Read Online Sarah Armstrong - 02 - Blood Lines by Kathryn Casey - Free Book Online Page B

adulterous relationship had crossed the line for her. She’d never been one to approve of what she called “such shenanigans.” Of course, she didn’t know the reason for my questions, and, at least at this juncture, I preferred that no one, not even Bobby and Mom, know that I was looking into Billie Cox’s suicide as a possible murder. If the news broke, it would only add fodder to the swirl of gossip around her death.
    Appearing intent on changing the subject, Mom said, “Let’s light this gate up and see how she looks.”
    Figuring I had enough information for the time being, I didn’tobject. “Good idea, Mom,” I said. “It looks like I got here just in time for the grand unveiling.”
    With that, Mom bent down and plugged the cord into an outlet under the coach light on the post next to the gate. The lights flared, covering the arch over the gate like a bright, white rainbow, and we stood there for just a moment enjoying the view. “Beautiful,” I said. “Just beautiful.”
    “It is pretty,” Bobby agreed. “Maybe it’ll help give Maggie some peace about Emma Lou.”
    “You don’t think the horse will make it, do you Bobby?” Mom said.
    “I think the pinto will pull through, but that foal is in for one hell of a fight,” he admitted. “I’d be willing to bring in a specialist, someone to treat the horses, if you’d like, Nora?”
    Mom thought about that a bit, but shook her head. “I trust Doc Larson,” she said. “He’s been watching over our livestock for years. And I don’t want to give Maggie false hope. If the foal comes too early, no vet’s going to be able to keep it alive. Seeing some expert will only give the wrong impression. At least for the next few days, until the mare’s pregnancy hits three hundred days, that foal is in God’s hands, not ours.”
    “You’re right, of course,” he said, and I saw him slip his arm around Mom’s waist.
    “We’ll be up at the house in a few minutes, Sarah,” Mom said, and I took that as my dismissal. As I headed toward the back door, I turned for another glimpse of the gate glowing in the night. Maggie would love it. Like the corral, the lights were another bit of heaven brought closer to earth. Mom looked happy, too. Bobby had her in his arms and they were locked into a long, slow kiss. I thought about how I missed those, and how I missed Bill, but I couldn’t help but think that even with so much pain in the world, life had so much to cherish.
    Inside the house, I found Maggie at the living room window, barefoot and in her nightgown, holding the blinds apart so she could see the gate. She must have expected me, because she didn’t seem startled when I walked up behind her.
    “It’s wonderful, Mom. Don’t you think so?” Maggie asked, staring out at the lights in the darkness.
    “It is, Magpie,” I agreed. “It truly is.”
     
    In the kitchen, I made myself a cup of Mom’s chamomile tea, and then decided on one last phone call before I turned in for the night.
    “Was your sister having an affair?” I asked Faith Roberts.
    “No, at least not lately,” she said. “I thought awhile back there was someone, but I was never sure. For a time she seemed busier than usual, and I didn’t hear from her like I typically do. She never told me about any particular man, although we usually shared everything in our lives. That stopped before her death, maybe a couple of weeks. I saw more of her, and things got back to normal. But even if Billie had an affair, she didn’t kill herself over it.”
    “How do you know that?” I asked.
    “Like I told you, those last weeks, I’d never seen Billie look happier,” she said.
    “One last question,” I said. “Was your sister seeing a therapist?”
    The phone went quiet. “Well, I guess I should have told you about that,” Faith said, finally. “But it’s not what you think. She’s not the usual kind of therapist. It wasn’t because Billie was depressed.”
    “What kind was she