Read Online Pushed to the Limit (an Emma Cassidy Mystery Book 2) by Karen Chester - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Chester
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strained.
But now Lorraine was shaking and gulping
and snuffling into her tissue. Maybe Emma was too cynical after her years in a
big city, but to her the tears seemed over the top. Almost as if Lorraine was
trying to prove how much her sister meant to her—even though last night at the
retirement party she hadn’t had a kind word to say about her. Let her go
ahead and dig her own grave . That’s what Lorraine had said about her
sister. And this afternoon, Faye had very nearly met her end.
At the hospital, a harried-looking doctor had
some mixed news for them. The good news was that Faye was alive and not in any
danger. The bad news was that, apart from a mild concussion and cuts and
bruises, she also had a fractured ankle which would require surgery. The
operation was scheduled for tomorrow, after which Faye would remain in hospital
for several more days. Lorraine blinked and nodded as she took in the prognosis.
Then a nurse directed them to Faye’s room.
As they entered, Emma couldn’t help bracing
herself against a possible flood of accusations from Faye. But she breathed a
little easier when she saw that Faye was asleep. A gauze pad was taped to her
forehead, covering the angry red mark Emma had glimpsed earlier, and an IV drip
was attached to her arm, but otherwise she appeared much the same.
“Oh, Faye.”
Clapping a hand over her mouth, Lorraine
drew in a quivery breath, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. She sank into a
chair next to the bed. For several long minutes Lorraine sat staring at her
sister. In contrast, Faye appeared almost serene as she lay there, her hands
plump and relaxed against the white sheets.
Emma stood in silence a few yards away from
the bed. Hospitals made her uneasy, reminding her of her mother’s illness and the
trauma of losing her.
She was relieved to see Faye alive and
breathing. At the same time she couldn’t help wondering what would happen when
Faye woke up. Maybe it was self-centered of her, but she knew firsthand the
kind of damage Faye’s tongue could wreak. She wished she could slip out of the
room, but she sensed that Lorraine needed her there, and so she remained.
Eventually Lorraine’s tears dried up and
her composure returned. Faye slept on, oblivious to her sister’s emotional
upheaval. If she were awake, would Lorraine’s reaction have been the same? Or
did she show her emotions only because her sister was unconscious?
After a final squeeze of her sister’s hand,
Lorraine rose to her feet and signaled to Emma that they should leave.
Outside the hospital, Emma drew in a
breath. Even though the air was sweltering, it was better than the antiseptic
atmosphere inside. The afternoon sun shimmered in a sky hazed with summer heat.
Her T-shirt stuck to the small of her back, reminding her that she desperately
needed a long, cool shower. Back in the car, she immediately flicked on the AC.
Her aging Toyota could produce only a coolish breeze, but it was better than
nothing. Lorraine seemed unaffected by the heat. She stared out the windshield,
not saying a word as they headed back to Greenville. Only when they neared her
house did she speak, startling Emma.
“I always knew this day would eventually
come,” Lorraine stated in a flat voice.
“Excuse me? What day?” Emma asked.
“The day when my sister would finally drive
someone to take extreme measures.”
“I’m sorry…extreme measures?” Emma asked
cautiously. She had an idea what Lorraine was alluding to, but didn’t want to
assume anything.
The other woman shifted in her seat to look
at Emma, suddenly animated after the long, silent drive. “You know what I mean.”
She flapped her hands in agitation, then pushed them through her disheveled
hair. “Faye and her runaway tongue. For years she’s been gossiping about
everyone and everything. No one in Greenville is safe from her; no one in the
whole of Shamrock Lake, for that matter. My sister is like a champion truffle
pig, sniffing out the
But now Lorraine was shaking and gulping
and snuffling into her tissue. Maybe Emma was too cynical after her years in a
big city, but to her the tears seemed over the top. Almost as if Lorraine was
trying to prove how much her sister meant to her—even though last night at the
retirement party she hadn’t had a kind word to say about her. Let her go
ahead and dig her own grave . That’s what Lorraine had said about her
sister. And this afternoon, Faye had very nearly met her end.
At the hospital, a harried-looking doctor had
some mixed news for them. The good news was that Faye was alive and not in any
danger. The bad news was that, apart from a mild concussion and cuts and
bruises, she also had a fractured ankle which would require surgery. The
operation was scheduled for tomorrow, after which Faye would remain in hospital
for several more days. Lorraine blinked and nodded as she took in the prognosis.
Then a nurse directed them to Faye’s room.
As they entered, Emma couldn’t help bracing
herself against a possible flood of accusations from Faye. But she breathed a
little easier when she saw that Faye was asleep. A gauze pad was taped to her
forehead, covering the angry red mark Emma had glimpsed earlier, and an IV drip
was attached to her arm, but otherwise she appeared much the same.
“Oh, Faye.”
Clapping a hand over her mouth, Lorraine
drew in a quivery breath, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. She sank into a
chair next to the bed. For several long minutes Lorraine sat staring at her
sister. In contrast, Faye appeared almost serene as she lay there, her hands
plump and relaxed against the white sheets.
Emma stood in silence a few yards away from
the bed. Hospitals made her uneasy, reminding her of her mother’s illness and the
trauma of losing her.
She was relieved to see Faye alive and
breathing. At the same time she couldn’t help wondering what would happen when
Faye woke up. Maybe it was self-centered of her, but she knew firsthand the
kind of damage Faye’s tongue could wreak. She wished she could slip out of the
room, but she sensed that Lorraine needed her there, and so she remained.
Eventually Lorraine’s tears dried up and
her composure returned. Faye slept on, oblivious to her sister’s emotional
upheaval. If she were awake, would Lorraine’s reaction have been the same? Or
did she show her emotions only because her sister was unconscious?
After a final squeeze of her sister’s hand,
Lorraine rose to her feet and signaled to Emma that they should leave.
Outside the hospital, Emma drew in a
breath. Even though the air was sweltering, it was better than the antiseptic
atmosphere inside. The afternoon sun shimmered in a sky hazed with summer heat.
Her T-shirt stuck to the small of her back, reminding her that she desperately
needed a long, cool shower. Back in the car, she immediately flicked on the AC.
Her aging Toyota could produce only a coolish breeze, but it was better than
nothing. Lorraine seemed unaffected by the heat. She stared out the windshield,
not saying a word as they headed back to Greenville. Only when they neared her
house did she speak, startling Emma.
“I always knew this day would eventually
come,” Lorraine stated in a flat voice.
“Excuse me? What day?” Emma asked.
“The day when my sister would finally drive
someone to take extreme measures.”
“I’m sorry…extreme measures?” Emma asked
cautiously. She had an idea what Lorraine was alluding to, but didn’t want to
assume anything.
The other woman shifted in her seat to look
at Emma, suddenly animated after the long, silent drive. “You know what I mean.”
She flapped her hands in agitation, then pushed them through her disheveled
hair. “Faye and her runaway tongue. For years she’s been gossiping about
everyone and everything. No one in Greenville is safe from her; no one in the
whole of Shamrock Lake, for that matter. My sister is like a champion truffle
pig, sniffing out the
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