Read Online Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tamara Hart Heiner
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shut her eyes and pressed the back of her head against the cushion behind her. She wanted to block out the memories of the past few days. The gunshot—Callie—
Natalie leaned across the couch, bending her head toward theirs. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on? I want to help. Your accent is American, yes?”
“Do you mind if I use your phone?” Amanda asked.
“To call the States?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I don’t think Rachel’s cellular phone will make an international call. Let me ask.” Natalie walked into the kitchen and began to converse with Rachel in French.
The buzzer went off and Natalie came back. “She says she’s misplaced the house phone, but you can use it as soon as she finds it. Why don’t you call after we eat? Then you can shower and put on some nice clothes, and we’ll talk.”
Natalie had such a genuine smile. Jaci tried to relax. “Well, I guess that’d be okay.”
Chapter 11
There was nothing, Jaci decided, as cleansing for the soul as a shower and clean clothes. She sank into the clothing, breathing in the freshness. The soft, long-sleeved T-shirt smelled like roses. The shampoo-scented steam from the bathroom floated out of the open door, billowing into the adjacent room.
Sara was dressed in a tight pink blouse and light blue jeans. She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Amanda came in, wearing a baby blue T-shirt. Her hair was still damp, the auburn ringlets separating and framing her face.
“You look nice.” Sara smiled at her.
“You too,” Amanda said, smiling back. Then her face turned serious. “Sara, I just wanted to ask if you’re okay. I mean after—”
Sara caught her breath, turning her face away.
“I mean, after not sleeping all night,” Amanda backtracked. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she said. “I’m doing great.”
Jaci winced. “So, what do you think of Natalie?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“She’s great.” Amanda spoke a little too loudly. “Callie would have something to say about Rachel’s eyebrows. Probably about them being too thin.”
Jaci didn’t want to talk about Callie. “I’m getting a glass of water. Be right back.”
She stepped down the stairs, relishing the feel of plush carpet under her bare feet. The sound of someone speaking rapidly and urgently in French attracted her attention. Jaci paused outside the closed bedroom door, wishing she could understand the words.
She went into the kitchen and stared at the cupboards, no longer interested in a drink. They needed to leave. She fled the kitchen and hurried back up the stairs. “Amanda—”
Natalie came in behind her. “Okay, girls. You’ve eaten the pizza and used all the hot water. You ready to explain who you are?”
“Natalie, we need to go. Thanks. Bye.” Jaci grabbed Sara and Amanda’s hands and tried to pull them from the bed.
Amanda jerked her hand away. “Now? But we should call our parents first.”
“Hey.” Rachel came into the room, her face tight. She turned her back to the girls and spoke to Natalie in French, waving a small piece of paper at her. Natalie took it and read it while Rachel talked.
“Explain this to me,” Natalie said, her lips drawn. She tossed the paper on the bed.
Amanda leaned forward and Jaci tried to peer over her shoulder. “What is it?”
“It is an insert included with the newspaper this morning.” Natalie’s demeanor was no longer friendly and helpful. “Well?”
Jaci read the flier.
Wanted for robbery
three housemaids, ages 16, 16, 17
Beth Thomas
Dana Adams
and
Gabby Athens
Reward: 500,000 CAD
Call (514)-555-1212
Officer Fayande, Montreal Police
And there was a picture of each of them.
“All right, girls,” said Natalie. “You have to tell now. Is it true? Is that why you didn’t want to involve the police?”
“Do you know how much money that is?” Rachel said, her face flushed. She reached up and pulled her dark brown hair off her
Natalie leaned across the couch, bending her head toward theirs. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on? I want to help. Your accent is American, yes?”
“Do you mind if I use your phone?” Amanda asked.
“To call the States?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I don’t think Rachel’s cellular phone will make an international call. Let me ask.” Natalie walked into the kitchen and began to converse with Rachel in French.
The buzzer went off and Natalie came back. “She says she’s misplaced the house phone, but you can use it as soon as she finds it. Why don’t you call after we eat? Then you can shower and put on some nice clothes, and we’ll talk.”
Natalie had such a genuine smile. Jaci tried to relax. “Well, I guess that’d be okay.”
Chapter 11
There was nothing, Jaci decided, as cleansing for the soul as a shower and clean clothes. She sank into the clothing, breathing in the freshness. The soft, long-sleeved T-shirt smelled like roses. The shampoo-scented steam from the bathroom floated out of the open door, billowing into the adjacent room.
Sara was dressed in a tight pink blouse and light blue jeans. She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Amanda came in, wearing a baby blue T-shirt. Her hair was still damp, the auburn ringlets separating and framing her face.
“You look nice.” Sara smiled at her.
“You too,” Amanda said, smiling back. Then her face turned serious. “Sara, I just wanted to ask if you’re okay. I mean after—”
Sara caught her breath, turning her face away.
“I mean, after not sleeping all night,” Amanda backtracked. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she said. “I’m doing great.”
Jaci winced. “So, what do you think of Natalie?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“She’s great.” Amanda spoke a little too loudly. “Callie would have something to say about Rachel’s eyebrows. Probably about them being too thin.”
Jaci didn’t want to talk about Callie. “I’m getting a glass of water. Be right back.”
She stepped down the stairs, relishing the feel of plush carpet under her bare feet. The sound of someone speaking rapidly and urgently in French attracted her attention. Jaci paused outside the closed bedroom door, wishing she could understand the words.
She went into the kitchen and stared at the cupboards, no longer interested in a drink. They needed to leave. She fled the kitchen and hurried back up the stairs. “Amanda—”
Natalie came in behind her. “Okay, girls. You’ve eaten the pizza and used all the hot water. You ready to explain who you are?”
“Natalie, we need to go. Thanks. Bye.” Jaci grabbed Sara and Amanda’s hands and tried to pull them from the bed.
Amanda jerked her hand away. “Now? But we should call our parents first.”
“Hey.” Rachel came into the room, her face tight. She turned her back to the girls and spoke to Natalie in French, waving a small piece of paper at her. Natalie took it and read it while Rachel talked.
“Explain this to me,” Natalie said, her lips drawn. She tossed the paper on the bed.
Amanda leaned forward and Jaci tried to peer over her shoulder. “What is it?”
“It is an insert included with the newspaper this morning.” Natalie’s demeanor was no longer friendly and helpful. “Well?”
Jaci read the flier.
Wanted for robbery
three housemaids, ages 16, 16, 17
Beth Thomas
Dana Adams
and
Gabby Athens
Reward: 500,000 CAD
Call (514)-555-1212
Officer Fayande, Montreal Police
And there was a picture of each of them.
“All right, girls,” said Natalie. “You have to tell now. Is it true? Is that why you didn’t want to involve the police?”
“Do you know how much money that is?” Rachel said, her face flushed. She reached up and pulled her dark brown hair off her
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