Read Online The Extinguished Guest (A Lexie Starr Mystery, Book 2) by Jeanne Glidewell - Free Book Online Page A

don't think I'll
     be the only person up all night. We went through a full three-pound can of coffee
     today, along with what was left from the other can we started with this morning."
    "Got enough left for tomorrow?"
    "No, but Crystal is going to pick some up on her way to work in the morning, along
     with a few other items we are running short on. We've got enough for several pots,
     which will get us started, at least."
    "Good. Crystal's been a real asset to us, hasn't she? Can you make sure she's reimbursed
     for whatever she has to purchase? I'll make sure she gets a bonus when this is all
     over with, too."
    I assured him I'd take care of reimbursing Crystal, and then told him everything I'd
     learned throughout the day, none of which I'd found time to jot down in my notebook.
     He listened intently, as he always did. He then placed his index finger under my chin
     and lifted my face to study it with scrutiny. "You look flushed, sweetheart. I don't
     want you working as long or hard tomorrow, you hear? These people are not invalids;
     they can fend for themselves tomorrow if Crystal is not available to wait on them.
     Crystal doesn't have to be at their beck and call either, for that matter."
    I nodded, too tired to argue. I was feeling nauseated again, more and more like I
     might upchuck what little pork roast and potatoes I'd managed to eat earlier. I tried
     to direct my attention away from the queasiness in my stomach to Stone as he spoke
     about his day.
    He told me he'd been tied up with the investigators much of the day, and other than
     Robert Fischer, he'd only had time to chat with Cornelius Walker. And even then it
     was just for a few minutes before supper he'd been able to talk to him.
    Stone discovered that, several decades ago, Cornelius had been engaged to Horatio's
     first wife, Ethel. According to Cornelius, lies and deception utilized by Mr. Prescott
     had allowed Ethel to be stolen from him. According to Cornelius, Prescott had convinced
     Ethel her fiancé was of questionable character, and marriage to him was sure to cause
     her great heartache. Ethel had dumped Cornelius and soon found herself engaged to
     Horatio. Cornelius had never married, or even become engaged again in the wake of
     his sorrow at losing the "love of his life." He was further devastated when Ethel
     died mysteriously in a boating accident on the day before she would have celebrated
     her and Horatio's tenth anniversary.
    Horatio, however, was apparently less distraught following Ethel's untimely death.
     He remarried within three months of the tragedy, to a woman who was fifteen years
     his junior. Several years later, his second wife also died prematurely, in a horrific
     house fire, which was eventually determined to have been set by an unknown arsonist.
    "How awful," I said. "Mr. Prescott sure had to endure a lot of tragedies, didn't he?"
    "I don't know about Mr. Prescott, but those close to him sure did."
    I caught Stone's meaning but wondered why he thought Horatio Prescott might have been
     responsible for the deaths of his two former wives. I was going to ask him about this
     when I suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my abdomen, just seconds before a veil
     of darkness settled over me and I crumpled into an undignified heap on the kitchen
     floor.

 
     
     
    Chapter 6

     
    The next thing I remember was opening my eyes and being startled by two other pairs
     of eyes, worried and inquisitive, staring down at me. I glanced around quickly and
     discovered I was lying on a hospital bed. There was a sedative-type medication and
     a bag of saline solution dripping into my arm via an IV tube, an oxygen monitor clipped
     to my index finger, and a heart monitor beeping to the side of my bed.
    "Mom?" I heard Wendy ask in a concerned voice. "Can you hear me?"
    "Yes," I tried to answer, but my throat was raw and swollen.
    "Don't try to talk, honey." Stone's voice was soothing. He had an apologetic tone
     to his voice as he