wouldn’t normal illnesses and accidents cause that many deaths? Doesn’t L.A. County have a death-rate of six percent?”
Dad smiled. “Good girl, you’re right.”
“How could I forget the fifty-page report Mom made me do when I was a senior? I compared the death rates of six major cities around the world and charted the trends based on what caused the deaths.”
“But remember, that number includes all kinds of deaths. LA County has an incidence rate of .02 percent of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
“Wow, why hasn’t anyone done anything about
“Sure, you still have my credit card information?”
“Yes. I think this place is going to make the Nordic Inn where you stayed in Long Beach before the cruise look like the Taj Mahal. Why don’t you stay in the next town? It can’t be much of a drive from there to Ridgedale.”
“No, I want to be in the town. It’s hard to absorb local color and feel if you spend your time commuting.”
“I’m not sure you want to absorb anything from that place, Teach.”
“Dead family, remember?”
“I’ve looked at the satellite photographs of this town. It has two trailer parks, a bunch of run-down houses, and not much more.”
“Where do you think the people in the town work?”
“If I had to make a guess, I’d say they’re either on state assistance or run a meth lab.”
“Justin, when did you get to be such a cynic?”
“Take a look at the place, Teach, and give me your impressions. I can send you the satellite link, too.”
“No, I want to see the real thing.”
“Take lots of disinfectant with you and maybe even an antibiotic,” Justin suggested.
“Oh, brother.” I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see me. “Send the other link and I’ll check the newspaper articles out.”
“Okay. I’ll keep surfing to see if cyberspace can find anything else.”
“Thanks.”
As I replaced the phone, Shelby ran in and barked. Close on her heels was my dad. It’s amazing how I’ve gotten used to him just showing up. His attire of shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and Birkenstocks warmed my heart every time.
“Hi, Dad,” I said and got to my feet.
He gave me a big hug. “How are you doing?”
“Chugging along.”
“Like a train – slow and steady.”
“Yep. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the visit, but I just saw you two days ago. What’s up?”
“Can’t a father just visit his daughter? Does he have to have an ulterior motive or hidden agenda?”
I blew out an exasperated breath and repeated my earlier question, “What’s up?”
“Okay.” Dad put his hands on his hips.
I had seen this move before. Usually when he was going to say no to something I wanted.
“I’ve done some research on your little town. I don’t want you going there!”
“What? I’m a grown women – I can go anywhere I want!” I responded to his serious tone with the attitude I usually reserve for Tom when he was trying to control me.
Dad’s demeanor deflated and he pointed to the couch. “Sit down and let me tell you about Ridgedale.”
I moved to the living room and curled up on the couch, waiting to hear his complaints. Dad paced.
“I’m not sure where to start. That town is in serious trouble.”
“Start wherever you like, just get it out and sit down.”
Dad took the recliner and said, “Ridgedale is at first glance a little nothing of a town in the middle of nowhere, but it’s a hotbed of problems.”
“Environmental problems?”
“Oh yeah. First off, it’s a cancer cluster center. Many of the residents have died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
“I hadn’t heard about that.”
“It’s a small town, so if they lose people, nobody really cares except the families and friends. But look at the percentages, one percent of their population has been diagnosed with that specific disease and close to half of those have died in the last year.”
“That doesn’t sound like much. Wouldn’t normal illnesses and accidents cause that many deaths? Doesn’t L.A. County have a death-rate of six percent?”
Dad smiled. “Good girl, you’re right.”
“How could I forget the fifty-page report Mom made me do when I was a senior? I compared the death rates of six major cities around the world and charted the trends based on what caused the deaths.”
“But remember, that number includes all kinds of deaths. LA County has an incidence rate of .02 percent of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”
“Wow, why hasn’t anyone done anything about
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