Read Online Pushed to the Limit (an Emma Cassidy Mystery Book 2) by Karen Chester - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Chester
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this inside and lock up the house. Then I’ll call her sister.” The
hand mic on her shoulder crackled into life, a scratchy voice calling out
something. Sherilee held up a finger at Emma before walking away to talk to the
dispatcher. Moments later, she returned. “I have another call I need to get to.
I’ll secure the property before I go, and I’ll come back later to talk to the
neighbor, but can you do me a favor and tell Faye’s sister about the accident?
You know Lorraine Atkins. You were always her favorite in art class.”
Emma had never thought herself a favorite
of any teacher. What a strange thing for Sherilee to say.
“Sure, fine,” Emma said, eager to leave.
“You will remember to call Lorraine, won’t
you?”
The Mom-tone in Sherilee’s voice made Emma
feel thirteen again. “Sheesh, give me a break. What do you think I’m going to
do? Forget about Lorraine and get my nails done instead for my hot date
tonight?”
Not waiting for a reply, Emma walked off.
There was no hot date for her tonight, but Sherilee didn’t have to know that.
Chapter
Eight
“Oh my lord! Oh,
no,” Lorraine moaned over and over.
Emma chewed her fingernail, wondering if it
might have been better to drive over to Lorraine’s house instead of giving her
the news over the phone. “I’m sure Faye is going to be all right. You know your
sister. She’s a fighter.”
Lorraine let out a shaky breath. “Yes, she
is. Hardly spent a day in hospital all her life. She doesn’t have a high
opinion of doctors, you know.”
That was hardly a surprise. “The paramedics
said they were taking her to County Hospital over in La Quinta.”
“County Hospital?” Another quavering
exhale. “Oh, dear…”
Clearly Lorraine wasn’t coping well with
the unexpected news. Emma was at home in the living room. She had the house to
herself. A DVD was cued up on the television. A bowl sat ready to receive hot
popcorn. The couch was calling to her. She cast a wistful glance at the couch
and breathed out a silent sigh.
“If you like, I could give you a lift
there,” she offered, hoping to be refused but knowing what the answer would be.
“Oh, could you?” Relief flooded Lorraine’s
voice. “It’s just that my hands are shaking so much I doubt I could operate a
car. Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Emma said. “I can
be at your place in fifteen minutes. Is that enough time for you to get ready.”
“Yes, and thank you. I knew I could count
on you, Emma.”
Well, nice to know some people appreciated
her. She pushed her feet into her sandals, grabbed her purse and keys, and
headed for the door. The DVD and popcorn would have to wait a while.
On the drive to County Hospital, Lorraine
fretted and fidgeted, shredding a tissue between her shaking fingers. She
definitely was in no shape to drive, and Emma was relieved to transport her. Lorraine’s
jeans and T-shirt bore mud stains, her short, rough fingers had traces of dirt,
and a few leaves were caught in her mop of gray curls. It looked like she’d
been gardening when Emma had delivered the bad news, and been too rattled to
change or wash up. Lorraine must be really upset about the accident.
Which surprised Emma a little because the
two sisters had never seemed very close. They were rarely seen in each other’s
company. They lived on opposite sides of town. They didn’t speak much about
each other. Lorraine had married a fellow artist, and they’d lived in
Greenville for many decades. Emma remembered going to an art exhibition in
which both husband and wife had exhibited paintings. She also remembered Faye
making loud, disparaging remarks about Lorraine’s husband’s work, and some
sharp words being exchanged. Later, Lorraine and her husband had separated, and
ugly rumors had circulated that Faye had been a factor in the breakup. If that
were true, it was little wonder that the relationship between the two sisters
was
hand mic on her shoulder crackled into life, a scratchy voice calling out
something. Sherilee held up a finger at Emma before walking away to talk to the
dispatcher. Moments later, she returned. “I have another call I need to get to.
I’ll secure the property before I go, and I’ll come back later to talk to the
neighbor, but can you do me a favor and tell Faye’s sister about the accident?
You know Lorraine Atkins. You were always her favorite in art class.”
Emma had never thought herself a favorite
of any teacher. What a strange thing for Sherilee to say.
“Sure, fine,” Emma said, eager to leave.
“You will remember to call Lorraine, won’t
you?”
The Mom-tone in Sherilee’s voice made Emma
feel thirteen again. “Sheesh, give me a break. What do you think I’m going to
do? Forget about Lorraine and get my nails done instead for my hot date
tonight?”
Not waiting for a reply, Emma walked off.
There was no hot date for her tonight, but Sherilee didn’t have to know that.
Chapter
Eight
“Oh my lord! Oh,
no,” Lorraine moaned over and over.
Emma chewed her fingernail, wondering if it
might have been better to drive over to Lorraine’s house instead of giving her
the news over the phone. “I’m sure Faye is going to be all right. You know your
sister. She’s a fighter.”
Lorraine let out a shaky breath. “Yes, she
is. Hardly spent a day in hospital all her life. She doesn’t have a high
opinion of doctors, you know.”
That was hardly a surprise. “The paramedics
said they were taking her to County Hospital over in La Quinta.”
“County Hospital?” Another quavering
exhale. “Oh, dear…”
Clearly Lorraine wasn’t coping well with
the unexpected news. Emma was at home in the living room. She had the house to
herself. A DVD was cued up on the television. A bowl sat ready to receive hot
popcorn. The couch was calling to her. She cast a wistful glance at the couch
and breathed out a silent sigh.
“If you like, I could give you a lift
there,” she offered, hoping to be refused but knowing what the answer would be.
“Oh, could you?” Relief flooded Lorraine’s
voice. “It’s just that my hands are shaking so much I doubt I could operate a
car. Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Emma said. “I can
be at your place in fifteen minutes. Is that enough time for you to get ready.”
“Yes, and thank you. I knew I could count
on you, Emma.”
Well, nice to know some people appreciated
her. She pushed her feet into her sandals, grabbed her purse and keys, and
headed for the door. The DVD and popcorn would have to wait a while.
On the drive to County Hospital, Lorraine
fretted and fidgeted, shredding a tissue between her shaking fingers. She
definitely was in no shape to drive, and Emma was relieved to transport her. Lorraine’s
jeans and T-shirt bore mud stains, her short, rough fingers had traces of dirt,
and a few leaves were caught in her mop of gray curls. It looked like she’d
been gardening when Emma had delivered the bad news, and been too rattled to
change or wash up. Lorraine must be really upset about the accident.
Which surprised Emma a little because the
two sisters had never seemed very close. They were rarely seen in each other’s
company. They lived on opposite sides of town. They didn’t speak much about
each other. Lorraine had married a fellow artist, and they’d lived in
Greenville for many decades. Emma remembered going to an art exhibition in
which both husband and wife had exhibited paintings. She also remembered Faye
making loud, disparaging remarks about Lorraine’s husband’s work, and some
sharp words being exchanged. Later, Lorraine and her husband had separated, and
ugly rumors had circulated that Faye had been a factor in the breakup. If that
were true, it was little wonder that the relationship between the two sisters
was
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