Read Online The Broken Lake by Shelena Shorts - Free Book Online

you got me. I’m just so happy that it’s over. The investigation is closed, the press conference is over, my mom is relaxing, and I’m with you.” I was beaming.
    His lighthearted laugh turned into a more serious but content smile. He leaned over to kiss me again and told me he loved me, then smoothly headed the car toward a destination I really didn’t want to reach.
    On the way there, I asked a few questions about the doctors from the press conference. He told me about Dr. Dwight Lyon. Apparently, Dr. Lyon was a hemophiliac who was treated by Dr. Thomas before he died. Wes said Dr. Thomas’ research in the 1950s, using various animal plasmas and experimentations with variations of temperature and concentrations of saline and alcohol, led to the development of factors used to clot blood in home treatments. Dr. Thomas’ findings didn’t cure hemophilia, but led to a revolutionary way that people suffering from it could be treated.
    Since Dr. Lyon was a beneficiary of Dr. Thomas’ findings, he vowed to help continue with his research. I asked why there wasn’t a larger focus on curing hemophilia in the lab and Wes said that they were working on that too, but current medications already allowed for hemophiliacs to live a relatively normal life. What they want to focus on more is finding cures for terminal illnesses.
    “It’s what Dr. Thomas wanted,” Wes ended.
    “I wish there was a cure for everything.” I almost became melancholy again.
    “Maybe one day.” Wes smiled and lifted my chin with his finger.
    “Right. One day.”
    A few moments passed and we pulled into the parking lot. A police cruiser sat right in front of the bookstore.
    “What is going on here?” Wes asked.
    “That’s odd,” I said.
    Although Wes normally would’ve dropped me off, this time he parked and got out with me. Together, we walked to the door, curious and anxious. Inside were the same two police officers who had questioned me a few days ago. The sight of them made me tense as I tried to remember any possible slip I’d made in my story.
    They were talking to Mr. Healey at the counter. I saw Mr. Healey dip his head and begin shaking it side to side. My thoughts drifted to Dawn and Danny, until I saw Danny come from the back carrying a small stack of items. Dawn.
    I walked right up to where the officers were. “Is Dawn okay?”
    “Yes, Dawn’s fine,” Mr. Healey answered. “It’s Ms. Mary.”
    Ms. Mary couldn’t have done anything wrong, that’s for sure. She was just a quiet, elderly woman who worked at the store. Then it occurred to me that Mr. Healey didn’t have a disappointed look on his face, he wore a shocked and saddened look.
    “What’s wrong with her?”
    Mr. Healey cleared his throat, but the younger, thin officer spoke up. “Ms. Mary was found dead in her home this morning. She was murdered.”
    My heart fluttered and my muscles tightened. Wes stepped forward and placed his hand on my back.
    I looked at Mr. Healey. “Oh, my gosh. Murdered? Ms. Mary?” At that point Wes put his hand on my elbow to steady me.
    Mr. Healey said, “Officer, I don’t understand. Why would anyone do that to her?”
    “That’s what we’re going to find out.” The officer reached out his hand toward Danny.
    “Are these her belongings?” Danny nodded and handed over her cubby items. “We’ll check these against the items her family says are unaccounted for.”
    “What happened?” I asked.
    This time the rounder one spoke up. “We received a call this morning when her house alarm went off. Upon arrival, we found her dead.”
    It was all too much. This was the kind of stuff people see on TV. This didn’t happen to someone who worked in the same little bookstore where I worked. This was some sort of nightmare.
    The thin officer spoke up. “Speaking of this morning, do you mind telling us where you were?”
    I looked up, about to answer his question, but noticed his eyes were fixed on Wes.
    “Me?” Wes asked,